BOXI R2 SP1 to SP5

server administration XI Server Discussion
1

All,
We have a fairly large installation of BOXI (3500 users). The repository db, file & report servers, CMS and web server all in RAC.

We are looking to upgrade this to SP5 to overcome a number of issues prevelant in SP1.

Has anyone from this group of experts done this before.
What are the potential risks and issues that I should be looking for? Any specific area of testing that I should increase focus on?
Many Thanks

vconsultant (BOB member since 2009-08-19)

2

Hi vconsultant,
We’ve not taken our environments to SP5 yet, still on 3 and 4.5 so I couldn’t comment on any issues with SP5 itself but you will definitely need to go to SP2 first before going any higher.
However, I’d suggest going through the release docs for each SP from 2 onwards and find out which packs solve your specific problems.
Sometimes the SP’s can fix certain issues and introduce others so I tend to only upgrade to what’s actually required.
Andy.

andyherm :uk: (BOB member since 2008-09-26)

3

Thanks Andy. Useful information.
I suppose the valid plan is to go from SP1 to 2 to 4 and finally 5.
Having said that you’re right, I need to validate the right versionbefore embarking on this.

Any other useful sound bites, gratefully recieved
Many Thanks

vconsultant (BOB member since 2009-08-19)

4

Hi,

Check the prerequisites of SP5. I think SP5 needs any of SP2, SP3, SP4. So your upgrade path could be SP1 -> SP2 -> SP5

Marek Chladny :slovakia: (BOB member since 2003-11-27)

5

Thats right. I can echo the comments with regards to only upgrading to what you need. I was recently forced to upgrade SP2 to SP5 for a version control problem, only to discover an SP5 bug SQL generation bug. They ended up back on SP2, easy with virtualised servers!

Nick Daniels :uk: (BOB member since 2002-08-15)

6

Hi Nick,
Thats’ really useful. Do you know the details of the SQL bug you hit in SP5.
I don’t really want to go to SP5 if I don’t have to.
Main issue in SP1 was that the hints (sql optimisation) wouldn’t survive. Besides this we had other smaller issues with WebI etc, however these were all resovled in subsequent issues 2, 3 & 4.
My concern is that if SP5 forces me to introduce extensive client end changes (JVM), then I’m going to find very little appetitie for change.

Also looking for any gotcha’s in SP5 that people may have noticed.

Many Thanks

vconsultant (BOB member since 2009-08-19)

7

Hi everyone
I would like to install service pack 2 on my BOXI R2, but I couldn’t find it. I’ve searched SAP help portal and I didn’t find Service Pack 2. Where I can download it ?

Thanks.

marcin.sworzynski (BOB member since 2006-04-05)

8

Oh the woes of the SAP website! Its taken me 3 days (so far) with emails, phone calls, support incidents and and my account manager and STILL cant get hold of a service pack!!!

Try this:
https://websmp209.sap-ag.de/patches
Link on left: “Support Packages and Patches - Entry by Application Group”
Link on right: “SAP BusinessObjects packages and products”
Navigate to required software…if you’re lucky!!

BUT, if you use Desktop Intelligence, you may want to go to SP3 at least. We are on SP2 and alot of our clients are just crashing out - no errors. DI just dissappears. I’ve been told that SP3 fixes it.

rob_bo :uk: (BOB member since 2005-08-04)

9

Hi Nick

Can you explain what kind of SQL Generation Bug you have noticed after SP5 Upgrade and also let us know which Database you have noticed it

Thanks

Sree

srdh21 (BOB member since 2008-08-05)