What is 'hard shutdown' in SAP BC-CST - Client/Server Technology?

hard shutdown - Overview

• Component: BC-CST

• Component Name: Client/Server Technology

• Description: 'Hard' exiting of a process for example, a gateway or the ICM. The process is shut down with a signal, but the process cannot shut down open connections or requests that are still running.

hard shutdown - Details

• 
  Key Concepts: 
  A hard shutdown is a type of shutdown procedure in SAP Client/Server Technology (BC-CST). It is used to terminate all SAP processes on a server, including the SAP instance, and is the most drastic type of shutdown. It should only be used as a last resort when other methods of shutting down the system have failed. 
  
  How to use it: 
  A hard shutdown should only be used when other methods of shutting down the system have failed. To perform a hard shutdown, you must first log on to the server as an administrator. Then, open a command prompt and enter the command “shutdown -h”. This will terminate all SAP processes on the server, including the SAP instance. 
  
  Tips & Tricks: 
  It is important to note that a hard shutdown should only be used as a last resort. Before attempting a hard shutdown, you should try other methods such as using the “stop” command or using the SAP GUI to shut down the system. 
  
  Related Information: 
  For more information about performing a hard shutdown in SAP Client/Server Technology (BC-CST), please refer to the official SAP documentation.