New version of Azure VM extension for SAP solutions

Follow the steps described in Install the Azure PowerShell module.

Check frequently for updates to the Azure PowerShell cmdlets. Unless stated otherwise in SAP Note 1928533 or SAP Note 2015553, we recommend that you work with the latest version of Azure PowerShell cmdlets.

To check the version of the Azure PowerShell cmdlets that are installed on your computer, run the following command:

(Get-Module Az.Compute).Version

Follow the steps described in Install the Azure CLI. Check frequently for updates to the Azure CLI.

To check the version of Azure CLI that is installed on your computer, run the following command:

az --version

The new VM Extension for SAP uses a managed identity assigned to the VM to access monitoring and configuration data of the VM. To install the new Azure Extension for SAP using Azure PowerShell, you first have to assign such an identity to the VM and grant that identity access to all resources that are in use by that VM.

1. Make sure to use SAP Host Agent 7.21 PL 47 or higher.

2. Make sure to uninstall the standard version of the VM Extension for SAP. Installing both versions of the VM Extension for SAP on the same VM isn't supported.

3. Make sure that the latest version of the Azure PowerShell cmdlet (at least 4.3.0) is installed.

4. For a list of available environments, run Get-AzEnvironment. If you want to use global Azure, your environment is AzureCloud. For Microsoft Azure operated by 21Vianet, select AzureChinaCloud.

   The VM Extension for SAP supports configuring a proxy that the extension should use to connect to external resources, for example the Azure Resource Manager API. Use the -ProxyURI parameter to set the proxy.

   $env = Get-AzEnvironment -Name <name of the environment>
   Connect-AzAccount -Environment $env
   Set-AzContext -SubscriptionName <subscription name>
   Set-AzVMAEMExtension -ResourceGroupName <resource group name> -VMName <virtual machine name> -InstallNewExtension
   

5. Restart SAP Host Agent.

   Sign in to the VM on which you enabled the VM Extension for SAP and restart the SAP Host Agent if it was already installed. The SAP Host Agent doesn't use the VM Extension until you restart it. It currently can't detect that an extension was installed after it was started.

The new VM Extension for SAP uses a managed identity that is assigned to the VM to access monitoring and configuration data of the VM.

1. Ensure that you use SAP Host Agent 7.21 PL 47 or later.

2. Ensure that you uninstall the current version of the VM Extension for SAP. You can't install both versions of the VM Extension for SAP on the same VM.

3. Install the latest version of Azure CLI 2.0 (version 2.19.1 or later).

4. Sign in with your Azure account:

   az login
   

5. Install the Azure Enhanced Monitoring (AEM) Extension. Ensure that you use version 0.2.2 or later.

   az extension add --name aem
   

6. Enable the new extension:

   The VM Extension for SAP supports configuring a proxy that the extension should use to connect to external resources, for example the Azure Resource Manager API. To set the proxy, add --proxy-uri <my_proxy_uri>.

   az vm aem set -g <resource-group-name> -n <vm name> --install-new-extension
   

7. Restart SAP Host Agent

   Sign in to the VM on which you enabled the VM Extension for SAP and restart the SAP Host Agent if it was already installed. The SAP Host Agent doesn't use the VM Extension until you restart it. It currently can't detect that an extension was installed after it was started.

The following code contains four examples. It shows how to deploy the extension on Windows and Linux, using a system or user assigned identity. Make sure to replace the name of the resource group, the location, and VM name in the example.

# Windows VM - user assigned identity
Set-AzVMExtension -Publisher "Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring" -ExtensionType "MonitorX64Windows" -ResourceGroupName "<rg name>" -VMName "<vm name>" `
   -Name "MonitorX64Windows" -TypeHandlerVersion "1.0" -Location "<location>" -SettingString '{"cfg":[{"key":"msi_res_id","value":"<user assigned resource id>"}]}'

# Windows VM - system assigned identity
Set-AzVMExtension -Publisher "Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring" -ExtensionType "MonitorX64Windows" -ResourceGroupName "<rg name>" -VMName "<vm name>" `
   -Name "MonitorX64Windows" -TypeHandlerVersion "1.0" -Location "<location>" -SettingString '{"cfg":[]}'

# Linux VM - user assigned identity
Set-AzVMExtension -Publisher "Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring" -ExtensionType "MonitorX64Linux" -ResourceGroupName "<rg name>" -VMName "<vm name>" `
   -Name "MonitorX64Linux" -TypeHandlerVersion "1.0" -Location "<location>" -SettingString '{"cfg":[{"key":"msi_res_id","value":"<user assigned resource id>"}]}'

# Linux VM - system assigned identity
Set-AzVMExtension -Publisher "Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring" -ExtensionType "MonitorX64Linux" -ResourceGroupName "<rg name>" -VMName "<vm name>" `
   -Name "MonitorX64Linux" -TypeHandlerVersion "1.0" -Location "<location>" -SettingString '{"cfg":[]}'

The following code contains four examples. It shows how to deploy the extension on Windows and Linux, using a system or user assigned identity. Make sure to replace the name of the resource group, the location, and VM name in the example.

# Windows VM - user assigned identity
az vm extension set --publisher "Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring" --name "MonitorX64Windows" --resource-group "<rg name>" --vm-name "<vm name>" \
   --extension-instance-name "MonitorX64Windows" --settings '{"cfg":[{"key":"msi_res_id","value":"<user assigned resource id>"}]}'

# Windows VM - system assigned identity
az vm extension set --publisher "Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring" --name "MonitorX64Windows" --resource-group "<rg name>" --vm-name "<vm name>" \
   --extension-instance-name "MonitorX64Windows" --settings '{"cfg":[]}'

# Linux VM - user assigned identity
az vm extension set --publisher "Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring" --name "MonitorX64Linux" --resource-group "<rg name>" --vm-name "<vm name>" \
   --extension-instance-name "MonitorX64Linux" --settings '{"cfg":[{"key":"msi_res_id","value":"<user assigned resource id>"}]}'

# Linux VM - system assigned identity
az vm extension set --publisher "Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring" --name "MonitorX64Linux" --resource-group "<rg name>" --vm-name "<vm name>" \
   --extension-instance-name "MonitorX64Linux" --settings '{"cfg":[]}'

The following manifest contains four examples. It shows how to deploy the extension on Windows and Linux, using a system or user assigned identity. Make sure to replace the ID of the VM and ID of the user assigned identity in the example.

# Windows VM - user assigned identity

resource "azurerm_virtual_machine_extension" "example" {
  name                 = "MonitorX64Windows"
  virtual_machine_id   = "<vm id>"
  publisher            = "Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring"
  type                 = "MonitorX64Windows"
  type_handler_version = "1.0"
  auto_upgrade_minor_version = true

  settings = <<SETTINGS
{
    "cfg":[
        {
            "key":"msi_res_id",
            "value":"<user assigned resource id>"
        }
    ]
}
SETTINGS
}

# Windows VM - system assigned identity

resource "azurerm_virtual_machine_extension" "example" {
  name                 = "MonitorX64Windows"
  virtual_machine_id   = "<vm id>"
  publisher            = "Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring"
  type                 = "MonitorX64Windows"
  type_handler_version = "1.0"
  auto_upgrade_minor_version = true

  settings = <<SETTINGS
{
    "cfg":[
    ]
}
SETTINGS
}

# Linux VM - user assigned identity

resource "azurerm_virtual_machine_extension" "example" {
  name                 = "MonitorX64Linux"
  virtual_machine_id   = "<vm id>"
  publisher            = "Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring"
  type                 = "MonitorX64Linux"
  type_handler_version = "1.0"
  auto_upgrade_minor_version = true

  settings = <<SETTINGS
{
    "cfg":[
        {
            "key":"msi_res_id",
            "value":"<user assigned resource id>"
        }
    ]
}
SETTINGS
}

# Linux VM - system assigned identity

resource "azurerm_virtual_machine_extension" "example" {
  name                 = "MonitorX64Linux"
  virtual_machine_id   = "<vm id>"
  publisher            = "Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring"
  type                 = "MonitorX64Linux"
  type_handler_version = "1.0"
  auto_upgrade_minor_version = true

  settings = <<SETTINGS
{
    "cfg":[
    ]
}
SETTINGS
}

# Windows
Get-AzVMExtensionImage -Location westeurope -PublisherName Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring -Type MonitorX64Windows

# Linux
Get-AzVMExtensionImage -Location westeurope -PublisherName Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring -Type MonitorX64Linux

# Windows
az vm extension image list --location westeurope --publisher Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring --name MonitorX64Windows

# Linux
az vm extension image list --location westeurope --publisher Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring --name MonitorX64Linux

1. Sign in to the Azure VM (using an admin account isn't necessary).
2. Open a web browser and navigate to http://127.0.0.1:11812/azure4sap/metrics.
3. The browser should display or download an XML file that contains the monitoring data of your VM. If that isn't the case, make sure that the Azure Extension for SAP is installed.
4. Check the content of the XML file. The XML file that you can access at http://127.0.0.1:11812/azure4sap/metrics contains all populated Azure performance counters for SAP. It also contains a summary and health indicator of the status of Azure Extension for SAP.
5. Check the value of the Provider Health Description element. If the value isn't OK, follow the Health checks instructions.

1. Connect to the Azure VM by using SSH.

2. Check the output of the following command:

   curl http://127.0.0.1:11812/azure4sap/metrics
   

   Expected result: Returns an XML document that contains the monitoring information of the VM, its disks, and network interfaces.

If the preceding check wasn't successful, run these extra checks:

1. Make sure that waagent is installed and enabled.

   Run:

   sudo ls -al /var/lib/waagent/
   

   Expected result: Lists the content of the waagent directory.

   Run:

   ps -ax | grep waagent
   

   Expected result: Displays one entry similar to: python /usr/sbin/waagent -daemon

2. Make sure that the Azure Extension for SAP is installed and running.

   Run:

   sudo sh -c 'ls -al /var/lib/waagent/Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring.MonitorX64Linux-*/'`
   

   Expected result: Lists the content of the Azure Extension for SAP directory.

   Run:

   ps -ax | grep AzureEnhanced
   

   Expected result: Displays one entry similar to: /var/lib/waagent/Microsoft.AzureCAT.AzureEnhancedMonitoring.MonitorX64Linux-1.0.0.82/AzureEnhancedMonitoring -monitor

3. Install SAP Host Agent as described in SAP Note 1031096, and check the output of saposcol.

   Run:

   /usr/sap/hostctrl/exe/saposcol -d
   

   Run:

   dump ccm
   

   Check whether the Virtualization_Configuration\Enhanced Monitoring Access metric is true.

If you already have an SAP NetWeaver Advanced Business Application Programming (ABAP) application server installed, open transaction ST06 and check whether monitoring is enabled.

If any of these checks fail, and for detailed information about how to redeploy the extension, see Troubleshooting

1. Make sure that the latest version of the Azure PowerShell module (at least 4.3.0) is installed.

2. For a list of available environments, run the cmdlet Get-AzEnvironment. To use global Azure, select the AzureCloud environment. For Microsoft Azure operated by 21Vianet, select AzureChinaCloud.

   $env = Get-AzEnvironment -Name <name of the environment>
   Connect-AzAccount -Environment $env
   Set-AzContext -SubscriptionName <subscription name>
   Test-AzVMAEMExtension -ResourceGroupName <resource group name> -VMName <virtual machine name>
   

3. The script tests the configuration of the VM you selected.

Make sure that every health check result is OK. If some checks don't display OK, run the update cmdlet as described in Configure the Azure VM extension for SAP solutions. Repeat the checks described in [Readiness check][vm-extension-for-sap-new.md#readiness-check] and this section. If the checks still indicate a problem with some or all counters, see Troubleshooting.

To run the health check for the Azure VM Extension for SAP by using Azure CLI, run the following commands:

1. Install Azure CLI 2.0. Ensure that you use at least version 2.19.1 or later (use the latest version).

2. Sign in with your Azure account:

   az login
   

3. Install the Azure CLI AEM Extension. Ensure that you use version 0.2.2 or later.

   az extension add --name aem
   

4. Verify the installation of the extension:

   az vm aem verify -g <resource-group-name> -n <vm name>
   

The script tests the configuration of the VM you select.

Make sure that every health check result is OK. If some checks don't display OK, run the update cmdlet as described in Configure the Azure VM extension for SAP solutions. Repeat the checks described in [Readiness check][vm-extension-for-sap-new.md#readiness-check] and this section. If the checks still indicate a problem with some or all counters, see Troubleshooting.