Basis Knowledge Transfer
Hitachi will teach you as much as possible about Basis but stops short of breaking a SAP instance to show you how to fix it. If something occurs that was not presented in your KT, your Basis group should have been given the necessary tools to find a solution on their own. Taking responsibility for ownership for your new the SAP instances is a hard step to take but the most valuable KT Hitachi provides is to show you where to look when you don’t know the asnwers.
Besides using the provided documentation, opening messages to SAP, and posting your situation on a SAP website, you have full access to the SAP Online Documentation library at http://help.sap.com. This site contains online documentation for all of SAP products and can be a valuable information resource.
The following is a list of topics your Hitachi Basis consultant will cover during KT:
ABAP Workbench:
□ how to add/change/delete/run a program
□ how to add/change/delete/run a function
□ how to create/change/delete/use a variant
□ how to make changes to a table structure
□ how to browse the data in a table
Client Administration:
□ how to add/copy/delete a client
□ how to “lock” and “unlock” a client
Connectivity:
□ how to add/change/delete RFC destinations
□ how to add/change/delete Logon Groups
Instance Monitoring:
□ how to what work processes are in use
□ how to perform a Tuning Summary (ST02) session
□ how to monitor all table and update locks
□ how to change the number of work processes available
□ how to increase the number of batch processes after hours
□ how to troubleshoot performance
□ how to view application log data
□ how to view all errors occurring in a specific work process number
□ how to monitor Internet Communication
Jobs:
□ how to create a new background job
□ how to see the status of a background job
Maintenance:
□ how to apply support packages
□ how to apply kernel replacements
□ how to schedule database maintenance jobs
□ how to apply a SAP note using SNOTE
□ how to add/change/delete system parameters using RZ10
□ how to mass regenerate all or selected SAP ABAP loads
□ how to add/change/delete Logical System Names
Miscellaneous:
□ how to send a system-wide message
□ how to lock a transaction
□ how to change the time zone
□ how to change the SAP logo on the main screen
□ how to configure SAP Online Documentation
□ how to add/change/delete a message on the logon screen
□ how to track the problem causing a short dump
□ how to stop a run-away process
□ how to configure/monitor email going out of SAP
□ how to view the SAP file structure on the OS from SAP
Non-Instance Software
□ how to start, test, and stop saprouter
□ how to log on and off the J2EE Visual Administrator
□ how to confirm that J2EE is up and running on a server
□ how to start, test, and stop the IGS instance
□ how to start, test, and stop the J2EE instance
SAP Marketplace Functions:
□ how to apply for and install a permanent license key
□ how to generate a developer’s key
□ how to generate a SAP System Change Registration key
□ how to open the SAP landscape for access by SAP
□ how to download patches from SAP Marketplace
□ how to download new software CD images from SAP Marketplace
Security:
□ how add/change/delete a role
□ how to add/change/delete/display a user audit trail
□ how to view a user’s security errors
Spool related:
□ how to add/change/delete a printer
□ how to reset the cache for a printer
□ how to reprint and reroute print
□ how to reorganize and reclaim TemSe objects
□ how to keep the job log clean
Start up and shutdown:
□ how to start and stop a SAP instance
□ how to start and stop a SAP-related database
□ how to know a SAP instance is up and running
□ troubleshooting SAP instance start up and shut down
□ how to start, test, and stop HTTP communication
TMS:
□ how to add/change/delete a TMS setup
□ how to release/transport a transport request
□ how to lock a transport queue
Troubleshooting:
□ how to view errors in the system log
□ how to search SAP notes for issues
□ how to open/check/close a problem message with SAP
User related:
□ how to add/change/delete a user
□ how to do mass user changes
□ how to see open user sessions
□ how to add/change/delete a SAP Marketplace user ID and password
XXVI. Basis tasks to be done on a regular schedule
Daily Tasks:
□ Check that the SAP System(s) is up
□ Check that daily backups executed without errors
□ Check that all application servers are up
□ Check the CCMS alert monitor (if applicable) (RZ20)
□ Check work processes (SM50)
□ Look for any failed updates (update terminates) (SM13)
□ Check System Log (SM50)
□ Review for cancelled and critical jobs (SM37)
□ Check for “old” locks (SM12)
□ Check users on system (SM04)
□ Check for spool problems (SP01)
□ Check job log (SM35)
□ Review and resolve dumps (ST22)
□ Review workload statistics (ST03)
□ Review buffer statistics (ST02)
□ Review error log for problems (AL02 & ST04)
□ Review UNIX system logs for problems (AL16)
□ Review Windows system logs for problems (OS06)
□ Check the uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
Weekly Tasks:
□ Check database for free space (DB02)
□ Monitor database growth (DB02)
□ Check spool for problems and that spool is properly cleared (SP01)
□ Verify all properly approved transports imported into PRD (STMS)
□ For Oracle, run a check database and a update statistics job (DB13)
□ For MSSQL, run a check database integrity mainenance job and a update statistics
maintenance
□ Check file system for adequate space (RZ20 - Technical Operations Templates ->
Space Management)
□ Review space usage and that sufficient free space exists in the file systems
□ Check system monitoring systems for update
□ System monitor Review for any events that should be added or deleted
□ Check system monitor alert mechanisms
□ System monitor Test e-mail
□ Test paging
□ Clean tape drive. Tape drive Clean using cleaning cartridge
Monthly:
□ Defragment the server memory by cycling the SAP instance and rebooting the server.
□ Record database growth usage for plotting growth.
□ Record disk space growth usage for plotting growth.
□ Perform a full server backup.
□ Review disk storage usage on server.
□ Do any server "housecleaning" - old /tmp files, etc.
□ Check consumable resources - tapes, check, data cartridges, preprinted forms, paper, etc.
Quarterly Tasks:
□ Perform quarter-end backups and send tapes to long-term offsite storage.
□ Review user IDs via SUIM for terminates users that should be locked or
delete.
□ Review list of "prohibited" passwords in table USR40.
□ Review system profile parameters for password standards.
□ Review all scheduled jobs via SM37 to determine if they are still appropriate.
□ Test database recvoery Restore database to a test server/
□ Archive all transport files older than 6 months from the /usr/sap/trans
directory.
□ Cleaup all SAPDBA/BRTOOLS files and logs.
XXVII. Can Hitachi recommend any good books to help new Basis people?
Yes, SAP has a branch called SAP Labs which produces a series of books called Made Easy guides. The SAP Authorizations Made Easy and SAP System Administration Made Easy guides are geared toward the Basis team members, and can be purchased from Amazon.com. These guides are not released new for every version of SAP so just order the most current you can find. You can download older, free versions at SAP Super Users.
The SAP R/3 System Administration for Dummies is a good high-level resource for becoming familiar with SAP components and terminology but it is hard to find since it is no longer in print. Sometimes a used copy turns up on Amazon.com if you are lucky.
SAP R/3 Administrator’s Handbook is written by known, reliable author and is the only other book we purchase whenever a new version is published.
XXVIII. Can Hitachi recommend any SAP courses for new Basis people?
Recommended Basis aka WAS courses are:
ADM100 - SAP Web AS Administration I
ADM102 - SAP Web AS Administration II
ADM505 - Oracle Database Administration I
ADM940 - SAP R/3 Authorization Concept
You might want to throw in one of the introduction courses if you want to start with a high-level view of SAP.
The availability of these and other courses can be reviewed at http://service.sap.com/trainingcatalog.
