Introduction
At several stages in the lifecycle of your SAP solution, you will face the requirement to perform a system copy or a migration. For example, SAP recommends that you perform a system copy to create test, demo and training systems. Also, if you need to change your operating system and/or database, you have to perform a migration of your SAP system.
For this, SAP is offering the system copy and migration services of Software Provisioning Manager 1.0 (offering the latest SAPinst version including latest features and fixes for several product versions) that enable you to create consistent copies of your SAP systems, flexibly adapted to your needs - be it an SAP system distributed to several hosts, a high-availability system or a system on a rather exotic operating system/database combination. Also, the procedure is offered for ABAP, Java and dual-stack systems (as supported for the corresponding product version).
Besides the procedures provided by SAP, there are also non-SAP methods to replicate existing SAP systems (for example, methods offered by hardware partners), but no support can be provided by SAP for these non-SAP procedures. Instead, the corresponding supplier of the procedure (for example, the hardware partner) is in charge of providing support for the corresponding non-SAP procedure.
Getting Started
- In this short overview presentation, get a quick overview of the system copy and migration with software provisioning manager 1.0.
- In this short technical details presentation, get technical details and a quick overview how the system copy and migration process looks like with Software Provisioning Manager 1.0.
- Explanation of Terms provides a quick overview of the terminology used for SAP system copies.
- Heterogeneous ABAP System Copy - Technical Overview: If you are involved in a migration process (be it as administrator, technical consultant or other project member) or just want to learn more about heterogeneous copies of ABAP systems, see this presentation to get a technical overview including involved tools and created files.
- SAP Note 784118 (System Copy Tools for ABAP Systems)
- FAQ - System Copy and Migration: frequently asked questions about the system copy and migration of SAP systems.
- SAP Note 547314 (FAQ: System Copy procedure)
- For troubleshooting information, see the list of Troubleshooting documents for Software Provisioning Manager
Migration to SAP HANA
For the migration to SAP HANA, several migration path options are offered - see the Migration of SAP Systems to SAP HANA page for an overview.
Especially for the classical migration to SAP HANA, see the corresponding Classical Migration to SAP HANA page that provides further information about the procedure and lists several best practices for this use case.
Further Information
- System copy and migration guides, available at http://support.sap.com/sltoolset → System Provisioning → System Copy Option.
- Best Practice Guide - Classical Migration of SAP NetWeaver AS ABAP to SAP HANA
- In addition to standard system copy and database-specific procedures, the split-mirror solution (SMP login required) uses storage technology to create a split-mirror image of a single system or a system landscape. For more information, navigate to Storage - Split Mirror Solutions.
- SAP Note 954268 (Optimization of export: Unsorted unloading)
- SAP Note 1918774 (Performance issues when running a SAP Installation / System Copy)
- For information about how to handle landscape data in the system landscape directory (SLD) in the course of a system copy, see the blog How to Deal with Landscape Data Created during System Copy and the Landscape Management page.
- To find out more about the difference between “Refresh or Move Database Instance” vs. “Refresh Database Content” see the blog Refresh Database Content without reinstalling the database or Kernel for ABAP systems
Possible Alternatives
- The product SAP Landscape Management (fka SAP Landscape Virtualization Management) helps customers simplify and optimize provisioning, deployment, and management of their SAP systems through the use of virtualization and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud technology. One of its key features is a framework for SAP system cloning, copy and refresh, including fully automated post-copy tasks, eliminating manual effort. Customers can use it to reduce the total cost of operations of their SAP system landscape and enhance their flexibility and business agility. For more information about our offering for the automation of post-copy activities, see also this overview presentation.
- For certain use cases, the system rename procedure might be a faster alternative to the classical homogeneous system copy procedure, as it allows to quickly adapt key characteristics - such as hostname, instance number, or system ID (SAP system ID or database system ID) - of an existing SAP system or to make cloned systems operational (for example, by using system rename to configure a system that has been copied to another file system along with services, users, permissions, and hostnames to be operational on the new host).
How to Get It?
Get the latest version of both the tool and the guide valid for several product versions and containing latest features and fixes at: http://support.sap.com/sltoolset → System Provisioning.
The guides describe the export procedure of the source system as well as the import procedure on the target system based on software provisioning manager 1.0. Post-copy activities required for systems based on SAP NetWeaver are also covered. SAP Support can only provide optimal support for copied systems that have been copied using one of the procedures described in the guide.
9 Comments
Sankara Bavirisetti
Hello Boris,
Can we do system copy among different SAP Netwear releases like eg: Netweaver 7.3 and Netwear 7.5?
Thanks,
SankarBavirisetti
Boris Zarske
Hello SankarBavirisetti,
Unfortunately not, the SAP system release of the source and target systems must be the same for a system copy. Therefore, you would have to perform a two-step approach here (for example, in case of an existing landscape, re-creating the existing target system on the higher release by performing a system copy of the SAP NetWeaver 7.3 system + performing an upgrade).
Best regards,
Boris
Sameer Mohammad
Hello Boris,
You had given awesome information about the classical migration, thank you so much
I just need some information like do we need to perform any specific task on HANA DB level after performing classical migration ? system copy guide is already referred, but want to know more specific checks at HANA Database Level. Appreciate your inputs on the same. Thank you once again
Regards,
Sameer
Boris Zarske
Hello Sameer,
Sorry for the late answer, but was busy with SAP TechEd
.
Specifc tasks for SAP HANA would be listed in the system copy guide. So, if you considered this already (+ especially the SAP Notes referenced therein) and also took a look at the best practice guide referenced above, I think you should be fine.
Best regards,
Boris
Sameer Mohammad
Hello Boris,
First of all I would like to thank you for making time to answer my query
.
Both the documents are pretty much self explanatory, however If there is anything Ill surely get back to you. Thanks again for you time
Regards,
Sameer
Antonio Dantas
Dear Boris
can you please help about this ?
i having doubts about this processo below ?
if I have a fully running HA system with ASCS, ERS, DB, PAS ( eg: NW 702 ABAP layer / Oracle ) on the target host with success !!!
But I would like just to “export” a DB from HP-UX and “import” this DB on Linux (Heterogeneous) with the same SID.
I wouldn´t like to fix/change anything in the SAP installation.
1) Is there any option in SWPM to execute just this import task ?
2) In the SWPM 1.0 SPS18, for the import on target host, has the option Database Instance (inside HA).
Is it possible to execute only this option for the import data
Any sugentions ?
Boris Zarske
Dear Antonio,
As already written by email: for systems based on SAP NetWeaver 7.0x, we do not offer a DB Refresh option at all (where only the DB contents gets imported, without re-installing the database). This is planned to be offered next year for 7.0x (we do have such an option for systems based on SAP NetWeaver 7.1x and higher already today). But even then, this would only cover homogeneous DB refreshes, no heterogeneous scenarios.
Therefore, I would only see the option for a migration in your case.
Best regards,
Boris
Venkata Dasari
Hi Boris,
Very good information. I was trying to view below presentations but could not able to access them. Can you able to email these to my ID (venkatd05@gmail.com)
Best Regards
Venkat Dasari
Boris Zarske
Hi Venkat,
Thanks for your feedback! I just checked, the presentations should be available for download - please make sure you are logged in for the download, as it might be that the files are only offered for logged-in users. Sometimes, there are issues due to replication activities.
If the issues should persist, please let me know again and I will forward you the PDF files directly.
Thanks for your understanding + best regards,
Boris