01. What is profile
SAP profiles are operating system files that contain instance
configuration information. SAP systems can consist of one or more instances.
Individual configuration parameters can be customized to the requirements of
each instance. You can use these parameters to configure the following:
1.
The runtime environment of the instance (resources such as main
memory size, shared memory, roll size)
2.
Which services the instance itself provides (work processes)
3.
Where other services can be found (database host)
02. Profile Types
There
are several types of profiles available on the SAP R/3 system for correct setup
and configuration. These profiles are as follows:
A. Start Profile
The
start profile is an operating system file that defines which R/3 services are
started. The start profile is a parameter file which is read by the startsap
program. Among the services which the start profile can initiate is the message
server, the gateway, dialog, enqueue, system log collector and log sender programs,
or any other locally defined program.
The
start profile is located under the /usr/sap/<SID>/profile directory.
These profiles are generated automatically by SAP when the system is first
installed. Depending on the release version, the names assigned are either
START_<instance_name> or START_<instance_name>_<hostname>;
for example,
START_DVEBMGS00,
START_D01_copi02, where DVEBMGS00 and D01 are instance names and copi02
is the hostname of instance D01.
In
short the start profile, which defines the R/3 services to start. There
might be as many start profiles as instances.
B. Default Profile
The SAP
default profile is an operating system file which contains parameter values
used by all application servers from the same SAP system.
The
name for this profile cannot be changed. It is always called DEFAULT.PFL. The
default profile, like all other profiles, is located in the common profile
directory of the R/3 system: /usr/sap/<SID>/SYS/profile.
There
is always one active default profile. Default profiles are also called system
profiles and global profile.
In
short the default profile, which acts as a common configuration of
profile values for instances taking part of the SAP system. There is only one
default profile in a SAP system. This is also called global profile.
C. Instance Profiles
The
instance profiles are the third type of profiles and are very important for
providing the SAP instances with lots of parameters which directly affect the
configuration and resources for the application servers.
The
instance parameters typically define how many and what type of work processes
are to be started for an instance. They also define the amount of shared
memory, the allocation of buffer space and related pools, the instance default
login language, and so forth. Parameters set in the instance profiles have
precedence over the same ones defined in the default profile.
Instance
profiles are automatically generated by the R3setup utility when an instance
(dialog or central) is installed. By default, the name assigned to them has the
format: <SID>_<instancename> or
<SID>_<instancename>_<hostname>, but you can choose any name
for them. If you choose a different name
than
the standard, you should modify accordingly the start profiles to reflect the
new names.
In short the instance profile, which contains
specific instance parameter values. There might be as many as the number of
instances.
Note: Sap startup profile has been merged in sap instance profile on s ECC6 EHP7 onward there are only two sap profile Default and Instance Profiles.
03. Profiles Maintenance
To see
a list of all profile parameters in a SAP instance, you can run the standard
SAP report, RSPARAM or RSPFPAR.
To change
profile parameter use tcode RZ10 (static) and RZ11 (dynamic).
