Critical factor: Availability
Shutting Down the Target System
Basically, a distinction is made between the initial setup and refresh of a non-productive SAP system. In the past, the cost of a refresh, i.e., updating the environment with new data, often corresponded to the cost of the initial setup. This also restricted the availability of the productive system, which is hardly tolerable for companies that operate internationally and in different time zones.
Preparation before system copy - All information about transport requests that should be re-imported on the target system of the system copy is evaluated and collected: Already released transport requests that have not yet landed on production. Open transport requests that should survive the system copy (maintain development status). The respective owners of the transports have the possibility to discard an obsolete development.
Challenges with SAP system copies
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.
Tools such as "Shortcut for SAP Systems" supplement missing functions in the area of SAP system copy.
To reduce the number of test cycles, it is also advisable to update your development system occasionally.