Rename temporary tablespace

with running SAP system

Willi Eimler July 16, 2015

Introduction

Sometimes, it is necessary to rename the temporary tablespace.

Unfortunately the temporary tablespace is used by the processes
of a sap system. This short blog shows you how to change the
temporary tablespace online, without disturbing the sap-system.

Scenario

The system consists of one database server and 2 application

servers. The transaction DB02OLD stated a temporary tablespace
with a wrong name. PSAPTEMP1 is defined as default temporary
tablespace and is stored under

/oracle/SID/sapdata1/temp1_1/temp1.data1

We want to rename the temporary tablespace to PSAPTEMP.

Solution

How is the procedure to rename PSAPTEMP to PSAPTEMP?

1. Create the new temporary tablespace.

2. Define the new temporary tablespace as default temporary

tablespace.

3. Drop the old temporary tablespace.

1. Create the new temporary tablespace.

orasid> mkdir /oracle/SID/sapdata1/temp_1/

orasid> sqlplus “/as sysdba”

SQL> CREATE TEMPORARY TABLESPACE “PSAPTEMP” TEMPFILE

‘/oracle/SID/sapdata1/temp_1/temp.data1ʼ SIZE 20000M EXTENT
MANAGEMENT LOCAL UNIFORM SIZE 2M;

2. Define the new temporary tablespace as default temporary

tablespace.

SQL> alter database default temporary tablespace PSAPTEMP;

3. Drop the old temporary tablespace.

SQL> drop tablespace PSAPTEMP1 including contents and

datafiles;

Every new operation in ORACLE will now use the new temporary
tablespace PSAPTEMP!

In all probability there are handles on the temporary tablespace by

the workprocesses of the sap system. This causes the drop
statement to hang! In order to be able to identify the processes that
have a handle on PSAPTEMP1 enter in sqlplus:

SQL> SET linesize 200

SQL> COLUMN tablespace FORMAT a15;

SQL> COLUMN machine FORMAT a15;

SQL> SELECT se.sid sid, se.process process, se.status status,

su.tablespace tablespace,

su.segtype segtype, su.contents contents, se.machine

machine, se.program program

FROM v$session se, v$sort_usage su

WHERE se.saddr=su.session_addr;

You get a list with handles. In this list you can identify the server
(column MACHINE) and the process (column PROCESS) of the
handle holder. The program column shows the process name. The
process name indicates that workprocesses are holding the
handles. There are two types of handles: ACTIVE and INACTIVE
ones. You have to wait until the ACTIVE handle disappear, because
this handle is initiated by workprocess processing a report using
PSAPTEMP1. Killing this workprocess could inflict inconsistencies.
The INACTIVE handles can be cleared by restarting the
corresponding workprocess.

Now you know the server and the pid.Lets logon to the server and
check it:
sidadm> ps -efa | grep <process>

Yes it is the correct workprocess. In transaction SM50 of the

corresponding application server you can identify the workprocess
with the determined pid and restart the workprocess in order to
clear the handle.

Repeat this procedure for each INACTIVE handle. After clearing the
last handle the drop statement will proceed.

After dropping PSAPTEMP1 you can delete the directory of

PSAPTEMP1

orasid> rmdir /oracle/SID/sapdata1/temp1_1/

After new db-checks the new temporary tablespace PSAPTEMP

appear in the DB02OLS.

Please excuse the usage of the old transaction DB02OLD bit I donʼt
like the “look and feel” of ALV-grids. I prefer the old list processing
of sap.

I hope you enjoyed the blog.