Top 10 SAP-Linux FAQs

Here are the top 10 SAP-Linux FAQs-

• Does SAP support Linux?

Yes undoubtedly it does, you would get a detailed in-sight into the matter by reading the upcoming discussions in this article


• Why does SAP support Linux?

SAP's goal is to be able to provide its customers the maximum of flexibility to create the best IT environment for their needs and be able to get the most value out of their business applications driving growth and profit.

• What are main reasons behind SAP supporting Linux?

The main reason is to offer a free choice, and many SAP customers want to use Intel hardware and at the same time use their UNIX know-how as well.

Linux is growing with incredible speed and absolutely meets the quality standards of SAP. And thanks to the platform-independent SAP architecture, the port of the SAP kernel was fairly easy: none of the SAP business applications had to be modified.

• What are other reasons behind the same?

Another reason is the number of UNIX operating systems SAP has to support. Especially when you try to get maximum performance out of your hardware resources, there are significant differences between the different UNIX flavors. SAP has to maintain, test and support each possible combination of OS, database, hardware and mySAP release. With Intel moving to 64 bit there is a high probability of even more UNIX flavors. A consolidation of these UNIX derivatives would benefit both vendors and customers.

• What is the SAP-Linux Lab?

The SAP LinuxLab assists in the releasing of SAP software on Linux and drives the porting of SAP software to new platforms, like the Intel Itanium or IBM Power PC. Furthermore it helps other SAP departments with developing on and for the Linux platform and processes Linux-specific support problems - internal ones, as of external - or forwards them to the appropriate hardware or software partner.

• Currently who are the big guns involved with the SAP Linux labs?

Currently, developers from Bull, Dell, Fujitsu-Siemens, HP, IBM, Intel, Novell/SUSE, RealTech, Red Hat, SAP, SUN and a number of temporary "guests" share the same rooms in the LinuxLab. Despite our hardware partners being competitors, the cooperation is excellent and we had a number of very successful projects.

The LinuxLab also cloesely cooperates with (and is located directly next to) SAP's Server Infrastructure department, which is responsible for the development of the SAP kernel, the basis layers on top of the native operating systems, which make SAP's business applications platform independent.

• What role does SAP play in the Open Source scene?

SAP supports Open Source when it comes to Linux as an operating system or MaxDB (formerly Adabas/D or SAP DB) as a database. In fact, back in 1999, we were the first business software provider to support Linux as an operating system for running SAP solutions.