Preinstallation Tasks for the Server Installation

Learn what to do before you begin the server installation.

  1. Verify that the operating system meets the version-level, RAM, and network protocol requirements for your platform.
  2. Read the release bulletins for the latest information on the products (Adaptive Server, Monitor Server, and so on) that you are installing. Check for any special installation instructions in the “Special Installation Instructions” section of the release bulletin.
  3. Install operating system patches, if required.
  4. Ensure that the account used to start the server has read and write permissions over the directory in which you are installing the server. You may need to create non-administrative logins to install the server into personal directories.
  5. Ensure that you have the required operating system patches for the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) version 6.

    Information about the required operating system patches is available from the HP Java Web site.

  6. Review the SySAM procedures and plan your server configuration using the configuration guide for your platform. If you are installing the Cluster Edition, configuration information is in the installation guide for your platform. See the Cluster Users Guide for detailed information on configuration options.
  7. Create a “sybase” account on your system to perform all installation tasks.

    The “sybase” user must have permission privileges from the top (or root) of the disk partition or operating system directory down to the specific physical device or operating system file.

  8. Log in to the machine as the “sybase” user.

    Maintain consistent ownership and privileges for all files and directories. A single user—the Sybase system administrator with read, write, and execute permissions—should perform all installation, upgrade, and setup tasks.

  9. If you are installing Adaptive Server 15.5 over an existing Adaptive Server 15.0.x version, and the Java in the database feature is enabled, perform these steps:
    1. Create the sybpcidb database, which stores configuration information for the Pluggable Component Interface (PCI) and all Pluggable Component Adapter (PCA) components. This database is used by the installpcidb script. For example: 
      1> disk init
2> name = “sybpcidb_dev”,
3> physname = “${SYBASE}/data/sybpcidb_dev.dat”,
4>size = '24MB'
5>go
6> create database sybpcidb on sybpcidb_dev = 24
7> go

      • The device and database sizes depend on the Adaptive Server page size:

        • 2k page size – 24MB

        • 4k page size – 48MB

        • 8k page size – 96MB

        • 16k page size – 192MB

    2. If you are upgrading from a 15.0.x Adaptive Server, disable the Java feature before you upgrade, and reenable it after you have finished the upgrade. To disable the Java feature, use: 
    1> sp_configure 'enable java',0
2> go
  10. Decide where to install the software. Ensure there is sufficient available disk space. There cannot be any spaces in the path name of the directory.
  11. Know the product edition you are installing. The options are:

    • Enterprise Edition — no license type needed

    • Small Business Edition — license type needed

    • Developers Edition — license type needed

    For more information about license types, see the Getting and Using your License section of the Sybase Software Asset Management Users Guide.
    Note: Sybase recommends that you specify license types at the time of installation. However, you may choose to specify the product edition and license type later using sp_lmconfig. For information on sp_lmconfig, see Reference Manual:Procedures.
  12. You must decide if you want licensing events to trigger e-mail alerts and the severity of the events that generate e-mail messages.

    If you choose to have e-mail notifications for license events, you must know the:


    • SMTP server host name

    • Port number for an SMTP server

    • E-mail return address

    • Recipients of the notifications

    • Severity level of an event that triggers mail. Your choices are:


      • None

      • Informational

      • Warning

      • Error

  13. Verify that your network software is configured.

    Sybase software uses network software even if Adaptive Server and Sybase client applications are installed on a machine that is not connected to a network.

    If you are having connection problems, or to verify your network configuration, ping the host.

  14. Adjust the operating system shared memory parameter.

    For Adaptive Server to run, the operating system must be configured to allow allocation of a shared memory segment at least as large as the Adaptive Server total logical memory configuration parameter.

    The default total logical memory parameter for HP is 32,768 2KB pages (64MB) on the 32-bit operating system, and 45,056 2KB pages (88MB) on the 64-bit operating system. To adjust the shared memory value of the operating system, use the System Administration Manager (SAM).

    To adjust the shared memory value of the operating system, add the following lines to the operating system configuration file /etc/sysconfigtab:
    ipc: shm-max=nnn
    For HP and UNIX 5.0a, add:
    ssm-threshold=0
    If this parameter is not set, Adaptive Server does not start, and the following message is displayed:
    os create region: shmat "xx": invalid argument

    After installing Adaptive Server, you can change any configuration parameter, procedure cache, and data cache sizes. This may require that you increase the configuration parameter max memory.