Tag: EWA

SAP cases (incidents) overview

The me.sap.com has a nice overview for all your SAP cases (incidents).

Questions that will be answered in this blog are:

  • How can I get a nice KPI overview in PDF format on my SAP cases?
  • How can I get a list of all my SAP cases?
  • How can I get insights into aging SAP cases?
  • How can I get insights if the SAP cases are on our side, or at SAP side to solve?

Cases (incidents) overview

Go to https://me.sap.com/reporting/cases/ (part of the EWA workspace).

After opening you reach the dashboard you reach the KPI’s:

If you scroll down you get the easy list overview of all your cases:

From this list you can make an easy download to Excel.

KPI report in PDF format

Top right there is a button PDF report generator:

Follow the wizard and a nice PDF will be generated for you. Mock up of this PDF is so good that you can immediately share it with management.

EWA alert solutions

The SAP Early Watch Alert (EWA) report can contain valuable information on specific topics in your system that you must fix.

More information on the EWA workspace can be found in this blog.

General EWA tips and tricks can be found in this blog.

EWA alert solution finder

On the me.sap.com go to the specific page for EWA solution finder:

Action follow up is on the right hand side per alert:

You can choose:

  • Hide the alert (be very careful!)
  • Snooze the alert (see SAP blog)
  • Mail the alert

The snoozing is a very useful function. For example, you detect a red alert on HANA revision, but it will take you a month to implement (due to regression testing, process, etc), you can now snooze the alert for the implementation period:

After the implementation is done, the alert should be gone. If the implementation is delayed, you will be reminded again.

Activating early watch report (EWA) for ABAP and JAVA managed systems in SAP Focused Run

EWAs in Focused Run

When you have performed Simple System Integration (SSI) for the connected managed system on the Focused Run system, by default SSI itself activates the SAP early watch (EWA) reporting for a managed system, provided the managed system has IT Admin Role defined as Production system. For more information on how to set IT Admin Role read this blog.

For non productive systems you can also manually activate EWA.

Additionally for all ABAP systems (Production and Non-production), you will need to configure SDCCN in managed system so that EWA data is sent to the Focused Run system.

Note: In an Focused Run environment, EWAs are not generated on the Focused Run system, but rather at SAP side. Only data is collected at the Focused Run side and the EWA is then available in Service Messages at SAP. For accessing the EWAs you can navigate from the launchpad using the EWA Workspace tile. For more details click here or here.

General EWA tips and tricks can be found in this blog.

Steps for activating EWA for ABAP Systems

STEP 1: Activate EWA on Focused run System

Goto Launchpad and click on the SAP Early Watch Alert Status tile.

In the EWA Status Application first you need to select scope to include all ABAP systems as shown below.

To activate EWA, change under Active column from NO to YES for the respective system.

After Activation status changes as shown below. Refresh after 5 minutes to ensure that the first circle is Green.

STEP 2: Configure SDCCN on Managed System

Once EWA session for an ABAP system is activated, the SDCCN of the respective ABAP system must read the EWA session data from Focused Run system. For more details read OSS note 2359359 – SDCC Enhancement for ABAP Systems Connecting to Focused Run.

For this first create a HTTP destination from the managed ABAP system to Focused Run system using report /BDL/CREATE_HTTP . Provide the following input and execute the report.

  1. HTTP Destination: By default, it shows as SDCC_SID, you’d better change the SID to the real target system id. This is the suggestion, but you can specify any name if you want.
  2. SSL Status(HTTPS): This checkbox means whether you want to use HTTPS for the communication. By default, it will only use HTTP.
  3. Path Prefix: By default, the service used by SDCCN is /sap/bc/sdf/sdcc/. You cannot change this unless you mark the checkbox “Force Mode”.
  4. User Name: FRN_EWA_<FRUN SID> which you have created during the initial setup of FRUN system
  5. Run report /BDL/CONFIGURE_SDCCN_HTTP to activate SDCCN. Provide the HTTP destination that created in step 2 and change the job user. Only the first check box must be  selected (only on FRUN 1.0 both check boxes must be selected).
  6. The job user must have authorization SAP_SDCCN_ALL

After running this report with above parameters, the SDCC_OSS RFC will be removed from RFC destinations, and the new HTTP destination will be added to RFC destinations.

STEP 3: Create Maintenance Package on SDCCN in Managed System

Now you need to create a maintenance package in transaction SDCCN of managed system.

To Ensure the EWA activation is properly completed, goto transaction SDCCN on the managed system and ensure that the EWA sessions for the managed system is registered.

When EWA Data is sent to Focused Run and processed at the SAP side, you will see all circles in Green for the respective ABAP system as shown below.

Activating EWA for JAVA Systems

Goto Launchpad and click on the SAP Early Watch Alert Status tile.

In the EWA Status Application first you need to select scope to include all java systems as shown below.

To activate EWA, change under Active column from NO to YES for the respective system.

After Activation status changes as shown below. Refresh after 5 minutes to ensure that the first circle is Green.

To Ensure the EWA activation is properly completed, goto transaction SDCCN on the FRUN system and ensure that the EWA session for respective Java system is registered.

When EWA Data is sent to FRUN and processed, you will see all circles in Green for the respective JAVA system as shown below.

EWA troubleshooting

In case of issues you can follow the link to the troubleshooting guide of SAP:

Data retention

The EWA data is kept for 1 year. To change this, read the blog on housekeeping settings.

Relevant OSS notes

OSS notes:

Guided answers

SAP guided answers:

<< This blog was originally posted on SAP Focused Run Guru by Manas Tripathy from Simac. Repost done with permission. >>

EWA tips & tricks

SAP early watch (EWA) contains information on your system that might already or in the future impact performance and security.

A periodical review of the EWA is needed.

This blog contains tips & tricks for the technical working of the EWA reports.

For other frequently asked questions, read the note 1257308 – FAQ: Using EarlyWatch Alert.

SAP EWA generation

The EWA can be generated from SAP solution manager itself. Or you can use SAP Focused Run or Solution manager as data collection system, and than relay the information to SAP. The end result can then be seen on the online EWA workspace in the SAP support portal. More information on the EWA workspace can be found in this blog.

Since most new functions are added in the EWA workspace it is the best way forward. It is also less maintenance work. The only thing to do is to keep sending the data. Any new reporting function is done by SAP. SAP will also take care to have the content updated.

So all in all, if you are currently doing the EWA generation directly in SAP solution manager, consider to switch to the model where you send the data to the SAP EWA workspace via solution manager or via SAP Focused Run.

Setup in SAP Focused Run

A good manual for SAP Focused Run for EWA setup can be found on these reference sites:

Troubleshooting guide for EWA in SAP Focused Run, follow this link.

Also check OSS note 2715504 – Configure Early Watch Alert Job.

EWA in solution manager

General activation process of EWA in solution manager is described in OSS note 2729186 – General Process of EWA Generation in SAP Solution Manager 7.2. If an add hoc extra EWA needs to be generated, follow the steps in OSS note 2357073 – How to Create an Ad Hoc EarlyWatch Alert SAP – Solution Manager 7.2.

Adding email receivers is explained in OSS note 2282944 – EarlyWatch Alert: Solution Manager 7.2 how to setup/configure EWA reports or add email recipients.

Content update of SAP EWA content in SAP solution manager is required at regular intervals. The procedure is described in OSS note 2732608 – How to replace the Service Content (AGS_UPDATE).

EWA workspace

EWA’s can be found the SAP EWA workspace. Read more in this blog.

EWA alert solutions

If you are only interested in the alerts from the EWA’s, there is a dedicated SAP tool for this: the EWA alert solutions page on the me.sap.com space. Read more in this blog.

Known issue list for EWA

The known issue for EWA is kept as list by SAP on this page. And OSS note 3138592 – Known Issues with the EarlyWatch Alert (EWA).

Troubleshooting when EWA is not sent to SAP

When you have issues that the EWA data is not sent to SAP properly, follow the checks in OSS note 1684537 – EarlyWatch Alert not sent to SAP: troubleshooting guide.

Removing unwanted secondary HANA database from the EWA

If you setup a secondary HANA database in DBCO, that database might appear in the EWA of the primary system. To get this unwanted information out of the EWA follow the steps as described by SAP in this page. Basically add the description NON_EWA_ in the secondary connection:

Setting up the BKF section in the EWA

OSS note 2282310 – Business Key Figures for EWA report contains the steps to get the BKF chapter activated.

Make sure in the managed system the user running the EWA data collection has the special role SAP_MANAGED_BPOANA_DIS. This is cause number 1 of issues.

If you make the settings, you would have to wait 3 weeks before the data is filled properly.

To gain speed, you can use the Express option. This option is explained in OSS note 2821062 – BKF Express Option/Manually running the BPMON job.

The UI of Business key figures Chapter Setting settings in the EWA is terrible. Please use the scroll bars to go to the right part. And the instruction mentions that you need to double click on a button or tab. This is correct. If you click once, nothing will happen. You really need to double click. This is completely counter-intuitive. But if you don't do it, it will not work, and you loose a lot of time.

If it still does not work, don’t hesitate to raise a message to SAP for component SV-SMG-SER-EWA.

SAP might ask you to apply the note 2477832 – SAP EWA Special Content BKF – on demand data collection (routine update & ZReport) as a workaround.

Generic background information

EWA wiki of SAP: link.

Generic background information on EWA can be found in these OSS notes and blogs:

EWA workspace

SAP Eearly Watch Alerts (EWA) has always been a primary tool delivered by SAP for system administrators to get an automated report on their SAP system.

The last few years SAP has been working very hard to get the EWA online as part of the support.sap.com pages. This development is now so far and good, that you can consider to switch using the online EWA workspace in stead of the EWA’s generated by your local solution manager system.

Questions that will be answered in this blog are:

  • How to access the online EWA workspace?
  • Can I still get my EWA in PDF or word format?
  • What are extra functions the online EWA workspace offers versus the traditional EWA?
  • Can I set up e-mails for EWA workspace to receive early watches?
  • Can I get an overview of all the alerts across all EWA’s?

EWA workspace

The EWA workspace can be reached on this URL: https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/ewaworkspace.

The first page is the overview page:

By clicking on the tiles you can zoom in on the diverse topics.

EWA for single system

In the overall rating tile, you can click on the donut graph to goto the list of separate EWA’s:

Here you can open the word or PDF doc, or by clicking on the line goto the online EWA for the single system:

On each topic you can zoom in by clicking on the line:

Sending EWA data to SAP

To get the information to SAP still the local SAP solution manager system (or Focused Run, see this blog) is used to collect the data, and submit it to the SAP market place. In the past the sending was once per month. With the switch to the new backbone infrastructure this is now once per week. If the EWA is not received on SAP EWA workspace page, please check the reference OSS notes in OSS note 1684537 – EarlyWatch Alert not sent to SAP: troubleshooting guide.

Setting up mails on EWA workspace

Follow the instructions of OSS note 2530034 – How to set up e-mail, SMS, and/or launchpad notifications – SAP ONE Support Launchpad to setup mail notifications for the SAP early alert workspace. You can also read these instructions from the SAP Focused Run expert portal, which are very clear: link.

EWA Alert solutions

In me.sap.com there is a special tile which has an overview of all the alerts of all EWA’s: the EWA alert solution page. Read more on this useful tool in this blog.

Background on EWA workspace

The primary background site about the EWA workspace can be found here.

A great start for first users is this blog on the effective use of EWA workspace.

One of the functions on EWA workspace that add value over the traditional EWA is the performance evaluation. Read more on this SAP blog.

EWA tips & tricks

More on EWA tips & tricks in this dedicated blog.