Roadmap:

SAP NetWeaver Discontinues Dual-Stack

As of Release 7.4, SAP NetWeaver discontinues dual-stack
implementations.
1. Disclaimer
This document outlines SAPs general product direction and should not be relied on in making a purchase
decision. This document is not subject to your license agreement or any other agreement with SAP. SAP has
no obligation to pursue any course of business outlined in this document or to develop or release any
functionality mentioned in this document. This document and SAP's strategy and possible future
developments are subject to change and may be changed by SAP at any time for any reason without notice.
This document is provided without a warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not
limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. SAP
assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in this document, except if such damages were caused by
SAP intentionally or grossly negligent.
2. Introduction
This section provides some basic definitions and considerations that are relevant for dual-stack
deployments.
2.1 Definition of Dual-Stack systems
An SAP system is dual-stack, if it contains both SAP NetWeaver Application Server ABAP and Java with one
common SAP system ID (SAPSID), one common startup framework, and one common database.
Support for dual-stack implementations for SAP NetWeaver was originally introduced with the intention to
reduce the TCO and to offer more options for the layout of SAP systems to customers deploying and running
SAP NetWeaver-based products and solutions such as the SAP Business Suite. Initially, dual-stack allowed
customers to save database and application server hardware and software deployments, by combining the
ABAP and Java stack on the same physical machine, sharing database and operating system resources.
Software lifecycle management processes in turn treated ABAP and Java stack as a unit when applying
support packages, installing enhancement packages, or upgrading the system.
2.2 Dual-stack implications and disadvantages
While the benefits and advantages of dual-stack implementations offered value and helped to reduce and
manage the operational costs for certain use cases and aspects, many of the offered benefits were only onetime benefits (such as reduced efforts for implementation) and could also be achieved with single stack
systems by other means, such as running both the ABAP and the Java schema of two single stack systems
in the same database with Multiple Components in One Database (MCOD). Also, new technologies such as
virtualization have been introduced in recent years that offer similar capabilities on a more appropriate level
of abstraction.
In addition, the tight coupling between the ABAP and Java stacks became more and more an innovation
hurdle, since the stacks evolved at different speeds and served different use cases moving forward. The
ABAP stack continued to serve as a foundation platform for SAPs solutions, such as the SAP Business
Suite, while the Java stack was optimized to serve integration and collaboration capabilities. Since the
downtime of one stack in a dual-stack system affected the whole system and since dual-stack systems could
not be scaled independently, single-stack systems overall offered more advantages and improved flexibility.

2.2 Landscape recommendations to avoid dual-stack deployments

As a consequence, SAP NetWeaver recommended that customers avoid optional dual-stack deployments
where possible (see the presentation How to Deploy SAP NetWeaver Dual Stack vs. Separated Stacks in
SAP Community Network from 2008 also for more information about the reasons for this recommendation).
SAP also aimed to support the planning of SAP landscapes with clear guidance on how to set up SAP
systems. Subsequently, many customers sought ways to replace their dual-stack implementation with singlestack deployments that could evolve at the desired innovation speed chosen by the customer. Therefore,
SAP offered software logistics tools, such as the dual-stack split tool to separate the ABAP and the Java
parts in a dual-stack deployment. Put simply, the dual-stack split tool creates a system copy of the Java
stack from an existing dual-stack implementation. It creates a fresh new Java instance based on the system
copy and, upon successful completion, removes the Java parts from the dual-stack system without touching
the ABAP instance. The split procedure therefore resembles the proven and well-established system copy
procedure.
This document shows at a high level how customers can migrate their dual-stack implementations into
single-stack deployments. The physical migration is described in detail in the corresponding documentation
of the lifecycle management tools such as the dual-stack split tool (part of the Software Logistics Toolset
http://service.sap.com/sltoolset).
3. SAP NetWeaver in a Nutshell
SAP NetWeaver today is a brand for a variety of
offerings on top of SAPs technology stack. These
offerings can typically be deployed as functional
hubs within customers landscapes and are usually
based on an SAP NetWeaver Application Server
ABAP (AS ABAP) or Java (AS Java). They share
common capabilities and tools with regard to
development
infrastructure,
landscape
virtualization
management,
and
lifecycle
management.
4. Dual-Stack Split Procedure
The dual-stack split procedure comprises the following phases:
1. Separation of Java stack
Separation of Java stack of dual-stack source system into new SAP system with the dual-stack split
tool (mainly using Java system copy functionality) for this, SAP offers two options:
Keep DB option (using Multiple Components in One Database MCOD): here, a new Java
stack gets installed without additional database the former Java schema stays in the
already existing database, but only gets renamed.
Move DB option (non-MCOD): here, a new Java system is installed with an additional
database. The former Java schema gets copied into the new database.
2. Post-split activities
Usage-type- and software-unit-specific follow-up activities have to be performed as described in the
dual-stack split documentation: such as adapting the configuration (for example, of technical
connectivity between SAP NetWeaver ABAP and Java systems); cleaning up landscape data in
landscape repositories of SAP Solution Manager; and installing a new license for the new Java
system.
SAP recommends that you perform the dual-stack split on a test system to identify possible
further application-specific post-split activities for your scenario.
Re-configuration is automated for certain use cases (such as for SAP NetWeaver BW).
The new setup should be thoroughly tested (regression testing) before finally removing the
Java stack in the source system.
3. Removal of Java stack in source system
Removal of Java-related SAP system information (and Java database persistency in case of move
DB option) within source system with the dual-stack split tool.
For more information, see SAP Community Network at: http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-25162.

Copyright/Trademark

5. SAP NetWeaver-based solution support for Dual-Stack and Dual-Stack split

5.1 Last dual-stack upgrade support with Business Suite i2011
As already communicated to customers, SAP Business Suite 7 i2011 is the last SAP Business Suite release
that supports a dual-stack upgrade from a previous release to i2011. This does not mean that customers
should postpone their projects to split dual-stack implementations until they have upgraded to i2011. It
simply states that dual-stack upgrades will not be offered to SAP Business Suite releases after i2011. Of
course, customers may stay with their existing dual-stack implementations until mainstream maintenance
ends in 2020. However, if customers wish to bring innovations into their solution landscapes, they should
consider dual-stack split projects sooner rather than later. In short, SAP Business Suite products that are
installed as dual-stack systems need to be split before updating/upgrading to any SAP Business Suite
release higher than SAP Business Suite 7 i2011.

5.2 Support for Dual-Stack discontinued in SAP NetWeaver 7.4 in general with exceptions
SAP NetWeaver 7.4 is positioned as the follow-up on-premise release for SAP NetWeaver 7.31.
SAP NetWeaver is among other things optimized for SAP HANA as the foundation for the SAP Business
Suite on SAP HANA project. This means that dual-stack deployments and implementations are not
supported any longer. The only exception to this rule is SAP NetWeaver Process Integration on a traditional
database system, which still requires a dual-stack implementation. However, note that a single-stack SAP
NetWeaver Process Integration Java exists that offers 95% of the features of classical dual-stack
implementations. Therefore, customers should investigate whether an existing SAP NetWeaver PI
implementation can be replaced by a Java-only implementation of SAP NetWeaver PI.

5.3 Dual-Stack Split Support

SAP NetWeaver-based products that are subject to dual-stack implementations are SAP NetWeaver Portal,
SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse, and SAP NetWeaver Process Integration, SAP NetWeaver Mobile
Infrastructure, SAP Business Suite, and SAP Solution Manager. In addition, there may be other dual-stack
SAP NetWeaver implementations.
SAP NetWeaver Portal
SAP NetWeaver Portal is based on the Java stack only, but may be co-deployed in a dual-stack
environment. The dual-stack split tool allows customers to separate SAP NetWeaver Portal 7.0 from an SAP
ERP or other backend solutions.

SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse

The dual-stack split tool supports the separation of SAP NetWeaver BW 7.0 dual-stack deployment.
For certain scenarios of SAP NetWeaver BW 7.3 deployments, a manual split procedure, comprising the
manual de-installation and a re-implementation of the Java stack, is described in the presentation SAP
NetWeaver Deinstalling Java Add-In in SAP Community Network at http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC7856. It is also planned to provide dual-stack split tool support for SAP NetWeaver BW systems based on
SAP NetWeaver 7.3x.
SAP NetWeaver Process Integration
In general, SAP NetWeaver PI dual-stack will be supported in SAP NetWeaver 7.4. However, customers are
recommended to migrate SAP NetWeaver PI content into SAP NetWeaver PI Java single stack (Advanced
Adapter Engine Extended). Since the feature set of the Advanced Adapter Engine Extended covers 95% of a
classical SAP NetWeaver PI dual-stack environment, this approach should be feasible for most use cases.
Due to the harmonized process orchestration stack (SAP NetWeaver PI and SAP NetWeaver BPM running
on the same Java instance), many of the ccBPM features in SAP NetWeaver PI can be expressed using
SAP NetWeaver BPM capabilities instead.

Copyright/Trademark

SAP NetWeaver Business Process Management

SAP NetWeaver BPM is used in single stack environments only. In conjunction with SAP NetWeaver PI,
SAP NetWeaver BPM capabilities can help to move SAP NetWeaver PI from a dual-stack to a single stack
(Java) implementation in many cases.
SAP NetWeaver Mobile Infrastructure
SAP NetWeaver Mobile Infrastructure is not part of SAP NetWeaver 7.31 or SAP NetWeaver 7.4. Therefore
dual-stack deployments of SAP NetWeaver MI if any cannot be upgraded.
SAP Business Suite
The dual-stack split tool supports the split of SAP Business Suite systems based on SAP NetWeaver 7.0.
SAP Solution Manager
SAP Solution Manager 7.0 and 7.1 systems are dual-stack. New installation, update and upgrade of SAP
Solution Manager systems to these releases is still supported.

Other Dual-Stack SAP NetWeaver Systems

The dual-stack split tool is available for optional dual-stack SAP NetWeaver 7.0 systems that run only stackisolated applications without direct dependencies to applications running on the other stack.

5.4 Summary
Single stack deployments offer more flexibility than dual-stack deployments. SAP encourages its customers
to apply the dual-stack split tool whenever possible. SAP NetWeaver 7.4 does not support dual-stack
deployments (general rule with only few exceptions, that can be replaced by single stack alternatives in most
cases). The following table provides a brief summary for the various SAP NetWeaver hubs.

Solution or Hub
SAP NetWeaver Portal

SAP NetWeaver PI

SAP NetWeaver BW

SAP NetWeaver BPM

Other solutions using SAP NetWeaver

Status
Dual-stack split tool available
(for SAP ERP/Portal dual-stack use cases)
As an exception to the overall rule SAP NetWeaver PI
dual-stack will be supported in SAP NetWeaver 7.4.
Recommendation to migrate SAP NetWeaver PI content
into SAP NetWeaver PI Java single stack (Advanced
Adapter Engine Extended) whenever featurewise
possible
Dual-stack split tool available for SAP NetWeaver BW
7.0x, manual procedure available for certain use cases
of SAP NetWeaver BW 7.3x
Java-only deployment. Can be used to facilitate SAP
NetWeaver PI single-stack deployments as part of
Process Orchestration
Dual-stack split tool available for optional dual-stack
SAP NetWeaver 7.0 systems that run only stackisolated applications without direct dependencies to
applications running on the other stack

Copyright/Trademark