How to download SAP kernel

This article answers the following queries :

How to download SAP kernel ?
What is the process to be followed to download SAP kernel?
What is the best practice for SAP kernel upgrade?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAP Kernel can be downloaded fro Ser!ice "arket Place#S"P$%
To download SAP Kernel& login to S"P and goto Software 'ownloads -( Software
'ownlad )enter% *ro there please na!igate as below
+nder Support packages and Patches& na!igate to ", )opan,-s Application
)oponents -( ", )opan,-s Software
)lick on .", copan,/s software. link to !iew all the copan,-s software that is
a!ailable as below:
*ro the abo!e list& please select ,our software for which kernel upgrade to be done
e0aple : SAP 1etwea!er P2 or SAP 1etwea!er or SAP S)" or SAP 345 or SAP 345
6nterprise etc$
2n the below e0aple a selecting SAP 1etwea!er as , software and proceeding
further
2n the abo!e list& select the correct !ersion of software for which ,ou would like to
download kernel% 2n this e0aple& a selecting 7SAP 6HP8 *93 SAP 16TW6A:63 ;%<=
and proceeding further%
1ote : The current software !ersion can be identi>ed fro SAP A?AP S,ste-s enu%
Please na!igate to S,ste -( Status% After under SAP s,ste 'ata tab& b, clicking
)oponent :ersion4)oponent details ,ou can !iew the !ersion of the software%
After selecting software& select 6ntr, b, )oponent link as below
2t lists coponents as below :
Please select Application Ser!er A?AP in that list and proceed further% 2t leads to below
screen%
Please select the appropriate kernel fro the list based on ,our SAP s,ste setup like
5@ 4 ABbit & +nicode41on+nicode& 9perating s,ste on which ,our s,ste runs :
2n , case& a selecting SAP kernel ;%<8 ABbit +nicode and 9perating s,ste as
Windows on 0AB ABbit%
After this click on C'atabase independent link as abo!e to !iew below screen
Select the kernel patch which ,ou would like to download and click on Add to 'ownload
?asket tab% This results in below screen
1e0t in the abo!e screen& click on database in which ,our sap s,ste is running% 2n ,
case& a selecting "S SDE ser!er as the database and proceeding further%

2n the abo!e list select the kernel patch which ,ou would like to download and click on
7Add to 'ownload ?asket=% 9nce ,ou click this button& a screen siilar to below will
appear
)lick on download basket pushbutton which displa,s screen as below:
2n the abo!e screen& click on the abo!e ites and sa!e these >les in ,our local desktop
and later transfer these >les into the desired ser!er in which ,ou would like to perfor
kernel upgrade%
?est practice is to download 1-8 kernel patch fro the Ser!ice "arket Place% 2t eans if
the current kernel patch is 8;A and the prior kernel patch is 8F< and if ,ou are in a
lower kernel !ersion #for e0: 8@B etc$& it is better to upgrade to 1-8 kernel patch i%e% to
8F< instead of upgrading directl, to 8;A% The reason for this is soeties upgrading to
latest kernel a, lead to soe issues like perforance probles& s,ste startup failure
etc% To a!oid this& it is suggested to appl, 1-8 kernel patch%