SAP Basis Certification Sample Questions

Question:
When creating a logon group for Logon Load Balancing, which of the following CANNOT be specified?
Answer:
 A.  Maximum allowable response time.
 B.  Maximum number of users who may be logged on to the instance.
 C.  Name of the instance defined for the logon group.
 D.  Maximum number of sessions per user.
 E.  Name of the logon group

Question:
Which R/3 System user is used for starting external programs using SAP background jobs?
Answer:
 A.  DDIC
 B.  SAP*
 C.  SAPR3
 D.  SAPCPIC
 E.  <sid>adm

Question:
Name the R/3 System transaction used for mointoring a spool requests.
Answer:
A. SM50
B. SM51
C. SPAD
D. SP01
E. SM37

Question:
Which of the following is authorized to maintain R/3 user id parameters?
Answer:
 A.  Only the R/3 system administrator.
 B.  All R/3 users having an account in the same R/3 client.
 C.  Only the user himself.
 D.  Only the R/3 system administrator and the user.


Question:
Given a LAN with an R/3 Central Instance with database (Node: host1, Instance Name:DVEBMGS01, SAPSID:C11), and R/3 Dialog Instance (Node: host2), and several R/3 Frontend PC's what is the name of the profile where the SAPDBHOST parameter is defined?
Answer:
 A.  C11_DVEBMGS00_host1
 B.  The SAPDBHOST parameter is defined in the database startup profile.
 C.  TEMU.PFL
 D.  DEFAULT.PFL
 E.  START_DVEBMGS01_host1

Question:
Given and R/3 Central Instance with all services installed, using Instance ID01, and having the SAP ID of C11.  What is the name of the directory where the work process trace files are written (for Windows NT replace the "/" with "\")?
Answer:
 A.  /usr/sap/C11/DVEBMGS01/data
 B.  /usr/sap/C11/DVEBMGS01/log
 C.  /usr/sap/C11/DVEBMGS01/work
 D.  The trace files are written in internal database tables.
 E.  The trace files are written in the home directory of the database.

Question:
Which of the following functions is NOT possible using the SAP Online Service System (OSS)?
Answer: (All is possible)
A.  Execute online searches for R/3 Notes.
B.  Register problems with the SAP Hotline.
C.  Lookup SAP training dates and course offerings.
D.  Register changes to SAP objects.
E.  Apply for official Internet address from SAP.

Find The List of Users Logged in to SAP System

How to find out the list of users logged in to sap system for the last 5 days?
Solution:
1. TCode st03n
2. Then check that screen shot path
3. Then put Date, Time period from and to

Another T code you can used is STAD

What Is The Use of Solution Manager

What is the use of solution manager, and what we can do with solution manager?
Now a days solution manager is mandatory.  
1. it is used for generating keys and downloading support packages 
2. it is used to document  user  requirments and preparing senarios what needs to to be adopted using solution manager, where the blue print is the part of solution manager 
3. it is used for reporting, solution desk,to manage the change requests and use to monitor entire landcape Central message processing in the SAP Solution Manager:  
- Display customer data, problem description, priority, attached documents, Service Level Agreements (SLA)
- Assign processor
- Send messages to the creator and other processors
- Forward message to other processors or support units
- Create documents and URLs
- Attach documents
- Status assignment and monitoring
- Create a worklist with selection conditions

Things To Check When SAP System Down

How to troubleshoot my sap system when it was down?  What are the things I have to check?
A Basic Technical Troubleshooting:


Perform initial analysis.
Identify if something has changed (software or hardware installation, scripts, profile parameters, database structure).


System (hardware) is down:
- Check console messages.
- Reboot and keep important system log files.
- Check hardware components.
- Analyze with diagnosis tools.
- Escalation procedure: call hardware support.
- Check main log files.
- Analyze with diagnostic tools.
- Start up/shut down log files.
- Check operating system log files.
- Identify other problems (startup/shutdown, disks and operating systems, database, operational R/3, performance).

Startup and shutdown problems (R/3 and application servers):
1. Check processes or services at operating system level.
2. Check whether database is up.
3. Check connection with database (i.e., tnsping, R3trans). 
4. Check whether file systems are full. 
5. Check for network problems in the server network. 
6. Check backup log for problems after backup. 
7. Check for problems after system crash. 
8. Check for problems with PDC file server. 
9. Check files permissions and authorizations. 
10. Manually start up or shut down database and then the application server. 
11. Check hosts and services files.

Operating system problems:
1. Check operating system log and event viewers.
2. Check disks and file systems.
3. Check directories and permissions.
4. Check path names.
5. Check security.
Database problems:

- Starting and stopping database
- Refer to startup problems.
- Check database specific error log file.
- Database storage status
- Check database error numbers.
- Check database alerts.

R/3 application operational problems:
1. Check whether all users are affected.
2. Check whether there is no work at all, or whether work is just limited. 
3. Check whether application servers are available (SM51). Check with standard monitoring transactions: SM50, SM04, SM12, SM13, ST22, SM37, and SP01. 
4. Check trace files on work directory (/usr/sap/<SID>/<instance>/work). 
5. Check SAP systems alerts. 
6. Analyze database problems.

Specific operational problems:-
Problems with printing:
A. Check network.
B. Check SP01/SPAD spool request logs.
C. Check system log.

Problems with batch input:
A. Check directories and files.
B. Check SM35 logs.
C. Check system log.

Problems with lock entries:
A. Check lock entries.
B. Check update process.

Problems with update process:
A. Check update process.
B. Check database.
C. Check network connections.

4. Problems with enqueue:
A. Check database.
B. Check instance parameters.
C. Check operating system processes.

5. Problems with message server:
A. Check processes.
B. Check network.
C. Check log files at work directory.

6. Problems with background processing:
A. Check job log.
B. Check background system consistency.
C. Check file systems.
D. Check system log.

7. Performance problems:
1. Perform workload analysis.
2. Perform debugging.
3. Perform runtime analysis.
4. Perform SQL trace.
5. Check for operating system problems.
6. Check disks for input/output bottlenecks.

Resolution process:
1. Search or SAPnet notes for hints, solutions, or workarounds. 
2. Escalation: enter message on SAP hotline or SAPnet. 
3. Enter problem on hardware partner hotline. 
4. Follow problem actions and SAP indications. 
5. Apply patches and corrections; test and verify results.

Tcodes used for Daily System Monitoring

After running daily system monitoring transaction, what should we check for:


In st22 look for the core dumps if any and report to the respective consultants and try to know why it happened.
In sm21 try to check for errors.
In sp01 try to see if any spool jobs have failed.
In st02 look if any swaps are happening, swaps are not good for performance.
In st04 look for Database alert logs and Performance.
In st03 look for ratio hits.
In sm59 look for connectivety tesing if there are other systems also connected to your SAP R/3 system
In db13 look if the jobs have run successfully.
In sm37 look for any cancelled scheduled job and take action appropriately.
In sm12 look for any pending locks from the previous days.
In sm13 look for any hanged updates, or updates pending for long or updates in PRIV mode.

SAP Administrator Daily Activities

SAP DAILY ACTIVITIES
1] Check that all the application servers are up:
 sm51           SAP Servers
 sm04/al08    Logon Users


2] Check that daily backup are executed without errors
 db12 Backup logs: overview


3] SAP standard background jobs are running successfully. Review for cancelled and critical jobs.
 sm37 Background jobs--- Check for successful completion  of jobs. Enter * in user-id field and verify that all critical successful jobs and review any cancelled jobs.


4] Operating system Monitoring
 st06


5] Extents monitoring
 db02 Database monitoring--Check for max-extents reached


6] Check work-processes(started from sm51)
 sm50 Process overview-- All work processes with a running  or waiting status.


7] Check system log
 sm21 System log-- Set date and time to before the last log  review. Check for errors ,warning, security, message-bends,   database events.


8] Review workload statistics
 st03 Workload analysis of <sid>
 sto2 tune summary instance


9] Look for any failed updates
 sm13 update records


10] check for old locks
 sm12 lock entry list


11] Check for spool problems
 sp01 spool request screen-- check for spool that are in  request for over an hour.


12] Review and resolve dumps
 st22 ABAP Dump analysis


13] Checking .trc file in SAP trace directory for block corruption on daily basis.
 C:\ORacle\sid\saptrace


14] Archive backup
 brarchive -f force -cds -c
 Insert the archive backup tape


15] Review NT system logs for problem
 -> NT system log- look 4 errors or failures
 -> NT security log- failed logon 2 sap servers
 -> NT Application log -look 4 errors or failures 

Scheduling a New Job in SAP

What are the steps to schedule a new job run?


1.  Log on to the appropriate SAP instance and client using BATCH_USER.
2.  Go to transaction SM36.
3.  On the Define Background Job screen, fill in the Job name field with the new job name. 
Select a Job Class priority of A for High, B for Medium, and C for Low. 
It is SAP’s recommendation that all client-owned jobs begin with a Z for identification purposes.  And most Basis people recommend the next two characters be the initials for the SAP module for which the SAP instance runs.  Like ZBC* for a Basis job, and ZHR* for a Human Resources job. 
Click on the Specify start condition button or press F5.
4.  On the Start Time popup, click the Immediate button to start the job right away, or click the Date\Time button to specify a date\time in the future for which the job run. 
Click “on” the Periodic job radio button and then click the Period values button if you want to schedule to job to run on a periodic basis. 
Provide the periodic values and click Save back to the main Define Background Job screen.
5.  On the main Define Background Job screen, click the Step button.
6.  On the Create Step 1 popup, fill in the ABAP program Name and any Variant needed to run the program – you had to have created the variant using BATCH_USER before using it here.  Then click Save once more.
7.  Back on the Define Background Job screen, check that all the job information is correct and then click the Save button one last time.

Hide the User Menu

Is there a way of masking or hiding the User Menus as we are using SAP Standard Menu instead of User Based Menus?

To put it simple, when the user logs on to the system he should have only the SAP Standard Menu. 
You have two ways to control this :
1.  Default hide for all the SAP users.
Goto SM30 and edit the table SSM_CUST and set ALL_USER_MENUS_OFF = YES and transport the same in production server.
or
2.  Hide based on individual SAP users.
you can also try SM30 and maintain table USERS_SSM for individual users.

View and Delete All Single and Composite Role

We have done some changes in production role for single as well as composite role.  How to delete all the single as well as composite role at one time?


Run transaction SU10 and select multiple role single and composite and delete on single click of button:

Is there any way to view the composite roles that were assigned to a user that was deleted? 
I am able to go to SUIM and view the single roles but I would like to get the composite roles that were deleted. This is needed so that we can recreate the user and assign the old roles to the user.




If you select the "role change docs" in SUIM and use the selection criteria "overview of change docs" or "all change docs", then deleted composite roles will show up in this report. It would be handy if your composite roles had a different naming convention than the single roles.

How to delete expired roles?

Here are 3 notes you may want to review to see if there is any helpful info, plus some documentation that may be helpful for others....we are going from 40B to 47 and have had a few issues with role deletion 
Notes: 312943 504412 & 313587
Additional info
First, the report PFCG_TIME_DEPENDENCY is functioning as designed.  It was not designed to remove activity groups.
Second, in transaction SU10 you must have the valid from and valid to fields filled in with the actual dates, 04/08/2002, in order to remove the invalid activity group.  You need to be sure that the remove user radio button set in the role tab. But in the profile tab, the add user radio button is selected by default. What you have to do is go to profile tab and select the remove user radio button. You have to make sure both role and profile has the same radio button selected, i.e. remove from users. Only then when you click save, it will allow you to delete the role from user.  


In transaction SU10, you need to complete the following steps:
1.  Click on the Authorization data button.
2.  Entry the users name, latimerc
3.  Click on the execute button.
4.  Put a check in front of the users name.
5.  Click on the transfer button.
6.  Now highlight the user.
7.  Click on the pencil button.
8.  Click on the Activity Groups tab.
9.  Enter the profile name (PM_NOTIFICATION_PROCESSOR).
10. Enter the valid from and valid to dates (04/08/2002).
11. Change the radio buttons to remove user from both the Activity Group and Profile Tabs.
12. Click on the trash can.


In another customer message the following was provided by developement:
We don't have a regular functionality for mass deletion of roles.  But if you want to avoid the deletion by hand or with an own created report, I would suggest the following:
The attached note 324962 includes the report ZDELETE_RY_T_AGRS which could delete all roles with names like 'T_....' or 'RY....'. The report gives you a list of all these roles and deletes then the selected ones. You can modify the report to get all your roles in the selection list. Therefore you have to change the following:


SELECT * FROM AGR_FLAGS INTO TABLE L_AGR_FLAGS
                     WHERE FLAG_TYPE = 'COLL_AGR'
                     AND   FLAG_VALUE = 'X'.
SORT L_AGR_FLAGS BY AGR_NAME.
LOOP AT SINGLE_ACTGROUPS WHERE AGR_NAME+11 <> SPACE AND   <<< delete
          ( AGR_NAME(2) = 'T_' OR AGR_NAME(2) = 'RY' ).   <<< delete
LOOP AT SINGLE_ACTGROUPS WHERE AGR_NAME+11 <> SPACE.      <<< insert
 READ TABLE L_AGR_FLAGS WITH KEY AGR_NAME = SINGLE_ACTGROUPS-AGR_NAME
                            BINARY SEARCH.


Text from an additional customer message as further help:
- go on role tab
- select remove from user
- enter ZR.PRD.GENERIC and date : 06/04/2002 12/31/9999
- go to profile tab
- select remove from user
- save
- do the same for ZR:HR:ESS from 01/01/2002 to 12/31/9999 and worked
  from date for testid was 01/01/2002 and testid2 02/01/2002 and the 2 assignement were deleted And the roles were 
  removed from the 2 UMR.
So it works as designed. 

Mass Maintenance of Users Profiles

Goto transaction code SU10
Select your SAP User by Address data or Authorization data.
With the users you want to change selected, click :-
User -> Change -> Profiles
Filled in the Profiles and click save.

Changing the default password for sap* user

You are trying to change the password for sap* user, however when you go into su01 and enter sap* as the user name, the following message is displayed, user sap* does not exist.

You can delete the SAP* user using ABAP code :-
Delete from usr02 where bname = 'SAP*' and mandt = '***';
Where '***' means your client no.

Then login to your client using password SAP* and password PASS
However, if you delete it, then it will automatically created once again with password PASS
The userid, SAP*, is delivered with SAP and is available in clients 000 and 001 after the initial installation. In these 2 clients, the default password is 07061992 (which is, by the way, the initial date when R/3 came into being...). It is given the SAP_ALL user profile and is assigned to the Super user group. When I say it is "delivered" with SAP, I mean that the userid resides in the SAP database; there are actually rows in the user tables used to define userids.

If you delete the userid, SAP*, from the database, SAP has this userid defined in its kernel (the SAP executable code that sits at the operating system level, i.e., disp+work).  When this situation exists, the password defined in the SAP code for SAP* is PASS.  This is necessary when you are performing client copies for example, as the user information is copied at the end of the process. You can sign into the client you are creating while a client copy is processing using SAP* with password PASS (but you should have a good reason to do this - don't change anything while it's running).

Anyway, if the SAP* userid is missing, you can sign in to the client you want and simply define it using transaction SU01 and, as I stated above, assign it to the SUPER user group and give it the SAP_ALL profile.  You define its initial password at this point. If you've forgotten its password and don't have a userid with sufficient authorization to create/change/delete userid, 

then you can use the SQL statements to delete it from the database and then you can use SAP* with PASS to sign back into the client you want to define it in and recreate it.

There is also a profile parameter which can override the use of SAP* with PASS to close this security hole in SAP (login/no_automatic_user_sapstar).  When this parameter is defined either in your DEFAULT.PFL profile or the instance-specific profile and is set to a value of '1', then the automatic use of SAP* is deactivated. The only way to reactivate the kernel-defined SAP* userid at this point would be to stop SAP, change this parameter to a value of 0 (zero), and then 
restart SAP.
The default password for SAP* is 06071992. (DDIC has 19920706)

Different methods to Lock or unlock SAP users

I want to lock all the users in SAP during MTP.  I know using SU10 we can do it. Any other alternative ways to lock the users.
Is there a way in SAP to unlock a locked user for a limited time, then automatically after x time set the user back to lock status? 
You can fill in "valid from" and "valid until", but you cannot say from Monday to Friday from 8 - 12:00 for part time workers.
Can we schedule to lock all users?
If users get locked, from SU01 you can unlock them.
Use SU10 to mass lock/unlock the users.
Use address data or authorisation data to get a list of users - select the ones you want and
click transfer.
Once this is done click on lock or unlock.
You can also use transaction code EWZ5 to mass lock/unlock the users
or
Execute program EWULKUSR in SE38
or
Set a profile parameter (login/failed_user_auto_unlock) to unlock at midnight the locked users.
or
Here's an ABAP code, short and simple, isn't it?
REPORT zreusrlock.
DATA: time_limit TYPE sy-datum. 
DATA: days TYPE i VALUE 40.
time_limit = sy-datum - days. 
UPDATE usr02 SET uflag = 64 WHERE trdat < time_limit.
If you don't want to specify the time in the program, you can use SE38 to schedule it as a daily background job with the date and time.
or
Probably the easiest way would be to write a sqlplus SQL script that sets all the UFLAG fields in table USR02 to 64 EXCEPT for the BNAMEs you don't want locked. When you are done, you can do the same again but change the UFLAG field to 0.
The SQL statement would look like:
update SAPR3.USR02 set UFLAG = 64 where MANDT = <client number> and BNAME != <don't lock user 1> 
AND BNAME != <don't lock user 2>;
You can replace != with <> if you want. To run this from an OS command line, you would type:
Unix/Oracle 8---> sqlplus internal @<SQLpath+SQLname> 
NT/Oracle 8.0---> plus80 internal @<SQLpath+SQLname> 
NT/Oracle 8.1---> sqlplus internal @s<SQLpath+SQLname> 
Unix/Oracle 9:--> sqlplus /nolog @<SQLpath+SQLname> 
NT/Oracle 9-----> sqlplus /nolog @<SQLpath+SQLname>
In UNIX you can cron the script to schedule it. In NT you can schedule it as a task.
or
This is another method to UNLOCK ALL users.
Start Oracle Server manager (I assume you are on Oracle) 
connect internal 
update sapr3.usr02 set uflag='0' where mandt='399';
When users are locked, the uflag is set to 64.
Finish, just query to check.
select bname, uflag from sapr3.usr02 where mandt='399';
Please note that unlocking users from low level (like Oracle sqlplus) should be used as last resort. Frequent use of low level access may tempt you to use on other things. Highly dangerous and your IS auditors will not be too happy.
Is there a way to set a list of users that cannot be locked, even if we try to lock them manually, and even if they fail connection ( wrong password )?
Increase this parameter in SAP Instance profile:
login/fails_to_user_lock = 6 (max is 99 wrong attempts, i.e, value 99). Currently you have a value of 3.
login/failed_user_auto_unlock (for your midnight unlocking).
Ask users to remember passwords!! If someone is deliberately login-in with different username/password (thereby blocking legitimate access of that user), check hostname from SM21.
This is considered as DoS (Denial of Service).

Frequently Used UNIX Commands in SAP

Top 10 fundamental commands which are commanly used in Unix OS.
1. stopsap/startsap for stopping/starting SAP+ DB, stopsap r3/startsap r3 for stopping/starting R3
2. cdpro for checking the profiles path SAPMNT/<SID>/profile
3. cdexe for checling the kernel folder
4. find . -name filename -print for checking the file in the present directory
5. dpmon pf= <Instance profile path>, jcmon pf=<instance profile path>
6. df -k, bdf for checking all file system usages; df -k ., bdf. for individual file usages
7. ls -lrt for listing of files according to the date modified
8. du -a | sort -k 1n,1 for sorting the files in a recursive manner.
9. h for listing previous used commands.
10. rm < file> for removing file, gzip <file> for zipping the file.
-----
1. VI and Gedit is an Editor,  just like to write any programme save it and go to command and compile through through GCC -o .cpp 
2. Ps -ef is to check the how many running process and Kill any running process
3. gunzip to unzip file
4. tar -xvzf file name to run the zip folder of file content
5. mv mo from one path to another
6. Rf remove forcifully any file
7. Make command to effect any coading content
8. make clean to clean the effect of make command
9. cp coppy from one location to another
10. pwd check the current directory
-----
Check these commands.
su - production-admin 
stopsap all -> make sure that the R/3 Instance and Oracle Database stopped 
startsap all -> make sure that the R/3 Instance and Oracle Database started
If the Oracle Database is not started, tried using SAPDBA 
su - oracle-admin 
sapdba 
Options a - Startup / Shutdown Database instance

SAP Database Startup and Shutdown

Startup
- Login as '<sid>adm'
- To interrupt Open Windows 'Shift Control-C'
- Unix > startsap all (this will startup the SAP and database system)
Note :-
startsap R3 - will startup SAP only
startsap DB - will startup database only
SAP Startup Profile resides in
/sapmnt/<SID>/profile/<SID>_DVEBMGS00
Shutdown
- Check if there are any users or processes executing in the SAP System
  (use transaction code SM50 and SM04 - delete their session before shutdown)
- Login as '<sid>adm'
- To interrupt Open Windows 'Shift Control-C'
- Unix > stopsap all (this will shutdown the SAP and database system)
Note :-
stopsap R3 - will shutdown SAP only
stopsap DB - will shutdown database only

SAP Transaction code to pre-compile all system program

If I have to run SGEN and have to recycle the server as well for clearing out memory, does it make sense to run SGEN first and recycle afterwards, because SGEN will sort of litter the memory or is it inconsequential what runs first.


SGEN is ued to "compile" ABAP programs. Results are put in database.
So, if you restart SAP, compiled results will still be in the database, so, no need to run SGEN again.
Make use of the transaction 'SGEN' to re-generate all the SAP programs after you change version of your SAP kernel, upgrade SAP system or apply support packages.
Do take care of the table spaces and use SAPDBA to observe them.
Do it during a weekend which is the best or a period of time with very very low users activity.
It will takes about 5 to 8 hours depending on the type of hardware configuration you are using.

Apply OSS Notes On My SAP R/3 System

How to apply OSS notes to my R/3 system?

In order to fix one of the problem in R/3 system, SAP will asked you to download an OSS notes which is a ".car" file. 

To work with a CAR File do the following at OS Level:

Get into OS as <sapsid>adm

Copy the .CAR file to a Temporary Directory.

Uncompress the file with SAPCAR

Copy the the data file generated in the  data transport directory 
( ej: = /usr/Sap/trans/data).

Copy the the cofile file generated in the  cofiles transport directory 
( = ej: /usr/Sap/trans/cofiles).

Run transaction STMS

Upload the support package with SPAM transaction and the support package will show "New support packages". 

Examples of CAR command :-

   1) UNIX only: 

       Log on as user <sapsid>adm. 
       cd /usr/sap/trans 
       CAR -xvf tmp/<ARCHIVE_NAME>.CAR -V 

   2) Windows NT only: 

       Log on as user <SAPSID>ADM. 
       cd \USR\SAP\TRANS 
       CAR -xvf TMP\<ARCHIVE_NAME>.CAR 

This Will create two(2) FILES

After you run SPAM  you MUST run STMS and check the transport queues 

As per 315963 note you can direct made the changes in the program or you can apply the support pack. 

a) If you want to apply correction then first you need to register the object in SAP, so that you will get the Access key and then you can make the changes.

b) If you want to import the support pack then you need to down load from SAP market-place. and this is in CAR file. and then you need extract the same using CAR utility. 
ex: CAR -xvf abc.car

or 

you can directly apply the patch from SAPGUI, login to 000 client and then you can load the patch from Presentation server. 

Also check what is your current basis patch level?

For example if you want to apply patch 07 and you are having 05 then you need to apply 06 and then apply 07.

Things to take note of:-

It would definitely be better to apply the latest spam/saint spam manager, tp, R3trans and possibly a new kernel patch. 

This is not a simple task to complete on the fly.  By applying SAP support packs, you may run into problems with SPDD and SPAU adjustments. Also include the fact that the support packages may break one of your transactions.  You may want to test this in your sandbox environment, if you have one, before tackling it.

In most situation when you apply support packages, it can takes about 3 weeks to fully test the support packages before you can apply them to the production system. 

Do test your "golden" transactions to make sure that they are not broken.  If you are not familiar with SPDD and/or SPAU adjustments than do not attempt to load support packages.

You may be better off just to modify the SAP object in question via OSS note.

What are SAP Notes? Where do I can find them? How to use it?

OSS is the online service system provided by SAP for support activities, like sometimes some issues which we can't resolve, then we have to send it to SAP, it is only sent through OSS and then SAP will login to our servers for doing the R&D of the issue.

SAP notes are the update information in SAP, frequently released by SAP.
It is SAP's method of Online Support System.
OSS notes are online documents published by SAP in their web site http://service.sap.com, aimed to take care of the following:
- Product errors
- Product modifications
- Product upgrades
- FAQs
- Consulting notes
- Customizing notes etc.

The notes contain, among other things, program corrections, methods for table/field additions, deletions /corrections, customization changes etc.
Once in a year or so, SAP comes out with upgrades which will include many of the notes issues between the provious upgrade and once being issues.
Certain notes (which are limited to code correction) can be implemented in a simple way using transaction SNOTE.

Other notes which include customization changes , field/table corrections need to be implemented manually.
If you have the access you can view from http://service.sap.com

OSS notes are the corrections and suggestions given by SAP for standard objects(Like programs, Function modules).
Oss notes provide either information or corrections to the customer.
Some notes contain critical information about the component and have to be used in addition to the component guides that are delivered to the customer.
Some other notes provide corrections to the code as a fix before a support package is released. The subsequent SPs contain the corrections that were delivered through notes before.  Hence it is important to check the current SP level of your system and the SP level with which the corrections come before applying the notes.
Some notes provide just manual corrections (in which case the procedure to make the manual corrections also need to be specified in the notes) and other provide automatic corrections (which are applied through TA SNOTE).
The notes can be searched or downloaded at http://service.sap.com/notes

Useful SAP System Administration Transactions

AL01  SAP Alert Monitor
AL02  Database alert monitor
AL03  Operating system alert monitor
AL04  Monitor call distribution
AL05  Monitor current workload
AL06  Performance: Upload/Download
AL07  EarlyWatch Report
AL08  Users Logged On
AL09  Data for database expertise
AL10  Download to Early Watch
AL11  Display SAP Directories
AL12  Display table buffer (Exp. session)
AL13  Display Shared Memory (Expert mode)
AL15  Customize SAPOSCOL destination
AL16  Local Alert Monitor for Operat.Syst.
AL17  Remote Alert Monitor for Operat. Syst.
AL18  Local File System Monitor
AL19  Remote File System Monitor
AL20  EarlyWatch Data Collector List
AL21  ABAP Program analysis
AL22  Dependent objects display
CREF  Cross-reference
BD64
BSVW  Linkage Status Update-Workflow Event
CMOD  Enhancements
DB01  Analyze exclusive lock waits
DB02  Analyze tables and indexes
DB03  Parameter changes in database
DB11  Early Watch Profile Maintenance
DB12  Overview of Backup Logs
DB13  Database administration calendar
DB14  Show SAPDBA Action Logs
DB15  Data Archiving: Database Tables
DB16  DB System Check: Monitor
DB17  DB System Check: Configuration
DMIG  Start Transaction for Data Migration
DB2   Select Database Activities
DB20  DB Cost-Based Optimizer: Tab. Stats
DB21  DB Cost-Based Optimizer: Config.
DB24  Database Operations Monitor
DB26  DB Profile:Monitor and Configuration
DB2J  Manage JCL jobs for OS/390
DBCO  Database Connection Maintenance
FILE  Cross-Client File Names/Paths
NACE  WFMC: Initial Customizing Screen
OAA1  SAP ArchiveLink: Maint.user st.syst
OAA3  SAP ArchiveLink protocols
OAA4  SAP ArchiveLink applic.maintenance
OAAD  ArchiveLink Administration Documents
OAC2  SAP ArchiveLink: Globaldoc. types
OAC5  SAP ArchiveLink: Bar code entry
OACA  SAP ArchiveLink workflow parameters
OAD0  SAP ArchiveLink: Objectlinks
OAD2  SAP ArchiveLink document classes
OAD3  SAP ArchiveLink: Link tables
OAD4  SAP ArchiveLink: Bar code types
OAD5  SAP ArchiveLink: Customizing Wizard
OADR  SAP ArchiveLink: Print list search
OAM1  SAP ArchiveLink: Monitoring
OAOR  SAP ArchiveLink: Storeddocuments
OARE  SAP ArchiveLink:St.syst.return codes
OS01  LAN check with ping
OS03  O/S Parameter changes
OS04  Local System Configuration
OS05  Remote System Cconfiguration
OS06  Local Operating System Activity
OS07  Remote Operating SystemActivity
OSS1  Logon to Online ServiceSystem
OY18  Table history
OY08  Development Class Overview
PFCG  Activity Group
PFUD  Authorization Profile comparison
RLOG  Data migration logging
RZ01  Job Scheduling Monitor
RZ02  Network Graphics for SAP Instances
RZ03  Presentation, Control SAP Instances
RZ04  Maintain SAP Instances
RZ06  Alerts Thresholds Maintenance
RZ08  SAP Alert Monitor
RZ10  Maintenance of profile parameters
RZ11  Profile parameter maintenance
RZ12  Maintain RFC Server Group Assignment
RZ20  CCMS Monitoring
RZ21  Customize CCMS Alert Monitor
SA38  ABAP/4 Reporting
SAD0  Address Management call
SADC  Address: Maint. communication types
SALE  Display ALE Customizing
SAINT Plug-in Installation
SARI  Archive Information System
SAR3  Customizing Archiving
SAR4  Define Archiving Class
SAR5  Assign Archiving Class
SAR6  Archiving Time Generator
SARA  Archive management
SARL  Call of ArchiveLink Monitor
SARP  Reporting (Tree Structure): Execute
SART  Display Reporting Tree
SB01  Business Navigator - Component View
SB02  Business Navigator - Process flow vw
SBAS  Assignments to Process Model Elemts
SC38  Start Report Immediately
SCAT  Computer Aided Test Tool
SCC0  Client Copy
SCC1  Client Copy - Special Selections
SCC2  Client transport
SCC3  Client Copy Log
SCC4  Client administration
SCC5  Client Delete
SCC6  Client Import
SCC7  Client Import – Post Processing
SCC8  Client Export
SCC9  Remote Client Copy
SCCL  Local Client Copy
SCDO  Display Change DocumentObjects
SCMP  View / Table Comparison
SCOM  SAPcomm: Configuration
SCON  SAPconnect - Administration
SCPF  Generate enterprise IMG
SCPR1 Customizing Profiles : Maintenance Tool
SCPR2 Comparing Customizing profiles
SCUA  Central User Administration : Distribution Model Assigment
SCUG  Central User Administration Structure Display
SCUL
SCUM  Central User Administration Field Selection
SCU0  Table Analyses And Comparison
SCU1  Table Comparison - Export to Tape
SCU2  Table Comparison Against Tape
SCU3  Table History
SD11  Data Modeler
SDBE  Explain an SQL Statement
SECR  Audit Information System
SE01  Transport and Correction System
SE02  Environment Analyzer
SE03  Transport Utilities
SE06  Set up Workbench Organizer
SE07  Transport System Status Display
SE09  Workbench Organizer (Initial Screen)
SE10  Customizing Organizer
SE11  Data Dictionary Maintenance
SE12  Data Dictionary Display
SE13  Maintain Technical Settings (Tables)
SE14  Convert Data Dictionary tables on Database Level
SE15  Repository Info System
SE16  Display Table Content
SE17  Generate Table Display
SE30  ABAP Objects Runtime Analysis
SE32  ABAP Text Element Maintenance
SE33  Context Builder
SE35  ABAP/4 Dialog Modules
SE36  Logical databases
SE37  ABAP Function Modules
SE38  ABAP Editor
SE39  Splitscreen Editor: Program Compare
SE40  MP: Standards Maint. and Translation
SE41  Menu Painter
SE43  Maintain Area Menu
SE51  Screen Painter
SE52  Parameterized screenpainter call
SE54  Generate table view
SE55  Internal table view maintenance call
SE56  internal call: display table view
SE57  internal delete table view call
SE61  R/3 Documentation
SE62  Industry Utilities
SE63  Translation: Initial Screen
SE71  SAPscript form
SE72  SAPscript Styles
SE73  SAPscript font maintenance (revised)
SE74  SAPscript format conversion
SE75  SAPscript Settings
SE76  SAPscript: Form Translation
SE77  SAPscript Translation Styles
SE78  SAPscript: Graphics administration
SE80  Object Navigator
SE81  Application Hierarchy
SE82  Application Hierarchy
SE84  R/3 Repository Information System
SE85  ABAP/4 Repository Information System
SE86  ABAP Repository Information System
SE88  Development Coordination Info System
SE89  Maintain Trees in Information System
SE91  Maintain Messages
SE92  New SysLog Msg Maintenance as of 46A
SE93  Maintain Transaction Codes
SE94  Customer enhancement simulation
SE95  Modification Browser
SEPS  SAP Electronic Parcel Service
SERP  Reporting: Change Tree Structure
SEU   Repository Browser
SF01  Client-Specific File Names
SFAW  Field Selection Maintenance
SIAC1 Web Object Administration
SHDB  Record Batch Input
SICK  Installation Check
SIN1  SAPBPT: Inbox
SINA  SAPBPT: Maintain Standard Config.
SLG0  Application Log: ObjectMaintenance
SLIN  ABAP: Extended Program Check
SM01  Lock Transactions
SM02  System Messages
SM04  User Overview
SM12  Display and Delete Locks
SM13  Display Update Records
SM14  Update Program Administration
SM21  System log
SM23  System Log Analysis
SM28  Installation Check
SM29  Model Transfer for Tables
SM30  Call Up View Maintenance
SM31  Table maintenance
SM31_OLD  Old Table Maintenance
SM32  Maintain Table Parameter ID TAB
SM33  Display Table ParameterID TAB
SM34  Viewcluster maintenancecall
SM35  Batch Input Monitoring
SM36  Batch request
SM37  Background job overview
SM38  Queue Maintenance Transaction
SM39  Job analysis
SM49  Execute Logical Commands
SM50  Work Process Overview
SM51  List of SAP Servers
SM54  TXCOM maintenance
SM55  THOST maintenance
SM56  Number Range Buffer
SM58  Asynchronous RFC Error Log
SM59  RFC Destinations (Display/Maintain)
SM60  Borrow/Return Objects
SM61
SM62
SM63  Display/Maintain Operating Mode Sets
SM64  Release of an event
SM65  Background Processing Analysis Tool
SM66  System-wide Work Process Overview
SM67  Job scheduling
SM68  Job administration
SM69  Display/Maintain Logical Commands
SMEN  Dynamic menu
SMGW  Gateway Monitor
SMLG  Maintain Logon Group
SMLI  Language import utility
SMLT  Language transport utility
SMOD  SAP Enhancement Management
SMT1  Trusted Systems (Display <-> Maint.)
SMT2  Trusting systems (Display <->Maint.)
SMW0  SAP Web Repository
SMX   Display Own Jobs
SNRO  Number Range Objects
SO02  SAPoffice: Outbox
SO03  SAPoffice: Private Folders
SO04  SAPoffice: Shared Folders
SO05  SAPoffice: Private Trash
SO06  SAPoffice: Substitutionon/off
SO07  SAPoffice: Resubmission
SO10  SAPscript: Standard Texts
SO12  SAPoffice: User Master
SO13  SAPoffice: Substitute
SO15  SAPoffice: DistributionLists
SO16  SAPoffice: Profile
SO17  SAPoffice: Delete Shared Trash
SO18  SAPoffice: Shared Trash
SO19  SAPoffice: Default Documents
SO21  Maintain PC Work Directory
SO22  SAPoffice: Delete PC Temp. Files
SO23  SAPoffice: DistributionLists
SO24  SAPoffice: Maintenance of default PC
SO28  Maintain SOGR
SO30  SAPoffice: Reorg.
SO31  Reorganization (daily)
SO36  Create Automatic Forwarding
SO38  SAPoffice: Synchr. of Folder Auths.
SO40  SAPoffice: Cust. LayoutSet MAIL
SO41  SAPoffice: Cust. LayoutSet TELEFAX
SO42  SAPoffice: Cust.Layout Set TELEFAX_K
SO43  SAPoffice: Cust.Layout Set TELEFAX_M
SO44  SAPoffice: Cust. LayoutSet TELEX
SO70  Hypertext: Display/Maint. Structure
SO71  Test plan management
SO72  Maintain Hypertext Module
SO73  Import graphic into SAPfind
SO80  SAPfind: Free Text Retrieval Dialog
SO81  SAPfind: Free Text Indexing (Test)
SO82  SAPfind: Free Text Retrieval Batch
SO95  Pregenerated Search Queries - Selec.
SO99  Put Information System
SOA0  ArchiveLink Workflow document types
SOBJ  Attribute Maintenance Objects
SOLE  OLE Applications
SOLI  Load OLE type info
SOPE  Exclude Document Classes
SOTD  SAPoffice: Maintain Object Types
SOY1  SAPoffice: Mass Maint. Users
SOY2  SAPoffice: Statistics data collect.
SOY3  SAPoffice: Statistics Evaluation
SOY4  SAPoffice: Access overview
SOY5  SAPoffice: Inbox overview
SOY6  SAPoffice: Document overview
SOY7  SAPoffice: Folder overview
SOY8  SAPoffice: Mass Archiving
SOY9  SAPoffice: Inbox Reorg.
SOYA  SAPoffice: Change folder owner
SP00  Spool and Relate Area
SP01  Spool Control
SP02  Display output Requests
SP03  Spool: Load Formats
SP11  TemSe Contents
SP12  TemSe Administration
SPAD  Spool Management
SPAM  SAP Patch Manager (SPAM)
SPAU  Display Modified DE Objects
SPCC  Spool Consistency check
SPDD  Display Modified DDIC objects
SPHA  Telephony administration
SPIC  Spool : Installation Check
SPRM  Current Customizing
SPRO  Customizing
SQ01  SAP Query: Maintain queries
SQ02  SAP Query: Maintain funct. areas
SQ03  SAP Query: Maintain user groups
SQ07  SAP Query: Language comparison
SQVI  QuickViewer
SSAA  System Administration Assistant
SSCA  Appointment Diary: Administration
SRZL  CCMS
SSM1  Session Manager generation call
SSM5  Create Activity Group
ST01  System Trace
ST02  Setups/Tune Buffers
ST03  Performance, SAP Statistics, Workload
ST04  Select activity of the databases
ST05  SQL Trace
ST06  Operating System Monitor
ST07  Application monitor
ST08  Network Monitor
ST09  Network Alert Monitor
ST10  Table Call Statistics
ST11  Display Developer Traces
ST12  Application Monitor
ST14  Application Analysis
ST22  ABAP Runtime Error Analysis
ST22  ABAP/4 Runtime Error Analysis
ST62  Create industry short texts
STAT  Local transaction statistics
STMS  Transport Management System
STUN  Performance Monitoring
STW1  Test Workbench: Test catalog
STW2  Test workbench: Test plan
STW3  Test workbench: Test package
STW4  Test Workbench: Edit test package
STW5  C maintenance table TTPLA
STZAC Maintain time zone act.in client
STZAD Disp.time zone activat.in client
SUMM  Global User Manager
SU01  Maintain User
SU01D Display users
SU02  Maintain Authorization Profiles
SU03  Maintain Authorizations
SU05  Maintain Internet Users
SU10  Mass changes to User Master
SU11  Maintain Authorizations
SU12  Mass Changes to User Master Records
SU2   Maintain User Parameter
SU20  Maintain Authorization Fields
SU21  Maintain Authorization Objects
SU22  Auth. object usage in transactions
SU24  Disables Authorization Checks
SU25  Imports SAP Check Indicators defaults
SU26  Adjust Authorization checks
SU30  Total checks in the area of auth.
SU52  Maintain own user parameters
SU53  Display check values
SU54  List for Session Manager
SU56  Analyze User Buffer
SUPC  Profiles for activity groups
SUPF  Integrated User Maintenance
SUPO  Maintain Organization Levels
SUIM  Repository Info System
SWDC  Workflow Definition
SXDA  Data Transfer Workbench
TU02  Display Active Parameters
USMM  Customer measurement

Responsibilities of SAP BASIS Consultant

Responsibilities of SAP BASIS Consultant

1) Product life cycle management:-
        

Deployment of correction instructions as per SAP to fix reported Bugs.

Approval and download of suitable SAP support packages.

Deployment of SAP support packages as a process of SAP release strategy.

SAP licensing Audit, maintenance of SAP Hardware keys and maintenance keys for SLD
System copies (homogeneous and heterogeneous system copies).

JSPM administration.(deployment of JAVA support packages) Etc…

2) Application management:-

User administration:

·         General user administration. (User ID creation and maintenance)

·         User role and profile creation as per SOD to carry out business processes.

·         SAP user security and authorization management. Etc…

SAP Application management:
SAP change correction management / SAP Transport management system.
SAP client management (PRD client copy, export, import, deletion)
SAP SPOOL administration and maintenance.
Daily monitoring, checking the alerts and fixing as per alert information.

SAP Buffer, memory management, performance tuning and troubleshoot.

SAP SNC router, SAP OSS connectivity and services.
Administration of RFC connections to SAP OSS and SLD.

SAP Kernel, ADD on installations along with SPAM and JSPM updates.
AP installations and configurations. (SAP NW 2004s Sr3 etc…)
SLD administration. Etc…

3) Data Base administration:-

·         SAP Data base administration being performed by using SAP DBA utility (BRTOOLS)
Table space maintenance, parameter & DB performance tuning.
Backup strategy, restoration, disaster drill etc…
Implementing SAP approved/tested patches for DB.
Checking the DB alert logs and troubleshoot.
DB Table index rebuilt and maintenance. Etc…

Otherwise, An SAP basis have to make a daily check on each production Server. Below, the Daily check recommended :

1] Check that all the application servers are up: 
                        sm51 SAP Servers (check server status must be “active”) à (go to SM50 to look at all work process and if it’s required to restart a disp+work process)
sm04/al08 Logon Users (goto à memory to see who spent a lot of memory especially heap memory Mem(Priv) or a large amount of page memory)

2] Check that daily backup are executed without errors 

db12 Backup logs: overview

3] SAP standard background jobs are running successfully. Review for cancelled and critical jobs. 

sm37 Background jobs--- Check for successful completion of jobs. Enter * in user-id field and verify that all critical successful jobs and review any cancelled jobs.

4] Operating system monitoring 

st06 (check out if idle Utilization user is under 50 %)

5] Extents monitoring 

db02 Database monitoring--Check for max-extents reached
Check rather the alert monitor through DB16.

6] Check work-processes(started from sm51) 

sm50 Process overview-- All work processes with a running or waiting status.

7] Check system log 

sm21 System log-- Set date and time to before the last log review. Check for errors ,warning, security, message-bends, database events.

8] Review workload statistics 

st03 Workload analysis of ST03N in expert mode. In the analysis Views check out the top response time and the top database acces time.
st02 tune summary instance : raise an alert for swap buffer over 100 000 ! in red !
More important: SAP Mem. Area If max use is nearly the values “In mem” : be careful !

9] Look for any failed updates 

sm13 update records and SM14 to see “update is active” in the status box.

10] check for old locks 
            sm12 lock entry list and rid of the oldest (more than 1 day) if no batch are      
           pending !!!!

11] Check for spool problems 

sp01 spool request screen-- check for spool that are in request for over an hour.

12] Review and resolve dumps 

st22 ABAP Dump analysis count and analyze the repetitive dumps.

13] Asynchronous RFC Errors logs
SM58 check and reprocess the Idocs in error !

What are SAP Tickets ?

Handling tickets is called Issue Tracking system. The errors or bugs forwarded by the end user to the support team are prioritized under three seviority High, Medium and Low. Each and every seviority as got its time limits before that we have to fix the error.

The main job of the supporting consultant is to provide assistance on line to the customer or the organisation where SAP is already implemented for which the person should be very strong in the subject and the process which are implemented in SAP at the client side to understand,to analyse,to actuate and to give the right solution in right time.This is the job of the support consultant.
The issues or the tickets(problems) which are arised is taken care of on priority basis by the support team consultants.

The work process in support projects are given below for your reference.
 1.  The customer or the end user logs a call through any tool or by mail (RADIX).
 2.  Each one of the support team is a part of support group.
 3. Whenever a customer logs a call he /she  has to mention to which work group (by name).
 4. Once the calls came to the work group the support consultant or the team need to send an IR (Initial Response) to the user depending upon the priority of the calls. (Top,High,Med,Low,None)
 5. Then the error is fixed, debugged by the support consultant or the team. Then after testing properly by generating TR(Transport Request through the basis admin)
 6. Then it is informed to the end user/customer/super user about the changes which have moved to the production server by CTS process.

These are the process.  In summary, what I understand is that if any configuration or customization is required to solve the issue, then the consultant have to work on DEV Client, then the end user will test it in the QA client and after approval the BASIS consultant has to transport it to the PRODUCTION client.
An example:
Tickets in SD can be considered as the problems which the end user or the employee in the company face while working on R/3.  Tickets usually occur during the implementation or after theimplementation of the project.  There can be numerous problem which can occur in the production support and a person who is working in the support has to resolve those tickets in the limited duration, every ticket has the particular deadline alert so your responsibility is to finish it before that deadline.
To begin with , we should give "TICKET" to you for not knowing it.
Here is an eg of a ticket raise:

 End user is not able to 
 1. Create Sales order for a customer from a New plant , since shipping point determination is not happened . ( Without Shipping point the document becomes INCOMPLETE and he will not be able to proceed further like DELIVERY, BILLING).
He raises a ticket and the priority is set in one of the below:
 1. Low  2. Medium  3. High.

Now you need to solve this ticket. You would analyze the problem and identify that the SP configuration has to be done for the new plant.
You would request a transport for DEV CLIENT to BASIS. You do the change and Request one more Transport to BASIS for QA client. The End user will test the same by creating a sales order for the new plant and approve it.

Finally, you request a transport to move the changes to PRODUCTION. Once the change is deployed in production the TICKET is closed.  What I have given is a small example. You would get some real issues with severity HIGH in your day-day support.

What is SAP Landscape?

Landscape is like a server system or like a layout of the servers or some may even call it the architecture of the servers viz. SAP is divided into three different lanscape DEV, QAS and PROD.

-  DEV would have multiple clients for ex: 190- Sandbox, 100- Golden, 180- Unit Test.
-  QAS may again have mutiple clients for ex: 300- Integration Test, 700 to 710 Training.
-  PROD may have something like a 200 Production.

These names and numbers are the implementer's discreet on how they want it or they have been using in their previous implementations or how is the client's business scenario.

Now whatever you do in the Sandbox doesn't affect the other servers or clients. Whenever you think you are satisfied with your configuration and you think you can use it moving forward, you RE-DO it in the golden client (remember, this is a very neat and clean client and you cannot use it for rough usage). As you re-do everything that you had thought was important and usable, you get a transport request pop up upon saving everytime. You save it under a transport request and give your description to it. Thus the configuration is transported to the Unit Test client (180 in this example).

You don't run any transaction or even use the SAP Easy Access screen on the 100 (golden) client. This is a configuration only client. Now upon a successful tranport by the Basis guy, you have all the configuration in the Testing client, just as it is in the Golden client. The configuration remains in sync between these two clients.
But in the Testing client you can not even access SPRO  (Display IMG) screen. It's a transaction only client where you perform the unit test. Upon a satisfactory unit test, you move the good configuration to the next SERVER (DEV). The incorrect or unsatisfactory configuration is corrected in Golden (may again as well be practised in the sandbox prior to Golden) and accordingly transported back to 180 (Unit Test) until the unit test affected by that particular config is satisfactory.

The Golden client remains the 'database' (if you wanna call it that) or you may rather call it the 'ultimate' reference client for all the good, complete and final configuration that is being used in the implementation.

In summary:
Landscape : is the arrangement for the servers
IDES : is purely for education purpose and is NOT INCLUDED in the landscape.
DEVELOPMENT ---> QUALITY ----> PRODUCTION

DEVELOPMENT : is where the the consultants do the customization as per the company's requirement.
QUALITY : is where the core team members and other members test the customization.
PRODUCTION : is where the live data of the company is recorded.

A request will flow from Dev->Qual->Prod and not backwards.
1. Sandbox server: In the initial stages of any implementation project, You are given a sandbox server where you do all the configuration/customization as per the companies business process.
2. Development Server: - Once the BBP gets signed off, the configuration is done is development server and saved in workbench requests, to be transported to Production server.
3. Production Server: This is the last/ most refined client where the user will work after project GO LIVE. Any changes/ new develpoment is done is development client and the request is transported to production.
These three are landscape of any Company. They organised their office in these three way. Developer develop their program in Development server and then transport it to test server. In testing server tester check/test the program and then transport it to Production Server. Later it will deploy to client from production server.

Presentaion Server- Where SAP GUI have.
Application Server - Where SAP Installed.
Database Server - Where Database installed.

What is the meaning of "R" in R/3 systems?
R/3 stands for realtime three tier architecture. This is the kind of architrecture SAP R/3 system has.
R/3 means three layers are installed in Different system/server and they are connected with each other.
1) Presentation
2) Application
3) Database

Why do we call client 000 as golden client?
Golden client contains all the configuration data and master data so some extent. All the configuration settings are done in golden clients and then moved to other clients. Hence this client acts as a master record for all transaction settings, hence the name "Golden Client".

An Introduction to SAP

SAP was founded in 1972 in Walldorf, Germany. It stands for Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing. Over the years, it has grown and evolved to become the world premier provider of client/server business solutions for which it is so well known today. The SAP R/3 enterprise application suite for open client/server systems has established a new standards for providing business information management solutions.
SAP product are consider excellent but not perfect.  The main problems with software product is that it can never be perfect.
The main advantage of using SAP as your company ERP system is that SAP have a very high level of integration among its individual applications which guarantee consistency of data throughout the system and the company itself.
In a standard SAP project system, it is divided into three environments, Development, Quality Assurance and Production.

The development system is where most of the implementation work takes place. The quality assurance system is where all the final testing is conducted before moving the transports to the production environment.  The production system is where all the daily business activities occur.  It is also the client that all the end users use to perform their daily job functions.
To all company, the production system should only contains transport that have passed all the tests.
SAP is a table drive customization software.  It allows businesses to make rapid changes in their business requirements with a common set of programs.  User-exits are provided for business to add in additional source code.  Tools such as screen variants are provided to let you set fields attributes whether to hide, display and make them mandatory fields.

This is what makes ERP system and SAP in particular so flexible.  The table driven customization are driving the program functionality instead of those old fashioned hard-coded programs.  Therefore, new and changed business requirements can be quickly implemented and tested in the system.
Many other business application software have seen this table driven customization advantage and are now changing their application software based on this table customizing concept.

In order to minimized your upgrading costs, the standard programs and tables should not be changed as far as possible.  The main purpose of using a standard business application software like SAP is to reduced the amount of time and money spend on developing and testing all the programs.  Therefore, most companies will try to utilized the available tools provided by SAP.

What is Client? What is the difference between Customization and Configuration?
The difference between cutomizing and configuration is:
- CONFIGURATION: we will configure the system to meet the needs of your business by using the existing data.
- CUSTOMIZING: we will customise or adapt the system to your business requirements, which is the process of mapping SAP to your business process.
- CLIENT: A client is a unique one in organizational structure, can have one or more company codes. Each company code is its own legal entity in finance.

Configuration  vs. Customization
When considering enterprise software of any type, it is important to understand the difference between configuration and customization.The crux of the difference is complexity. Configuration uses the inherent flexibility of the enterprise software to add fields, change field names,modify drop-down lists, or add buttons. Configurations are made using powerful built-in tool sets. Customization involves code changes to create functionality that is not available through configuration. Customization can be costly and can complicate future upgrades to the software because the code changes may not easily migrate to the new version.Wherever possible, governments should avoid customization by using configuration to meet their goals.Governments also should understand their vendor's particular terminology with regard to this issue since words like "modifications" or "extensions" often mean different things to different vendors.    

What is SAP R3?
We know that SAP R/3 is software, it particular it is client-server software. This means that the groups/layers
that make up a R/3 System are designed to run simultaneously across several separate computer systems.
When you install Microsoft Excel on your PC, each component of Excel (printing components, graphing components, word processing components, and etc.) is stored, managed, and processed via the hardware of your PC.   When a company installs SAP’s software each component (or "layer” in R/3’s case) is stored, managed, and processed via the hardware of separate and specialized computer systems. Each of the various layers is capable of calling upon the specialty of any of the other installed layers in order to complete a given task.
Those components/layers that are requesting services are called “clients”, those components/layers that are providing services are called “servers”.  Thus the term - “client/server”. 

What is meant by SAP ECC?
SAP is an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) module, ECC is the version of SAP, like 4.6, 4.6c and 4.7 in that series new version is ECC-6. Its known as Enterprise core component.