Shutting Down the Target System
Automation tool reduces time required to create test environments
Unicode conversion: A Unicode target system is built from a non-Unicode source system. Unicode conversion can only be performed using procedures based on R3load.
Especially in complex environments, SAP system copies regularly represent a critical challenge in terms of time and expertise and thus become a real cost factor in the long run. This is because system copies must be scheduled at an early stage, are complex, time-consuming and resource-intensive, require specific knowledge, tie up important employee capacities due to the large number of manual interventions, and are error-prone.
SAP system copy and the cloud
Companies with backup systems can use these for a client copy and thus save on the computing power of the productive system. However, the burden of copying falls on the SAN. Because the reliability is limited by the misuse of the backup system and the storage network is additionally burdened, users should keep the runtime of this refresh variant as short as possible.
The third-party providers have adapted their tools to various special areas. For example, the "Clone & Test" tool from Pecaso, which is now part of Accenture, specializes in transferring data from SAP's HR module. In addition to HR data, the "Data Sync Manager" from the provider Epi-Use makes it possible to select additional objects from the areas of accounting and logistics. As with TDMS, "Infoshuttle" from Gamma Enterprise Technologies gives users the option of selecting any data from the SAP system. For transport, the tool uses Idocs, which, however, can only be used to transfer small amounts of test data. SNP's "Data Distillery" can either write extracted data directly into the tables of the target system via RFC or generate an export file that can be imported into target systems multiple times. In the source system, users can select by objects, processes and transactions. Further selection options, for example by organizational units or fiscal year, allow a percentage of the data to be filtered out of the system as consistent test data.
With "Shortcut for SAP Systems" the effort for many work steps is reduced. The work done by "Shortcut for SAP Systems" lies in the preparation and post-processing of the data - by backing up the system-specific data before the system copy and restoring it after the system copy. Efforts for preparation and post-processing are thus reduced to a minimum.
There are two types to be distinguished: homogeneous and heterogeneous system copy and one can get to the system copy in different ways.
Once set up, you get time-optimized and consistent execution of this complex process, no matter when or how frequently, and while maintaining high flexibility even in changing environments.