Updating an SAP S/4HANA Server System using SUM, Strategy Standard

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to update an SAP S/4HANA Server System using SUM, Strategy Standard

Update an SAP S/4HANA Server System using SUM, Strategy Standard - Prerequisites

Possible Steps before actually starting SUM

Software Update Manager (SUM) executes many different phases, grouped within so-called Roadmap Steps.

General steps to update an AS ABAP-based SAP System with SUM

  1. Start SUM.
  2. Provide the configuration information in each of the SUM screens, such as:

    • Location of stack XML file

    • Passwords for important users

    • Decisions on modification transport requests, customer transport requests, add-ons, and so on.

    • Whether to update SPAM/SAINT

  3. Perform modification adjustments

  4. Complete the update

You can decrease the runtime/manual efforts of SUM by manually executing some steps in advance.

You should complete the following tasks before you start SUM.

Activities you should complete before executing SUM

  1. Download the latest version of SUM from https://support.sap.com/sltoolset

  2. Read the corresponding SAP Notes for SUM, delivered there.

  3. Check for modifications that might require attention during the update process.

  4. Check disk space and free space in the database.

  5. Apply the latest SPAM/SAINT update to your SAP system.

  6. Apply the latest SAP Host Agent patch.

  7. Update SAP Notes using SNOTE.

  8. Consider updating your database software before starting SUM, especially if you haven't updated the database software for a longer time.

Correcting the Installed Products Information

The newly installed SAP S/4HANA Server system needs a correction of the information about the installed product versions.

This can be done by applying a so-called CISI file to the SAP system, using SUM. This is shown in the following slides.

Note

You can get a CISI file as part of a maintenance planning, executed within Maintenance Planner.
Check and Update SAP Host Agent

Check the version of the SAP Host Agent. Perform an update, if it is not up-to-date, already.

Extract SUM Archive and Configure SAP Host Agent

Prepare for using SUM like shown in the screen above: by executing the command

./SUMSTART confighostagent S4X in the directory .../SUM/abap.

Note

For preparing the SAP Host Agent you need a privileged user, as shown above.

The following figure shows how to connect to SUM, where you are prompted for the <sid>adm user/password.

Log on to the SUM UI

From a front end that is able to connect to the server where you have started SUM, open a browser and call the following URL:

https://<host>:1129/lmsl/sumabap/<SID>/slui

You need to log on with the user <sid>adm.

Provide the Path to the CISI File

In order to correct the product information, a CISI run is necessary. This CISI file can be calculated by Maintenance Planner (MP).

Provide Password of User DDIC in Client 000

For this course the CISI XML file had to be manipulated. Because the CISI/Stack XML file is digitally signed since 2021, this causes a warning from SUM.

Provide the password of the user DDIC in client 000.

Follow the Roadmap Steps

The further Roadmap steps should run without further input besides choosing Next. Nothing is executed here during a CISI run.

Complete the Procedure and Check the Result

The CISI run is finished. Check the corrected product information.

Clean up the SUM Directory for the next SUM Run

Clean up the SUM directory in order to start the actual SUM update run afterwards.

Update an SAP S/4HANA Server System using SUM, CISI Run

Business Example

You want to update an SAP S/4HANA Server system using SUM. First you should check, if you can update SAP Host Agent. If necessary, you have to perform a CISI run to correct the product information.

Steps

  1. Make sure, that the SAP system S4X is started and running without problems.

  2. In the S4X system, check at System → → Status → → Details → → Installed Product Versions for missing/wrong software component information. This has to be corrected before starting the actual update!

  3. There are different methods available for logging on to the training host. The following description assumes that you are using MobaXterm, to open a connection of type SSH to the host.

  4. Log on to the server s4xhost using the user install and the password provided by your instructor.

  5. Execute the command df -h. The directory /usr/sap should offer about 200 GB of free space.

  6. Check the version of the installed SAP Host Agent:

    cd /usr/sap/hostctrl/exe/

    ./saphostexec -version

    The version of the installed SAP Host Agent is displayed as e.g. kernel release 722, patch number 64.

  7. Try to upgrade the SAP Host Agent to the newest version, taken from an up to date Maintenance Planner calculation:

    ./saphostexec -upgrade -archive /usr/sap/Media/Update_S4X/02_MP_Download/SAPHOSTAGENT64_64-80004822.SAR

    Now, SAP Host Agent tries to upgrade itself. If the provided archive is newer than the installed version, SAP Host Agent will upgrade itself.

  8. Check the result:

    ./saphostexec -version

    The version of the upgraded SAP Host Agent is displayed as e.g. kernel release 722, patch number 64.

  9. Extract the SUM archive at /usr/sap/S4X.

    cd /usr/sap/S4X/

  10. Extract the SUM archive, delivered by Maintenance Planner:

    /usr/sap/S4X/SYS/exe/uc/linuxx86_64/SAPCAR -xf /usr/sap/Media/Update_S4X/02_MP_Download/SUM20SP20_1-80002456.SAR

    A folder /usr/sap/S4X/SUM is created and around 15.000 files are extracted from the archive.

  11. Change the owner of the SUM folder to s4xadm:

    chown -R s4xadm:sapsys /usr/sap/S4X/SUM/

  12. Configure SAP Host Agent for SUM:

    cd /usr/sap/S4X/SUM/abap/
    ./SUMSTART confighostagent S4X

    The URL for starting SUM in a browser is displayed: https://wdflbmt0902:1129/lmsl/sumabap/S4X/slui

  13. On your ADM-WTS, open a browser, for example Google Chrome

  14. Copy the URL presented by SUM into the browser. https://wdflbmt0902:1129/lmsl/sumabap/S4X/slui.

  15. Accept that the browser does not trust the SSL connection and continue.

  16. Log on to the SUM UI with user s4xadm.

  17. Before really patching the SAP system, perform a CISI run to correct the installed software component information. Continue the update process screen by screen, entering the data as shown in the table.

    If not stated differently, always choose Next to continue.

    Parameters and Data for Correcting System Component Information in SAP S/4HANA 1909 Server, using SUM

    Screen NameField NameValue
    Welcome to Software Update ManagerSpecify the Scenario Categoryselect Scenario using Stack Configuration File
    Welcome to Software Update ManagerSTACKFILE/usr/sap/Media/Update_S4X/03_Stack_XML/MP_CISI_1002003380_20240529_.xml
    Welcome to Software Update ManagerSTACKFILEmaybe you have to ignore a warning, that the CISI XML file was modified for this training - this is because the system number had to be adopted due to the missing permanent license in the SAP system
    Required System PasswordsUser "DDIC" in Client 000enter the master password set during installation – should be MasterS4X10!
    Current Status of Roadmap Step "Configuration" ignore the warning considering the stack file and proceed with Next
    Current Status of Roadmap Step "Preprocessing" proceed with Next
    Current Status of Roadmap Step "Execution" proceed with Next
    Feedback to SAP select Close
    Procedure Completed select the very right menu and choose Cleanup
    Cleanup of SUM DirectoryYou can choose between the following options:choose Cleanup to start SUM from the beginning including scenario specification

    Note

    The cleanup of the SUM directory at the end enables you to start the next SUM procedure with the same SUM directory. If you would not clean up the SUM directory, you would have to extract the SUM archive again to run the next SUM procedure.

    Note

    Please note that a path/file name in the table above can contain a hyphen. This exists because of printing reasons, The hyphen is not part of the path/file name.

  18. In the S4X system, check at System → → Status → → Details → → Installed Product Versions for the corrected software component information.

  19. Now, you can start the actual update of the SAP S/4HANA Server system!

Update an SAP S/4HANA Server System using SUM, Strategy Standard

The start of the SUM in this lesson assumes, that the SUM CISI run was performed successfully. Otherwise SUM will run into problems. Also, additional steps would have to be performed to start SUM – which were part of the SUM CISI run, already.

Prepare the File System for SUM and Log on to the SUM UI

From a front end that is able to connect to the server where you have started SUM, open a browser and call the following URL:

https://<host>:1129/lmsl/sumabap/<SID>/slui.

You need to log on with the user <sid>adm.

Provide Stack XML File

Provide the stack XML file, calculated by Maintenance Planner (MP).

Decide on DMO and Select the Scenario Strategy

Do not choose to migration to another SAP HANA DB.

Choose Single System for a short runtime and low DB space and main memory usage.

Choose Standard for a shorter downtime.

For a more shorter downtime than with Standard, you can choose Downtime-optimized, which will use even more DB space, performance, and time.

Since SUM 2.0 SP 06, Advanced is not available any more. Advanced was the same as Standard, anyway.

Choose the Expert Mode and Provide Passwords

Enabling the Expert Mode provides the option of specifying additional configuration settings. Always choose the expert mode.

Provide the password for DDIC in client 000, Tenant DB user SYSTEM, and DB schema user SAPHANADB. If the SPAM version in the SAP system is not up-to-date, and a SPAM/SAINT update file is in the download directory, SUM updates it. You can do this manually in advance, also.

End of Roadmap Step 1, Extraction

At the end of the Roadmap Step 1, Extraction, information is displayed about several findings of SUM.

Select Archive Mode, Number of Parallel Processes, and SGEN Execution

The option No disabling of the database archive mode does not switch the archiving mode currently used by the database system of your SAP system. If your database runs with archiving on, point-in-time recovery will be possible but this setting might increase the overall runtime of the update process.

Define the number of parallel processes. Be careful concerning the parallel processes during uptime! They can cause bad performance during productive usage.

Choose, whether SUM should generate the ABAP loads during uptime (SGEN).

Binding of SPDD/SPAU and Customer Transport Requests

You can bind additional transport requests to the SUM run. They will be applied to the SAP system almost without causing additional downtime. The alternative would be to import these transport requests after the SUM run – which will cause an additional downtime.

In the development system the developers have to perform SPDD and SPAU modification adjustments manually. In the subsequent SAP systems of the transport landscape (for example quality assurance and production system), the resulting transport requests can be used for handling the modification adjustments. If there is a delta between the development system and the subsequent SAP systems, this delta still has to be handled manually.

Decision on Silent Data Migration (SDM)

During the SUM procedure table structures are changed and created. This requires the conversion of data to the changed and new table structures. This data conversion is done during downtime. Do reduce downtime, parts of this conversion can be done after the SUM run, during productive operation. This data conversion during productive operation is called Silent Data Migration (SDM).

Note

Don't get mixed up: Silent Data Migration is no migration, but a conversion of data. (wrong term used)

If downtime is of no big concern, you can decide to run this Silent Data Migration during downtime.

Decide for SAP Support Packages

Decide about the SAP Support Packages, SUM should import. The minimum number of SAP Support Packages to be imported, is the number listed in the Stack XML file. But you can let SUM import additional SAP Support Packages! The number must be in a certain range:

  • Component is the software component, the SAP Support Packages belong to
  • Release is the target release of this software component
  • Start Level is the number of SAP Support Packages for this software component imported before the SUM run
  • Minimum Level is the number of SAP Support Packages for this software component to be reached at least in order to avoid inconsistencies with SAP Support Packages of other software components
  • Equivalence Level is the number of SAP Support Packages for this software component to be reached at least in order to avoid a downgrade of this software component (relevant only in case of an upgrade of this software component)
  • Maximum Level is the number of SAP Support Packages for this software component to be reached at the most in order to avoid inconsistencies with SAP Support Packages of other software components
  • Calculated Level is the highest consistent number of SAP Support Packages for this software component found in the download directory
  • Target Level is the number of SAP Support Packages, SUM will import

If there are additional SAP Support Packages in column Calculated Level, you can choose Take over calculated level. This option is not displayed, if there are none.

Configure Shadow System

Choose an instance number, a DB schema user password, and the configuration of the shadow system.

End of Roadmap Step 2, Configuration

Check the results.

Roadmap Step 3, Checks, Runs and Ends
Start of Actual SUM Processing, Roadmap Step 4, Preprocessing, Lock of Development Environment

Lock the development environment. From now on, it is not possible to develop in this SAP systems. You can no longer use transactions like SE80, SE11, SNOTE – and even not STMS to import transport requests.

Roadmap Step 4, Preprocessing, is Running (1)

Sometimes errors occur, caused by the parallel processes: If it is only a problem due to a wrong sequence of activities, it can be solved by simply repeating the phase.

Roadmap Step 4, Preprocessing, is Running (2)

Most of the activities are performed during uptime.

End of Roadmap Step 4, Preprocessing, Begin of Downtime

Before proceeding you should create a backup of the complete update directory (/SUM or \SUM).

Note

Several activities have to be performed to achieve a downtime window. These steps will not be performed in the context of this course.

Before entering the next Roadmap Step you need to ensure that the SAP system can be recovered to its current state.

Roadmap Step 5, Execution, is Running

In Roadmap Step 5, Execution, no productive work is possible.

The duration of the execution phase (Roadmap Step 5) depends on the size of the update to be executed and on the strategy chosen for the update (Single System versus Standard).

Note

In case of error situations, review the corresponding log files and try to solve the problem. Then continue the execution of the update.

End of Roadmap Step 5, Execution, not the End of the Technical Downtime, SPAU Request

Don't mix up SUM Technical Downtime (dialog free part) with Technical Downtime (SAP system technically not available) with Business Downtime (SAP system not available for end users)!

The SUM Technical Downtime is part of the Technical Downtime, which is part of the Business Downtime.

Note

Please note, that the end of the SUM technical downtime is not sufficient to start productive work again.
Roadmap Step 6, Postprocessing, is Running

SUM executes some clean-up activities.

End of Roadmap Step 6, Postprocessing

Note

At this point, the Technical Downtime is still not completed! But in the context of this course we ignore almost all manual technical follow-on activities.

SUM Procedure Completes, End SUM

Congratulations! You finished the update procedure for an SAP S/4HANA Server system!

You can send feedback to SAP to improve your SUM procedure for the next run.

Check the Result

Check the software components and their respective SAP Support Package levels.

You have successfully updated your SAP S/4HANA Server system!

Note

Please note, that the end of the technical update procedure is not sufficient to start productive work again. Further checks are required before end users can return to productive use. See SUM guide and major SUM notes from https://support.sap.com/sltoolset for details. These steps will not be performed in this course.

Update an SAP S/4HANA Server System using SUM, Strategy Standard

Business Example

You want to update an SAP S/4HANA Server system using SUM on a Linux operating system with an SAP HANA database. To reduce downtime, you want to use the Standard strategy instead of the Single System strategy.

You will update your newly installed SAP S/4HANA Server system S4X as described in the training material, using the input values, selections, given below.

You will use SUM to apply up to date SAP Support Packages to your SAP system S4X.

Prerequisites

In general, you can follow the update procedure described in this unit.

Note

This exercise has several prerequisites. Especially several Post-Installation activities are assumed as having been executed successfully.

Steps

  1. Make sure, that the SAP system S4X is started and running without problems.

  2. Make sure, that you have performed the CISI run from the last exercise. This contains patching the SAP Host Agent, extracting the SUM archive, and configuring the SAP Host Agent, also.

  3. Log on to S4X, client 000, with user ADMIN_000.

  4. In SAP GUI, check the current software component patch level at System → Status → Details .

  5. The files to be imported by SUM were calculated by MP, already. They were downloaded to /usr/sap/Media/Update_S4X/02_MP_Download. This folder can be used as download directory. But some files are missing there: copy the stack XML, provided by MP, to the download directory. Also, you can optionally copy the statistics file from a previous, similar SUM run to the download directory.

    cp /usr/sap/Media/Update_S4X/03_Stack_XML/MP_Stack_1002030160_20240627_.xml /usr/sap/Media/Update_S4X/02_MP_Download/

    Note

    This step is essential: The stack XML file needs to exist in the same directory in which the update media reside. When obtaining the update files and the stack XML file from the Maintenance Planner, they will be usually located (after download) in two different places. Therefore we decided to write this exercise in such a way to simulate the activities that you will also carry out, later, when doing this as part of job.

    (Optional) cp /usr/sap/Media/Update_S4X/04_Statistics/UPGANA.XML /usr/sap/Media/Update_S4X/02_MP_Download/

  6. On your ADM-WTS, open a browser, for example Google Chrome

  7. Copy the URL presented by SUM (earlier, from the CISI-run) into the browser: https://wdflbmt0902.wdf.sap.corp:1129/lmsl/sumabap/S4X/slui.

  8. If the browser was closed and reopened: Accept that the browser does not trust the SSL connection and continue.

  9. If the browser was closed and reopened: Log on to the SUM UI with user s4xadm.

  10. Due to the former cleanup after the CISI run: if the SUM UI displays the message Tool Start Required, simply choose Next to start the procedure.

  11. Now start the actual update of the SAP system S4X:

    If not stated differently, always choose Next to continue.

    Parameters and Data for Updating SAP S/4HANA Server using SUM in Standard Mode (Part 1)

    Screen NameField NameValue
    Welcome to Software Update ManagerSpecify the Scenario Categoryselect Scenario using Stack Configuration File
    Welcome to Software Update ManagerSTACKFILE/usr/sap/Media/Update_S4X/02_MP_Download/MP_Stack_1002030160_20240627_.xml
    Decision on Database Migration OptionTarget Databasechoose No Migration
    Scenario StrategySpecify the Scenario strategyselect Standard (Standard Configuration)
    Additional Parameters for Update on SAP S/4HANA on Premise (Standard)Archive Verificationselect Check Archive Authenticity
    Additional Parameters for "Update on SAP S/4HANA on Premise (Standard)"Expert Modeselect Switch Expert Mode on
    Additional Parameters for "Update on SAP S/4HANA on Premise (Standard)"Customer Transport Integrationdo not select Integrate customer buffer file
    Required System PasswordsUser "DDIC" in Client 000enter the master password set during installation – should be MasterS4X10!
    Required System PasswordsDatabase User "SYSTEM"enter the password set during database installation – should be MasterS4X10!
    Required System PasswordsDatabase User "SAPHANADB"enter the password set during installation – should be MasterS4X10!
    Current Status of Roadmap Step "Extraction" read the information provided and proceed with Next to Roadmap Step Configuration
    Required Configuration ParametersDatabase Archive Modechoose No disabling of the database archive mode (archiving = on)
    Required Configuration ParametersABAP Processes (UPTIME)8
    Required Configuration ParametersABAP Processes (DOWNTIME)12
    Required Configuration ParametersSQL Processes (UPTIME)8
    Required Configuration ParametersSQL Processes (DOWNTIME)12
    Required Configuration ParametersR3TRANS Processes (UPTIME)8
    Required Configuration ParametersR3TRANS Processes (DOWNTIME)12
    Required Configuration ParametersR3LOAD Processes (UPTIME)12
    Required Configuration ParametersR3LOAD Processes (DOWNTIME)64
    Required Configuration ParametersBatch Host Configurationchoose s4xhost_S4X_11
    Required Configuration ParametersDecision on SGEN Execution Modeselect Start the ABAP load generation during the update, Generate ABAP loads on the shadow system during uptime and start asynchronously in 'Postprocessing', choose 8 as Number of SGEN Processes
    Transport Requests for Modification Adjustment do not change the default selection (no transport requests for SPDD and SPAU)
    Include Transport Request do not change the default selection (no transport requests)
    Decision on Silent Data Migrations do not choose Yes, SUM shall perform silent data migration during the downtime.
    Select Support Packages That You Want To Include do not change the selection
    Shadow Instance NumberABAP Shadow Instance Number42
    Required System PasswordsDB Shadow UserMasterS4X10!
    Shadow System ProfilesDo you want to use the profiles located in "/usr/sap/S4X/SUM/abap/save"?do not change the default (No)
    Current Status of Roadmap Step "Configuration" read the information provided and proceed with Next to Roadmap Step Checks

  12. Continue the update using SUM, entering the data as shown in the table.

    Parameters and Data for Updating SAP S/4HANA Server using SUM in Standard Mode (Part 2)

    Screen NameField NameValue
    Current Status of Roadpam Step "Checks" read the information provided and proceed with Next to Roadmap Step Preprocessing
    Lock Development Environment select Lock the development environment now
    Open Repairs found (if there are any) in case there are any open repairs, release the corresponding tasks and transport requests with the Transport Organizer (SE09)
    Preparations for Downtime in the context of this course do not perform the required actions and select Actions completed
    Backup Request in the context of this course do not perform a backup of the SUM directory but still select Backup completed
    Current Status of Roadmap Step "Preprocessing" proceed with Next to Roadmap Step Execution
    Current Status of Roadmap Step "Execution"End of SUM Technical Downtimeproceed with Next to Roadmap Step Postprocessing
    Adjustment of Modified Repository ObjectsNo SPAU transport importeddo not continue SUM here, but perform the modification adjustment for SPAU

  13. Log on to SAP system S4X, client 000 (because there is no development client) with user ADMIN_000 and perform the SPAU modification adjustment.

    Note

    Please note: SPAU won't work as designed, because the connection to the SAP Support Backbone Infrastructure is not configured as it would be in customer systems. The configuration for the newly installed system to access and download Digitally-signed SAP Notes is described in SAP Note 2836302 and related SAP Notes. Therefore, the activities in transaction SPAU in this training should be seen as additional information of what would be required to do during an real update.

  14. Call transaction SPAU.

  15. Choose Execute.

  16. As a protocol title enter 2023 FPS 01: SPAU.

  17. Select Prepare Notes. Cconfirm the pop up to download the latest version and to confirm the obsolete SAP Notes. Create a transport request with the title 2023 FPS 01: SPAU.

  18. In a second SAP GUI window, call transaction SM37 and wait until the batch job SCWB_NOTE_PREP_AND_OBS_NOTE_RST has finished.

  19. Without successful connection to the SAP Support Backbone Infrastructure, the previous step can not be executed successfully.

  20. In transaction SPAU – if there are any: reset the SAP Notes with the gray traffic light by choosing Confirm obsolete SAP Note and Execute. Ignore the error indicating, that there is no valid https connection to SAP Support Portal. Re-implement the SAP Note(s) with the yellow traffic light by choosing Reimplement and Execute. Proceed SAP Note by SAP Note and follow the instructions. If asked for a transport request, use the transport request created for SPAU.

  21. In a second SAP GUI window, call transaction SE09 and release the task of the transport request containing the objects from modification adjustment. Do not release the transport request itself! This will take some time due to compiling activities.

  22. In the first SAP GUI window, still in SPAU, choose Modification Adjustment → Assign Transport and Execute. Select the transport request you created for SPAU.

  23. Confirm the pop up Confirm transport request with Yes.

  24. Continue the update using SUM, entering the data as shown in the table.

    Parameters and Data for Updating SAP S/4HANA Server using SUM in Standard Mode (Part 3)

    Screen NameField NameValue
    Adjustment of Modified Repository ObjectsNo SPAU transport importedselect Continue and proceed with Next
    Start of Cleanup Processing proceed with Next
    Confirmation Required for Imports select I confirm that no more imports are running and proceed with Next
    Feedback to SAPFeedback to SAPselect Close
    Procedure finished check the information concerning some of the 101 necessary post update activities for SUM, but – in the context of this course – do not perform most actions
    Procedure finished select the very right menu and choose Exit
    Tool start required again, select the very right menu and choose Exit

  25. One of the follow-up activities is the rescheduling of the background jobs. To do this log on to SAP system S4X, client 000 with user DDIC. Call transaction SA38, and execute program BTCTRNS2. This reschedules all background jobs that were scheduled at the begin of the downtime of this SUM run. This also triggers the so-called Silent Data Migration (SDM), which is the remaining part of the data conversion of this SUM run.

  26. In the S4X system, check at System → → Status → for the new, updated software component patch level. :-)

Result

You have successfully updated the SAP S/4HANA Server system S4X, using Software Update Manager (SUM) with strategy Standard..

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