SAP Test Data Migration Server (TDMS) allows you to consistently populate a client with subsets of data from a source (e.g., production or recently refreshed quality assurance) to a target (e.g., development or quality assurance) client. The initial releases of TDMS were focused on SAP R/3 and SAP ERP Central Component (SAP ECC) only, which limited usage by companies looking to incorporate other applications.

In this setting, there was no elegant solution for SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse (SAP NetWeaver BW) and SAP Customer Relationship Management (SAP CRM) systems connected to an SAP ECC system that had been built from a TDMS reduction. To maintain consistency among such connected SAP applications in the past, you could either perform a database copy from the connected source systems to the appropriate targets or perform an initial data download from the TDMS-based target SAP ECC system to the corresponding SAP CRM and SAP NetWeaver BW systems. Both of these options had their drawbacks — wasted storage space in the former and time-consuming manual work in the latter.

With the introduction of TDMS solutions for SAP CRM and SAP NetWeaver BW, you can now perform synchronized data reductions in a consistent manner. In other words, TDMS can carry the level of data and transactional harmony in the source environment to the target. This consistency can ensure, for example, that if an existing sales order is modified in the TDMS-based SAP ECC instance (e.g., creation of a delivery), the corresponding updates are reflected in the connected SAP CRM instance (e.g., through Internet sales). Furthermore, this TDMS-based creation of the SAP CRM and SAP NetWeaver BW clients is optimal — only the data that’s needed to interact with the TDMS-based SAP ECC client is brought to the target.

I’ll describe the seven key steps to build a consistent target environment and share some key lessons learned from performing a synchronized TDMS transfer. Note that this article is not an introduction to SAP TDMS; it assumes that the reader is familiar with basic TDMS concepts. For a primer on TDMS, refer to the SAPexperts IT hub article Select and Transfer a Time Slice of Data for Testing with SAP Test Data Migration Server 3.0 by Manfred Gonschor.

Step 1. Start with a Consistent Source Environment

The quality and consistency of the data in the target clients depend on the data in the source clients. Therefore, the source clients should be fully connected and consistent as far as master data, configuration, organization structure, and transaction data are concerned. This ensures that the target clients built with TDMS can connect and interoperate well.

In addition, the SAP CRM Middleware queues and the delta and extractor queues for SAP NetWeaver BW should be processed fully in the source environments before starting a TDMS reduction.

Step 2. Minimize Changes in the Source

The source environment should remain as static as possible during a TDMS transfer. This reduces the risk of inconsistencies and keeps the queues for SAP NetWeaver BW and SAP CRM from building up again. If possible, unregister the SAP CRM Middleware queues and place SAP NetWeaver BW loads on hold in the source environment. You can unregister SAP CRM Middleware queues through transactions SMQR and SMQS on both the source and receiver systems. You can place the SAP NetWeaver BW loads for the day on hold through transaction RSA1.

If all the queue activity isn’t stopped, transaction updates can be partially processed in SAP ECC and SAP CRM. Such partially updated transactions may be inconsistent when accessed in the target system. Similarly, if an SAP NetWeaver BW load is in progress in the source environment while the TDMS transfer is in progress, the target SAP NetWeaver BW system contains a partial load, which can lead to issues with reporting.

Step 3. Design and Patch the TDMS Landscape

The source, target, control, and central systems for TDMS should be on the same patch level, which should ideally be the latest patch available from SAP. Note that to perform a synchronized TDMS transfer, the same control system must be used for all reductions (in the SAP ECC, SAP CRM, and SAP NetWeaver BW systems).

If you have an existing TDMS landscape with dedicated control and central systems, you can use it to perform your synchronized transfer. If you don’t have dedicated control and central systems yet, it is advisable to either build a new SAP instance for this purpose or use an existing non-production instance that is not heavily used. The central and control systems are typically installed in the same SAP instance. An existing SAP Solution Manager system is typically a good choice.

Step 4. Select the From Date in the SAP ECC Package

Start the TDMS package for SAP ECC first. Step through the Package Settings and System Analysis phases. This is basic TDMS functionality, so I won’t dwell on the details. When selecting the From date in System Analysis, pay attention to its impact to the quality and consistency of data. For example, there may be a weekly or monthly process to synchronize specific types of data (e.g., organizational structure updates from SAP ECC to SAP CRM) between SAP ECC and SAP NetWeaver BW or SAP CRM.

Pay attention to the flow of data from connected systems (e.g., a consolidation or point-of-sales instance), especially those that transmit data asynchronously (e.g., on a weekly or monthly basis) into the source environment. Also keep in mind the flow of this data within the source environment (for example, from SAP ECC to SAP CRM). In all such scenarios, the From date should be selected to minimize the amount of disparity between the post-TDMS target systems.

This preference for the From date may have to be weighed against other criteria, such as including a month-end or quarter-end closing date in SAP ECC. If so, use the best From date that suits your application environment, keeping in mind its impact on data consistency in the target environment.

Step 5. Execute the SAP NetWeaver BW and SAP CRM Packages

Once the SAP ECC package has completed its System Analysis phase, start new TDMS packages for SAP NetWeaver BW and SAP CRM. For both of these packages, pay attention to the step in the TDMS process tree called Get the Package ID for ERP Implementation. This step is in the Package Settings phase. Provide the ID of the SAP ECC package in this step. The SAP CRM and SAP NetWeaver BW packages automatically select the same From date that was used for the SAP ECC package. This selection is critical in ensuring that the data transferred in each package is similar and consistent.

Step 6. Complete the Packages

Now proceed to complete the remaining steps in the SAP ECC, SAP NetWeaver BW, and SAP CRM packages. Pay attention to the hardware and network load placed on the control and central systems, because several TDMS packages are being executed in parallel. If the data volumes are relatively large, it may make sense to add an application server to the central system to distribute its workload.

Step 7. Review the Target Environment

Once the packages are complete (and any errors are resolved), perform spot checks to review the data in the target environment. Register the SAP CRM Middleware queues and create transactions that trigger data flow to and from SAP ECC. Monitor this data transmission and review any errors to ensure that the target SAP ECC and SAP CRM systems are consistent. Similarly, run the scheduled loads and process chains in SAP NetWeaver BW. Review the loaded data and execute any existing reports to confirm that the target SAP NetWeaver BW system is consistent. Also, review and check the data in any custom objects (e.g., Z tables, InfoCubes, structures) for consistency across the target systems.

Lessons Learned from a Real-World Example

In an actual synchronized TDMS transfer performed at a US-based technology firm, the TDMS-based solution displayed efficiencies versus both the system copy and initial download options for SAP CRM. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate these efficiencies.

Figure 1

Comparison of time taken by TDMS vs. initial download to SAP CRM

Figure 2

Comparison of space consumed by TDMS (33,800) vs. system copy (175,850) for SAP CRM

This firm had a large, complex SAP landscape. The source for the transfer was a quality assurance environment consisting of SAP ECC, SAP CRM, SAP NetWeaver BW, and other applications. The data in this environment had been refreshed recently from the production system via system copies. The target system was a set of connected clients for SAP ECC, SAP CRM, and SAP NetWeaver BW in the existing development landscape. The size of the systems involved was relatively large; for example, the target SAP ECC instance grew by approximately 500 GB, with less than two months of data transferred.

Some of the key lessons learned from this synchronized TDMS transfer are:

• Review and implement the latest SAP Notes for TDMS: SAP may have released fixes that may not be bundled in the latest Support Package. These fixes may affect the functionality required for synchronized TDMS transfers.
• Allow buffer time for troubleshooting: The first execution of TDMS with a connected SAP ECC, SAP CRM, and SAP NetWeaver BW environment takes longer because of the learning curve, planning, troubleshooting, performance issues, and the detailed validation required. Plan for extra time compared to a routine single execution of TDMS.
• Perform a proof-of-concept first: A proof-of-concept helps iron out issues and gives you a better idea of the timeline involved. It also helps the application owners and the data owners plan for the actual TDMS execution.
• Involve application and data owners: Involving the owners of the application early leads to more effective planning and execution as well. Doing so also helps build internal support for using TDMS.