Patching SAP Systems

You can apply an SAP Note to patch individual development objects (or small collections thereof) within AS ABAP based SAP systems. You use transaction SNOTE for the application of SAP Notes. Transaction SNOTE requires an HTTPS connection to SAP before you can download SAP Notes directly from the SAP Support Portal into your SAP System.

By applying a kernel patch, you update the runtime environment of your SAP system on operating system level. You can retrieve kernel patches from the SAP Support Portal for your release and platform. You should back up the kernel directory before applying a kernel patch, so that an easy rollback is possible. The rolling kernel switch imports a new SAP kernel while the SAP system is running. This means operation of the SAP system as a whole is not interrupted - only single applications servers are stopped one by one - and so downtime is reduced significantly. The rolling kernel switch has some system minimum requirements.

SAP Support Packages provide a collection of many corrections, combined for a specific software component; for example, SAP_BASIS. SAP Support Packages can also deliver corrections that cannot be applied via SNOTE. As such, SAP Support Packages are more than just many SAP Note corrections combined. Before applying SAP Support Packages, you should apply a SPAM/SAINT updates. This is not only necessary when using transaction SPAM for applying SAP Support Packages – but also when using the Software Update Manager (SUM).

SAP Support Package Stacks are tested target combinations of SAP Support Packages. The recommended way to apply SAP Support Package Stacks is by using the Support Package Manager (transaction SPAM) or the Software Update Manager (SUM). You should use the Maintenance Planner, to calculate the necessary SAP Support Packages and to create the corresponding stack XML file, used by SPAM and SUM.

The Software Update Manager (SUM) offers many functions for updating SAP systems. For example, you can use SUM to import an SAP Support Package Stack in your SAP system. SUM is the central tool for system maintenance.

SUM is provided via the SAP Support Portal and is frequently updated. SAP recommends that you always download and use the newest version of SUM when you patch an SAP system.

Because SUM evolves and the options offered by SUM are subject to change, this training uses a fixed setup.

This setup has been tested and proven to ensure that you will be able to install and patch the SAP systems using the tools provided in the training environment. Be aware that this does not mean that unexpected situations will not arise during this training.

To help you get familiar with the processes, by design, some events during the installation and patching will require your attention. It is likely that you will encounter different, unexpected situations on your own, when working with SUM at your company. So part of the exercise is to prepare you for the unexpected… because that is what will happen in real life.

For more information about SUM, see support.sap.com/sltoolset.