SAP Database Administration with Oracle from SAP Press

This is one of the best book that every SAP Basis (with Oracle DB) should own. It hold a lot of information about how to manage your Oracle database administration with guidance from SAP expert. Well, because my company using SAP with Oracle DB server so I ask my boss to buy me this book along with several other book.
This book provides administrators with essential information on Oracle databases as well as their interaction with SAP systems. First, you'll learn how best to plan or extend an effective, secure system landscape. The authors show you how to analyze and optimize the performance of hardware, operating system, database, and SAP system as well as which parameters and tools you can use to monitor them. An entire chapter deals with the critical aspects of backup, recovery, and restore, describing different data backup concepts, BR*Tools, the Oracle Recovery Manager, and various backup strategies in detail. In addition, the authors tackle advanced topics, such as Java and SAP NetWeaver BI.

By bridging the gap between basic background knowledge and real-life instruction, this book assists you in solving concrete administration problems, structuring the operation of your system to achieve higher performance, and improving data security and availability.

Highlights

• Interaction between SAP and Oracle
• Planning and Extending the System Landscape
• System Lifecycle: Installation,
• System Maintenance, Upgrades
• Performance: Analysis of Hardware,
• Operating System, Database, SAP
• System, SQL Statements, and much more
• Backup, Recovery, and Restore:
• Data Backup Concepts, BR*Tools,
• Oracle Recovery Manager, Backup Strategies
• Oracle and SAP NetWeaver BI
• Includes a detailed quick-reference card with all of the most important transaction codes

This book costs $89.95. Yeah, worth enough with information you got inside it. This book is authored by Michael Holding, André Faustmann, Ronny Zimmermann, and Gunnar Klein. All of them are SAP certified consultant with great experience.

SAP Performance Optimization Guide from SAP-Press

This is one of the SAP R3 based best book I ever had. Actually, I don't own it but my company does :D. Dr. Thomas Schneider (author of this book) is highly specialized on SAP system performance optimization for couple years experienced so that he can explained and wrote briefly about how to trace performance bottleneck, how to trace it, how to exclude it, and how to fix it.

Dr. Schneider has write such a great book that gave us SAP Basis to get clearly explanation about what is happenning on our SAP R3 system.
This book describes how you can optimize the performance of your SAP solution and ensure it operates as cost-effectively as possible. Learn how to systematically identify and analyze performance problems, implement appropriate tuning measures, and evaluate their effectiveness. The book covers both technical optimization as well as the monitoring of applications. From hardware, to your ABAP and Java programs, to database access each potential performance bottleneck is highlighted, along with corresponding instructions and valuable tips — provided directly from support professionals at SAP. This fifth edition has been completely revised and updated for SAP NetWeaver 7.0. New sections cover topics related to the analysis of Web Dynpro applications, the SAP J2EE engine, SAP JVM, and SAP Solution Manager Diagnostics.
Here are briefly highlight about this books :

- Monitoring Hardware, Database and SAP Basis
- Workload and Runtime Analyses
- Performance of ABAP and Java Programs, and of the SAP JVM
- Load Distribution
- Interfaces
- SAP GUI, BSPs, Web Dynpro, and Java Applications
- Memory Management
- Table Buffering
- Locks
- Optimizing SQL Statements
- Monitors for MaxDB, DB2, Informix, Oracle, and SQL Serve

The 4th edition of this book has explain about SAP 4.6, SAP R3 4.7, SAP ECC 5. If you bought the new one (5th edition) has included SAP ECC 6 also. I highly recommended that every SAP Basis should have this book. Ask your company to buy it. Not so expensive. Happy reading, guys !!

McGraw-Hill - SAP R/3 Handbook 3rd Edition

SAP R/3 Handbook which is authored by Jose Antonio Hernandez, Jim Keogh, and Franklin Martinez is one of the best books for Basis. It's give Basis good view and explanation about what is SAP R/3, how to configure each of side such as User Account, Roles and Profiles, System Administration, SAP Parameter, Output Administration, etc.

You can get information about the architecture of SAP Web Application Server, Overview about SAP Netweaver, Change and Transport System, ABAP Engine, User Management and Security on SAPEnvironments, Web Application Server, SAP Performance and Troubleshooting, and about SAP Implemenation, Planning, Operation, and Support.

Jose has organize great knowledge based on his experience implementing SAP system on several company which has enormous and sophisticated business processes. First time I read about this book (which is 2nd edition), I know that Jose is highly experienced on SAP. He explain briefly and clearly.

I highly recommend to all Basis to get this book.

I'll provide link to this ebook but just for evaluation. Click here to download. If you like, please buy it. Please leave your comment here and link back my blog to your blog (if you have it) than I'll sent the password to your email so don't forget to drop your email. So I can send you the password.

SAP Labs - System Administration Made Easy

This old books are such great books. Old enough...but still useful. I still recommend this books to SAP Basis newbie. Most of SAP Basis job or task list are mentioned here. Starting from daily task, weekly task, monthly task, annually task, and also accidentally task. Some of this task are :

• User Administration
• System Administration
• Database Administration
• Security Administration
• Job Scheduler
• Backup Operator
• Change Management
• Performance Optimization
  
• etc
  

Database software which is use here are Microsoft Windows and using Microsoft Windows NT (old enough..)

This book also mention about some useful tcode for Basis, some of Basis task list. You can grab this task list and modify it to fit your need. Just add some useful task and remove unnecessary task.

SAP Press - SAP R/3 System Administration

SAP Press release SAP R/3 System Administration book. This book has great response from SAP Basis community especially newbie one. I have bought this book at cost US$59,95. This books give you brief explanation on how to start SAP R/3 system administration. SAP Basis jobs such as User Administration, Sytem Administration Database Administration, Security Administration, etc.

You can learn about how SAP R/3 system architecture designed, what tier it's implemented, how to install and configure SAProuter, SAP Client concenpt and configuration, SAP Change and Transport Request management, Background job management, SAP output or SAP document printing configuration, SAP Data archiving, System Monitoring, etc.

This is complete table of content of SAP R/3 System Administration :

Foreword to the series of books 13

Foreword 15

Introduction 17

1. Technical Realization of Client/Server Architecture in SAP R/3 21

1.1 Client/Server Architecture in SAP R/3 21
1.2 Internet Connection 24
1.3 Presentation Layer 27
1.4 Application Layer 32
1.5 Database Layer 39
1.6 Network 41
1.7 Operating System 42
1.8 Tips 45
1.9 Transactions and Menu Paths 45
1.10 Additional Documentation 46
1.11 Questions 46

2. Getting Started 49

2.1 Starting the Database and SAP R/3 Instances 49
2.2 Stopping SAP R/3 Instances and the Database 57
2.3 Starting the Frontend 58
2.4 General Administrative Tasks 59
2.5 Tips 70
2.6 Transactions and Menu Paths 70
2.7 Additional Documentation 71
2.8 Questions 71

3. Service and Support 73

3.1 Remote Connection 73
3.2 SAP Services 79
3.3 Essential Services 80
3.4 Support Tools 87
3.5 SAP Solution Manager: Overview 88
3.6 Tips 93
3.7 Transactions and Menu Paths 93
3.8 Additional Documentation 93
3.9 Questions 94

4. Installation Concepts 97

4.1 Preparations 97
4.2 Architecture of the R3setup Installation Tool 103
4.3 Installation Steps 106
4.4 Changes with the SAP Web Application Server 112
4.5 Postprocessing 117
4.6 Tips 122
4.7 Transactions and Menu Paths 123
4.8 Additional Documentation 123
4.9 Questions 124

5. Setting Up the System Landscape 127

5.1 Initializing the Change and Transport System 128
5.2 Tasks of a System Landscape 131
5.3 Configuration of the Transport Management System 134
5.4 Transport Control Program tp 148
5.5 Tips 149
5.6 Transactions and Menu Paths 149
5.7 Additional Documentation 149
5.8 Questions 150

6. Software Logistics 153

6.1 Implementation Guide 153
6.2 Object Editing 157
6.3 Importing Transport Requests 175
6.4 Manual Operation of the Transport Control tProgram tp 178
6.5 Importing Support Packages and Industry Solutions 179
6.6 Tips 183
6.7 Transactions and Menu Paths 183
6.8 Additional Documentation 184
6.9 Questions 185

7. Client Administration 18

7.1 Creating New Clients 189
7.2 Local Copy 195
7.3 Remote Copy 201
7.4 Client Transport 203
7.5 Special Functions 213
7.6 Tips 214
7.7 Transactions and Menu Paths 217
7.8 Additional Documentation 218
7.9 Questions 218

8. R/3 Users and Authorizations 221

8.1 Basics 221
8.2 User Maintenance 222
8.3 Authorizations 230
8.4 Personal Settings 251
8.5 Internet Users 253
8.6 Information About Users and Authorizations 254
8.7 Central User Administration 257
8.8 Outlook: Directory Services 262
8.9 Tips 263
8.10 Transactions and Menu Paths 263
8.11 Additional Documentation 265
8.12 Questions 266

9. Background Processing 267

9.1 Concepts 267
9.2 Definition of Background Jobs 270
9.3 Analysis 276
9.4 Analysis Functions 280
9.5 Authorizations 284
9.6 Maintenance Jobs 285
9.7 External Interface 287
9.8 Tips 288
9.9 Transactions and Menu Paths 289
9.10 Other Documentation 290
9.11 Questions 290

10. Update 291

10.1 Update Concepts 291
10.2 Configuring the Update System 295
10.3 Monitoring and Troubleshooting for the Update 297
10.4 Tips 303
10.5 Transactions and Menu Paths 304
10.6 Additional Documentation 304
10.7 Questions 305

11. Output Configuration and Management 307

11.1 Basics 307
11.2 Configuring Spool Work Processes 309
11.3 Configuring the Spool Server 311
11.4 Configuring the Output Devices Landscape 317
11.5 Analysis and Error Correction 326
11.6 Authorizations 331
11.7 Tips 332
11.8 Transactions and Menu Paths. 332
11.9 Additional Documentation 333
11.10 Questions 334

12. Data Archiving 337

12.1 Archive Development Kit 338
12.2 Customizing 342
12.3 Control and Analysis 349
12.4 Tips 353
12.5 Transactions and Menu Paths 354
12.6 Additional Documentation 355
12.7 Questions 356

13. Data Distribution and Transfer 357

13.1 RFC Destinations 358
13.2 Application Link Enabling 365
13.3 Data Transfer 380
13.4 SAPconnect 385
13.5 Tips 386
13.6 Transactions and Menu Paths 386
13.7 Additional Documentation 388
13.8 Questions 389

14. Maintaining Instances 391

14.1 Profile Maintenance 391
14.2 Operation Modes 403
14.3 Control Panel 411
14.4 Dynamic User Distribution 412
14.5 Tips 415
14.6 Transactions and Menu Paths 416
14.7 Additional Documentation 417
14.8 Questions 417

15. System Monitoring 419

15.1 Server and Process Overviews 419
15.2 User Overviews 428
15.3 System Log 430
15.4 Analyzing Runtime Errors 432
15.5 Trace Files 433
15.6 Lock Entries 438
15.7 Performance Monitoring 440
15.8 Database Administration 442
15.9 Overview of Regular Tasks 446
15.10 Tips 449
15.11 Transactions and Menu Paths 450
15.12 Additional Documentation 452
15.13 Questions 453

16. Monitoring Architecture 455

16.1 Alert Monitor 456
16.2 Customizing the Alert Monitor 465
16.3 Analyzing the Alert Monitors 473
16.4 Example Customizing 474
16.5 Tips 480
16.6 Transactions and Menu Paths 481
16.7 Additional Documentation 482
16.8 Questions 483

Appendix 485

A. Questions and Answers 485
B. Important Transaction Codes 499
C. Profile Parameters 505
D. Menu Structures 511
E. Glossary 513
F. Bibliography 521

Index 523

From my point of view that every SAP Basis should have this book because it always good to read and starting point to learn about other SAP Basis field. I definitely recommend this book for you. Get it !!

Basic OS and Hardware Knowledge for SAP Basis

Most Basis are from IT Administrator or DBA staff. They should have good knowledge on their field. Network Administrator has good knowledge on network stuff, router such as Cisco, 3COM, Nortell, etc, OS Administrator has specific knowledge about OS specific command, and DBA has well knowledge about database design, database query, database performance, database daily administration, etc.

If you have one of those knowledg, then that's good point and has great advantages for you. But if you don't have it, don't be shame. All you need is start to learn. Make it fast. That's all.

Depend on what kind of you SAP server and database your company will use, then you'll need to master them. Some operating system are very popular as SAP server such as IBM AIX, HP HPUX, Microsoft Windows, SUN Solaris, Redhat RHEL, and Novell SLES. You need to master specific configuration. Sometime you may tune some OS kernel.
IBM provide great books via redbooks website. You just need to download some of them. HP also provide some books although not as complete as IBM does. You need to buy some books if your company use SUN Solaris. If your company use Linux then you're lucky guy. Linux has numeruous books on internet which freely available to download. You also can start learning before SAP implementation because you can download Linux OS freely from internet.


Database software which are popular as SAP database software are Oracle, IBM DB2 and Microsoft SQL Server. You can start learning them by buying some books. Oracle is the most popular on the planet. There are many books about Oracle on bookstore. Many website and blogs explain Oracle tips and tricks. You can start learning IBM DB2 by downloading some ebooks from Redbooks website. Microsoft also provide some good books about SQL Server.

After you master some of basic configuration about operating system and database then you should be ready to start SAP implemenation. Let's SAP implementaion begin !!

List books that Basis must have

I would like to give some review about some SAP Basis must read. Not only about SAP, but about Operating System and SAP Hardware. I hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you want me to review about other book.