Explaining the Interaction of SAP System Provisioning With SAP Landscape Management

The figure, Looking at the Steps of SAP System Clone, Copy, and Refresh, shows the main steps of the three different types of a system copy.

• You can clone the SAP system and database at storage volume level:

  • SAP Landscape Management is connected to the storage systems using storage adapters provided by storage partners.

  • The storage system creates copies of the required volumes.

• It requires the proper setup of mount points on the source SAP system:

  • The source SAP system has to be set up according to adaptive design concepts.

  • It ensures that all necessary files are available in the target system.

• There is a connection between SAP Landscape Management and the storage system:

  • SAP Landscape Management triggers activities in the storage system automatically.

  • SAP Landscape Management automatically updates mount configuration on target with copied volumes, including isolation on OS level.

• A fast-cloning mechanism is available:

  • The storage system knows best how to copy volumes.

  • Storage based snapshot technologies can be used.

• You can clone the entire virtual machine that the system is running on:

  • Everything within the VM is copied, including the operating system, applications, and data.

  • SAP Landscape Management connects to hypervisor manager and initiates a full virtual machine clone, including isolation on the operating system level.

• It requires a compatible virtualization platform:

  The virtualization manager has to be integrated and configured with SAP Landscape Management.

• The system does not have to be set up according to adaptive design guidelines:

  • A setup that uses physical IP addresses and hostnames is possible.

  • Virtual IPs and hostnames are still highly recommended to benefit from adaptive design (OS maintenance).

• There are some limitations compared to storage-based cloning:

  • It can be slower than storage-based cloning where data might be transferred via the network and hypervisor.

  • Storage hardware acceleration (for example, VMware vSphere® Storage APIs – Array Integration [VAAI]) is not always available.

• SAP HANA restore-based refresh from (file based)

  • It is required to provide a share accessible by the target system to read backup files and can be mounted by SAP Landscape Management during the process.

  • You have created a complete (full) data backup of the SAP HANA database using SAP HANA cockpit or SAP HANA studio.

  • The complete data backup files are available on the backup share used.

  • You have the password for SYSTEM user of the source database.

• SAP HANA restore-based refresh via Backint

  • You have configured the Backint parameter files according to SAP Note 2905510 - SAP HANA system configuration for Copying a Database Using Third-Party Backup Tools.

  • The Backint agent executable (hdbbackint) has read access to the Backint parameter files.

  • You have created a complete (full) data backup of the source SAP HANA database using SAP HANA cockpit or SAP HANA studio and written the backup data to a third-party backup tool that uses the Backint for SAP HANA. You cannot use backup types other than Complete Data Backup.

  • You have the password for the SYSTEM user of the source database that has been stored at the backup archive.

• You can implement custom mechanisms to clone systems:

  • "Bring your own replication technology"

  • For example, other storage or virtualization technologies, database replication, and reuse of existing cloning scripts.

• It adapts to the specific circumstances of a given landscape:

  • Not all the requirements are met for standardized cloning procedures.

  • Additional steps are required to complete the clone.

• It is a customized process that can run without additional manual actions.

The figure, End-to-End Process Overview, gives an overview of the steps used in the three different system provisioning types.

The focus of the overview is:

• Post-processing after a system copy in SAP Basis for ABAP-based systems (like SAP ERP).

• Exporting and importing of configuration data while refreshing an existing system.

The figure, SWPM - Overview of Characteristics That Can Be Changed, shows examples of characteristics, which can be changed.

Note that it is possible to change any combination of the SAP system characteristics outlined in the previous figure.