Each time you save a document in SAP Solution Manager — whether creating a new document or saving after editing — the system generates and stores a version of the document. Over time, this can result in many copies of the same document being stored in the version history, consuming a large volume of data and slowing down your system.

The utilities I discuss delete the obsolete versions of your documents, saving space and reducing the index sizes in SAP Knowledge Warehouse (SAP KW). This quick tip applies to projects using the Solution Manager Knowledge Warehouse (SAP KW) without the Test Workbench. For options to manage the SAP KW using the Test Workbench see https://service.sap.com/~sapidb/011000358700000362852009E/SolOpsGuide_EHP1_20090812.pdf.  

Note that the utilities I describe are powerful and should be used only by people who thoroughly understand them. You should take the following precautions to safeguard SAP Solution Manager before proceeding:

Plan for time to perform these activities. These maintenance activities should be treated like the application of a Support Package. They delete data from SAP KW. Be sure you have allotted enough time to verify that the correct information has been removed, and if not, you have allotted time to recover it before returning the system to the user community.

Back up SAP Solution Manager before using these utilities. This may seem like an obvious precaution, but I would be remiss if I didn’t stress the importance of this step.

I strongly suggest you take the time to click the information icon before you start. There are some good explanations of what the utilities do as well as some warnings about when to run them. This tip is based on functionality available with SAP Solution Manager 7.0 enhancement package 1 with Support Package 25 applied.

The Utilities

Transactions KW_IO_DEL and KW_IO_DEL_TR help you manage the number of document versions stored in SAP Solution Manager. Transaction KW_IO_DEL deletes the obsolete versions of the documents, and transaction KW_IO_DEL_TR helps you recover deleted items if too many document versions are accidentally deleted. Transaction KW_IO_DEL_TR is your first line of defense in recovering if there is a problem. It is more efficient than doing a full system restore, so be certain to back up your SAP Solution Manager system before using transaction KW_IO_DEL.

While transaction KW_IO_DEL deletes versions of information objects in SAP KW, my focus is on removing obsolete versions of documents. To do this, I recommend a two-step process. First, run the transaction in test mode to figure out what is going to be deleted. Figure 1 shows the input options for transaction KW_IO_DEL for the test run.

Figure 1

Test run for transaction KW_IO_DEL to delete obsolete versions of documents

When you create a document in SAP KW, it creates a logical information object (LOIO), which is an object that logically represents a document storage location in SAP KW. Think of it as a file folder in a filing cabinet. When you save versions of the document, SAP KW creates a physical information object (PHIO), which is an object that points to a single physical occurrence of a document. It is like a copy of the document stored in the file folder (LOIO). My focus is on cleaning out the folders by removing obsolete copies of the documents, so I’m focusing on deleting PHIOs.

Next, run the actual delete activity KW_IO_DEL. Figure 2 shows the options for running the delete. If your test run revealed a relatively short list of documents, you may choose to run this in the foreground, but usually it’s run in the background.

Figure 2

Running the delete step

D. Russell Sloan

D. Russell Sloan is a specialist in project and program governance for IBM. He focuses on the use of SAP Solution Manager for global rollout projects for IBM’s largest customers, having worked with SAP software since 1996. Russell has degrees in accounting and information systems and has been a team and project leader for SAP projects for more than 14 years. He has been developing and deploying software systems for over 30 years.

You may contact the author at solmanruss@gmail.com.

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