How to lock or unlock transaction code (tcode) in SAP system?

This article answers following queries:

• How to lock transaction code (tcode) in SAP system?
• How to unlock transaction code (tcode) in SAP system?
• How to view list of tcodes that are locked in SAP system?
• Which tcode is used to lock or unlock tcodes in SAP system?
• How to identify whether a tcode is locked or not in SAP system?
• While trying to execute a tcode in SAP system, it says “Transaction is locked”. What’s the reason?
• What is the report to identify locked transactions in SAP system?

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Sometimes, there might be a business requirement to lock a particular transaction in SAP system (for a particular period) so that no one is allowed to execute those transactions

For eg: Lock SE38 so that users are not allowed to execute reports

           Lock STMS_IMPORT so that users are not allowed to import transport requests etc.

Which tcode is used to lock or unlock tcodes in SAP system?

SM01 tcode is used for locking transactions or tcodes.

Locking Procedure:

Login to SAP system and go to transaction SM01. It will result in screen as shown below:

For example, I am demonstrating process to lock tcode SM02.

Type the tcode you would like to lock in the above screen and press search icon which displays that particular transaction.

If you would like to lock that tcode, tick that checkbox next to that transaction and click on save button to reflect the change.

After that, if locked tcode is executed by any user, it won’t get executed. It will display a message mentioning “Transaction SM02 is locked” (as shown below).

Unlock Procedure:

In case, you would like to unlock this transaction, go to SM01, select the tcode, and untick the checkbox and press save button.

It unlocks the transaction and everyone would be able to execute that transaction.

Note:

• In some versions of SAP systems, lock/unlock toggle button will be there to lock or unlock transactions( as shown below). So, instead of simply clicking Save button, you may have to click "lock/unlock" button. 

Please note the difference and act accordingly

• If you lock / unlock a tcode in a particular client, it is applicable for all the clients of that SAP system. It means, if you locked a tcode in 100 client of an SAP system, this tcode will get locked in all other clients of that SAP system. So, this is system wide change and not client specific

How can we find if a tcode is locked or not?

In SM01 transaction, if you find tick mark enabled for a tcode, it means that specific transaction is locked.

Or

If you try to execute that tcode “Transaction xxxx is locked” message will be displayed

How to view list of tcodes that are locked in SAP system?

If you would like to view all transactions or tcodes that were locked in that SAP system, you can find out by navigating to SM01 à Transaction Code à Press F6 or select Display Locked Transactions (as shown below)

Once it is selected, it displays list of locked transactions as shown below:

RSAUDITC report can be executed through SE38 or SA38 to find out list of locked transactions in SAP

How to identify whether an ABAP program has been modified recently?

This article answers following queries:

• How to identify whether an ABAP program has been modified recently?
• How to identify the date/time on which an ABAP program was modified?
• How to identify version of an ABAP program?
• Background is not running as expected?

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Sometimes, there might be scenarios like a background job is not running as expected. Job owner / functional team may complain to Basis team that till last week it worked fine but only this week they are facing performance or any other issues like the job might be taking long time to complete, job might be getting terminated abruptly, job might be going to hung status etc.

One of the main reasons for these type of issues, could be due to recent change/modification done to the underlying ABAP program.

How to identify ABAP program for a given background job?

So, how to check if the underlying ABAP program has been changed/modified recently or not. If modified, when it was changed and through which transport? This can be checked as shown below:

Goto SE38 transaction code and provide the name of the ABAP program for which you need to check if there were any recent changes resulting in this issue.

For example, Iam checking the recent changes made to the ABAP program : RSRFCCHK

In SE38, after providing program name, navigate to Utilities -> Version -> Version Management (as shown below):

This will result in following screen, which lists you the list of versions of the respective ABAP program and the latest active status of the program and the date on which it was modified.

If you are encountering the job issues exactly from that program modification date/time, then we can suspect these issues are cropping out because of program change and necessary actions can be taken by the ABAP team to fix the performance issues that were noticed.

How to identify ABAP program for a given background job?

This article answers following queries:

How to identify ABAP program for a given background job?

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Sometimes, it is required to know the underlying ABAP program name for a background job.

This can be identified as shown below:

Goto SM37 transaction code. It will result in below screen. Please input job name for which you would like to know the underlying ABAP program.

After selecting necessary job status, click on execute which results in below screen

Double click on the above job name to display job details as shown below

Click on step icon (highlighted) which shows the step list overview (as shown in below screen)

Highlighted item is the underlying program name/command.

Parameters is the variant for that program and User is the “user id” with which this job will be executed.

Note: Sometimes, we can view multiple programs as steps based on the Job definition done. In other words, a job can have multiple programs or commands as steps

What are the important differences between SUM tool and SPAM/SAINT?

This article answers following queries:

• What are the tools used to apply ABAP support packs?
• Software Update Manager (SUM tool) is available from which Netweaver version?
• What are the rules to use SUM or SPAM/SAINT to apply Support pack stacks or Support packs for ABAP stacks?
• When to use SUM tool and when to use SPAM/SAINT?
• Can SPAM/SAINT switch the kernel and restart the system?
• Can SUM tool switch the kernel and restart the system?
• To minimize maintenance downtime while applying support packs which tool to be used?
• Which is the best mode in SUM tool to reduce the downtime drastically?
• What are the important differences between SUM tool and SPAM/SAINT?

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Software Update Manager tool is available from 2011 onwards and can be used for applying ABAP support packs if the system is SAP Netweaver server ABAP 7.0 or higher

As of now, (SPAM/SAINT) and Software Update Manger (SUM) are the 2 tools used for applying ABAP support packs.

However, we should know which tool is preferred choice under given circumstance.

The main criteria is

i)             Number of SP stack to be applied

ii)            System is downtime critical

If more number of support packages or Support package stacks to be applied, Software Update Manager is the preferred tool.

We should choose “SINGLE” mode in SUM, if the overall runtime of the maintenance activity should be as short as possible. We should choose “STANDARD” or “ADVANCED” mode in SUM, if less downtime is the main criteria for the maintenance.

In standard and advanced modes, most of the maintenance activities are done on a shadow instance created and used by SUM in parallel to the productive system. This allows to prepare and execute the majority of patch implementation steps during normal system operations without impacting end-users.

Especially in advanced mode, downtime is drastically reduced. However, please note that usage of additional shadow instance requires more hardware resources like CPU, memory, disk etc

For SAP Netweaver AS ABAP 7.40, when specific support pack versions are part of import queue, only SUM tool can be used for implementing them. SPAM cannot be used for that.

It is better to use SPAM/SAINT tool, when not more than 3 support pack stacks or 70 support packs to be applied.

Other important differences between SUM tool and SPAM/SAINT:

• SUM can switch the kernel and restart the system but SPAM/SAINT cannot do this
• SUM shows the point-of-no-return with reset option that can withdraw all the changes but SPAM/SAINT doesnot show clear point of no return
• SPAM/SAINT offers a test mode, with modification preview. SUM tool doesn’t offer the same

Related Links :

Benefits of Software Update Manager

How to launch Software Update Manager?

How to launch Software Update Manager or SUM tool?

This article answers following queries:

• How to start or run Software Update Manager GUI?
• How to launch Software Update Manager or SUM tool?
• How to extract or unpack Software Update Manager?
• Which port will be used by SUM tool or Software Upgrade Manager?

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Prerequisites to start Software Updated Manager:

i)        Downloading Software update Manager package (example: filename.SAR) from Software download center

ii)      SAP system and the database are started

iii)  On the host, where Software Update Manager GUI to be started atleast Java 6 to be installed

Procedure to extract:

Logon to the host on which primary application server is running with <SAPSID>adm user.

Unpack the Software Update Manager package ( filename.SAR) using following command :

SAPCAR –xvf <download directory>\<path>\filename.SAR –R <DRIVE>:\usr\sap\SID

This command will create a folder named SUM under \usr\sap\SID

Startup Procedure:

We can start Software Update manager as below :

In Windows: By executing STARTUP.BAT which is under \usr\sap\SID\SUM\SUM directory

In UNIX: By executing ./STARTUP script which is under \usr\sap\SID\SUM\SUM path

After executing this, several necessary services (Webstart service, Alert service, Notes service, Fileservice, Mail service, Role service etc) will start and HTTP service will be started on 4239 port.

Now, you can call GUI by entering a URL  http://<hostname>:4239 in a browser

Please note in the above URL, hostname should be the host on which the Software Update manager is running. 4239 is the port used by SUM tool.

In the dialog box that appears, choose Run.

The Software Upadate Manager GUI will start and it will prompt to create password for Administrator. Provide the same and click OK to proceed further.

This will result in following screen :

This is the process to be followed to launch Software Update Manager.


Related Links :

Important differences between SUM tool and SPAM/SAINT

Benefits of Software Update Manager

Benefits of Software Update Manager (SUM) tool

     

This article answers following queries:

• What is SUM (Software Update Manager) tool?
• What are the advantages of using SUM tool over traditional tools?
• What are the activities that can be handled by Software Update Manager (SUM) tool?
• What are the benefits of using SUM tool?
• How to download Software Update Manager (SUM) tool?

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Software Update Manager (SUM) is a multi-purpose tool, which supports various processes for ABAP, Java and dual stack systems such as performing

• Release Upgrade
• Enhancement Packages installation or update
• Applying support pack stacks
• Updating single components and patches
• Correction of installed software information

Advantages of using SUM tool over traditional tools:

• Traditionally SPAM is used for applying ABAP support packages and JSPM is used for applying Java support packages. Now, there is no need to use 2 tools. SUM tool can be used for updating both ABAP and Java patches
• Simultaneously support pack stacks can be applied to both ABAP and Java stacks
• Minimum downtime (Single downtime is sufficient for both stacks combined)
• No need to UNCAR the SAR files explicitly. Tool does the same

Successor Tool:

The Software Update Manager replaces following tools for upgrade, update, and implementing Support packages:

• SAPehpi: SAP Enhancement Package Installer
• SAPup: tool for upgrading ABAP-based systems
• SAPJup: tool for upgrading Java-based systems
• JSPM: Java Support Package Manager
• CEupdateManager: tool for updating Composition Environment systems
• SolManUp: tool for updating and upgrading SAP Solution Manager systems

In other words, Software Update Manager is successor for all the above tools.

Starting from 2013, for maintenance activities that are supported by the SUM, the usage of the substituted tool is no longer supported (except for SPAM/SAINT). Please refer SAP Note 1589311 for further details

How to download Software Update Manager?

 Software Update Manager (SUM) is part of the Software Logistics Toolset delivery and available for download from SAP Software Download Center

Please navigate as shown below to download Software Update Manager from Software download center:

Support Packages and Patches --> A - Z Index --> S --> SL TOOLSET --> SL TOOLSET 1.0         --> Entry by Component --> SOFTWARE UPDATE MANAGER (SUM) --> SOFTWARE UPDATE MANAGER 1.0 --> Support Package Patches

It will result in below screen

Select your Operating System from the above list. For example, I have selected AIX 64bit as my Operating system. Then it will result in following screen

Select this SAR file and add to download basket and it can be downloaded using “SAP Download Manager”

Related Links :

How to launch Software Update Manager?

Important difference between SUM tool and SPAM/SAINT

SAP Solution Manager Features

 This article answers following questions:

• SAP Solution manager Overview
• Describe SAP solution manager features
• How does SAP solution manager adds value to the business?
• What is current version of Solution Manager?
• What are Solution Manager’s core application life cycle processes?

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SAP Solution Manager is the central lifecycle management hub for SAP systems.

The SAP Solution Manager is a platform that provides the integrated content, tools, and methodologies that you need to implement, support, operate and monitor your enterprise's solutions from SAP.

• With SAP Solution Manager, companies can minimize risk and increase the reliability of their IT solutions.
• SAP Solution Manager helps reduce TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) throughout the solution life cycle.
• SAP Solution Manager helps companies manage their core business processes and link business processes to the underlying IT infrastructure.
• SAP Solution Manager supports both SAP and non-SAP software and helps companies get more from their existing IT investments.
• SAP Solution Manager enables you to obtain the maximum value from your SAP investments

SAP Solution Manager brings direct value to your business by

• Ensuring a cost-effective implementation and operation of new technologies such as SAP HANA
• Providing mobile apps, enabling your workforce to take informed decisions always
• Leverage the full potential of new technologies like SAP Hana, Mobility , Cloud etc

The current version is SAP Solution Manager 7.2

SAP Solution Manager supports 11 core application lifecycle processes