Downtime
SAP system/instance move
SAP offers its own solution for this: With the Test Data Migration Server (TDMS), individual tables can be selected and written indirectly, via a third SAP system, from the source to the target system via Remote Function Call (RFC). However, the selection of business objects is not possible in the standard system. The tables to be copied can only be determined on the basis of the date. The content restriction applies from a certain point in time. At least the SAP tool can be used to reduce the runtime of an extraction of test data compared to the system copy or client copy.
An alternative to this is a refresh using a client copy. The test environment will then be missing audit documents, among other things, but the development objects will remain untouched. The client copy only works from a running SAP system, but it burdens the system with database queries and transfers data more slowly than a system copy. The affected client is not available during the copy process. Since there are no options within the client to select what all should be copied, the runtime is often unacceptable.
SAP system clone and copy
Regular updating reduces operational risk and improves the quality of the multi-level system landscape. To update the non-productive systems of an SAP landscape, the data must be cloned from the productive system. This is time-consuming and requires very complex rework.
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In the case of BSC, sophisticated mechanisms make it possible to exclude configuration errors, since relevant parameter settings are made automatically and according to predefined rules. For example, it is automatically recognized whether the system is an Abap, Java or double-stack system.
With "Shortcut for SAP Systems", tasks in the area of SAP system copying are simplified and can also be automated via the command line interface.
Third-party tools sometimes have a different focus than TDMS.
Some useful tips about SAP basis can be found on www.sap-corner.de.
After all, after the database is removed and the system is rebuilt, there will be two identical systems on the network.