Overview of System Administration

The system administraor is responsible for setting up and maintaining SAP^® Adaptive Server^® Enterprise (ASE).

SAP^® ASE administration tasks include:

Installing SAP ASE and Backup Server
Creating and managing SAP ASE login accounts
Granting roles and permissions to SAP ASE users
Managing and monitoring the use of disk space, memory, and connections
Backing up and restoring databases
Diagnosing system problems
Configuring SAP ASE to achieve the best performance

In addition, system administrators may assist with certain database design tasks that overlap with the work of application designers, such as enforcing integrity standards.

Although a system administrator generally concentrates on tasks that are independent of the applications running on SAP ASE, he or she is likely to have the best overview of all applications. For this reason, a system administrator can advise application designers about existing data, make recommendations about standardizing data definitions across applications, and so on.

However, the distinction between what is specific to an application is sometimes unclear. Owners of user databases might consult certain sections of this book. Similarly, system administrators and database owners will use the Transact-SQL Users Guide (especially information about data definitions, stored procedures, and triggers). Both system administrators and application designers will use the Performance and Tuning Series.

Roles Required for System Administration Tasks
Many SAP ASE commands and procedures require the system administrator or system security officer role. Other system administration information is relevant to database owners.
Performing System Administration Tasks
You can enter SAP ASE commands using either isql or the SAP® Control Center graphic tool.
System Tables
The master database contains system tables that keep track of information about SAP ASE. In addition, each database (including the master database) contains system tables that keep track of information that is specific to that database.
System Procedures
The names of all system procedures begin with “sp_”. They are located in the sybsystemprocs database, but you can run many of them in any database by issuing the stored procedure from the database or by qualifying the procedure name with the database name.
System Extended Stored Procedures
An extended stored procedure (ESP) lets you call external language functions from within SAP ASE.
Logging Error Messages
Each time it starts, SAP ASE writes start-up information to a local error log file. The installation program automatically sets the error log location when you configure a new SAP ASE.
Connecting to SAP ASE
SAP ASE can communicate with other SAP ASEs, Open Server applications, and client software on the network.
Security Features Available in SAP ASE
SAP ASE includes a series of major security features, including identification and authentication control, discretionary access control, role division, accountability, and data confidentiality.