If you are running a SAP Solution Manager 7.1 or 7.2 with a Support Pack below 08, here is important information about the SAP Support Backbone updates that affect SAP Solution Manager capabilities.
Please refer to SAP Support Backbone central landing page on SAP Support Portal for information about areas outside of SAP Solution Manager that are affected by the update of the Support Backbone. There are also additional links in the last section of this post,
Where to find more information?
What is SAP Support Backbone?
SAP Support Backbone is the central infrastructure located at SAP that provides technical support to customers. It consists of several different systems that are used for different purposes. For example, SAP Solution Manager connects to the Support Backbone to exchange data with SAP related to SAP Note Download, Maintenance Planner, IT Service Management, and SAP EarlyWatch Alert to name a few.
The Support Backbone infrastructure has been updated by SAP. However, the legacy infrastructure remains in place to allow a safe transition for Customers until the end of the 2019.
What SAP Solution Manager capabilities are affected?
SAP Solution Manager is an end-to-end Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) solution and a solution landscape support platform with connectivity to SAP. Below is the list of SAP Solution Manager capabilities that are affected by the Support Backbone update.
What SAP Solution Manager version is impacted?
The table below lists the SAP Solution Manager product version and the impact.
What is action required from Customers?
Customers using SAP Solution Manager must transition to the new SAP Support Backbone infrastructure by end of 2019 in order to ensure continuous connectivity to SAP. Below is the summary list of actions required to be performed. For more information about each action, please refer to the central and landing pages listed in the
Where to find more information? section of this blog.
- Upgrade to SAP Solution Manager 7.2 Support Pack 08
- Create/activate Technical Communication Users (SAP Note 2174416).
- Replace generic users with Technical Communication Users in all RFC connections to SAP (SAP Note 2740667).
- Enable SAP Note Assistant (SNOTE) for downloading and uploading digitally signed SAP Notes (SAP Notes 2408073, 2546220 and 2508268). NOTE: If SAP Note Assistant is enabled for Transport-Based Correction Instruction (TCI)
- in the ABAP system, then implement SAP Note 2576306 instead.
- Update ST-PI and ST-A/PI software components on all managed systems that have a direct connectivity to the SAP Support Backbone to a minimum required version (Impact on ST-PI and ST-A/PI section on the central landing page).
What happens if Customers do not upgrade by end of 2019?
If customers do not upgrade to SAP Solution Manager 7.2 Support Pack 08 by end of 2019, there will be an impact to capabilities that require connectivity to SAP.
SAP recommends transitioning to SAP Solution Manager 7.2 Support Pack 08 as soon as possible!
Where to find more information?
Until next SAP SolMan 7.2 Insights…
Yuliya