Setting up SAP ABAP/BW/HANA 7.50 Platform in Microsoft Azure

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If you want to have fully-functional SAP platform to try out ABAP, BW, HANA DB, SAPUI5, etc., this guide will show you how to setup SAP NetWeaver AS ABAP and SAP BW 7.5 SP01 on SAP HANA SP10 [Developer Edition] on the Azure. (AWS option is also available)

Before you start, make sure you have a Microsoft Azure account with an active subscription. Please note that the SAP platform is free to try with 90-day license but you have to pay the cloud for using their resource. If you have a MSDN Pro/Enterprise subscription, you are able to claim Azure free credit $ from this page.

Once you have Azure ID and subscription, then you are good to go:

Create VMs on the Cloud via SAP Cloud Appliance Library (CAL)

1. Go to this page and click "Trial" link on product SAP NetWeaver 7.5 SP1 AS ABAP and SAP BW on SAP HANA. (Click here for the direct link)

2. Accept Terms and Conditions then Name you account, select cloud service (Azure in this case), and input your Azure subscription ID*.

*Azure subscription ID can be found at https://manage.windowsazure.com in the SETTINGS --> SUBSCRIPTIONS Section

3. Click Download New Certificate and save the certificate file to your computer.

4. Go to https://manage.windowsazure.com and then go to SETTINGS --> MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATES.

5. Click Upload button at the bottom

And select to upload the certificate file you got from SAP CAL. (Reference)

Wait until the certificate is uploaded successfully.

6. Go back to SAP CAL and click Test Connection.

If it can connect to your Azure account, it will display this form for you to fill your instance name, server region, and master password then click Create.

7. Click OK on the popup dialog

Do not forget to store or download the private key file. You will need this if you want to access SAP server via SSH.

SAP CAL will setup SAP platform on your Azure account. Please note the estimated usage cost on Azure.

The setup is usually take around 60-100 minutes.

When it's done, the status is Active.

The following resources will be created on your Azure account.

And you will get IP addresses of your SAP Backend and Frontend VMs.

Here is how they look like in Azure Portal. There are 4 resource  groups created.

Connect to your SAP Frontend Server via RDP

1. Once the instance is activated (Status Active), click connect.

2. Click Connect in RDP section to remote control your SAP Frontend VM. (I haven't tried the SAP GUI one as I don't have SAP GUI installed but you may try and please let me know how it works)

3. With user name Administrator and your master password and you will log into Frontend VM which is Windows Server 2012 R2. All software (SAP GUI, Eclipse, HANA Studio, etc.) are pre-installed and ready to use.

It should open a welcome page for you in FireFox. You can see the example of welcome page here.

4. Before logging on to the SAP system, you are suggested to turn off IE Enhanced Security Configuration for administrators by following these instructions:

• In the Windows Start Menu, choose "Server Manager". 
• In the left hand sided Navigation Pane, click on the uppermost entry "Local Server". 
• In the right hand sided pane, look for IE Enhanced Security Configuration and its current value should be On. Click on the link .
• Turn off IE Enhanced Security Configuration for Administrators. Click OK.

You can now log on to the SAP system and will not be bothered by Internet Explorer security messages.

Log on SAP GUI and Install SAP Trial License

1. Try to open SAP Logon, you will see the SID A4H is already there.

Here is its connection properties.

2. Try to connect and log on using user name DEVELOPER or BWDEVELOPER with your master password.

Now, you are in SAP GUI.

This is the system information of your SAP platform.

Here is the installed components on the AS.

3. Try going to SE38 and create a new ABAP program. It will ask for access key. You need to setup a license first.

4. Click the link "www.sap.com/minisap" on the welcome page. It will bring you to the registration page. Fill in the form with your information. You can get the system Hardware key from transaction SLICENSE.

Then click submit. The license key file will be sent to your via email. Please note the license is valid for 90 days only.

5. Download the license file from your email.

6. Go to transaction SLICENSE and install your license key.

7. Now you can create and execute ABAP program. Hooray!

Please note that SAP ID DEVELOPER and BWDEVLOPER have SAP_ALL profile assignment. That means you can play anything you want in your instance. 😀

ABAP in Eclipse (ADT)

Apart from SAP GUI, the Frontend VM also comes with pre-installed Eclipse and SAP development tools such ADT, BW, HANA, SAPUI5.

There are sample BW and  ABAP projects for you to try.

Including two SAPUI5 projects.

You can try running the SAPUI app in Eclipse.

After you're done with your trial, don't forget to suspend your SAP instance in SAP CAL so it doesn't eat your Azure credit too much (but still). Remember these costs incurred.

For more information about the SAP instance, you may see their full documentation in this page. Enjoy!

Related Links

• Download SAP GUI 7.40 (1.1GB)