How to check whether it is BW4 system?

This post is similar to one of my previous post called How to check whether HANA or BWA are available? In which I created small ABAP program to determine whether particular SAP system is running on HANA DB or whether BWA is available in the system.

Similarly, to that one in this post I try to determine whether particular SAP ABAP Platform bases system is running BW4 or not. So, it does distinguish between for example just classic BW and BW/4HANA based systems.

The ABAP code fragment is published on my github’s gists place - ZMM_GET_BW_RELEASE_INFO.

The program itself is based on standard SAP program's /SSA/BWT and routine GET_BW_RELEASE_INFO. In case the system is BW4 (component DW4CORE is available) based then it, returns variable lv_ISBW4HANA set to value X. In case it is not, (e.g. it is classic 7.x BW based system) it returns variable lv_BWRELEASE containing the BW release (SAP_BW), e.g. 740 and variable lv_BWSP that contains the BW support package, e.g. 7. The program reads the data from standard SAP table CVERS – that holds an info on release status of software components in System.

T-code SMENQ - replacement for SM12

Within SAP Basis component (ABAP Platform is its new name, not NetWeaver ApplicationServer ABAP Stack anymore) that runs underneath of S/4 systems installations there is a new SAP enqueue server called SAP Standalone Enqueue server 2 available. It was developed to ensure high availability architecture. It comes within ABAP Platform 1809 version. It is a successor to the standalone enqueue server. It is a component of the SAP lock concept and manages the lock table. This principle ensures the consistency of data in an ABAP system.

As a consequence an old t-code that are used to manage locks in the system were refreshed. Some of them are obsolete for long time – such as t-code SM12OLD. Newer ones like RS12 or SM12 are still available but they should not be used. There is more advanced t-code called SMENQ available. It is used for same activities as  old ones – to monitor and administer the server.

More information:

Difference between transactions RS12 / SM12 ?

How to find out SM12 entries...?

BW jobs/work processes hanging within program SAPLSENA

Standalone Enqueue Server 2

Table RSADMIN parameter analysis

Over the years t-code ST13 -> BW tools has been developed a lot. It was introduced since BW 3.5 SP19 and as SAP BW was enhanced in my features a new features were adding into it.

Here’s how the t-code looks like in the recent versions.

BW 74 or 75:

BW4 2.0:

In this blog post, I would like to explore a ST13 BW tools’ feature called “RSADMIN Parameter Analysis”. The feature is coded in routine called RSADMIN_ANALYSIS within ABAP program /SSA/BWT. There is almost 6k of ABAP code lines that are populating many parameters/values of table RSADMIN. The routine output structure corresponds into the ALV grid that is displayed in the t-code after the analysis:

 

OBJECT              RSADMIN parameter name itself. E.g. /SAPAPO/DEBUG_FLAG

DEFAULT_VALUE  parameter value, e.g. L or R = Read; S or W = write;

NOTE1               Related SAP Note No, e.g.  302937

NOTE2                as above, if there are more SAP Notes related to the same param

TEXT1                Text related to param, e.g. Debugging APO/SEM/CRM/BPC read/write interface in BW 3.x,7.x

TEXT2                 as above                           

AREA                 BW App area of the param on SAP ONE support site, e.g. SAP BW-BEX-OT-DBIF

VERSION_LOW    Lowest BW version that the param is valid from, e.g. 30+

VERSION_HIGH   Highest BW version that the param is valid to, e.g. 700

CATEGORY          Analysis

 

The feature it-self enables to see if particular param is applicable for the system. Those which are not are displayed as disabled items in the output grid. It allows to quickly displaying relevant SAP Note that describes the particular param in more detail. There is an overview of the default values for the params, from/to BW version that param is valid for, category, etc.

Although the tools is not very dynamic (as all the RSADMIN table are hardcoded); it also doesn’t allow analysis of what current param values are present in the RSADMIN table it is a nice tool that provides a brief overview of the params.

More information:

Suite of helpful BW programs – BW Tools (ST13->BW-TOOLS)

How to check BPC environment state (on/off line)?

BPC Environment is an umbrella term that groups shared metadata, such as dimensions, common configurations, and security, which becomes the basis of one or more BPC models. Normally when the users are working with the BPC the environment must be - available (it is in online state). In case there are, some changes done within its configuration the environment can be taken offline.

There are a few ways how to spot if the environment is in on/off line state.

1. in BPC web client: In Administration under Manage section there is a part related to managing of environments. Here the state of the environments is visible.

2. In EPM Add-in in MS Excel: On log-on attempt into the BPC there is an pop-up announcing that the environment is in offline state.

3. In SAP BPC backend: Via SAP GUI in table UJ0_PARAM_APP and FIELD = AVAILABLEFIELD the environment is in offline state of the value of the field is zero. It is in online state if the value is 1.

SAP podcasts

 

Here is a brief list of podcasts related to SAP and all some other topics related to it. The list is compiled based on what is available in this area as of spring 2021.

Podcast name	Hosts	Lang	Link
Coffee Corner Radio	Simon Kemp, Jakob Kjaer,  Martin Fisc	English	https://community.sap.com/media/coffee-corner-radio
SAP community report	Jerry Janda	English	https://anchor.fm/sap-community-report
Mindset Nebula	multiple	English	https://www.mindsetconsulting.com/mindset-podcast/
SAP Chat	Gerren Mayne	English	https://anchor.fm/sapchat
SAP on Azure talk	Ravi Kashyap, Nathan Weaver	English	https://www.saponazuretalk.com
SAP HCM Insights	Steve Bogner, Martin Gillet, Amy Grubb, Mark Ingram, Luke Marson, Rebecca Murray, Sven Ringling, Jarret Pazahanick, Brandon Toombs	English	https://www.insightcp.com/insights
Bluebeard's Tech Talk	Josh Bentley	English	https://anchor.fm/josh-bentley
Google Cloud – SAP podcast	Brian Dorsey and Mark Mirchandani	English	https://www.gcppodcast.com/post/episode-215-sap-with-thomas-jung-and-lucia-subatin/
opensap.com Inside SAP S/4HANA	multiple	English	https://podcast.opensap.info/inside-sap/
opensap.com SAP Experts Podcast	multiple	English	https://podcast.opensap.info/sap-experts/
opensap.com SAP Integration & Extension Talk	multiple	English	https://podcast.opensap.info/cloud-platform/
opensap.com Industry Insights by SAP	multiple	English	https://podcast.opensap.info/industry-insights/
opensap.com SAP Partner Podcast	multiple	English	https://podcast.opensap.info/sap-partner/
opensap.com CX cafe	Yurdi Yesilirmak, Benny Kunkel	German	https://podcast.opensap.info/cx-cafe/
opensap.com SAP AI business services	multiple	English	https://podcast.opensap.info/sap-ai-business-services/
opensap.com Open source way	multiple	English	https://podcast.opensap.info/open-source-way/
opensap.com UI5 NewsCast	multiple	English	https://podcast.opensap.info/ui5-newscast/
The Best Run Podcast	SAP ANZ	English	https://discover.sap.com/ITisLive/en-au/index.html
The HANA effect	Jeff Word	English	https://soundcloud.com/the-hana-effect
Labs talk	Sven Haiges, Erica Davis	English	https://labstalk.buzzsprout.com
SAP and Enterprise Trends Podcasts	Joh Reed	English	https://jonerp.libsyn.com/

 

Upgrade of SAP ABAP Platform 1909, Developer Edition

SAP issued a developer edition of their ABAP application server based on ABAP platform 1909 in February this year. They call it ABAP Platform 1909, Developer Edition. Installation guide of how to deploy it is available here.  I have used this system very often basically for practicing my BW and ABAP skills. I was wondering whether the system can be upgraded to the newer version of Support Packs that became available in between. So I gave it a shoot and result is very promising – the system can be upgraded.

Before you read any further I strongly suggest that following these activities require knowledge of SAP systems especially in SAP Basis area.  The upgrade activity may cause a harm to your installation of the system thus be aware that you are doing it on your own risk!

I upgraded my A4H system with respect to components: SAP_BASIS, SAP_ABAP, SAP Gateway, SAP_UI and SAP BW. Mostly from SP level 0002 to the level 0004.

These are above mentioned components as they come after the AH4 system installation:

.

Here’s status after of the SAP components the upgrade:

Below is a short summary of all involved steps of the SP upgrade:

 

1. Change SAP* user logon possibility to client 000 via setting up below parameter (in DEFAULT profile, via t-code RZ10)

login/no_automatic_user_sapstar to value 0

Once the parameter is set the A4H system needs to be restarted.

 

2. Unlock user SAP* in t-code SU01 in client 001 and set some password. This can be done e.g. by deleting the SAP* user by writing a small ABAP program like below:

PARAMETERS: user LIKE usr02-bname DEFAULT 'SAP*'.

SELECT SINGLE * FROM usr02 USING CLIENT '000'
  INTO @DATA(ls_usr02)
  WHERE bname = @user.

cl_demo_output=>display( ls_usr02 ).

DELETE usr02 USING CLIENT '000' FROM @ls_usr02.

 

3. Login as DDIC user into client 000. In some cases, a new user can be created in 000 client and then that user is used for rest of the activities.

 

4. Run t-code SPAM by DDIC or newly created user in client 000.

 

5. Upgrade of SPAM/SAINT tool. Download (here’s path on SAP ONE Support Portal: SAP TECHNOLOGY COMPONENTS/SL TOOLSET/SL TOOLSET 1.0/ENTRY BY COMPONENT/SPAM UPDATE 754/SAPKD75477, the path may vary…) the latest SPAM update as per your release from marketplace and then upload to your server.

SPAM t-code before its upgrade:

SPAM t-code after its upgrade:

Once you have a file downloaded, choose "Import SPAM/SAINT" item from "Support packages" menu in SPAM.

See here blog for details.

 

6. Import SP in SPAM in following sequence:

 

6.1 SP 03:

6.1.1 import of SAP_GWFND 754 SP 0003:          SAPK-75403INSAPGWFND

6.1.2 import of SAP_UI 754 SP 0005:       SAPK-75405INSAPUI

6.1.3 import of SAP_BASIS 754 SP 0003:  SAPK-75403INSAPBASIS

6.1.4 import of SAP_ABA 75E: SP 0003:   SAPK-75E03INSAPABA  

6.1.5 import of SAP_BW 754: SP 0003:    SAPK-75403INSAPBW

 

6.2 SP 04:

6.2.1 import of SAP_GWFND 754 SP 0004:          SAPK-75404INSAPGWFND 

6.1.2 import of SAP_UI 754 SP 0006:    SAPK-75406INSAPUI   

6.2.3 import of SAP_BASIS 754 SP 0004:  SAPK-75404INSAPBASIS

6.2.4 import of SAP_ABA 75E: SP 0004:   SAPK-75E04INSAPABA   

6.2.5 import of SAP_BW 754: SP 0004:    SAPK-75404INSAPBW

 

After you load particular SP file (SAR extension) in t-code SPAM via menu: Support Package -> Load Packages ->SAR Archive from Frontend, you need to go to section “Directory -> New Support Package” from main screen of the t-code SPAM. Here you can see of there any dependency. Means if the particular SP requires any other component to be upgraded first:

If that is the case the required component needs to be installed first to resolve the dependency. For each of the upgraded component first a Queue needs to be defined, this is done via button “Display/Define” on main screen of the SPAM t-code:

During an import of the SP it can be observed on OS level that SAP is running command called R3trans that is importing the package.

Once the import is over below pop-up window is show. Confirmation needs to be done from menu: Support Package -> Confirm.

Repeat all those steps e.g. 6.1 for all SP levels that you want to do the upgrade for.

 

More information:

SAP ABAP Platform 1909, Developer Edition – installation on WINDOWS OS

SP overview page, e.g.: https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/supportpackage/SAPK-75405INSAPBW

SP download link, e.g.: https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/softwarecenter/search/SAPK-75406INSAPUI

Notice that to download support packages from SAP ONE Support Portal a registered user credentials is needed!