Done with your XI development/testing and now need to migrate your changes to CON / PRD system? Take a look at the XI Software Logistics, which offers various functionalities from organising shipment units to version management. In this series of blogs, we’ll take a holistic look at XI Software Logistics Solution. The first blog discusses role of SLD and preparation activities associated with it in detail.
SLD Preparation is one of the most important and initial steps in XI transport irrespective of whether you are using CMS or File transfer method. Once it’s ensured that all SLD objects are in place, we can go ahead with exporting XI objects from Integration Builder.
Various options are available for implementing SLD in the landscape ranging from individual SLD per system to a single central SLD for entire landscape and each one with its own pros and cons. You can refer to the planning guide of System Landscape Directory at http://service.sap.com/nw04 -> Planning -> WAS which discusses various landscape scenarios and its various aspects. For this article we’ll consider a scenario wherein DEV and TEST system share same SLD while PRD system has its own SLD. So pictorially landscape can be presented as:
SLD Objects
SLD Objects accessed in Integration Repository
1. Products
2. Software Component Version (SWCV)
SLD Objects accessed in Integration Directory
1. Technical System
2. Business System
Products and SWCVs will remain same across SLDs while technical and business systems will have three sets specific to each environment viz. DEV, CON, PRD.
TSd = Technical System in DEV env.................BSd = Business System in DEV env
TSt = Technical System in CON env.................BSt = Business System in CON env
TSp = Technical System in PRD env.................BSp = Business System in PRD env
Now key point here is that in SLDp we need to have (at least) Technical and Business Systems of CON environment as well. Why is that ? Because we need to mark transport source and targets for all business systems. We’ll discuss this in detail later in section ‘Business System Attributes’.
SLD Objects to be transported:
So the objects that we need to transport from source SLD to target are :
Transport Mechanism
We can move objects by exporting them from source SLD and then later importing them into target SLD.
Exporting Objects(Product,SWCV,TS,BS):
In SLD choose the object and then click on export button as shown below.
Alternatively from respective browser page you can select multiple objects (like TS) and export them together.
Now you get a file to download containing exported objects.
Download this file on local desktop.
Importing objects (Product, SWCV, TS, BS):
In Target SLD follow the below link to import the file :
Administration -> Content -> Import
SLD Bridge
Further we can configure SLDT to forward and update the information received from CON technical systems to SLDP. This is achieved by configuring SLD data supplier bridge of SLDT. Add a new SLD Client pointing to SLDP as below:
Administration -> Data Supplier Bridge -> Add SLD
Settings will take effect when data supplier bridge is restarted.
Why not to create ?
As such Products and SWCVs can be created directly in target SLD instead of transporting from Source SLD. However its essential for SWCV to have identical GUID in both source and target SLD and the best of ensuring the same is export /import method.
Business System Attribute :
Two important attributes of Business System decide what environment the system belongs to and what is the transport target for the business system.
So here system SAPISU belongs to Dev environment and upon transport all the communication channels below system will automatically change to IST_200 in target environment QA. So please create business system group and maintain group and target system for each and every business system as explained below.
Creating Business System Groups
For transport of configuration objects its required to create and maintain transport targets for all business systems. In the Group dropdown, select Edit Groups. Now here you can create a new Transport group say PRD.
Maintaining Transport Targets
Home page --> Business Landscape --> Select Business System
Click on transport targets
In target now we can choose BSp1 and thus assign transport target.
So now objects being moved, business system group created and target system maintained, SLD preparation is done and now it’s a time to start XI Transports. All The Best.
SLD Preparation is one of the most important and initial steps in XI transport irrespective of whether you are using CMS or File transfer method. Once it’s ensured that all SLD objects are in place, we can go ahead with exporting XI objects from Integration Builder.
Various options are available for implementing SLD in the landscape ranging from individual SLD per system to a single central SLD for entire landscape and each one with its own pros and cons. You can refer to the planning guide of System Landscape Directory at http://service.sap.com/nw04 -> Planning -> WAS which discusses various landscape scenarios and its various aspects. For this article we’ll consider a scenario wherein DEV and TEST system share same SLD while PRD system has its own SLD. So pictorially landscape can be presented as:
SLD Objects
SLD Objects accessed in Integration Repository
1. Products
2. Software Component Version (SWCV)
SLD Objects accessed in Integration Directory
1. Technical System
2. Business System
Products and SWCVs will remain same across SLDs while technical and business systems will have three sets specific to each environment viz. DEV, CON, PRD.
TSd = Technical System in DEV env.................BSd = Business System in DEV env
TSt = Technical System in CON env.................BSt = Business System in CON env
TSp = Technical System in PRD env.................BSp = Business System in PRD env
Now key point here is that in SLDp we need to have (at least) Technical and Business Systems of CON environment as well. Why is that ? Because we need to mark transport source and targets for all business systems. We’ll discuss this in detail later in section ‘Business System Attributes’.
SLD Objects to be transported:
So the objects that we need to transport from source SLD to target are :
Transport Mechanism
We can move objects by exporting them from source SLD and then later importing them into target SLD.
Exporting Objects(Product,SWCV,TS,BS):
In SLD choose the object and then click on export button as shown below.
Alternatively from respective browser page you can select multiple objects (like TS) and export them together.
Now you get a file to download containing exported objects.
Download this file on local desktop.
Importing objects (Product, SWCV, TS, BS):
In Target SLD follow the below link to import the file :
Administration -> Content -> Import
SLD Bridge
Further we can configure SLDT to forward and update the information received from CON technical systems to SLDP. This is achieved by configuring SLD data supplier bridge of SLDT. Add a new SLD Client pointing to SLDP as below:
Administration -> Data Supplier Bridge -> Add SLD
Settings will take effect when data supplier bridge is restarted.
Why not to create ?
As such Products and SWCVs can be created directly in target SLD instead of transporting from Source SLD. However its essential for SWCV to have identical GUID in both source and target SLD and the best of ensuring the same is export /import method.
Business System Attribute :
Two important attributes of Business System decide what environment the system belongs to and what is the transport target for the business system.
So here system SAPISU belongs to Dev environment and upon transport all the communication channels below system will automatically change to IST_200 in target environment QA. So please create business system group and maintain group and target system for each and every business system as explained below.
Creating Business System Groups
For transport of configuration objects its required to create and maintain transport targets for all business systems. In the Group dropdown, select Edit Groups. Now here you can create a new Transport group say PRD.
Maintaining Transport Targets
Home page --> Business Landscape --> Select Business System
Click on transport targets
In target now we can choose BSp1 and thus assign transport target.
So now objects being moved, business system group created and target system maintained, SLD preparation is done and now it’s a time to start XI Transports. All The Best.
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