Operating system planning and image management for SAP on IBM Power Virtual Server

This document provides guidance on operating system selection, planning, and image management strategies for SAP HANA® and SAP application server workloads running on IBM® Power® Virtual Server. Understanding the available Linux distributions, their support levels, and deployment options is essential for a successful SAP system implementation.

Overview

SAP HANA database and SAP application server deployments on IBM® Power® Virtual Server require Linux operating systems. The supported distributions are:

  • Red Hat® Enterprise Linux® (RHEL)
  • SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)

Selecting the appropriate distribution depends on SAP solution requirements, existing infrastructure, in‑house expertise, and preferred support model.

Key considerations for OS selection

When defining an operating system strategy for SAP workloads on running Power Virtual Server, evaluate the following factors:

SAP application compatibility
Verify that the selected Linux distribution and version are certified for your SAP workload (for example SAP HANA®, SAP application server, SAP S/4HANA®, or SAP BW/4HANA®).
Hardware compatibility
Make sure that the selected compute profile on Power Virtual Server supports your required Linux distribution, version, and technology level.
Licensing model
Determine whether to use full Linux® subscription that is provided by IBM or bring your own license (BYOL) option based on your procurement and cost‑management strategy.
Support lifecycle
Use Linux versions that align with SAP maintenance timelines to ensure long‑term support.

Image deployment options

Power Virtual Server supports two deployment approaches:

  1. IBM-provided stock images: Preconfigured, SAP‑certified Linux OS images that IBM Cloud prepares and maintains for deployment on Power Virtual Server. These images include all required configurations, packages, and cloud‑init settings that are needed to run SAP HANA or SAP application server workloads.
  2. Custom images: Customer-created or modified images that are imported from IBM Cloud® Object Storage, supporting standardized configurations and custom requirements.

Supported operating systems

IBM® Power® Virtual Server offers compute profiles for different server types in the IBM® Power® system family. Verify that the Linux distribution, version, and technology levels you select are compatible with both your IBM Power system generation and your SAP application requirements.

IBM Power Virtual Server supports only the following OS distributions for SAP HANA and SAP application server:

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)

Supported versions by machine type:

Supported Linux versions by machine type
Machine type RHEL version SLES version
S1122 (9824-22A) RHEL 9.6 or later SLES 15 SP6 or later
E1150 (9043‑MRU) RHEL 9.6 or later SLES 15 SP6 or later
E1180 (9080‑HEU) RHEL 9.6 or later SLES 15 SP6 or later
S1022 (9105-22A) RHEL 8.6 or later, RHEL 9.2 or later SLES 15 SP4 or later
E1050 (9043‑MRX) RHEL 8.6 or later, RHEL 9.2 or later SLES 15 SP4 or later
E1080 (9080-HEX) RHEL 8.6 or later, RHEL 9.2 or later SLES 15 SP4 or later
S922 (9009‑22A) RHEL 8.1 or later, RHEL 9.2 or later SLES 12 SP1 or later, SLES 15 SP4 or later
E980 (9080‑M9S) RHEL 8.1 or later, RHEL 9.2 or later SLES 12 SP1 or later, SLES 15 SP4 or later

For a detailed list of supported Linux versions, see Operating systems for Power Virtual Server.

Linux deployment requirements:

  • Configure kernel parameters according to the SAP guidelines and the recommendations that are provided by your Linux distribution.
  • Install all the required packages, libraries, and dependencies needed to support the SAP applications you plan to deploy.

IBM provided stock images

IBM Cloud provides preconfigured stock Linux images optimized for Power Virtual Server. These images are recommended for SAP HANA and SAP application server.

Benefits of stock images

  • Preconfigured for cloud with cloud‑init integration for automated configuration.
  • Tested and validated for compatibility with Power Virtual Server infrastructure.
  • Updated regularly with security patches and improvements.
  • Certified by SAP for SAP HANA and SAP application server deployments.
  • Simplified licensing through full Linux® Subscription with integrated licensing and update mechanisms.
  • Optimized for SAP workloads with SAP‑recommended kernel parameters and system configurations.

Stock image categories

OS images for SAP HANA systems:

  • Configured and certified for SAP HANA workloads.
  • Include OS configurations, kernel parameters, and optimizations for SAP HANA workloads.
  • Preconfigured with transparent huge pages, I/O scheduler settings, and memory management.
  • Recommended for all SAP HANA production environments.
  • Image names include "-SAP" designation.

OS images for SAP application server instances:

  • Configured and certified for SAP application server deployments.
  • Include required packages and configurations for SAP application server workloads.
  • Image names typically include "SAP-NETWEAVER" designation.

Generic SLES and RHEL images:

  • General-purpose Linux images for non-SAP workloads.
  • Can be used for infrastructure components (proxies, jump servers, monitoring systems).
  • May require additional configuration and certification for SAP workloads.
  • Not recommended for SAP production environments.

Full Linux subscription

The full Linux® subscription feature provides comprehensive Linux support through IBM Cloud for RHEL and SLES on Power Virtual Server.

Key features:

  • Access to OS interim fixes and updates via IBM Cloud satellite servers (RHEL) or RMT servers (SLES).
  • Integrated activation key management for automated registration.
  • Proxy-based connectivity to update repositories.
  • Support for both SAP and non-SAP workloads.
  • Cloud-init scripts for automated registration during VM provisioning.
  • Extra charges apply and are included in hourly billing rates.

Licensing considerations:

  • Full Linux subscription charges are included in hourly billing rates
  • BYOL (Bring your own license) images are available for customers with existing Red Hat or SUSE subscriptions
  • OS license costs cannot be transferred from private cloud to Power Virtual Server
  • BYOL images are listed under "Client-supplied subscription" section during provisioning

Image selection guidelines

When selecting IBM Cloud stock images for SAP workloads:

  1. Identify SAP requirements: Use SAP-certified images (SAP-HANA or SAP-NETWEAVER) for SAP workloads.
  2. Choose appropriate version: Select Linux version compatible with your Power hardware and SAP applications.
  3. Determine licensing model: Decide between FLS or BYOL based on your licensing strategy and existing subscriptions.
  4. Plan for updates: Establish update and patching strategy aligned with SAP maintenance windows.
  5. Verify SAP certification: Confirm the image is listed in the SAP Product Availability Matrix (PAM).

Image naming conventions

IBM Cloud stock images follow consistent naming patterns:

  • RHEL SAP HANA images: Start with "RHEL" followed by version and the suffix "-SAP" (for example, "RHEL9-SP6-SAP").
  • RHEL SAP NetWeaver images: Start with "RHEL" followed by version and the suffix "-SAP-NETWEAVER" (for example, "RHEL9-SP6-SAP-NETWEAVER").
  • SLES SAP HANA images: Start with "SLES" followed by version and the suffix "-SAP" (for example, "SLES15-SP4-SAP").
  • SLES SAP NetWeaver images: Start with "SLES" followed by version and the suffix "-SAP-NETWEAVER" (for example, "SLES15-SP4-SAP-NETWEAVER").
  • BYOL images: Include "-BYOL" suffix for "Client supplied subscription" indicating "Bring Your Own License" (BYOL).
  • FLS images: Standard naming without BYOL suffix indicates full Linux subscription.

Bring your own images

Custom image deployment allows organizations to use standardized, preconfigured Linux images tailored to their specific SAP requirements. This approach is valuable for maintaining consistency across environments and implementing organization-specific configurations.

Custom image use cases

When to use custom images:

  • Standardized Linux configurations across multiple SAP environments.
  • Specific security hardening or compliance requirements beyond standard images.
  • Migration from existing SAP environments with established image standards.
  • Custom kernel parameters or OS tuning specific to your SAP workloads.

When to use stock images:

  • Initial SAP deployments or proof-of-concept environments.
  • Standard SAP configurations without special requirements.
  • Environments requiring latest IBM Cloud-tested and SAP-certified configurations.
  • Simplified management and update processes.
  • Faster deployment timelines.

Custom image requirements

Technical prerequisites:

  • Images must be in supported formats: .ova, .ova.gz, .tar, .tar.gz, or .tgz.
  • Maximum uncompressed image size: 10 TB.
  • Cloud-init must be properly configured for Power Virtual Server integration.
  • Images must be compatible with target Power hardware machine type.
  • Linux version must meet minimum requirements for SAP applications.
  • SAP-required kernel parameters and configurations must be included.

Infrastructure prerequisites:

  • IBM Cloud Object Storage account and bucket.
  • HMAC credentials (access key and secret key) for Object Storage authentication.

Custom Image creation strategies

Capturing from existing SAP environments:

  • Capture running Power Virtual Server instances using CLI or API after SAP installation.
  • Remove SAP instance-specific data before creating reusable images.
  • Validate captured images in test environment before production use.

Building custom SAP images:

  • Start with IBM Cloud SAP-certified stock image as base.
  • Apply organization-specific configurations and hardening.
  • Install required monitoring agents, backup software, or management tools.
  • Configure cloud-init for Power Virtual Server integration and SAP-specific automation.
  • Document all customizations for maintenance and troubleshooting.
  • Test thoroughly with SAP applications before production use.

Cloud-init configuration for Linux:

  • Install and configure cloud-init packages for RHEL or SLES.
  • For RHEL: Follow IBM PowerVC documentation for cloud-init on RHEL.
  • For SLES: Follow IBM PowerVC documentation for cloud-init on SLES.
  • Test cloud-init functionality during image validation.

Custom Image import process

Preparation steps:

  1. Create IBM Cloud Object Storage bucket in the appropriate region.
  2. Generate HMAC credentials with proper permissions (Writer access required).
  3. Upload Linux image file to Object Storage bucket (use private endpoint domain).

Import considerations:

  • Large images may take significant time to import (plan accordingly).
  • Import operations are tracked as jobs in Power Virtual Server.
  • Only one import operation per Power Virtual Server workspace at a time.
  • Imported images become available in boot image catalog after successful import.
  • For SAP images, specify import details with vendor="SAP" and product type.

Storage pool strategies:

  • Auto-select: System automatically selects pool with sufficient capacity.
  • Affinity: Place image in same pool as an existing SAP VM or volume for performance.
  • Anti-affinity: Exclude specific pools to distribute SAP workloads across storage.

Importing SAP-customized images:

  • When importing customized SAP HANA or SAP application server images, select the self-certification checkbox.
  • Specify import details: licenseType: "byol", product: "Hana", or "Netweaver", vendor: "SAP"