This book presents the hardware solutions needed for a successful SAP implementation, going into technical detail when necessary to help explain the impact on an SAP system.

Most SAP books focus on software: this one focuses on the underlying hardware, offering practical, business-oriented recommendations for maximizing performance, availability, manageability, and cost-effectiveness. It covers every hardware component that impacts SAP application components in mySAP.com, including servers, storage, desktop clients, LAN and WAN infrastructure, backup systems, even printers. The authors begin by reviewing the server technologies commonly used today for SAP projects, covering support and certification requirements, the roles of the database, application server, and other servers typically found in the SAP environment; performance benchmarks, scalability, and server consolidation. They review server sizing in depth, presenting real-life examples. Next, they offer guidance on disk storage, including best practice tips for SAP database disk layout, and new technologies such as Storage Area Networks (SANs). The book includes detailed coverage of disaster recovery, including sophisticated zero-down-time backup and remote database mirror solutions; clustering and automated failover for high availability; and requirements for client PCs, printers, and output management systems. An extensive section on networking covers everything from network architectures and IP address structures to the physical components of a SAP network, including innovative high-availability approaches to cabling infrastructures. The mySAP.com Internet-based solutions are reviewed in the context of their impact on servers and networks.