System copy (refresh) clarification needed

[Former Member]

Hello,

We want to refresh our BI 7.0 Ehp2 Test system from our Production system.

Both systems have the same architecture:

- Prod system is: 1 server, 2 instances (2 SID, 1 for ABAP and 1 for JAVA), Windows 2008 R8 and MSSQL 2012 with page compression on all DB.

- Test system is : 1 server, 2 instances (2 SID, 1 for ABAP and 1 for JAVA), Windows 2008 R8 and MSSQL 2012 with page compression on all DB.

In both of Homogenous System Copy using SWPM 1.0 guide (the one for ABAP https://websmp210.sap-ag.de/~sapidb/011000358700001419132012E and the one for Java (https://websmp210.sap-ag.de/~sapidb/011000358700001419152012E), the following statement is confusing for me:

"Refresh: Overwriting of an already existing target system with the database content from a source system. The refresh use case is not supported using the installer."

Does it means we cannot use these guides to perform our refresh ?

If we can use these guides, for the ABAP instance, the process defined for MS SQL Server-Specific Procedure is:

1. Create a backup from source system
2. Restore backup of the source system in the target server
3. Run the installer to install the target system by choosing the following on the Welcome screen: <SAP Product> -> Software Life-Cycle Options -> System Copy -> MS SQL Server -> Target System Installation-><System Variant> -> Based on <Technical Stack>

Is it required to perform an export of the source system before ?

If we cannot use these guides, does it means we have to follow the instruction from note ‘151603 - Copying an SQL Server database ‘ and so to execute the manual steps defined under Step 8 as the ‘Database Copy completion’ from SAP Tools for MS SQL Server cannot be used for SAP system based on kernel 7.0 or higher ?

I have read a lot of SAP documentation regarding this topic and for me, the provided information between the different docs are not so coherent and clear.

If someone could clarify these points, it will be great.

Thanks in advance

Daniel

[Former Member]

Hello,

If you have BI 7 with ABAP and Java so you have 2 instances (ABAP and Java) which is different from ABAP+JAVA.

First of all you need read "System Copy: Systems Based on SAP NetWeaver 7.0/7.0 EHPs" manual

After you need decide you you want backup/restore or export/import

Than you need (for export):

- Run SWPM and export ABAP DB

- Run SWPM and export Java DB "... System copy -> Source system -> Based on AS Java -> Database instance Export"

- Run SWPM and import ABAP DB "... System copy -> Target system -> YOUR ARCHITECTURE -> Database Refresh or Move"

- Run SWPM and import Java DB "... System copy -> Target system -> YOUR ARCHITECTURE -> Database Refresh or Move"

- Read the pós-activities in manual

Best regards

João vagarinho

[Reagan]

You will need to do an export and import for the Java stack.

You can do back and restore for ABAP and export and import for the Java stack.

Regards

RB

[Former Member]

Hi,

For an abap ssytem you can used the backup and restore method and need to do the further post system copy steps.

But for the java system you need export of the source system and backup and use SWPM to do the import.

Also check the below note.

683447 - SAP Tools for MS SQL Server

Also check the below notes.

Homogeneous system copy only: Backup/Restore or Detach/Attach

Method

For more information, see MS SQL Server-Specific Procedure [page 47] and SAP

Notes 193816 and 151603.

Thanks

Rishi Abrol

[Former Member]

Hi Rishi,

I have the confirmation that SWPM cannot be used for a System Refresh.

I think that after the DB restore, I have to follow the steps defined under point 8 of oss note 151603 - Copying an SQL Server database

Regarding this note, It seems that we must run manually the Schema4SAP.vbs script (to create and execute the schema move script for ABAP and JAVA) from note 1294762 - SCHEMA4SAP.VBS  as the ‘Database Copy completion’ from SAP Tools for MS SQL Server cannot be used for SAP system based on kernel 7.0 or higher.

Someone could confirm ?

[former_member214071]

Hello Daniel,

I have the same situation with an ABAP only and did follow the note  1294762 - SCHEMA4SAP.VBS  but did not work, now the instance on the test server does not start.

I been looking a lot through the docs and I agree with you that some of the content can become very confusing, but for waht I understand the schema rename is the way to go but for some reason (unknow so far) is not working.

[Former Member]

Hi,

Now SCHEMA4SAP.VBS is not required, schema conversions can be done using SAPINST.

It is simpler and straight forward.

Regards,

Nick Loy

[Former Member]

Hi Daniel,

In your case, you can perform this refresh using homogenous system copy as below:

1) Backup/Restore will work for your ABAP stack (Just do a backup restore into QA and then post restore steps)

2) For JAVA stack - Restore Java database into target(QA), then export Java (Only) instance from source and the import the same into target (QA)

For Java, yes you need to export it from source (Last part of point#2).

Regards,

Nick Loy