CDMC versus BPCA

[Former Member]

Hi Everyone,

I am interested in understanding the difference between CDMC & BPCA when considering impact to Custom Objects as a result of an Upgrade/Service Pack and how CDMC and BPCA are to be used together.

My current understanding is :

Solution Manager, Custom Development Management Cockpit (CDMC), has a project called

Upgrade/Change Impact Analysis Project. This allows you to analyse the impact of an upgrade on Customised Objects.

Solution Manager also has a module called Business Processor Change Analyser (BPCA). This Module identifies critical impacts affected by planned change events such as Service Packages etc.

I see that both of the above modules use different methods to determine the impact of an upgrade. My understanding is :

CDMC

·         Builds a repository of Customised Objects in the target system that uses SAP objects.

·         This is then compared against  SAP Objects affected by an upgrade…. thus the ‘intersection’ of the 2, represents the Customised Objects affected by an upgrade

·         I don’t think that CDMC will highlight the Business Scenarios/Processes/Steps. Only the affected objects are highlighted ?

BPCA

·         Uses a list of SAP Objects in a particular Service Pack

·         This is then compared against objects gathered via the Technical Bill of Materials (TBOM) used in the target system.

·         Once again the ‘intersection’ of the two indicate the impact of an upgrade.

·         Some BPCA documentation I have read also indicates that customised code is considered but I am not sure if this is the case ?

·         BPCA will highlight the Business Scenarios/Processes/Steps  as TBOM knows the transactions running and the transactions are defined against the Business Scenarios in SOLAR02

My main questions are :

• Can BPCA determine impacts of Custom Code upgrade impacts ?
• If So, why use CDMC for Impact Reporting of an upgrade ? Why not just use BPCA ?
• Is it a case that the results of the CDMC is used as input into BPCA to determine the Business Scenarios/Processes/Steps effected ?
• Could I use CDMC or BPCA or both, to understand the impact of an upgrade on Custom Code ?

Thanks for Reading..... Graeme E

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Perhaps this link could be helpful with regards to the BPCA usage:

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/d0428c83-f676-2e10-6290-a9b2b9394...

As per my understanding BPCA gives information regarding affect on Business processes prior to a change(including SP, EHP, Upgrade or custom code). However CDMC is to review the custom code after the changes are already in a system. Perhaps the below thread could be helpful too:

http://scn.sap.com/thread/1819346

Regards,

Srikishan

[former_member239667]

To answer your questions.

BPCA detects the impact of change events to your business processes.  You have to have TBOMS set up.

The UCIA activities in the CDMC tool detect change event impacts to your custom code.  The optimal way to use these tools is together.  You see the impact to your custom objects by first running CDMC, then you cross-reference that with the impacts to your Business processes and from that you can develop a more accurate test plan.

[Former Member]

Hello.

• Can BPCA determine impacts of Custom Code upgrade impacts ?

BPCA can identify custom codes impact but not for release upgrade. It can identify impacted custom code for SPs, EhP, SAP notes, and so on. but not for release upgrade.

• Is it a case that the results of the CDMC is used as input into BPCA to determine the Business Scenarios/Processes/Steps effected ?

No, you have to create TBOMs for using BPCA. TBOM can be Dynamic, Semi-Dynamic, Static.

• Could I use CDMC or BPCA or both, to understand the impact of an upgrade on Custom Code ?

you can use CDMC for release upgrade projects.

BS

K

[Former Member]

Hi,

Ans 1 )BPCA compares the objects included in the transports against the objects captures in the TBOM, It wont compare all/ even any customized objects directly, It takes only the transport are the input, only compare the objects in the transport

Ans 2) BPCA is more for improving your testing process, focus more on business process impact level.

But aim of CDMC for the customers who has built large number of custom development objects either by internal or by third party, later some point they cant track if any of these objects are obsolete, cdmc uses Clearing analysis to provide list of obsolete custom object,

and change impact analysis first list out all the custom objects which reference to SAP standard, it compares against the upgrade and provide impact.

if this case BPCA and CDMC has unique purpose

ans 3) ya, you can use both, But again pre request for both are different. BPCA you need to have TBOM. so if your client have both then you can use both. Both run independently.

Thanks,

Jansi