Consistency of database disk blocks - stopping I/O activities or executing DATABASE BEGIN ONLINE BACKUP command, flushing cache, etc.
Ways of SAP system copy: export / import
As a rule, the SAP basis has to fulfill: to provide SAP system copies as quickly as possible for the increased usage purposes. The performance of modern tools has developed rapidly. An assessment of the current situation.
Advantage of the system copy: Users receive one hundred percent consistent test data. A disadvantage, however, is the high storage space requirement of such a test system, which corresponds to that of the productive system. In addition, an authorization concept for the system copy is required to protect the authentic data it contains. Otherwise, company secrets are at risk, and there is a violation of regulations such as the Federal Data Protection Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
On-premises: all involved source/target systems in the company's own data centers
Database: For some databases (MS SQL Server) there is the possibility to copy the database files and reattach them on the target system. For the following SAP installation you only have to specify that no SAP loads should be used, but that the database is already there!
To shorten the list of activities and to simplify the complete process of a system copy or a system refresh and to save manual activities, you can use "Shortcut for SAP Systems". Several manual activities can be omitted because with "Shortcut for SAP Systems" the system-specific data can be saved before the copy and imported again afterwards - also automated. This reduces the error-proneness that is inevitably caused by manual activities and enormously reduces the time span until the system is available again.
An alternative to this is a refresh using a client copy.