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Regular maintenance of the SAP landscape is essential for ensuring that it remains high-performing and offers the latest features. However, maintenance events typically require system downtime, during which production operations are paused until the maintenance is completed.
(It is important to note that downtime doesn't just involve the technical unavailability of the system. It also includes activities such as ramping down the system, ramping it back up and testing, all of which is not productive use, that is business downtime. When I mention downtime in this blog, I’m referring specifically to the technical downtime caused by Software Update Manager.)
SAP provides the Software Update Manager for carrying out maintenance events. To ensure that the maintenance using Software Update Manager on the production system goes smoothly and according to plan, test cycles are performed before updating* production. Typically, the first system to be updated is a sandbox system that is separate from the production landscape. This sandbox system is used to validate the upgrade process and identify any necessary preparation steps and fixes.
Once the sandbox has been successfully updated, the next step is to assess the project planning implications of the update. This involves analyzing the overall maintenance runtime and downtime, ensuring that the downtime fits within the planned maintenance window, and finding ways to potentially shorten the downtime if necessary.
To address these concerns, SAP offer the Technical Downtime Optimization App. This app provides multiple features for analyzing the Software Update Manager runtime and improving the maintenance event.
*Note: Update refers to any maintenance in this text, i.e. release changes (upgrades), Feature or Support Package Stack implementation (update) and import of customer transports.
Prerequisites
Software Update Manager offers to send the analysis files of the maintenance event (UPGANA.XML and, in case of system conversion to SAP S/4HANA®, APPLANA.XML) to SAP. Shortly after submission, the event will be visible in the Technical Downtime Optimization app.
If the data was not sent by Software Update Manager, the XML files can be uploaded manually in the app.
Accessing the Technical Downtime Optimization App
The app is available here: https://tdo.cloud.sap/.
Using the Technical Downtime Optimization App
The first step is to choose the event for analysis.
The default view upon entry is the Durations tab, which provides a visual overview of the overall Software Update Manager runtime. The overview shows the overall runtime and offers to drill down into the blocks by clicking on them.
The Rating feature offers numerical ratings that compare the current run to similar events in the database. This feature also provides comments and best practice information for improving the rating.
The Compare feature allows for a comparison between separate runs. For example, two runs with different parametrization can be compared.
Also, more than two events can be compared.
To identify potential measures for improving downtime, the Simulate feature offers simulation approaches applicable to the maintenance event.
After selecting one of the possible simulations, a detailed view is available.
The Cutover Plan feature provides a template cutover plan based on the runtimes reported by the Software Update Manager. You can adapt the timings and export the plan for use in planning runs on the next systems.
What’s next?
Check it out and CLICK HERE!
We’re constantly making improvements to the Technical Downtime Optimization app. Our dedication to innovation means that the screenshots you see today may already be outdated, as we are continuously introducing newer, more intuitive features. Your feedback is crucial to this ongoing process, so please don't hesitate to use the Feedback button to share your thoughts with us.
Thank you for helping us make our app even better!
