Technical Articles
How to Migrate Portal Content from SAP Enterprise Portal to the Cloud?
Update to this blog (January 2021):
The import/export feature as described in this blog (created in 2018) only worked on the Neo trial environment, which is not available anymore. It was not available on the Cloud Foundry trial for Cloud Portal service.
For updated information about transition from EP to Cloud, check out this page on SAP Community Transition to Cloud | SAP Portal | SAP Community
For more information about the trial environment and which service you should use, check out this blog: https://blogs.sap.com/2020/09/08/start-your-free-trial-for-sap-cloud-platform-launchpad
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Thousands of customers around the world run SAP Enterprise Portal successfully to provide their employees, customers, and partners a central and intuitive access point to business applications, information, and services.
The maintenance of SAP NetWeaver Java ends officially in 2024, which gives customers still some time to consider about their Portal strategy.
We observe that more and more customers already consider to move their on-premise Portal to SAP Cloud Platform Portal, which allows to create engaging business sites providing a responsive, web-based access to your business processes and content. Transitioning the on-premise SAP Enterprise Portal to the SAP Cloud Platform Portal will provide customers a flexible, multi-channel, modern business portal.
In this blog I would like to make you familiar with the Portal Content migration tool that supports the transition to the cloud. Note that there is not this “one and only” tool that migrates your on-premise Portal completely to the cloud. The transition is a complex project depending for example on the analysis of customers’ current on-premise SAP Enterprise Portal’s content, UI technologies and functionalities that are used. Depending on the outcome of this analysis the solution might result to recommend a hybrid approach instead of a complete migration to the cloud.
The Portal Content migration tool is valid for SAP Enterprise Portal on SAP NetWeaver 7.3 and higher. This migration tool can be downloaded from SAP Software Download Center and it supports the following iViews types: Web Dynpro ABAP, SAP GUI Transaction, BEx Web Application and Web-Based URLs.
This is the process for Portal administrators:
- Download the Portal Content Migration tool from SAP One Support Launchpad
2. Export Portal Content from SAP Enterprise Portal into an mtar.file
The file comes with a standard CDM (Common Data Model) structure, and includes all roles and their assigned iViews in a flat structure. The tool extracts the content from a selected folder in the Portal content hierarchy. The folder can be an existing folder or a new folder you prepared for the migration. iViews that are not assigned to a role can also be exported and are mapped to a general role.
3. Import Portal Content to SAP Cloud Platform Portal
You can do this via the site directory in SAP Cloud Platform Portal, which creates a new site. You can also import via the Transport Manager service on the SAP Fiori configuration cockpit to an existing site. During import each role is mapped to a catalog and each iView is mapped to an app in the SAP Fiori launchpad configuration cockpit.
4. After the import is done you have to do some general configuration for the Portal site what was created. You can then preview and publish the site, which contains the former Portal content as apps on a SAP Fiori launchpad site.
Watch this video, which shows the complete migration process:
For more information about the Portal Content migraton tool, see also the relevant section in the SAP documentation.
For more information about transition to the Cloud, read the blog Pack your stuff, let’s move to the cloud and check out this webpage on Portal transition.
Hello Vera,
Thank you for blog and introducing this migration tool it will save some effort
Many Customers are still using – Custom Portal Applications (Abstract Portal components), J2EE applications, ESS MSS based on WD Java, UWL, Guided Procedures. They will have to find alternatives to all these applications during migration.
Is there any integration between Cloud Portal and BOBJ?
Regards,
Vinod Patil
Hi Vinod!
Yes, you are right there are content types that can be integrated (=runtime remains on the remote system on-premise or cloud) easily into Cloud Portal such as Web Dynpro ABAP, Web Dynpro ABAP, SAP GUI for HTML, BEx reports, BSPs. Applications however such as Web Dynpro Java or HTMLB need a redevelopment in SAP UI5. It is always necessary to make a detailed analysis of the customer's landscape of content types and UI technologies and then make a plan how the migration could bel done. It is not possible to give a general recommendation which fits for all customers.
UWL for example can be migrated to My Inbox. For more information, go to SAP Note 2538184.
In case the redevelopment would need a big effort, it is always possible to use Enterprise Portal as a content provider for Cloud Portal. This a hybrid scenario for customers who are not planning a full migration.
Concerning BOBJ, I have to ask some other experts in our team, I will come back to your question, when getting an answer.
Best regards
Vera
Hello,
Thank you so much Vera for detailed response.
I sense that my fav product's (read on-prem SAP EP) life may get extended due to Enterprise Portal as a content provider for Cloud Portal. Thanks for introducing this feature 🙂
Regards,
Vinod Patil
Hi Vera,
What is the future road-map here, how long will on-premise portal will be content provider for Cloud portal? how long do we need to take care of two portals in that case (hybrid approach) ?
I have read few blogs and my understanding is as below, please correct if needed:
Portal content (e.g. Web Dynpro ABAP, SAP GUI Transaction, BEx Web Application and Web-Based URLs.) can be easily migrated to Cloud using migration tool.
For rest of portal content (WD-Java or HTMLB) , on-premise portal can be used as content provide until those are not ready to move to cloud....or before Dec 2024?
What will be the ideal case for Standard Business packages migration to cloud?
Thanks
Dheerendra
Hi Dheerendra!
It is not a must to have EP as a content provider for Cloud Platform Portal. You should see it as a workaround if you do not want to move certain UI technology completely to the cloud. If you prefer to avoid a redevelopment, the scenario with EP as a content provider would be a solution for you during the period of developing a new strategy for the unsupported technologies. The usage of Web Dynpro Java (e.g. custom development) or HTMLB is not supported. It this case a redevelopment to the supported cloud technologies would become necessary.
You can have a look at this new FAQ document on Portal transition to the cloud https://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/x/5oAHHg which gives you also more information on the UI technologies and how they are handled when moved to the cloud.
You must also see that this is not a "real" migration, it is more a new implemention in the cloud.
Best regards
Vera
Thanks Vera..!!
Hi Vera,
Currently, the version of SAP Enterprise Portal we are using is NetWeaver 7.50 SP12.
By the way, I wonder if there are any plans for a new version of Netweaver Portal (7.6, 7.7 or higher) to be released in the future.
In other words, is the new NetWeaver Portal(On-premise Portal) discontinued with the end of NetWeaver 7.5?
If a new version of NetWeaver Portal(On-premise) is not being released in the future, should new customers have no choice but to use Cloud Platform Portal only?
Thanks
Jin
Hi Danny!
At the moment there are no official statements from SAP NetWeaver Product Management to have a new version of SAP NetWeaver available.
The next generation Portal is too be found in the cloud, yes you are right in this respect. SAP has a cloud strategy and Portal is also part of it. We recommend EP customers a transition to cloud, which can also be a long-term strategy, as the end of maintenance for EP 7.5 is 2024. Please also check out this FAQ for further details https://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/x/5oAHHg.
Best regards
Vera
Hi Vera,
I have exported the portal content and by default it is getting exported as a .mtar file. In the portal service, I am only able to import a .zip file. ( Is it possible to export the Enterprise content in a .zip format?)
The below screenshot is my site manager in SCP Portal service.
I am using the CF trial for this.
How should I proceed here.
Thanks,
Vishali
Hi Vishali!
Unfortunately the import/export feature does not work on CF trial, it only worked on Neo trial which is not available anymore. It will also not be offered anymore on CF trial (I will also add a disclaimer to this blog). For more information about transition from EP to Cloud, check out this page on SAP Community Transition to Cloud | SAP Portal | SAP Community
Best regards
Vera
Thanks Vera! 🙂