Dear readers
This time I'm not presenting you any of my own work but instead want to advertise what my CSA colleague tobias.kaufmann just published here on SCN:
Automatic Test of Queries with RS Trace Tool. (really well done Tobias!)
Given how important the correctness and well working (concerning results and performance) of SAP BW queries are to many users, in my eyes this is one of the most important and most underused features around.
With the trace tool environment (transaction RSTT) you are able to set up test scenarios for the key queries of your BW solution and re-execute and evaluate them whenever this is required.
Just installed a new revision of SAP HANA?
Run the tests and see if everything still works as it should.
Upgraded application server hardware and want to know if the performance improved for any of your queries?
After running the tests you'll know.
Imported a new SAP note correction or SP stack?
After executing the tests you'll be sure whether or not this broke any of your business reports.
Although this does not eliminate the need for end-user acceptance tests or the final approval of the report users after a critical change in the system, it does make testing your BW solution a lot easier, cheaper and more reliable.
It may not be completely effortless to setup a whole test battery that covers all of the important queries, but it surely pays out to do so.
In fact, SAP BW development uses this exact functionality for testing changes in the coding.
Personally, I totally like this thing and wish we would have something similar for queries and models that are developed right in SAP HANA.
So, if you're running SAP BW powered by HANA don't miss out on this feature - it's already present in your system and only waits to be employed.
Cheers, Lars
