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Single file server and its impact on process efficiency

Organizations often use SAP with a single application server where there are several programs that interact with the file system. The files are read/written to the local file directories of the application server. However, when the business decides to have additional application server to handle increasing load, it often causes a problem as the files are located locally on other server.

Is Local File Storage Costing Efficiency?

It is important that business continues as usual. Seamless continuation even after adding new application server is a must for large corporations. Both the servers should be able to read/write to the file system without any issues. Thus, single server storage is a two way sword that can increase safety but at the same time decrease efficiency.

Single Way Approach isn’t Always the Best

In the absence of the ability to access the required file system from other server, the user has no choice but to schedule such programs accessing file system on the primary/original server and use the other server for executing programs that do not require file system access. This certainly means more time in completing tasks.

Manually segregating and scheduling the programs on individual servers is very time consuming and prone to errors. The programs often terminate with an error if not scheduled on the right server. Moreover, there are cases where programs internally create sub-tasks whose assignment is not in user’s control.

How SAP Professionals Handle the Issue

Instead of one way street to complete the tasks, a simultaneous approach has to be undertaken.

1. Instead of going for a separate file sharing server or tool, which would add to the complexity, the simpler approach is to setup file sharing between the two servers.
2. All the relevant file directories being accessed on the Primary/Original server are again setup for file sharing with appropriate permissions & security.
3. As the file directories are no longer local, they can be accessed easily by modifying the file paths used in the program. The file paths are now referred using IP address instead of local drive names of the original server.

Benefits of Improvements

1. Now, user need not worry about segregating the programs that are accessing the file system.
2. The business operations continue seamlessly with the benefit of using the added capacity of the additional server.
3. This helps in improving the performance and scalability of business.

SAP is often crippled with such trivial issues. Minor impediments such as singular file sharing can drastically lower process efficiency. SAP professionals often find simple yet innovative solutions that not only solve the issue but also help pave the way for future process improvements.

Next step

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