Updating SAP ABAP Systems on UNIX and Linux: SAP HANA DB

Initial Dialogs for the Scenario Specification (Get Roadmap)

By means of a dialog sequence at the beginning, the Software Update Manager collects the needed information for the wanted scenario.

In a sequence of dialogs, you can determine the scenario category and the scenario strategy. Furthermore, you can enter additional relevant values and parameters that the Software Update Manager needs to get the roadmap.

Scenario Category

The main starting point is your specification whether you want to use the stack.xml configuration file provided by the SAP Maintenance Planner. For more information, see Specifying the Scenario to Get the Roadmap.

Scenario Category with Configuration File
Select the scenario category with configuration file if you want to perform scenarios such as:
  • Release upgrades (major release change)

  • System updates (EHP installation)

  • Support Packages (SPs) / Support Package Stack applications

  • Conversion of SAP systems to SAP S/4HANA

In addition, you can use options and features of SUM such as:
  • DMO: Database Migration Option (update of an SAP system combined with a migration of the source database to a new target database)

  • nZDM: near-Zero Downtime Maintenance (includes features to minimize Business Downtime)

Scenario Category Without Configuration File
If you select the scenario category without configuration file, you can carry out scenarios such as:
  • DMO without System Update

    Relevant for DMO with target database SAP HANA: You can run a DMO procedure for migration purpose only without updating the SAP system.

  • Customer Transport Integration only

    You want to import your customer transport requests only without performing a standard update procedure. See also Integration of Customer Transports.

  • Benchmarking Tool

    Relevant for DMO: With this migration tool, you can simulate the export and import processes or the export process only to estimate their speed.

  • Check Cluster Data

    Relevant for DMO: You want to check the consistency of cluster tables. This check is similar to the SAP_BASIS report SDBI_CLUSTER_CHECK. It is performed by the R3load executable in discard mode and uses the same technology as the benchmarking tool.

  • Table Comparison Check Tool

    With this stand-alone migration tool, you can compare export and import table checksums for your database. The check can, for example, be relevant for the system copy procedure with the Software Provisioning Manager.

Further Dialogs After the Scenario Category Decision
After your decision, further initial dialogs are possible:
  • Decision on DMO

  • Decision on scenario strategy

  • Selection of additional parameters

  • Configuration of Benchmarking or Table Comparison Tool

These dialogs do not appear one after the other, but first depending on the chosen scenario category and the existing source database, then depending on selections that you made in the previous dialog. In the following, we describe the possible main dialogs. For more details, see:

Decision on DMO

The Software Update Manager checks the database of your source system. If it is not SAP HANA database and the database migration is not mandatory, you are prompted to decide whether you want to carry out a database migration to SAP HANA or to SAP ASE database.

Scenario Strategy

Depending on the scenario category and the decision on DMO, the following options are available:

Strategy Mode Features
Single System
  • Longer downtime

  • No shadow instance is running in uptime

  • Only available for the update of support packages or support package stacks

Standard
  • Strategy mode for the most scenarios

  • Standard downtime optimization

  • Late start of downtime – import and shadow system operation while the SAP system is still in production operation

  • Standard system resources available

  • Production operation stops in phase DOWNCONF_DTTRANS (at the end of the Preprocessing roadmap step).

  • Modification adjustment of the ABAP Dictionary objects during production operation

  • Import of the substitution set into the shadow tables during production operation

  • Activation and distribution during production operation

Downtime-optimized
  • Parallel operation of production system and shadow system

  • Higher demand on system resources

  • Shorter downtime

  • Depending on your source database and your previous specifications, the following options are possible:
    • Uptime Migration (Downtime-optimized DMO)

      This option allows the migration of selected large application tables partly during uptime.

    • near-Zero Downtime Maintenance (nZDM)

      This option allows the move of table structure adaptations and the import of new table content partly to uptime processing for a system update or upgrade.

    • Zero Downtime Option (ZDO)

      The ZDO allows the reduction of the technical system downtime to a minimum. Users can apply the business functions of the system during the upgrade or update activities.

      In a subsequent dialog, you are asked to report an incident to get a password that authorizes you to use the ZDO feature. For more information, see the ZDO Guide and the SAP Notes 2707731 Information published on SAP site (ZDO for SAP S/4HANA) or 2163060 Information published on SAP site (ZDO for SAP Business Suite).

    For a list of possible combinations, see Making Entries for Scenarios with Configuration File.
Prerequisite Check Tool
Possible options:
  • Prerequisite Check

    For more information, see Performing a Prerequisites Check.

  • Prerequisite Check Extended (only for a system conversion to SAP S/4HANA or an upgrade of an SAP S/4HANA system)

  • Prerequisite Check Extended Without Target Database (A slightly reduced version of the extended prerequisite check that is applicable when no SAP HANA target database is available. The check runs only on the source database and some dialogs are not displayed.)

Additional Parameters

This dialog is relevant for scenarios with configuration file. You can decide on the following options:
  • Check Archive Authenticity: Select the check box if the authenticity of all archives in the download directory shall be checked.

  • Switch expert mode on: Select the checkbox if you want to decide on additional options to adapt the tool configuration.

  • Customer Transport Integration: Include customer transport requests to reduce business downtime.

    This option is only available for strategy modes Standard or Downtime-optimized. It is not displayed if Single System has been selected.

    Select the checkbox Customer Buffer File, if a customer buffer file shall be considered that contains customer transports for the target release. A subsequent dialog prompts you to enter the path and the name of the buffer file.

Migration Parameters

This dialog is relevant for DMO scenarios with or without configuration file.
  • Decide on the table selection for the built-in Table Comparison tool

  • Enter the Migration Key

  • Enable the Migration Repetition option

  • Enable the System Move option

Configuration of the Tools

This dialog is relevant for a DMO scenario without configuration file, and you have selected Benchmarking tool or Table Comparison Check Tool. In this case, the initial dialog is enhanced to choose the options for the execution of the tools.