Weblog:		Troubleshooting FAQ: How do I start SAP Front-End Installer Administrative Console over a network path?
Subject:		You are welcome... :-)
Date:		2008-05-16 09:23:56
From:		Markus DöhrBusiness Card
Response to: You are welcome... :-)
I have to comment on those :) "3. Find it very easy to administer, configure, customize, install, and diagnose SAP Installation Packages using the SAP Installer." Well... It may be "easy" at the first task - but it's in fact not. We had some really lengthy calls about the installations saying "the source is incomplete" (228755/2008, 709550/2006) after having added some packages, the "solution" was to reboot the server (Windows!!) which was done accidentally due to a different reason. The original problem why this happened is still unknown. and: fiddling on command line with .NET components is.. well... - not intuitive - as an administrator - who is != .NET developer :) "Having said all that: we do have a feature that allows customers to create a single-file installation package using our administration tool. Did you look it up?" We have six SAPGUI installation servers distributed over the whole world with one master in Germany, it's not possible to create a single installation package and somehow push that through the lines for each client. And due to the update frequency of some components (BI!) it can become really a major pain to keep the clients up-to-date, not to speak about dependencies of necessary Office patches (which can't be evaluated in/during the SAPGUI installation - or can they?) Markus

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• Sympathize with the problems, but... :-)
  2008-05-19 00:03:53 Siddhartha Rao  Business Card [Reply]
  
  Hi Markus,

  
  >> It may be "easy" at the first task - but it's in fact not. We had some really lengthy calls about the installations saying "the source is incomplete" <<

  
  Hey, an installation that tells you that the 'source is incomplete' is doing a great job! Would you've really been any happier if it indicated success instead of telling you that some files are missing on the source? ;-)

  
  >> after having added some packages, the "solution" was to reboot the server (Windows!!) which was done accidentally due to a different reason. The original problem why this happened is still unknown.<<

  
  If rebooting solved the problem, it is usually because some files had to be copied / installed post reboot.

  
  Note that this again is not an issue that MSI would solve for you. All Windows Updates are MSI files, and all of them need a reboot. ;-)

  
  >> and: fiddling on command line with .NET components is.. well... - not intuitive - as an administrator - who is != .NET developer :)

  
  You are right that the admin is not a .NET developer: hence, this FAQ to help the admin out. (Note that this is not a SAP related issue, an admin cannot start any .NET application over his local network.) Other than that, note that even this problem would not be solved by a MSI installation.

  
  A lot of problems you faced are connected to the Windows-way of doing things. These aren't one that any installer can solve.

  
  Best Wishes,
  Siddhartha

  • Sympathize with the problems, but... :-)
    2008-05-22 06:36:44 Markus Döhr Business Card [Reply]
    
    If it´s intelligent enough to see, that the "source is incomplete" why isn´t it intelligent enough to tell "please reboot me" :))

    
    I agree with you - we have to deal with the Windows (installer) deficiencies :)

    
    

    
    Markus

    • Workstation cannot access the internals of the server...
      2008-05-22 13:42:53 Siddhartha Rao  Business Card [Reply]
      
      A workstation (installer) cannot look into the internals of the server. It simply does not have access to data (connected to reboot requirement) that is maintained in the server's registry / program files.

      
      When an admin completes the patch / update, the administrative tool warns him of the need to reboot. Such requests are often overlooked. :-)

      
      Having said that, I can take your feedback and see what we can do with the administrative tool - may be have it inform the admin of pending reboots on startup of the tool.

      
      Thank you for your comments.

      
      Sid!

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