Using the SAP Automation Studio

It is possible to extend the existing SAP Landscape Management operations and functions to manage your own on-premise SAP system landscape.

This enables you to create your own processes, for example, custom processes or custom cloning.

• Custom hooks that enhance SAP operations with its own functionality.

• Custom process that combine SAP and its own functionality to complex end-to-end processes.

• Custom operations that execute your own functionality using SAP Landscape Management.

• Custom cloning that is a Bring your own replication technology for SAP system provisioning.

See the table, SAP Landscape Management, Extensions, for possible extensions.

You use custom hooks so that you can invoke a provider implementation definition implicitly for instances or virtual hosts, for example, if you want to run cleanpic each time you stop a system via SAP Landscape Management.

Custom hooks are defined at Automation Studio → Custom Hooks.

Preliminary element is a Custom Provider Implementation, which is defined as hook.

Different options such as, start, stop, and many more are possible.

Add constraints to limit its execution for specific systems, OS/DB combinations, and so on.

For each hook, you have to decide, which operation is the trigger of the hook and define the hook type.

You use custom hooks so that you can invoke a provider implementation definition implicitly for instances or virtual hosts, for example, you want to run cleanipc each time you stop a system via SAP Landscape Management:

• Preliminary element is a Custom Provider Implementation, which is defined as a Hook.

• Different operations like start, stop and many more are possible.

• Add constraints to limit its execution for specific systems, OS/DB combinations, etc..

The figure, Custom Hooks, shows the screen, with which custom hooks can be maintained.

For each hook you have to decide, which operation is the trigger of the hook and define the hook type:

You use custom operations to create your own action buttons within SAP Landscape Management, for example, restart HostAgent:

• Preliminary element is a Custom Provider Implementation.

• For each custom operation, you have to define details like required permissions in SAP Landscape Management and constraints.

• You can define your own parameters, which are necessary for your custom operation (for example, change profile parameter).

• Custom operations are available in UI5 and also in WebDynpro.

The figure, Custom Operations, shows screen, in which custom operations can be maintained.

You configure custom notifications to implicitly invoke a provider implementation for an entity type if a notification event occurs:

• Preliminary element is a custom provider implementation.

• For each Custom Notification, you have to define several details.

• Activate custom notification in the system configuration settings.

The figure, Custom Notifications, shows screens, in which custom notifications can be maintained.

You create custom processes where you combine operations available for execution as per your needs, for example, for changing the profile parameter and to restart the instance.

Execute these custom processes on all entities that fulfill the constraints defined for the custom process.

The figure, Custom Processes, show the screen, in which custom processes can be maintained.

To replace or add additional custom provider implementation definitions to the storage or rename step during system provisioning, you configure custom provisioning processes.

You use custom provisioning processes

• to use already existing restore scripts for system refreshes.

• Not all prerequisites for the standard provisioning processes are fulfilled.

• The standard behavior is not suitable for your requirements.

Preliminary element is a custom provider implementation. It is important to select the Provisioning Replacement checkbox.

The figure, Custom Provisioning Processes, shows the screen, in which custom provisioning processes can be maintained.

You create and provision Menu Items (Custom Navigation Pane Entries), to view external applications or files within the SAP Landscape Management application.

You configure custom links to launch external applications, for example, SAP NetWeaver Administrator or SAP Logon, from SAP Landscape Management.

The figure, Menu Items and Links, shows the screens, in which menu items and links can be maintained.

You configure custom properties to centralize configurable and secure properties within SAP Landscape Management.

Custom properties are passed to any of the following:

• Custom provisioning process.

• Custom operation.

• Custom hook executed on an instance or host.

For example, custom properties for users or password data, which are used by scripts to connect to central components.

The figure, Custom Properties, shows the screen, in which custom properties can be maintained.

You integrate non SAP systems into SAP Landscape Management by configuring custom instances.

To manage custom instances, such as a mail server within SAP Landscape Management, you configure SAP Host Agent registered scripts.

The figure, Custom Instance, shows the screen, in which custom instances can be maintained.

For custom instances and databases of type other database, you are able to configure custom dependencies.

Internal dependencies are still in place. Ensure that your custom dependencies do not interfere with the internal dependencies.

The figure, Custom Dependencies, shows the screen, in which custom dependencies can be maintained.

You provide the definitions of your existing provider implementations to enable the functionality for custom operations, custom hooks, custom notifications, or the custom provisioning process.

Provider implementation definitions are as follows:

• Preliminary element for custom hooks, customer operations, and so on.

• Provider implementation definition specifies what is executed and where it is executed.

The following table shows the available types of provider implementation definitions.

SAP Host Agent executes user-defined scripts within SAP Landscape Management on all managed hosts with a registered configuration file.

The configuration file is stored in the operations.d folder within SAP Host Agents exe/ folder(for example, /usr/sap/hostctrl/exe/operations.d). The configuration file specifies how to execute your script and which parameters it needs to work.

Your scripts are referenced from the configuration files and can be placed anywhere.

Ensure that the configuration file and the script are available on all resources, where the corresponding custom operations, custom hooks, or custom notification should be executable.

The figure, Configuration File, Example, shows an example of a configuration file.

1. Choose Automation Studio → Provider Implementation Definitions.

2. Choose Script Registered with Host Agent for the field Type.

3. In the Retrieve Registered Scripts from Host field, enter the host name to retrieve the registered scripts.

4. Choose the required script.

5. Define both the Provider Implementation Usage and Options.

6. You can also add custom parameters, which need to be provided, when calling the script (for example, timestamp of backup).

The figure, SAP Host Agent Registered Scripts, shows the screen to configure SAP Host Agent Registered Scripts.

You configure an HTTP Post provider that executes an HTTP Post call to a specified URL. The URL is filled with context parameters specific to the entity type that currently has the focus in SAP Landscape Management.

SAP Landscape Management software calls a specified URL and passes the parameters as POST parameters. The call is a synchronous call.

The service provider implementation can provide a text/plain MIME type response that is recorded in the operations log.

Choose Automation Studio → Design → Custom Operations, Hooks and Notifications → Provider Implementation Definitions.

In this step, provide the information contained in the following table:

Define what your provider implementation can be used for as illustrated in the figure, Provider Implementation Usage – HTTP Post.

The figure, Provider Implementation Usage – HTTP Post, shows the screen, in which the provider implementation usage is maintained.

You use a predefined Web Services Description Language (WSDL) file to provide a web service interface for custom operations and custom notifications.

Choose Automation Studio → Custom Operations, Hooks and Notifications → Web Service.

In this step, provide the information contained in the following table:

Choose Download WDSL.

Define what your provider implementation should be used for, for example, Instance Operation, Instance Hook).

You can also add custom parameters. These parameters are presented to and prompted from the user executing the operation or the provisioning process.

The figure, Provider Implementation Usage — Web Service, shows the screen, in which the web services of the provider implementation usage is maintained.

You configure a provider implementation definition of type remote function call to use an ABAP function module as provider implementation definition.

Use an existing ABAP module or an ABAP function module you have created.

Choose Automation Studio → Provider Implementation Definitions.

Choose Remote function call for the field Type.

Provide the information contained in the table, Remote Function Call:

Define what your provider implementation can be used for (for example, Instance Operation).

To retrieve the custom input and output parameters, select the system in the Retrieve Parameters from Function Module.

Choose Retrieve Custom Parameters. Import parameters are added as custom parameters. Export parameters and table parameters are added as output parameters.

See the figure, Lock User, for an example of an RFC use case where a lock user in a SAP system is triggered by SAP Landscape Management.

The figure, Lock User, shows the screen, in which the RFC is configured.

If manual tasks are necessary during a process, you can configure confirmation actions.

The SAP Landscape Management process waits for user confirmation until it proceeds with further steps. You can define a customizable confirmation text. For example if you want to use the predefined steps of a system refresh, but want to do the restore of DB manually.

Choose Automation Studio → Provider Implementation Definitions.

Choose Confirm Action for the Type field.

The figure, Configure Confirmation Action, shows the steps to configure an action.

At least one of the buttons in the table, Confirmation Action, need to be used:

You use custom operations in order to create your own action buttons within SAP Landscape Management, for example, restart HostAgent.

The preliminary element is a custom provider implementation.

Custom operations are defined at Automation Studio → Design → Custom Operations, Hooks and Notifications and the Custom Operations tab.

For each custom operation, you have to define details such as, required permissions or constraints.

The figure, Custom Operations Details, shows the screen to configure custom operations.

Custom operations are available in UI5.

It is a safe way to grant SAP Basis Administrator access to defined OS commands.

The figure, Operations, shows the screens in which operations are configured.

You order custom operations and hooks to define the sequence of the custom hook execution and to define the order of the shown operation buttons in the user interface.

Prerequisites are configured custom operations and/or hooks.

Choose Automation Studio → Custom Operations.

Let’s assume that you want to change the order of operations buttons shown in the instance menu. Use the up and down button to adjust the order.

The figure, Custom Operations Order, shows steps to configure custom operations and hooks.

You configure custom notifications to implicitly invoke a provider implementation for an entity type if a notification event occurs.

The preliminary element is a custom provider implementation with provider implementation usage "Notification".

For each custom notification you have to define several details, for example, for which type the notification should be activated.

Activate custom notifications in the system configuration and in Setup → Settings → Notifications.

The figure, Configure Custom Notifications, shows the screens to configure custom notifications.

Choose Automation Studio → Design → Custom Operations, Hooks and Notifications and the Notifications tab.

Choose Add and enter the information provided in the table, Notifications:

You create custom processes where you combine operations available for execution as per your needs, for example, for changing profile parameter and restart the instance.

Execute these custom processes on all entities that fulfill the constraints that are defined for the custom process.

Define the custom process via Automation Studio → Orchestrate → Custom Process and use the + button to add a new custom process.

The figure, Custom Process, shows the screen to configure a custom process.

Define your custom process with your operations and constraints and choose Save.

The figure, Define Custom Process, shows the configuration screen for configuring custom processes.

Execute your custom process in Operations and Maintenance → Operations either Systems, Instances, or Hosts depending on your entity type.

Later on, you can edit, copy, or delete your custom processes.

The figure, Execute Custom Processes, shows the screen to execute custom Processes.

To replace or add additional custom provider implementation definitions to the storage or rename a step during system provisioning, you configure custom provisioning processes.

You use custom provisioning processes to use already existing restore scripts for system refreshes. Not all prerequisites for the standard provisioning processes are fulfilled. The standard behavior is not suitable for your requirements.

The preliminary element is a custom provider implementation. It is important to select the Provisioning Replacement checkbox.

The figure, Provisioning Replacement Checkbox, shows the position of the provisioning replacement checkbox in the relevant configuration screen.

You can replace the operations shown in the table, Replace Operations, for storage cloning on the source or target system:

Create a new Custom Provisioning Process via Automation Studio → Design → Custom Provisioning Process.

Choose the step you want to replace, for example, Restore Backup (Target System).

Choose Add and a new row appears below the chosen step.

Choose the created custom provider implementation that replaces the step.

Choose the instance type for which the replacement is valid (for example, System database) and choose Save.

The figure, System Database, shows the configuration screen of the System Database.

Note the following in regard to storage cloning replacements:

• Replacements have to copy the relevant data of the instances to the target hosts.

• Data consistency has to be ensured by the custom operation replacements.

• Standard step is not executed if at least one custom operation replacement is configured for the storage clone step.

• If the software provisioning manager is used for the database, the custom operation replacement has to create the database description files.

Note the following in regard to system renaming replacements:

• Replacements have to recover, rename, and register the instances.

• SAP Landscape Management executes the software provisioning manager for all not assigned instances.

You create and provision custom tabs (Custom Navigation Pane Entries), to view external applications or files within the SAP Landscape Management application.

Custom tabs allow you to minimize the number of browser windows that you need to navigate for reference while performing operations in SAP Landscape Management. This simplifies the working experience with SAP Landscape Management.

Choose UI Customization → Menu Items.

The table below shows possible entry types in the custom navigation pane:

Provide the following information to define a custom tab:

You can specify the SAP Landscape Management section under which you want the custom entry to be available.

The figure, SAP Menu Items, shows the steps to configure the section in SAP Landscape Management under which you want the custom entry to be available

You configure custom links to launch external applications, for example, SAP NetWeaver Administrator (SAP NWA) or SAP Logon, from SAP Landscape Management.

Choose Automation Studio → Design → Custom Links.

Use placeholders to create generic custom links, for example, to call SAP NWA independent of virtual host name and instance number http:// <hostVirt>:5<instanceno>00 /nwa

If necessary, define constraints.

Either call your custom links from UI5 or WebDynpro.

The figure, UI Customization Links, shows the different development tools, which can be used to configure the starting place of custom links.

You configure custom properties to centralize configurable and secure properties within SAP Landscape Management.

Custom properties are passed to any of the following:

• Custom provisioning process

• Custom operation

• Custom hook executed on an instance or host

Choose UI Customization → Menu Items.

Configured custom properties for instances, systems, hosts, pools, or pool containers with the same property name, overwrite the general property values.

For custom instances, these parameters are also passed to the start, stop, attach, and detach operations.

The figure, Custom Properties – Global and Instance, shows the place in automation studio to configure custom properties for instances, systems, hosts, pools, or pool containers.

You integrate non SAP systems into SAP Landscape Management by configuring custom instances.

To manage custom instances, such as a mail server within SAP Landscape Management, you configure SAP Host Agent registered scripts.

See SAP Note: 1396981 - SAP Landscape Virtualization Management - Custom Instance Configuration.

The figure, Custom Instance, shows the place to assign non SAP systems.

For custom instances and databases of type other database, you are able to configure custom dependencies.

Choose Configuration → Systems.

Internal dependencies are still in place. Ensure that your custom dependencies do not interfere with the internal dependencies.

Select the custom instance or other database.

Provide the following information:

The figure, Customization Options, Details, shows the screen to configure custom dependencies.