Basis interview questions

14. If an SAP instance does not start after making changes to the instance profile via RZ10, what is the best course of action?
a) Restore the database from the last full backup
b) Edit the profile at the operating system level and manually change it back to the way it was. Then, restart the instance and correct the problem via RZ10.
c) Copy the instance profile from a working system into the affected system. d) Log a trouble ticket at the SAP Support Portal
ANSWER: B
In an emergency, the best thing to do is to manually edit and correct the problem in the instance profile (located under usrsapsysprofile). After successfully restarting the instance run RZ10 and correct the problem there. Save and activate the profile. If possible restart the instance right away and make sure everything works. Otherwise, plan on keeping a close eye on the instance the next time it restarts.
Restoring the database from a full backup will erase all the work done since the backup ended to the moment the problem occurred. Copying the instance profile from another system is a bad idea. The profiles are unique and contain hard coded values. Logging a trouble ticket is not necessary unless you cannot absolutely bring the system back up.
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15. Which of the following are possible ways to display the R/3 Kernel patch of a system?
a) Run SM51 and click Release Notes
b) Run disp+work –version at the OS level
c) Run SPAM, choose Imported Support Packages and click Display
d) Run SQ01 and click Kernel Patches
ANSWER: A, B
Within SAP run SM51, click Release Notes, and then read the line that says "Kernel Patch number." At the OS level, change it to the:
usrsapsysexerun directory and run disp+work –version or disp+work –V
Also, look for the "kernel patch number" line.

13. What does transaction SPAM do?
a) It configures the system to block spam e-mail in the business workplace.
b) It defines and import support package queues.
c) It displays the support packages that have been imported into the system.
d) Nothing. It's not an SAP transaction.
ANSWER: B, C
Transaction SPAM not only lists the support packages that have been imported into the system, but it also defines queues of support packages that can be imported. It's also the transaction that carries out the import

12. What SAP transaction can assist in detecting I/O bottlenecks?
a) ST22
b) ST06
c) OS06
d) ST10
ANSWER: B, C
Either ST06 or OS06 can monitor disk I/O. These transactions are very convenient, as you do not have to go to the OS level. On the other hand, tools at the OS level may offer a more detailed analysis (e.g. Performance Monitor in Windows).


Basis challenge #1: Reporting logon information


29 Dec 2005 | SearchSAP.com

Report all SAP users and their logon information (last logon date, account status and incorrect logon attempts, if any) from all SAP systems in all system landscapes.
A report per system is required, as this will be used by management to prepare for an audit.
Environment:
• One R/3 landscape with three servers: DEV, QAS and PRD.
• One BW landscape with two servers: BDV and BPR.
• One CRM landscape with two servers: CDV and CPR.
• Total # of central instances: 7
• No Central User Administration implemented.
• OS: Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003
• RDBMS: SQL Server 2000
Analysis/solution
Table USR02 stores the logon data. In it, we can see what users are locked (field UFLAG = '64' or '128'), their last logon date (field TRDAT) and if they have any bad logon attempts (field LOCNT).
Transaction SUIM (User Information System) provide reports with the information we need. With that said, we have these two scenarios:
Worst-case scenario Best-case scenario
Manually log in to each system and execute one of the following: Run a script that reaches inside each SAP database and extracts the user list. To achieve that we need to:
• Tcode SUIM -> User Information System -> User -> With Unsuccessful Logons 1. Create a SQL script that can produce the output we need by querying database table USR02. This script will be later incorporated in a batch file.
• Tcode SE16 and query table USR02. 2. Create a text file with the SAP server names, SID database names and database owners.
• Run ABAP report RSUSR006 via SA38. 3. Create a batch file that loops through the text file entries and runs the appropriate SQL statements to produce reports.
Each report needs to be [manually] saved into a file.
Let's remember that these reports will go to management for reviewing. So, what does that tell us? That they will come back and request updated reports after making changes in all the systems. I don't think we want to log back into each server over and over again just for this.
Here, we will work on the best-case scenario and even throw some additional information into the reports: the number of days since the last logon.
See the presentation below.
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1. SQL Script
The following SQL script queries table USR02 and it lists all clients, user IDs, last logon date, days since last logon, account status and bad logon counts. That means that we are interested in fields MANDT, BNAME, TRDAT, UFLAG and LOCNT.
Notes about fields in table USR02
• Field TRDAT contains the last logon date in format YYYYMMDD. But, we will convert it to MM/DD/YYYY. Also, if the user has never logged in TRDAT will display a value of "00000000" but we will translate it to "-Never-".
• We will calculate the number of days since the last logon by subtracting the current date from the last logon date. Since TRDAT is a character (varchar) field, we will convert it to "datetime" first to obtain the day difference. Then, we will convert it back to character. If the user has never logged in we will indicate that with a "-".
• Field UFLAG has two special values to indicate the status of an account. Value "64" indicates that the user has been locked by the administrator. Value "128" indicates that the user got locked out due to many incorrect logon attempts. We will translate the values into more meaningful messages.
• Field LOCNT keeps count of incorrect (bad) logons. Notice that a value of 0 is set when there has not been bad logons. However, we will display a value only when there have been bad logons. This field is numeric (tinyint) but we will convert it to character to handle the display format.
SQL code:
set nocount on
select MANDT as [Client], BNAME as [User ID],
case TRDAT
when '00000000' then '-Never-'
else substring(TRDAT,5,2) + '/' + substring(TRDAT,7,2)
+ '/' + substring(TRDAT,1,4)
end as [Last Logon],
case
when TRDAT <> '00000000' then convert(varchar(5),
datediff(day,convert(datetime,TRDAT), getdate()))
else '-'
end as [Days],
case UFLAG
when '0' then ''
when '64' then 'Locked by Admin'
when '128' then 'Many failed logons'
end [Status],
case convert(varchar(3), LOCNT)
when '0' then ''
else convert(varchar(2), LOCNT)
end as [Bad Logons]
from USR02
order by BNAME, MANDT
go
2. Text (input) file
We need a list of all the SAP database servers with their respective SID name and database owner. This information needs to be put in a text (or flat) file that we can later read one entry at a time. For demonstration purposes, I have called the file "sapsystems.txt".
We can simply separate each of the three values with a blank space. Notepad or any other text editor can be used to create the file. See example below:
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Notes
• The third value (database owner) in each entry plays an important role because in new R/3 releases (e.g. R/3 Enterprise) the database owner is named after the name.
• Also, the SAP database name and the database owner are case sensitive! ("DEV" is not the same as "dev"). SID Database names are always in uppercase and database owner names in lower case.
3. Batch File
The batch file reads the text file (sapsystems.txt) containing all the SAP database servers, the database names and the database owners. It goes through each server entry and it generates a temporary SQL script based on the statements we discussed earlier. It runs the SQL script using the OSQL command-based utility (part of the SQL Server Management tools), which produces a report per server.
To provide a nicer output we will run OSQL with parameter "-S |" to separate the columns with the pipeline symbol "|".
See below:
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Notes
• The text file name is assigned to variable "infile". See below: set infile=sapsystems.txt
• Each column in the text file is assigned to a variable. We read three columns and assign them to variables %%a, %%b and %%c. See below: for /f "tokens=1-3" %%a in (%infile%) do ( ....... )
• Temporary SQL scripts will be created for each different server since the table owner may differ from system to system. In R/3 releases < = 4.6 the database owner is "dbo". But, in upgraded systems or systems based on Web AS 6.x the database owner is named after the name. The temporary SQL scripts will be named after the batch filename. See below:
set SQLcmd=%~n0.sql
• Since the SQL statements are within a batch file we need to use the "^" symbol before special characters such as "(" or "<". This is why we converted: datediff(day,convert(datetime,TRDAT), getdate())) into: datediff^(day,convert^(datetime,TRDAT^), getdate^(^)^)^)
• We run OSQL.exe as follows:
• osql -S %%a -d %%b -b -n -E -s "|" -i %SQLcmd% -w 120 -o %%a.txt
•
• This is what the parameters mean:
• -S %%a SQL Server name, %%a = server name
• -d %%b Database name, %%b = SID database name
• -b Abort if any errors in SQL statements
• -n Remove numbering
• -E Use trusted connection (otherwise supply –U user –P password)
• -s "|" Use | as column separator
• -i %SQLcmd% Input SQL script
• -w 120 Change column width to 120 characters
• -o %%a.txt Output filename
Keep in mind that OSQL parameters are case sensitive.






1. SAPGUI deployment
You have been asked to deploy SAPGUI to several departments within an organization that uses Windows XP on their desktops. Not all departments need the same components (BW add-on, CRM add-on, etc.). Additionally, you have been instructed to install "SAPGUI scripting" – but only in the IT department. What's the best course of action?
a) Write up a step-by-step instruction sheet for each department and have the IT staff help you deploy SAPGUI following your instructions.
b) Use "SAPAdmin" to package each different department installation and either deploy SAPGUI remotely, or install it over the network.
c) Copy the entire SAPGUI CD to a network share and install all front-end components on every computer.
2. Dispatcher
The CIO wants to improve the system response of each SAP server, so he is thinking of adding more dispatchers and work processes. He asks you, "How many dispatchers can exist per application server (instance)?".
a) 2
b) 1
c) 8
d) 16
3. Transports within the same system
Developers in your organization are complaining that some customizing transports did not make it to their sandbox client (300). The project manager asks you to give him a report of all transports copied from the development client (100) to the sandbox client (300) for the past two months. How can you get this done?
a) Query table CCCFLOW and produce a report for him.
b) Use transaction SCC3 -> Transport Requests and produce a report.
c) Find all your transport-related e-mails and filter for those asking to import into client 300. Then, produce a report for him.
4. LiveCache
A server hosting APO and LiveCache was rebooted and your bosses are asking you to make sure LiveCache gets started. You have a connection to the APO instance through SAProuter. What transaction code can you use to start and manage LiveCache?
a) LCACHE
b) LC10
c) LICA
5. Client 001 in R/3
After a fresh installation of an R/3 system, a consultant deleted client 001 without telling anybody. The development team, who was going to work on client 001, is suggesting that you restore the database prior to the deletion. Others are suggesting that you re-install the system. What should you do if there no database backup available and this needs to be done as soon as possible?
a) Re-install the database instance.
b) Have SAP do a system repair and lock it against client deletions.
c) Re-create client 001 via SCC4 and carry out a local copy using client 000 as the source.
6. Changes to the SAP standard
True or False: Users with developer registration keys can modify any SAP object they want in the system without having to register each object at the SAP Support Portal -> SSCR.
a) True
b) False
7. SQL Server collation for SAP Web AS 6.40
What collation is required in Microsoft SQL Server 2000 for products based on the SAP Web Application Server 6.40 to properly sort Unicode data?
a) SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS
b) SQL_Latin1_General_CP850_BIN2
c) SQL_Latin1_General_CP850_BIN
8. Default TCP port for message server
The network administrators are making sure that only TCP and UDP ports are open in each server. They are asking you what port the message server service uses. What's the correct answer?
a) TCP 3200
b) TCP 3299
c) TCP 3600
d) UDP 1434
9. Kernel update
True or False: It is necessary to stop both the SAP instance and database server before a kernel update.
a) True
b) False
10. Transport Management System (TMS)
What parameter needs to be implemented in TMS to enable Extended Transport Control?
a) XTC = 1
b) ETC = TRUE
c) CTC = 1
11. SAPLogon entries in SAPGUI
You want to deploy SAPGUI along with a default list of SAPLogon sessions to 25 users in your organization. Which of the following scenarios would work?
a) Run a script that copies "saplogon.ini" to all 25 users' computers.
b) Create a directory called "custom" in your FrontEnd Installation Server, copy the "saplogon.ini" containing the default session entries in the directory and deploy SAPGUI via SAPAdmin.
c) Tell your Windows network administrator to create a group policy that downloads the "saplogon.ini" file into all computers within the organization.
12. Background jobs
True or False: Background jobs with status "scheduled" are those that have been set with a start condition (date, event, etc.). On the other hand, jobs with status "released" are those that have been created but do not have a start condition, yet.
a) True
b) False
13. Database monitoring
You're going on vacation and you need to train some of the IT staff on how to monitor database activity and performance. What transaction code would be very useful for them to know?
a) DB01
b) ST04
c) DB12
d) SBWP
14. SAProuter connections
What command should you run to get a list of all SAProuter active connections?
a) saprouter –l
b) saprouter –v
c) saprouter –c
15. Deleted RFC destinations
An RFC destination from your production server to an e-commerce server has stopped working all of a sudden. You later find out that the RFC destination no longer exists. Where would you look to find out who deleted it and when?
a) Nowhere, because RFC deletions are not recorded anywhere.
b) The system log (SM21).
c) File dev_rfc0 at the operating system level


9. True or False? In order to read developer traces, you have to go the operating system, because SAP does not have a way to do this within the application.
a) True
b) False
ANSWER: B
False! SAP provides transaction ST11 for this purpose. ST11 can even sort the trace files by date and time