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DOWNTIME MINIMIZATION IN SAP S/4HANA CONVERSION PROJECTS!

 * November 2, 2021


DOWNTIME MINIMIZATION IN SAP S/4HANA CONVERSION PROJECTS!

Abstract

Every one of us knows “the cost and impact of system downtime.” Large
organizations looking for a ZERO downtime approach for moving to SAP S/4HANA or
for upgrading their existing SAP S/4HANA systems can’t do this. Downtime
reduction plan or Downtime strategy is most important for upgrades and
Conversion projects, and minimum downtime will lead to maximum benefits for the
organizations. Downtime optimized conversion aims to drastically reduce the
downtime of Conversion projects. The new Zero downtime approach allows users to
minimize downtime for S/4HANA Conversions. The SAP Readiness check for SAP
S/4HANA will show planned downtime calculator (in versions). This helps in
calculating downtime for a conversion project.



Introduction

This approach is a service offering by SAP. It is not a tool that can be used by
partners or customers directly. It is a very new concept and needs expertise
from SAP – and certainly helps to reduce downtime. The conversion activities are
performed on a clone system, while existing productions system will continue to
work. Users can post their transactions in the existing PRD system. Database
triggers record the user changes, which will be replayed to the clone system.
Finally, a system switch from existing PRODUCTION system to CLONE requires a
very short downtime, and CLONE becomes your new PRD system

We have Three different options and approaches:
1. Standard approach
2. Near ZERO Downtime Technology (Refer SAP Note 693168)
3. Downtime Optimized Conversion

SAP offers tools to evaluate the approach appropriate for you. At the end of the
SUM run, you are asked to provide feedback to SAP. The feedback includes the
statistical data run on the SUM run. We can also create manually by report
FINS_MIG_APPLANA_XML or in Transaction FINS_MIG_STATUS via Goto >> Statistics

Standard approach

There are several definitions on Downtime. Business Downtime is the duration in
which users cannot post any business Transactions in the Production system.

Why downtime?
It is needed when customers are adapting, extending or modifying software.
During this process there is a potential risk of data inconsistency so it may
need a downtime.

What are the influencing factors of downtime?
Runtime: Runtime is total duration of SUM including preparation and Uptime
activities.
Runtime and downtimes are dependent on several factors and I would like to
provide some examples here:
1. Hardware and OS
2. Hard disk Configuration
3. Database size of tables and database configuration, parameters tuning
4. Number of modifications
5. Number of data structures to be converted
6. Number of clients
7. Languages
8. Etc…

Can I perform S/4HANA Conversion in one step?
Yes, but it takes longer downtime than the two step approach. If the start
release is SAP_BASIS740 or more, we can split SAP S/4HANA Conversion in to two
Projects:
1. Database migration to SAP HDB
2. Perform S/4HANA Conversion without DMO

When you want to minimize the technical downtime while converting your SAP ERP
system to SAP S/4HANA, or while upgrading within SAP S/4HANA, you may refer to
SAP note 2351294



Near ZERO Downtime Technology (Refer SAP Note 693168)

Refer to SAP Note 2309893 – Near Zero Downtime method for migration to S/4HANA
and S/4HANA Finance. For general information, refer to SAP note 693168 –
Minimized Downtime Service (MDS).

The Near Zero Downtime (NZDT) approach allows us to minimize downtime for an S/4
conversion. It is a project-based solution using DMIS add-on from SAP. It
requires consulting support.

An overview of the steps allows us to minimize the downtime for migration:
1. Create a clone of the productive system.
2. Perform migration on the clone system.
3. Re-sync migrated the clone with the productive system. The clone system
becomes the new productive system.

The sequence of steps for migration to SAP S/4HANA include the following:
• Recording over DB-Triggers.
• System Cloning and Isolation.
• Upgrade and Installation of SAP S/4HANA.
• Initial SAP S/4HANA Migration and Validation.
• Online delta replay (across releases).
• Downtime.
• Offline Delta Replay
• SAP S/4HANA Migration of Delta
• Last Transports
• Infrastructure Change / System Switch
• Final Validation

Considerations for the Project Set-Up
1. NZDT basis activities such as triggering the activation and the delta replay,
have to be performed by NZDT-certified experts from SAP Consulting as part of
the Minimized Downtime Service.
2. NZDT functional activities such as Finance-specific Customizing, initial and
delta migration can be performed by SAP or by partners.

How to Prepare Source System
To prepare source system for the conversion and subsequent data migration,
perform the following steps:

1. Carry out the necessary period-end closing activities. The following are some
of the relevant activities:
Carry out the depreciation run: Program : RAPOST2000, transaction AFAB closed
without errors.



2. Run the periodic asset postings: ASKB or RAPERB2000 without errors.



Case 1
If you were using classic Asset Accounting under ERP 6.0, reconcile the general
ledger with classic Asset Accounting (report RAABST01, transaction ABST) and
correct any reconciliation differences that occur.



Case 2
If you were using new Asset Accounting under ERP 6.0, then you need to reconcile
the general ledger with new Asset Accounting (report FAA_GL_RECON, transaction
ABST/ABSTL) and correct any reconciliation differences that occur.
1. Execute the asset history sheet.
2. Create the logging tables (for example, one day before you create the clone
system).
3. Lock Asset Accounting for postings on the day you want to create the clone
system, and as such start the delta period.
4. Calculate the plan values for depreciation (transaction AFAR) (this means you
can avoid RC errors during the migration).
5. Check that there are no update terminations.
6. Only if you are migrating to a release lower than SAP S/4HANA 1809, run the
latest version of report RASFIN_MIGR_PRECHECK (SAP Note 1939592) without errors.



7. Activate the trigger and start recording the data.
8. Create the clone system.
Please note that the dataset of the clone system must be earlier than the time
stamp of the latest activated trigger in the live system. Switch on Asset
Accounting for postings.

Convert Clone System
Carry out the following activities in the clone system – in parallel to the
running productive system
1. Isolate the clone system.
2. Perform the upgrade and installation.
Then continue with the initial migration.

Migrate Customizing Settings & Transactional Data



Perform activities of Customizing settings and data into the clone.
First execute preparation step.



Second data migration activity. Start and Monitor for Data Migration. Before you
start to monitor, make sure all the above steps are finished correctly and
without errors.



• Users can continue to post their productive transactions in PRD system while
Customizing and data migration is running on this clone in the uptime.
• After you have completed and checked this initial data migration, the clone is
ready to receive the delta recorded in your productive system.
• To perform the subsequent delta migration, a downtime is necessary in the
productive system.
• Perform the online delta replay of the recorded data.
• Carry out the ramp down in the productive system and lock all users to start
the downtime.

After completing delta migration, we need to migrate Trade Finance and Credit
Management data



Delta Conversion

1. Install SAP notes 2538162 & 2556223
2. Program: FINS_NZD_MIG_DELTA2_PREPARE with the Setup option. Perform an
initial migration and the first delta migration.
3. Transaction Code: FINS_MIG_STATUS will show the X value for Finished for the
delta migration run.



4. Execute report FINS_NZD_MIG_DELTA2_PREPARE with the Backup and delete SLT
logs option.


5. Provide the delta data of the second run in the SLT logging tables.
6. Start a second delta migration run using transaction FINS_MIG_STATUS,
choosing the Prepare migration and Start migration options.

Below are the some of the constraints:
Do you have Actual Costing in your source system?

If yes, complete all material ledger costing runs of actual costing runs in the
source system This means that the “Post Closing” step is to have been executed
successfully for all materials and activity types in all material ledger costing
runs
• Do not post in closed periods
• Do not perform Balance C/F
• Do not perform any customizing changes

Downtime Optimized Conversion Run

To enable the downtime-optimized conversion approach, in the SUM UI, the main
dialog is selection of the scenario strategy.



Authentication of Downtime-Optimized Approach

This approach requires some additional qualifications, for example the
consultant must have qualified in ADM329 and should have a Knowledge Badge. This
Badge needs to be accepted and made Public.

Conclusion

The downtime for a software upgrade to SAP S/4HANA and migration can be
minimized by the Near Zero Downtime approach. The process takes some additional
time for the conversion project. We can continue to post in the productive
system while an upgrade and the initial data migration is running on a clone.
Once the initial data migration has been completed and checked, a short downtime
is necessary in the productive system in order to migrate the rest of the data
and complete the upgrade. This approach helps S/4HANA conversions for customers
with exceptionally time critical conversion projects.

About the Author:
Dr. Ravi Surya Subrahmanyam is a technical and Financials writer with a
background in SAP Financial Accounting, Funds Management, Group Reporting,
Financial Supply Chain Management, Cash Management & in-house cash, SAP S/4 HANA
Finance. He has been working as a Senior Director for the SAP Practice for The
Hackett group India Ltd, (Answerthink Company). He completed Master’s degree in
Finance from Central University, Master of Commerce from Osmania University,
Master of Commerce from Andhra University, and Ph.D.in Finance from one of the
best universities in India. His research Papers have been published in National
and International magazines. He has been a Visiting Instructor for SAP India
Education and SAP Indonesia – Education. He has been working on Conversion and
Upgradation projects. He is a Certified Solution Architect for SAP S/4 HANA and
an SAP S/4 HANA Certified Professional. He can be reached at
sravi@answerthink.com or fico_rss@yahoo.com

SAP S/4HANASAP S/4HANA Conversion
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