SAP Web Dispatcher Connections Test

As a “software web switch”, the SAP Web dispatcher can reject or accept connections. When it accepts a connection, it balances the load to ensure an even distribution across the servers. The SAP Web Dispatcher therefore contributes to security and also balances the load in your SAP system. Often administrators are required to identify the number of connections made to the SAP Web Dispatcher and figure out how often such connections are made. The SAP Web Dispatcher Connections test helps administrators in this regard!

For each protocol type, this test reports the number of connections made to the target SAP Web Dispatcher and the maximum time taken by a connection. Using this test, administrators can figure out the protocol type through which maximum number of connections are made and identify the maximum time duration that is required for a connection to be established.

Target of the test : A SAP Web Dispatcher

Agent deploying the test : An internal/remote agent

Outputs of the test : One set of results for each protocol type of connections made to the SAP Web Dispatcher that is being monitored .

Configurable parameters for the test
Parameter Description

Test period

How often should the test be executed

Host

Specify the host for which the test is to be configured.

Port

The port number at which the specified host listens. The default is 2375.

Data Collection Mode

By default, this flag is set to Sapcontrol indicating that the eG agent connects to the target SAP Web Dispatcher and collects the required metrics using the SAPControl web service. However, if you wish to collect the required metrics using the Command line program, then, you can set this flag to CLI.

WSDL Port

This parameter appears only if the Data Collection Mode flag is set to Sapcontrol – i.e., if the test uses the SAPControl web service to collect measures. In this text box, specify the port number of the SAPControl web service. To determine the exact port number of the SAPControl web service, you can look up the etc/services file on the SAP Web Dispatcher being monitored. If the port number is not declared in the etc/services file, you can specify the default port number of the web service against WSDL Port If the web service is not SSL-enabled, then the default port number of the web service will be: 5<NR>13. Similarly, if the web service is SSL-enabled, then the default port number of the web service will be: 5<NR>14. <NR> in the port number refers to the system number of the SAP server being monitored. The system number is an indicator of the TCP/IP port at which the SAP Web Dispatcher server listens. For example, for a server that listens at port 3200, the system number will be ‘00’. Similarly, if the SAP server port is 3201, the system number will have to be specified as ‘01’. Accordingly, the default port number of an SSL-enabled SAPControl web service will be 50014 , if the system number is 00, or 50114, if the system number is 01.

SSL

This parameter appears only if the Data Collection Mode flag is set to Sapcontrol – i.e., if the test uses the SAPControl web service to collect measures. Set this flag to Yes, if the SAPControl web service is SSL-enabled. Set this flag to No, if the SAPControl web service is not SSL-enabled.

OS Username, OS Password and Confirm Password

This parameter appears only if the Data Collection Mode flag is set to Sapcontrol – i.e., if the test uses the SAPControl web service to collect measures. To enable the test to access the SAPControl web service and collect the required metrics, you need to configure the OS Username and OS Password parameters of the test with the credentials (i.e., name and password) of an OS user, who fulfills one of the following conditions:

  • The name of the OS user should be declared using the service\admin_users profile parameter; (OR)
  • The name of the user group to which the OS user belongs should be declared using the service\admin_groups profile parameter; (OR)
  • The OS user should have the permission to execute the sapstartsrv executable

Confirm the OS Password by retyping it in the Confirm Password text box.

WEB Dispatcher DIR

This parameter appears only if the Data Collection Mode flag is set to CLI – i.e., if the test uses the command line program to collect measures. Specify the full path to the directory where the target SAP Web Dispatcher is installed.  Ensure that the location specified contains the sapwebdisp and wdispmon executables.

Profile File

This parameter appears only if the Data Collection Mode flag is set to CLI – i.e., if the test uses the command line program to collect measures. Specify the full path to the profile file with which the target SAP Web Dispatcher was started. The default name of the profile is sapwebdisp.pfl.

Timeout

This parameter appears only if the Data Collection Mode flag is set to CLI – i.e., if the test uses the command line program to collect measures. Specify the time for which the eG agent should wait for collecting the required metrics. By default, this is 60 seconds

Detailed Diagnosis

To make diagnosis more efficient and accurate, the eG Enterprise embeds an optional detailed diagnostic capability. With this capability, the eG agents can be configured to run detailed, more elaborate tests as and when specific problems are detected. To enable the detailed diagnosis capability of this test for a particular server, choose the On option. To disable the capability, click on the Off option.

The option to selectively enable/disable the detailed diagnosis capability will be available only if the following conditions are fulfilled:

  • The eG manager license should allow the detailed diagnosis capability
  • Both the normal and abnormal frequencies configured for the detailed diagnosis measures should not be 0.
Measurements made by the test
Measurement Description Measurement Unit Interpretation

Number of connections

Indicates the total number of connections of this protocol type made to the SAP Web Dispatcher.

Number

This measure is a good indicator of the load on the SAP Web Dispatcher.

Comparing the value of this measure across the protocol types will enable you to figure out the protocol type that tops the maximum number of connections.

Maximum time for a connection

Indicates the maximum time taken to establish a connection of this type.

Mins

The detailed diagnosis of this measure if enabled, lists the Top 3 slowest connections of each protocol type along with connection ID, Request type, address, connection time, timeouts etc.