Setting Up the Flexible License Mechanism

Prerequisites

  • The IP address of the message server (rdisp/mshost) must be fixed (so that it is not DHCP for example). To be able to move the message server to another server with only one installed license, it must be set to the virtual IP address, which is moved together with the message server.

  • At least one SAPHostControl is installed in the system landscape (more information: Downloading and Installing Package SAPHOSTAGENT).

    For high-availability scenarios, at least two SAPHostControl agents must be installed and configured on the message server with slice/netide_servers to safeguard against the failure of a SAPHostControl. You can decide yourself whether to install SAPHostControl once for your entire system landscape, install multiple copies for subareas for the system landscape, or install a separate SAPHostControl for each system. The IP address of SAPHostControl must also be fiex (that is, no DHCP, for example). Ensure that there is an unrestricted network connection between the message server and the SAPHostControl in both directions, without any address conversion. SAPHostControl must also be accessible from the IP address of the mesage server. You can configure this with parameter rdisp/mshost.

Context

Profile parameter slic/netid_servers in the message server profile defines the ID generators to be used. The syntax of the value is a list of ID generator host names and their ports separated by spaces. Since SAPHostControl uses the fixed, registered IANA port saphostctrl, the value is always 1128. You activate the flexible license mechanism by setting parameter slic/netid_servers to <idhost1:1128> <idhost2:1128> .... <idhostN>:1128 in the profile of the message server, restarting the system, and requesting a new license.

To allow a seamless transition to the flexible license mechanism, and to request licenses for all configured ID generators, or if you do not have access to the system, you can proceed as described in the procedure below.

Procedure

  1. In transaction RZ11, set the profile parameters rdisp/msserv, rdisp/msserv_internal, and rdisp/mshost and the corresponding IP addresses and ports in accordance with your requirements.

    Profile Parameter

    Description

    rdisp/mshost

    Specifies the host where the message server is running

    rdisp/msserv

    Specifies the name of the service where the message server can be reached.

    rdisp/msserv_internal

    Used to separate the communication types of the message server.

    The default value is 0: No internal Port

    A value other than 0: In addition to its port sapms<SID>, the message server opens another port (port number n) used only for internal communication with the application servers.
  2. Determine the message server port as a decimal value. If profile parameter rdisp/msserv_internal is configured and is not 0, use this value. Otherwise, use the value of profile parameter rdisp/msserv.
  3. Determine the IP address of the message server by checking profile parameter rdisp/mshost.
  4. Fetch the new network ID of each ID generator by using the IP address of the message server and the port with the script sapcontrol. Execute the sapcontrol command on the client instead of on the server.
  5. Request new licenses from SAP for each hardware key, and install these licenses in the system (more information: Installing a License Key).
  6. Configure the message server so that it connects to your ID generators. Set the profile parameter slic/netid_servers to do this, for example slic/netid_servers = idhost1:1128 idhost2:1128.
  7. Restart the message server so that your changes take effect. This usually requires a system restart.
  8. In the message server trace dev_ms, check whether errors occurred, and whether the new hardware key is listed, such as CUSTOMER KEY: >zeGqTUeA65W<.
  9. Depending on your system and the release in use, use transaction SLICENSE, the Visual Administrator, or the SAP NetWeaver Administrator to check whether the system is using the newly-installed licenses.