Verification of source system status and infrastructure - analysis of software versions, database disk layout, system status, etc.
Types of SAP system copy
Normally, therefore, the target system is created using a copy of the production system. The advantages here are: After the initial setup, data is already available, and users receive a completely identical test environment. However, the disadvantages of this procedure are the high memory requirements, the lack of anonymization of the data and the long runtime of the copy process.
Heterogeneous system copy: As the name suggests, the operating system and/or database on the source and target systems are different. One takes thus in the context of the copy a platform change. This procedure is currently gaining in relevance, as it is required for the migration from SAP ERP to S/4HANA. If the current system runs on Windows Server and SQL Server or Oracle, the target system must now run on Linux and SAP Hana.
What is System Copy as a Service?
SAP system copies are necessary, regardless of the basic infrastructure. Particularly in the context of automation, preference should be given to solutions that support all relevant types of SAP system operation.
Often, the development and test systems of an SAP landscape are far removed from the status of the productive systems used on a daily basis: Outdated developments, customizing settings and master data reduce the quality and trustworthiness of test and emergency scenarios. It also becomes increasingly difficult to make reliable statements about the behavior of the production system after changes in customizing.
If you have used "Shortcut for SAP Systems" to save system-specific tables before the system refresh, several manual steps can be omitted - the data can be restored by restoring the data saved before the system copy.
If no structural changes have been made to the SAP systems involved, the process is even 100% identical.
Here, a production system represents the source and a non-production system with a specific long-term task in the SAP system landscape represents the target.