OCS, SPAM, PATCH, SUPPORT PACKAGE
To import Support Packages to an SAP System, we need to know the following:
1. What is the Online Correction Support (OCS)?
2. What are the different Support Package types?
3. What are Support Package Collections?
4. How can I get Support Packages?
5. How do I import Support Packages into a test system?
6. How do I distribute Support Packages to further systems?
7. Why should I include Support Packages in an upgrade?
8. General recommendations
Solution
This section covers points 1 to 8 in more detail.
1. What is Online Correction Support (OCS)?OCS comprises various tools, with which you can obtain Support Packages from SAP and import them into your system. In addition, add-ons with OCS technology can be installed and upgraded as of Release 4.0B.You can import Support Packages using the Support Package Manager (Transaction SPAM).You can install and upgrade add-ons with the add-on installation tool (Transaction SAINT).
- SPAM/SAINT Updates
- Hot Packages (HOT) (for R/3 releases <= 4.5B)
- HR Legal Change Patches (LCP) (for R/3 releases <= 4.5B)
- Component Support Packages (COP or CSP)
- Add-On Support Packages (AOP)
- Conflict Resolution Transports (CRT)
- FCS Support Packages (FFDP)
In addition, there are the following types of add-on installation packages:
- Add-On Installation Package (AOI)
- Add-On Upgrade Package (AOU)
It depends on our SAP Release, which types of Support Packages are available for our system; for instance in Release 3.1H, only the types SPAM Update, Hot Package, HR Legal Change Patches and Conflict Resolution Transports are available, whereas in Release 4.6A only SPAM/SAINT Updates, Component Support Packages, Add-On Support Packages and Conflict Resolution Transports are available.
2. What are the different Support Package types?The various Support Package types are briefly explained below:
SPAM/SAINT Updates: contain corrections and enhancements of the SAP Support Package Manager (SPAM) and the SAP Add-on installation tool (SAINT).
Hot Packages (HOT): are packages of corrections for severe errors in the R/3 Repository and ABAP Dictionary of an R/3 System (without corrections for the HR component). This Support Package type is only available in releases <= 4.5B. Legal Change Patches (LCP): comprise adjustments to the HR component due to alterations to the law in the supported countries. In releases <= 4.0 they also contain all corrections from the corresponding Hot Package. This Support Package type is only available for releases <= 4.5B. Component Support Packages (COP): contain corrections for errors in the R/3 Repository and ABAP Dictionary of one SAP main software component (such as SAP_BASIS, SAP_APO, SAP_HR ...). This Support Package type is available in releases >= 4.5A.Currently Component Support Packages are available for the following main software components: Comp.-ID Component name
Support Package---------+---------------------------------+----------------------SAP_BASIS SAP Basis Component Basis Support Package (Name: SAPKB..... )SAP_ABA Cross-Application Component Appl.Interf. Supp.P. (Name: SAPKA..... )SAP_APPL Logistics and Accounting R/3 Support Package (Name: SAPKH..... )SAP_HR Human Resources R/3 HR Support Pack. (Name: SAPKE..... )SAP_BW Business Information Warehouse BW Support Package (Name: SAPKW..... )SAP_APO Advanced Planning and Optimizing APO Support Package (Name: SAPKY..... )SAP_B2B SAP B2B Procurement BBP Support Package(BBPCRM) (+Cust. Relationsship Management) (Name: SAPKU..... )
Add-On Support Packages (AOP): contain corrections for errors in the R/3 Repository and ABAP Dictionary of an Add-On software component, such as IS-IS or IS-OIL.
Conflict Resolution Transports (CRT): eliminate conflicts which may occur between a Support Package and an Add-On software component such as IS-IS or IS-OIL. Additionally they may contain error corrections for this Add-On software component. If this is the case, they are a combination of a pure CRT and an Add-On Patch.
Component Support Package (CSP): As of Basis Release 6.40, the COP and AOP types were put together for the new CSP type.These Support Packages contain corrections for errors in the R/3 Repository and the ABAP dictionary of a software component, regardless of the software component type.
FCS Support Package (FFDP): updates an FCS system to its final state; you can only import additional Support Packages after you have imported the FFDP.
3. What is a Support Package Collection?A Support Package Collection is a CD containing all the currently available Support Packages of a certain release. It is delivered automatically to all customers with maintenance releases (for example 3.1H, 4.0B, 4.5B ...). Moreover, Support Package Collections are a way to efficiently provide you with very large Support Packages. For further details refer to the Release Notes of these Collection CDs.
4. How can I get Support Packages?There are two ways to get Support Packages: Service Marketplace and Support Package Collection CDs or DVDs.
5. How do I import Support Packages into a test system?CAUTION: Before you start to import Support Packages be aware of the restrictions mentioned in the section "General recommendations". Otherwise, you risk damaging your system!To import Support Packages you have to carry out four steps in the SAP Support Package Manager. The Online help ('i' pushbutton) describes these SPAM procedures in full detail.
- Download the Support Packages (from Service Marketplace)
- Define a Support Package queue
- Import the Support Package queue
- Check the logs
- Confirm the Support Package queue
To download Support Packages from the Service Marketplace, proceed as follows:
- Enter the URL http://service.sap.com/swdc in your Web Browser. You arrive at the Software Distribution Center. Here there are various ways to obtain the Support Packages that interest you.
---In the Download area, you can navigate (hierarchically) to the Support Packages (and patches, for example kernel patches) for the various application components.
Under Search you can view the various search possibilities for the Support Packges that interest you.
--Using Ordering SAP-Software you arrive at the SAP Software Shop where you can order SAP Support Package collections on DVD.
--Under Additional Information more information is available about Support Package stacks that have recently been made available for many product versions. There you arrive at special download pages that make it easier to download Support Packages and patches from Support Package stacks.
- If you have found or selected the Support Packages that you need you can either download them individually directly on your local computer or you can make a note of them in the SAP Download Manager, so that they are downloaded together.
The SAP Download Manager is a Java program that can be installed and executed on any system. It allows a number of Support Packages to be downloaded together, whereby the download can be reset and can be planned for a certain time. Since the SAP Download Manager can also run on an application server, it is possible to load the Support Packages directly on the application server without a detour on the work center computer.
Since SAP software is usually delivered in CAR or SAPCAR archives, the archive downloaded from the Service Marketplace must still be unpacked with the Support Packages and the contained EPS files (files that end in .PAT) must be put in the EPS Inbox. The EPS Inbox is usually in the $(DIR_TRANS)/EPS/in directory ($(DIR_TRANS) = Transport directory). Since the EPS files are generally packed with the relative EPS/in path in the archives, the archives should be unpacked in the transport directory, so that the EPS files automatically land in the correct directory.
Now start the Support Package Manager in Client 000 with any user except SAP*.
Select the menu path "Support Package -> "Load packages" -> "from application server". All new Support Packages are uploaded from the EPS/in directory to the SAP system. Then a list is displayed with all of the Support Packages contained in the EPS Inbox.
These functions are not in Releases <= 3.1. Execute the RSEPSUPL report to upload the Support Packages.
To define a Support Package queue, proceed as follows:
Choose F4 (in releases = 3.1) or the button "Display/define" (in releases >= 4.0) next to the "Queue" field.
A dialog box appears in which you can define the Support Package queue. For details, click the help button on this window.
To import the Support Package queue, proceed as follows:
Make sure that the Support Package Manager Settings ("Extras -> Settings") meet your requirements (see the online help).
Make sure that the latest SPAM/SAINT updates have been imported.
Select "Support Package" -> "Import Queue" to start the import of the defined Support Package queue. While the Support Package queue is being imported, the status line at the bottom of the screen displays the current SPAM steps. As of Release 4.0B it is also possible to monitor individual processes using a wider Support Package Manager instance.
If problems occur during the import, the individual process is stopped and the Support Package Manager presents an error message, and if applicable, it also presents notes to solve the problem. After the problem has been solved the import can be carried out, which the Support Package Manager does automatically in the correct location.
If you have already modified any SAP objects, that are contained in any of the Support Packages in the queue, you must execute a modification adjustment (SPDD for DDIC objects, SPAU for Repository objects) to adjust these accordingly. If necessary, the Support Package Manger asks you to do this.
To check the log files, proceed as follows:
After you have successfully imported the Support Package queue, select "Goto" -> "Import logs" -> "Queue".
Check that all the logs have a return code of 0 (= no errors) or 4 (= warnings).
To confirm the Support Package queue, proceed as follows:
6. How do I distribute Support Packages to further systems?To provide further systems (quality assurance, production) with Support Packages, it makes more sense to distribute these packages from the test system than to download them again individually for each system.To import Support Packages to further systems, proceed as follows:
Copy the *.ATT (for 3.x systems) and *.PAT files to the EPS/in directory of your target system (possibly using FTP).You can leave this step out, if all systems share the EPS/in directory.
In the target system, execute the upload function as described above.
Import the Support Packages to the target system as usual.
If required, import the modification adjustments you created in the test system.
7. Why must I include Support Packages in the upgrade?Generally, a new release contains all the Support Packages of previous releases that were available at the time the upgrade/installation assembly was created. After that, new program corrections will be put into Support Packages dedicated to the new release.During the upgrade, the Repository is replaced, which means that without having taken further action, all Support Packages from the previous releases that were first created after the creation of the upgrade-/installation assembly go missing. So as not to risk a down grade due to the maintenance level, include the Support Packages for the new release directly in the upgrade. The Support Package is then imported as part of the upgrade procedure. As well as avoiding a down grade, this has the advantage that you only have to execute one modification adjustment, and the downtime is reduced compared with importing Support Packages separately.
8. General recommendations
It is advised not to ignore the recommendations below. Otherwise,serious problems may occur during and after the import.
Always import Support Packages into your test system before you start to import them into your production system!
Make sure that you have imported the latest SPAM/SAINT update before you import any other Support Packages!
Read the notes that describe known problems with Support Packages to identify and avoid potential problems before you import Support Packages. As of Release 4.0B, the Support Package Manager displays the the note valid for the respective release in a dialog box at the beginning of the import.
Never import Support Packages directly with tp! If you have modified SAP objects, these modifications will be overwritten without warning and thereafter you will no longer be able to adjust your modifications to the new SAP status using modification adjustment (Transactions SPDD and SPAU). In addition, you risk serious inconsistencies, since the Support Package Manager import process is modified compared with the standard tp import process.
Apply Support Packages only when no users are working productively in the system. Furthermore, do not run any background jobs during this time. Since Support Packages can potentially makes changes in any area of an SAP system, progam terminations or data inconsistencies are possible. In addition, deadlock situations can occur, which can lead to the termination of the import process. You should minimize the probability of these problems occurring.
If you make modifications when you import Support Packages into a test system, ensure that you do not import the resulting change request into further systems until you have applied the same Support Packages to these systems.
Furthermore, you must not import any other transports in the system when you are importing Support Packages. Since the underlying processes are the same, the two types of imports can influence each other, which can lead to unintentional side effects, and you may not be able to use the system at all.Importing transport orders is only possible, if the import phase of the Support Package import process has ended (as of phase RUN_SPAU_?).
If you encounter any errors when you are importing Support Packages, refer to the corresponding note. If you need further assistance, do not hesitate to contact SAP Suuport under the component "BC-UPG-OCS".
