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Configuring SAP Systems for IPv6Locate this document in the navigation structure

The instances of an SAP system can be configured so that they support IPv6. It is not important whether the instances are type AS ABAP, AS Java, or ABAP+Java (dual-stack). We recommend that either all or none of the instances belonging to an SAP system are configured for IPv6. Otherwise communication problems in the internal systems could occur.

Prerequisites:

  • The operating system and network infrastructure (for example, DNS server, router, switches) support IPv6.

  • You are running AS ABAP with SAP Kernel 7.10 and at least patch level 150, or with a later SAP Kernel.

  • For more information about operating system prerequisites, see 1346768 Information published on SAP site.

To activate or deactivate IPv6 in your SAP system, proceed as follows:

Activating IPv6

Set the environment variable SAP_IPv6_ACTIVE=1 for the instance you want to support IPv6.

If this variable is set at operating system level when the application server is started, the instance can be reached through an IPv6 connection. The components dispatcher, gateway, ICM, and so on, listen to all local IPv4 and IPv6 addresses unless there are any explicit restrictions. The host's corresponding IPv6 addresses are also considered for a host name during connection setup If both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses are maintained for a specific host, the IPv6 address is used. If in this case an IPv4 connection is set up for the desired host, the differentiation has to take place using various host names.

Deactivating IPv6

IPv6 is deactivated if you have not set the environment variable at all, or have set it as follows: SAP_IPv6_ACTIVE=0.

Network communication through IPv6 is then not possible.

Notes about AS Java

Environment variable SAP_IPv6_ACTIVE=1 is also valid for AS Java.

You also have to set system variable java.net.preferIPv6Addresses to true.

The virtual machine has the same name resolution behavior, such as for creating TCP/IP services, as AS ABAP has (see also Java documentation http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/guide/net/ipv6_guide/index.htmlInformation published on non-SAP site). IPv6 is supported as of SAP JVM 6.1.