# Operations This section provides information on Amazon services that help you with day-to-day operations of your SQL Server database for SAP applications. **Topics** + [ # Monitoring ](monitoring.md) + [ # Backup and Recovery ](backup-and-recovery.md) + [ # Storage ](storage-1.md) + [ # Operating System Maintenance ](operating-system-maintenance.md) + [ # Business Continuity ](business-continuity-1.md) + [ # Support ](support.md) + [ # Cost Optimization ](cost-optimization.md) # Monitoring Amazon provides multiple services to monitor and manage your infrastructure and applications on Amazon. You can use services like [Amazon CloudWatch](https://www.amazonaws.cn/cloudwatch/) and [Amazon CloudTrail](https://www.amazonaws.cn/cloudtrail/) to monitor your underlying infrastructure and APIs, respectively. CloudWatch provides ready-to-use key performance indicators (KPIs) that you can use to monitor both CPU and disk utilization. You can also create [custom metrics](https://www.amazonaws.cn/blogs/database/monitor-your-microsoft-sql-server-using-custom-metrics-with-amazon-cloudwatch-and-aws-systems-manager/) for monitoring SQL server. With CloudTrail, you can log, continuously monitor, and retain account activity related to actions across your Amazon infrastructure. Amazon CloudTrail is enabled on all Amazon accounts and records your account activity upon account creation. You can view and download the last 90 days of your account activity for create, modify, and delete operations of supported services without the need to manually set up CloudTrail. # Backup and Recovery You need to regularly back up your operating system and database to recover them in case of any failure. Amazon provides various services and tools that you can use to back up your SQL Server database of SAP applications. ## Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) You can use the Amazon Management Console or the Amazon CLI to create a new [AMI](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/AMIs.html) of your existing SAP system. This AMI can be used to recover your existing SAP system or to create a clone. The Amazon CLI `create image` command creates a new AMI based on an existing Amazon EC2 instance. The new AMI contains a complete copy of the operating system and its configuration, software configurations, and optionally all Amazon EBS volumes that are attached to the instance. For details on how to create an AMI of an existing Amazon EC2 instance, see [Creating an Amazon EBS Backed Windows AMI](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/AWSEC2/latest/WindowsGuide/Creating_EBSbacked_WinAMI.html). AMI creation and lifecycle can be centrally managed in [Amazon Backup](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/aws-backup/latest/devguide/whatisbackup.html) Amazon Backup. ## Amazon EBS Snapshots You can back up your Amazon EBS volumes to Amazon Simple Storage Service by taking point-in-time [snapshots](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/EBSSnapshots.html). Snapshots are incremental backups, which means that only the blocks on the device that have changed after your most recent snapshot are saved. Snapshots are suited to back up SAP file systems like `/usr/sap/ ` , `/sapmnt/`. If you decide to take snapshots of your EBS volumes containing data and log files, make sure to use [Volume Shadow Copy Service](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2008-R2-and-2008/ee923636(v=ws.10)) or shut down your database before a snapshot is triggered for consistency. You can use [Amazon Backup](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/aws-backup/latest/devguide/whatisbackup.html) to create backups using VSS functionalities. The following command creates a snapshot of volume (with example `volume id vol-1234567890abcdef0`). You can use this command in Amazon CLI to create your own volume snapshot. ``` aws ec2 create-snapshot --volume-id --description "This is my volume snapshot." ``` ## Database Backups For SQL Server database backup, you can use one of the following methods: + **SQL native tools to take backup on disk:** Backup requires high throughput compared to IOPS. We recommend using [Throughput Optimized HDD (st1)](https://www.amazonaws.cn/ebs/features/) which provides maximum throughput of 500 MB/s per volume. Once the backup completes on disk, you can use scripts to move it to an Amazon S3 bucket. + ** Amazon Backup **for application-consistent backups via Microsoft’s Volume Shadow Copy Services (VSS). Ensure that the flag in the advanced backup settings is enabled: ![\[Advanced backup settings.\]](http://docs.amazonaws.cn/en_us/sap/latest/sap-netweaver/images/advanced-backup-settings.png) + **Third-party backint tools:** Partners like Commvault, Veritas, and so on use SAP backint interface and store backups directly in Amazon S3 buckets. # Storage The following list includes Amazon storage services included in this guide. ## Amazon EBS [Amazon EBS](https://www.amazonaws.cn/ebs) provides persistent storage for SAP application and database. You can increase EBS volume size or change the type of volume (for example, gp2 to io1) without requiring downtime. For more information, see [Modifying Amazon EBS volume](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/ebs-modify-volume.html). ## Amazon FSx for Windows File Server [Amazon FSx](https://www.amazonaws.cn/fsx) does not require you to explicitly provision storage at all – you simply pay for what you use. Amazon FSx requires regular maintenance for patching, but you can define the maintenance windows as per your business requirements. For details, see [FSx Maintenance Windows](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/fsx/latest/WindowsGuide/maintenance-windows.html). ## Amazon S3 [Amazon S3](https://www.amazonaws.cn/s3) does not require you to explicitly provision storage at all – you simply pay for what you use. # Operating System Maintenance In general, operating system maintenance across large estates of EC2 instances can be managed by: + Tools specific to each operating system, such as Microsoft System Center 2019 + Third-party products, such as those available on Amazon Marketplace + Amazon Systems Manager Amazon Systems Manager can help with the following key operating system maintenance tasks. ## Patching You can follow SAP recommended patching processes to update your landscape on Amazon. For operating system patching, use [Amazon Systems Manager Patch Manager](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/systems-manager/latest/userguide/systems-manager-patch.html) to roll out OS patches as per your corporate policies. Patch manager includes features like: + Scheduling based on tags + Auto-approving patches with lists of approved and rejected patches + Defining patch baselines Amazon Systems Manager Patch Manager integrates with Amazon Identity and Access Management (IAM), Amazon CloudTrail, and Amazon CloudWatch Events to provide a secure patching experience that includes event notifications and the ability to audit usage. For details about the process, see [How Patch Manager Operations Work](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/systems-manager/latest/userguide/patch-manager-how-it-works.html). If Amazon Systems Manager Patch Manager does not fulfil your requirements, there are third-party products available on the [Amazon Marketplace](https://www.amazonaws.cn/marketplace). ## Maintenance Window [Amazon Systems Manager Maintenance Windows](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/systems-manager/latest/userguide/systems-manager-maintenance.html) let you define a schedule for when to perform potentially disruptive actions on your instances, such as patching an operating system, updating drivers, or installing software or patches. ## Automation using Documents [Amazon Systems Manager Automation](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/systems-manager/latest/userguide/systems-manager-automation.html) simplifies common maintenance and deployment tasks of Amazon EC2 instances and other Amazon resources. Automation enables you to do the following: + Build Automation workflows to configure and manage instances and Amazon resources. + Create custom workflows or use pre-defined workflows maintained by Amazon. + Receive notifications about Automation tasks and workflows by using Amazon CloudWatch Events. + Monitor Automation progress and execution details by using the Amazon EC2 or the Amazon Systems Manager console. There are many Amazon provided documents specific to Windows already available. # Business Continuity Amazon recommends that you periodically schedule business continuity process validations by executing disaster recovery (DR) tests. This planned activity will help to flush out any potential unknowns and help the organization to deal with any real disaster in a streamlined manner. Depending on your disaster recovery architecture, business continuity may include: + Backup/recovery of database from AmazonS3 + Creation of systems from AMI and point-in-time recovery via snapshots + Changing the EC2 instance size of pilot light system + Validation of integration (AD/DNS, email, third party, and so on.) # Support SAP requires customers to have a minimum of an [Amazon Business Support](https://www.amazonaws.cn/premiumsupport/plans/business/) plan with Amazon. This ensures that any critical issues raised with SAP are also handled by Amazon on priority. Amazon Business Support provides less than one hour response time for production down scenarios. For a response time of less than 15 minute for business critical systems along with other benefits, you can choose [Amazon Enterprise Support](https://www.amazonaws.cn/premiumsupport/plans/enterprise/). For any SAP application issues, Amazon suggests that you raise an incident with SAP via the SAP Support portal. After the first level of investigation, SAP can redirect the incident to Amazon Support if the issue is infrastructure-related. However, if you choose to raise support issues for SAP applications with Amazon Support, we cannot redirect the tickets to SAP. For any infrastructure-related issues, you can raise the issue directly with Amazon Support. # Cost Optimization Resources (CPU, Memory, additional application servers, system copies for different tests/validations, and so on) require SAP landscape changes over time. Amazon recommends that you monitor system utilization and the need for existing systems on a regular basis and take actions to reduce cost. In case of a database like SQL Server, the only opportunity to right-size the database server is by scaling up/down or shutting it down, if not required. Here are few suggestions that you can consider for cost optimization: + Consider Reserved instances over On-Demand instances if the requirement is to run your instances 24x7 365 days per year. Reserved instances provide up to a 75% discount over On-Demand instances. See [EC2 pricing](https://www.amazonaws.cn/ec2/pricing/) for details. + Consider running occasionally required systems like training, sandbox, and so on, on-demand for the duration required. + Monitor CPU and memory utilization over time for other non-production systems like Dev/QA and right-size them when possible.