Solution infrastructure
SAP system update and database update
The maturity and performance of automation tools for SAP system copying have evolved over a period of more than 15 years. The first tools for SAP system copy creation came from the mainframe environment.
Security-conscious companies usually keep their mission-critical IT infrastructures redundant anyway. Storage systems are usually secured in disk arrays by multi-level raid, spatially separated from each other and networked by a storage area network (SAN). Connected to this are at least two computers, also spatially separated. One of these acts as a backup system.
Consistency of database disk blocks - stopping I/O activities or executing DATABASE BEGIN ONLINE BACKUP command, flushing cache, etc.
Of course, time savings also mean money savings. In addition, these processes for system copying using such automation tools can be planned, standardized and always run at a high level of process quality. Especially the latter is of great importance in SAP Basis departments (and of course also for service providers).
So much information... how can you keep it so that you can find it again when you need it? Scribble Papers is a "note box" that makes this very easy.
A system copy can be created either with SAP transactions (R3trans, from R4.6C SAPinst) or at file and database level. Costs and effort increase with the size of the system and the requirements for availability and data protection. In addition, administrative rework is often necessary, starting with the system name and extending to printers and interfaces.
Tools such as "Shortcut for SAP Systems" supplement missing functions in the area of SAP system copy.
The guideline that integrated job logic is preferable to customizing has also proven its worth.
One example: In an SAP environment, a system copy must be performed for various reasons - until now manually.