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Renald Wittwer

Virtual vs. Cloud - and the winner is...
Renald Wittwer 
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Company: Renald Wittwer
Posted on Nov. 16, 2009 12:44 PM in ABAP, Run SAP, SAP Developer Network

URL: http://www.se80.info/?p=27
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The SDN offers the great opportunity to download and to install the current version of SAP Netweaver as a trail. This is fantastic, because I can play around with the newest SAP technology, can investigate problems from my projects or even play around.

 

After buying a new computer, the question came over me how to install the newest SAP Netweaver Trail version. The problem is that my new Computer runs with Windows Vista. Actually this is not a problem, I have no problems with Vista, but the newest version of the trail runs only under Windows XP, Server 2003 or the english Version of Vista. I have only the German version. By the way, can anyone tell me why the english version is needed?

 

In a first try I created a virtual Machine of VMWare and installed the SAP Netweaver Trial. This was amazing easy, the only problem is the performance. Actually my computer is not that bad, but I am not able to route the power of my computer to the virtual machine. To be honest, I am to an expert in virtual machines and my time is limited. I was not able to boost the performace.

 

After that first try I found the installation guide of Thorsten Franz. Great! This is a very good explanation, how to install my little toy in an Amazon cloud. With the installation guide of Thrsten Franz I managed to install the SAP Netweaver Trail in a cloud. The performance is not that bad. At the end the cloud is not only cloudy in the meaning where it runs, but also of the costs at the end of the month.

 

According to the price list you have only to pay the usage. But what means this? Do I use the cloud, if I am not connected? What about background processes? After nearly a month the costs of the cloud were about 70 Euros, what is much to high for me. The costs were growing as well if I was not connected. There is something that I do not understand!

 

Ok, I have to be smart and shutdown the cloud as long as I do not use it. Here you get a very important lesson of clouds: Never ever shutdown a cloud without restart! Shutdown without restart means to terminate the cloud!!! My cloud was lost after shutdown. At least it does not cost anything anymore.

 

Both alternatives have their advantages and their disadvantages. Probably both alternatives can be optimized. But to be honest, I will not use one of both. I am searching and I have some ideas...

Renald Wittwer   is an independent developer. He specializes on the interface of R/3 to the Internet. His homepage is http://www.in-con.de

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  • vm performance
    2009-11-17 02:58:55 Richard Brünning Business Card [Reply]

    try create your virtual discs on seperate (external) hdd. I made the experience that this improves the performance.
  • cloud
    2009-11-16 15:43:01 Gregory Misiorek Business Card [Reply]

    OT,


    but there is an interesting debate going on on The Economist website...they will be wrapping up in 24 hours, i think.

    • cloud
      2009-11-16 15:46:40 Gregory Misiorek Business Card [Reply]

      this is more on topic,


      my "cloud" is about $100/month, but it's a cost of doing business. sometimes, i do not use it, but i still have to pay to play. did you talk to your tax accountant recently?

      • cloud
        2009-11-17 00:20:53 Renald Wittwer Business Card [Reply]

        Hi Greg,
        the discussion with the tax department is still open. I am not sure if this will be an easy one...


        Best regards
        Renald

  • Bundling will help with your shutdown issue
    2009-11-16 13:52:12 Ethan Jewett Business Card [Reply]

    Hey Renald,


    Important questions in this blog. One thing that might help you out is to look through all three parts of Thorsten's blogs. In the third part (http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs?blog=/pub/wlg/15550) he explains how to bundle your image, so that you can terminate it and then restart it, keeping your changes.


    I agree that a constantly running AWS image gets very expensive. But if you only run it when you use it, it can actually be very economical!


    Ethan

Showing messages 1 through 6 of 6.