Defining a Queue Based on a Target Support Package

Use

You want to define a Support Package queue based on a particular target Support Package.

Procedure

...

1. On the initial screen in Support Package Manager, choose Directory® New Support Packages.

2. Choose Display.

The system displays a list of the Support Packages that are available in your system but have not yet been imported.

3. Place the cursor on the Support Package that you want to select, and choose Calculate Queue.

The current queue appears. This queue contains the Support Packages available in your system that are needed for the required target Support Package, and, if necessary, Support Packages of other components, Conflict Resolution Transports (CRTs) and other Add-On Support Packages.

4. You can now do the following:

○ You can limit the queue selection. To do this, select the Support Package that you want to be last in the queue. This recalculates the queue. You can also do this explicitly by choosing Recalculate queue.

You can only select Support Packages that belong to the software component of the target Support Package that you have selected (the cursor changes appearance accordingly). The Support Packages that belong to the queue are highlighted in green. The target Support Package is also flagged with a green check mark. The Support Packages that no longer belong to the queue are still visible in the list, from where you can select them again.

○ If the displayed queue meets your requirements, you can confirm it by choosing Confirm Queue and closing this window.

If the system cannot calculate a valid queue, an error message is displayed. For detailed error information, call the long text for the error message. If errors occur during queue definition, see the queue calculation log.

Defining a Queue Based on a Software Component

Use

You want to define a Support Package queue for a particular software component.

Procedure

...

1. On the initial screen in Support Package Manager, choose Display/Define.

○ If this queue calculation method has been selected as the default setting, the Component Selection dialog box appears.

○ Otherwise, start by choosing Individual Components to display the Component Selection dialog box.

A list of installed software components (for example, SAP_BASIS, SAP_HR, SAP_BW) is displayed.

2. Select the required components.

3. The current queue appears. This queue contains the Support Packages available for the selected component in your system, and, if necessary, Support Packages of other components, Conflict Resolution Transports (CRTs) and other Add-On Support Packages.

If you want to define the queue for another software component, choose Other Component.

If errors occur during queue definition, see the queue calculation log.

4. You can now do the following:

○ You can limit the queue selection. To do this, select the Support Package that you want to be last in the queue. This recalculates the queue. You can also do this explicitly by choosing Recalculate queue.

You can only select Support Packages belonging to the software components that you have selected (the cursor changes its appearance accordingly). The Support Packages that belong to the queue are highlighted in green. The Support Packages that no longer belong to the queue are still visible in the list, from where you can select them again.

○ If the displayed queue meets your requirements, you can confirm it by choosing Confirm Queue and closing this window.

Result

You have defined the queue. You can now Include Modification Adjustment Transports or Import Support Packages contained in the queue.

Support Package Manager Settings

Choose Extras ® Settings to go to the dialog box where you can make general settings for the Support Package Manager. These settings influence the behavior of the system when loading and importing various types of Support Packages. SPAM/SAINT updates are an exception, as certain default settings cannot be changed.

You only have to define the settings once. They are saved and can be used each time you call Support Package Manager. Note that these settings also apply to Add-On Installation Tool.

One exception is the setting for the import mode downtime-minimized. This does not automatically apply to Add-On Installation Tool.

You can set or check the following attributes.

Tab: Load Packages

● Directory on Application Server

You can check which application server directory the Support Packages are located in.

● Load CAR/SAR Archives from Front End

○ Display Content Before Decompressing

You can decide whether to display a dialog box with the contents of the CAR/SAR archive before decompressing it. This is the default setting.

○ Delete Archive After Decompressing

You can choose whether you want to delete the CAR/SAR archive, which was transferred to the application server, after decompressing it. This is the default setting.

○ Save Last Upload Directory

You can decide whether to save the most recently used upload directory from your front-end host. This directory then appears automatically as the start directory in the archive selection dialog box next time round. This is the default setting.

You can enter your own choice of upload directory in the Upload directory field. This upload directory then appears as the start directory in the archive selection dialog box.

Tab: Define Queue

● Queue Calculation Initial Screen

You can specify the queue calculation method that you want to be provided with by default upon entering the queue definition screen.

○ Queue calculation for a vector of software components

The Support Package queue calculation takes place for multiple software components based on the target Support Package level that has been defined for each software component (see Defining a Queue Based on Multiple Software Components).

○ Queue calculation for one software component

The Support Package queue calculation takes place by selecting one software component and the highest Support Package for this software component (see Defining a Queue Based on a Software Component).

● Including Modification Adjustment Transports

You can specify whether you want the system to always check the queue definition for modification adjustment transports that are to be included.

○ Include adjustment transports

For the queue definition, the dialog box for including adjustment transports is always displayed.

○ Do not include adjustment transports

No adjustment transports are included in the Support Package queue. The corresponding dialog box is not displayed automatically.

○ Always ask

When defining the queue, the system asks you whether to include adjustment transports or not. You can then decide whether the dialog box for including adjustment transports is to be displayed or not.

Tab: Import Queue

● Scenario

When choosing the scenario, you determine which activities you want to be performed when the Support Package is imported.

○ Standard

You use the standard scenario to import Support Packages completely. All steps are performed.

■ Import Mode Downtime-Minimized

If you choose the standard scenario, you can also choose import mode downtime-minimized to reduce the downtime. The default setting is for this option to be deactivated. The packages are imported using the conventional import method.

To find the most suitable import mode for your system, check the prerequisites under Import Mode: Downtime-Minimized.

○ Test

Use the test scenario to determine if a modification adjustment is required before the Support Package is actually imported, or if any conflicts need to be resolved before the import. The test scenario does not import data into your SAP system.

There is no test scenario for SPAM/SAINT updates. A SPAM/SAINT import ignores the scenario you select.

● Create New Data File

You can determine whether the data files are to be unpacked from the EPS parcels whenever you import Support Packages. This is the default setting.

If you use a multiple system landscape with a common transport directory, it is best to only activate this option in the first system into which you import Support Packages, and to deactivate it in the following systems. This saves time because the data files do not need to be created again in these systems.

● Delete Data File After Import

You can determine whether to delete the data files after the Support Packages have been imported. This saves hard disk space and is the default setting.

If you use a multiple system landscape with a common transport directory, it is best to deactivate this option. This saves you having to create new data files in the other systems (see Create new data file above).

● Create Object Versions During Import

This option does not apply to SPAM/SAINT updates.

You can choose to create versions of the objects in the Support Packages in the queue when they are imported. This option is deactivated by default, since it only makes sense to do this if version creation is active for all imports. This can take a long time and use up a lot of space in the database.

If version creation is activated in the configuration of the transport tools in the Transport Management System (transaction STMS), parameter VERS_AT_IMP must be set as ALWAYS.

● ABAP/Screen Generation

Select this option if you want the programs and screens delivered in the Support Packages to be generated when they are imported.

You cannot change the generation settings for SPAM/SAINT updates.

○ Never Execute

If you choose this option, the programs and screens are generated only when they are called for the first time.

○ Always Execute

If you choose this option, the programs and screens are always generated. Note that generation can take a long time and may cause errors.

○ According to SAP Instructions

If you choose this option, the programs and screens are generated if the option for generating them while importing these Support Packages has been activated by SAP.

Default Settings in Support Package Manager

Option	Global Setting
Display Contents Before Decompressing	On
Delete Archive After Decompressing	On
Save Last Upload Directory	On
Queue Calculation Initial Screen	Calculation for a component vector
Including Modification Adjustment Transports	Always ask
Scenario	Standard
Import Mode Downtime-Minimized	Off
Create New Data File	On
Delete Data File After Import	On
Create Object Versions During Import	Off
ABAP/Screen Generation	Never Execute

Loading Support Packages from SAP Support Portal or from CDs

Use

You want to load Support Packages from SAP Support Portal or from Collection CDs, so that you can import them with Support Package Manager.

Procedure

If the archives are on your front-end host, you can copy them directly from Support Package Manager to the application server, and decompress them (see Loading Support Packages from the Front End).

However, if the archives are larger than 10 MB, proceed as described below.

Support Packages from SAP Support Portal or from Collection CDs have a compressed format. You have to unpack the Support Packages before working with them.

...

1. Load the Support Packages from SAP Support Portal or mount the relevant CD.

2. Log on using the following user:

Operating System	User
UNIX	adm
IBM eServer iSeries	OFR
Windows	adm

3. Switch to the following subdirectory in your system:

Operating System	Subdirectory
UNIX and IBM eServer iSeries	trans
Windows	TRANS

4. Use the following command to unpack the archive containing the Support Packages:

Operating System	Command
UNIX	SAPCAR -xvf ///.CAR
IBM eServer iSeries	SAPCAR '-xvf /QOPT///.CAR'
Windows	SAPCAR –xvf :\\.CAR

The unpacked Support Packages automatically appear in the EPS inbox of your transport directory (UNIX and IBM eServer iSeries: /usr/sap/trans/EPS/in; Windows: :\usr\sap\trans\EPS\in).

5. Load the Support Packages into your system by choosing Support Package ® Load Package ® From Application Server.

You now see a list of the uploaded Support Packages that are now known in the SAP System together with their attributes. These can now be handled correctly by Support Package Manager.

6. To return to the Support Package Manager initial screen, choose Back.

7. Define the Queue.

What are the prerequisites for applying a support pack? What is the Procedure for applying support packs?

Download the Support Patches from market place.

Login through 000 client with user DDIC.

Go to Transaction SAPM.

From the menu support packages - > load package -> from Front End..

Then Select display button in the screen and select the patch and gives import.

Import the Package queue.

Take care that no users are in online while u upload the support packages.

Steps to Install SAP Note in sap

Go through following Steps:

1. Check Note Validity

a. Log on to SAPNet (or use SAP Service Marketplace on the Web)

i. Click Gen. Functions

ii. Click Display

iii. Enter note # and click Execute

iv. Click Note Administration

v. Click Support Package Tab to display note package level

If no value exists for package level

a. Follow the steps in the Solution to apply the note

b. Go to transaction code spam

i. Click Package Level to display current package level

c. Compare note package level with current package level

i. If note package level < or =" current">
No additional steps necessary

ii. If note package level > current package level, note must be applied. Go to Step 2

2. Go to transaction code snote

3. Download SAP note

a. Click Goto à Download SAP note

b. Enter note #

c. Click Execute

4. Implement SAP Note

a. Select note and click Implement SAP Note icon

b. Request – Click Create; Enter note # and description

c. Take note of transport #

5. Test transport before migration

a. Notify requestor to verify changes before migrating to the next environment

b. After thorough testing has been completed, release transport

c. Migrate transport to the other environments

Difference Between SAP Notes and Support Package

Can Anybody tell me What is the Difference between SAP Notes and Support Package?
Which of them Should apply?

What is Add on Components? What is difference between PI and PI_BASIS?

I shall try to answer your questions to the best of my knowledge, there might be other vrsions or views for the same....any comments or feedback is welcome.

1. Difference between SAP Notes and Support Package?
Ans. When an end user of SAP finds a bug in the SAP product he reports the same to SAP support, SAP developers check the same and develop a correction for the same. This correction is sent to the customer in the form of a NOTE.

If the same or similar bug is reported by multiple clients or end users, then SAP recognizes such bug corrects them and collects all these corrections in one place and adds some enhancements to the earlier version of SAP and then calls this as a SUUPORT PACK. In simple words collection of

SAP NOTES is a SUPPORT PACK.

2. Which of them Should apply?
Ans. Depends on your or customers requirement.

3. What is Add on Components?
Ans. AddOn components are nothing but extra functionalities that do not come with main SAP product. Different organizations have different requirements, so SAP has recognized some main functionalities that are in demand and builds that functionality as a components, which can be integrated with the core SAP. so add on components sit above the core and access the same
dictionary objects or repository objects and perform the required funcionality.

4. What is difference between PI and PI_BASIS?
Ans. PI and PI_BASIS are two different components.

PI is the abbrevated form of Plug In. AddOn components or extension sets are installed above core SAP and they integrate or communicate with the core using PlugIn component.

PI_BASIS is the core component or a single version for different PlugIns.
Hope you can understand what I meant in the answers above.

Madhu :-)

A SAP Note fixes _one_ problem, Support packages are many SAP notes together (comparable with a single fix on windowsupdate and a service pack). One should consider running the latest packages since the most errors are fixed in there. Beware of dependencies between (which are also documented in separate SAP notes)

What is Add on Components? What is difference between PI and PI_BASIS?

An AddOn is specific coding that is delivered separately and can be (in most cases) updated without changing the base.

PI is the plugin to "plug" BI/BW and CRM to the system, it contains the extractors for BI and the qRFC part to sync CRM and R/3 (including the filters).

PI_BASIS is the plugin containing BASIS functionality (ALE p. ex.) It is planned to be able to also modularize this so that you can update PI_BASIS without doing a full upgrade but only upgrade this separate package through transaction SAINT.

Question : Subject : Support packages testing

Question : Subject : Support packages testing

Hello Everyone,

We have successfully upgraded the SAP40B support packages from SAPKH40B36 to SAPKH40B79 on DEV system.

We are planning to put the corrections and support packs on TST soon. But do we need to request for users testing in the TST environment. I don't think the users will be ready to any TST for this upgrade.

If they are ready for this, what could be the possibilities for solution. We take long time to test it?.

Will it be good idea to apply 10 at a time and test and implement. This very hard in SAP 40B becasue the changes under one support pack will more because it has lot more rel. note changes. (compare to 46X environment).

Please advice.

Thank ypou,

Reply : Subject : Support packages testing

Steve, I don't quiet understand your question. I assume you are trying to find out if it right to apply batch by batch and if you need to have users test before proceeding, right? We usually apply no more than 12 lcp and 5 hp the most. In that case, before I apply them to dev, users/functional analysts review and analys all the changes contained in the patches. Next I apply them (one at a time) and at the end, they take abut 1 week to test on dev (since it's the smaller system), before I apply them to QA. All my modifications are done by abapers in form of transport which I import to QA after I have applied them there. Hope =
this helps. It all depends on amount of changes found by your patch reviewers, if you feel there are alot do them in 2 events.

Reply : Subject : Support packages testing

Thank you for the reply.

1. I ahve applied the packages in one ladnscape from 29 to 72, because they are very behind of lates pack.

The PRD is okay with out any problems. Since I have applied many packs, we have requested users core group
to do the same daily activities in TST they does in PRD for 3 days. They did the same and we are okay on
this.

My questions is >>

We have a diff landscape where users not interested in doing the things we requested as above.the alternative way is find the each and every pack rel. note and test the same. Which will take nbumber of days to do it for number of packs. Which is not
recommended. Is there any alternate way?.

2. Does every one go thorugh users acceptence test for support pack upgrade?.

we do apply the SPC regularly in all landscapes. we have not done on 2 of the landscapes due to some reasons, I don't know.

Thank you.

Reply : Subject : Support packages testing

Unfortunately, the safest way to do this is also the longest way (testing the notes). If you don't, somewhere down the road you will bump into problems because not everything is going to surface and be discovered up front and at once. We have a process which users use to do this and takes about 2 weeks each time we do patches. There is no alternatives that is offered that I know. Does anybody else???