Ways of SAP system copy: export / import
The system copy
The database import can be performed using various tools. Sapinstaller provides a working way to import the database cleanly.
Increasingly, ad hoc requests are coming from IT or SAP Basis to provide an SAP system copy as quickly as possible, for example of an SAP ERP, BW or HCM system. This often leads to special challenges due to a lack of resources or capacities.
Job logic instead of customizing
Even if the target system is not used for production in an update scenario based on a system copy, it is of central importance for developers and thus also the software lifecycle of the production system. That's why you should avoid upgrade downtime in both the production source system and the non-production target system. Production system downtime depends primarily on the method you use to create the image of the production data to be used in the target system. This image must be a transferable database image - for example, a database export, a backup copy, or an array-based reconciliation. To eliminate downtime in the production system and minimize the impact on application performance-regardless of the size of the production data reconciliation-you can use, for example, HP StorageWorks System Copy for SAP (HP System Copy), which has a disk array-based replication capability. Downtime in the target system depends on the following factors, among others: The time required to restore production data reconciliation in the target system The amount of pre- and post-processing in the target system With HP System Copy, images of production data can be created in minutes, with each step between shutdown and reboot of the target system occurring automatically. However, after the reboot, the target system is not immediately ready for use, as additional steps must first be performed (see description below).
Tools such as "Shortcut for SAP Systems" are extremely useful in SAP system copy.
After shutting down the target system, the technical system copy for upgrade 1 can be created at the infrastructure level.