Consistency of database disk blocks - stopping I/O activities or executing DATABASE BEGIN ONLINE BACKUP command, flushing cache, etc.
On-premises: all involved source/target systems in the company's own data centers
In advanced SAP systems, there are also methods such as system cloning, which allows an exact copy of a production system to be created and used as a test system. These methods save time and effort in creating system copies and allow companies to make their IT processes faster and more efficient.
The tools we use can be easily operated either in the cloud or on premise. For this, the SAP systems to be copied must allow access at operating system level. The typical cloud infrastructures, such as AWS or Azure, are not a hurdle for this service.
Purpose of the SAP system copy
Creating a consistent storage replica - splitting a clone or creating a snapshot on the disk array. Regardless of the storage size, this process takes only a few seconds.
A SAN enables a system copy during dialog operation. In this way, virtual copies of a logical volume, so-called snapshots, can be created. Data is only copied if it is changed in the original data volume (copy-on-write procedure). When copying from a snapshot to file level, the affected systems remain available. However, this procedure puts a strain on the storage network. If this takes several days, the response times of the productive system deteriorate.
A solution such as "Shortcut for SAP Systems" offers an automatable solution for many of the activities involved in an SAP system copy.
Although a one-time effort is still required, the system landscape is examined so well that the system copy and any subsequent ones are performed literally at the push of a button.
Primarily for security reasons, no changes to SAP source systems are enabled.