I've had an idea for a series of SAP Upgrade blog posts for a while and am now getting finally around to writing them up.
This series of posts will describe how we upgraded and changed the underlying architecture of our SAP systems and improved our end user experience.
SAP Landscape pre upgrade.
SAP EP
Version 7.0 with ESS and MSS,E-Recruitment Business packages installed and configured for a full HCM implementation.
Single Stack
Dev QA Prod instances.
SAP ECC5
Web as 6.40 running a full FICO,PS,MM,SD,HCM and payroll. Running Java 6.40 due to SAP recommending that the portal talks first to a Java stack with the same version as ECC that your running so our EP-ECC-JAVA-ECC-ABAP is the round trip for ESS/MSS.
Dual ABAP+JAVA stack
Dev QA Prod instances.
SAP XI 3.0
Used to connect to oracle based systems, 30+ interfaces running, including cash processing and invoice processing via a online gateway. I.E. income.
ABAP+JAVA
Dev QA Prod instances.
SAP SRM 4.0
Used for requisitioning and approvals for purchase orders, posts back into ECC5.
ABAP only
Dev QA Prod instances.
SAP E-Recruitment
Running on a standalone ERP 6 /ECC6 EHP 3 system, installed post go live from ECC5 due to needing the newer functionality of what was the latest available EHP at the time.
Sits in its own 3 Tier Dev-Qa Prod landscape, again is external facing and used for job search. http://www.shef.ac.uk/jobs. If you search for jobs available that's our E-recruitment system, live and external facing.
ABAP Only
SAP Business Connector.
Used for HMRC E-filing UK legal tax, both incoming and outgoing forms, P45,P60 etc.
Single instance
SAP Solution Manager 7.0
Documentation, ASAP configuration etc.
Single Instance
Hardware and Database
All of the above systems are running on Solaris servers using Oracle Databases and have a Netapp Filer attached and mounted for storage, which SAP runs off.
Scope of the upgrade
ERP 5 – ERP6 EHp4
XI3.0 - PI 7.1
SRM 4.0 – SRM 7 Ehp1
Other upgrade tasks are :-
Java stack removal on our ERP system
Deployment of SRM into Enterprise Portal, reconfiguration of Portal connections.
Patch the portal to the latest SP's.
Landscape Post upgrade
SAP EP 7.0 – ESS/MSS/E-recruitment/SRM Business packages – Single Java stack
SAP PI 7.1 - Numerous interfaces – Dual Stack ABAP+JAVA
SAP SRM 7.01 – Classic Scenario, with external supplier catalogue via OCI. – Single ABAP stack
SAP ERP 6 EHP4 full FICO,PS,MM,SD,HCM and payroll – Single ABAP stack
The switch from Dual ABAP+JAVA, EP Patching ECC5-ECC6 EHP4 and SRM 4.0 – SRM 7.01 deployed in the portal all occurred during one weekend from Thursday night, with a shutdown Friday/Monday.
The systems available for business user testing Sunday/ Monday, and back with end users on the Tuesday morning.
No consultancy was used for Basis or Development, the only area where we used consultancy was SRM 7.01 Webdynpro & configuration on the application side.
During the Sandpit, dev and QA builds we all personally upgraded SRM and ERP systems to make sure that a cross set of skills was available for the upgrade weekend should the worst happen.
The development team consists of four SAP developers and three people including myself on the basis side.
