Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
I have recently completed upgrade of Enhancement Pack 7 for one of our esteemed client. Initially it looks like
normal SP upgrade, but when getting deeper into it appeared as huge package of addition to the existing
system at software component level. Enhancement of component cause impact on overall performance of the
system. If you are planning to upgrade your system to EHP7 (Which is also latest patch provided by SAP), then
it would be useful for you to go though below post.
This post will help you to prepare plan for upgrading your system.
Insights of Enhancement Pack 7
What is Enhancement Pack:
Enhancement packages are provided by SAP for their customer to manage and deploy new software
functionality introduced by SAP. A set of new integrated/individual functionalities can be deployed by
implementing enhancement packs. Best part is customers can select new/enhanced functionalities out f the
delivered software innovations by SAP and activate as per business needs. This is the simplest online solution
to introduce new functionalities into the system without impacting ongoing business in faster way.
Enhancement packages are cumulative. Thus, enhancement package 7 contains all the previously delivered
enhancements as well as the new ones. Enhancement packages can be downloaded from SAP service using
SAP Solution Manager.
Installation Check:
Installation check is the activity to must be done to understand if there are any critical issues that could lead to
additional risks or work when compared with the average SAP EHP installation project.
This check can be done by development team or SAP support can be taken to study and report the impact on
the existing set of processes in the ERP SAP system. SAP charges separately for doing such studies.
The objective of the SAP EHP Installation Check is to identify the most significant risk and effort drivers for your
planned project. For this purpose, it collects technical information in your current production system and
evaluates it based on general experience obtained.
The table below shows the most critical risk and outlay drivers for any software change project grouped by key
focus areas. An explanation of the key focus areas can be found in the upgrade white paper of the SAP
standards for solution operations.
An action plan for the activities can be prepared based on the priorities on identified risk and precautions
before upgrade initiation.
Installation check will be baseline for estimations of the efforts required for adjustment during upgrade of
enhancement package.
Its is highly recommended to execute knowledge transfer to test factory for the areas where they are currently
lacking the knowledge of the upgrading system. There involvement during start-up of the project will help in
the efficient project planning. Test Factory can execute Regression Testing on the upgrading system as a part of
regular monthly release.
Risks
Issues encountered during upgrade and testing in (DEV/QUA) which might need structural fix
Delayed response from SAP in providing required solution since issues are not in knowlege bank of SAP
Upgrading CTP to EHP7 brings additional risk due to older versions of other systems in the landscape.
Existing projects, new projects and project aftercare issues can be impacted during upgrade activities of
productive system
UAT issues/fixes of the ongoing projects can be impacted during upgrade activities.
Communication Protocol:
Communication plan must be prepared and approved before actual execution of the projects from IT and
business.
Daily call – There must be daily call on every working day with the project team along with client IT team.
Use Run book to review the status on a daily basis. Meeting was chaired by the onsite/offshore PM.
Governance Board call – It must be a bi-weekly call. All stakeholders must be invited to join this meeting. It
should always starts with a brief status update on upgrade project. The objective of call should be to check
and approve/reject the high priority transports of operations or project that need to move through the
landscape during the freeze (e.g. severity 1 production issues or project after care issues). A tracker would
help to track these changes along with transport list.
Lessons learned call – At the end of each major project stage, a lessons learned call must be scheduled to
capture the lessons learned in the lessons learned log.
Ad-hoc call – Calls when important decisions need to take place e.g. Go/No Go and Changes to the project
plan / freeze periods. All stakeholders of the project were invited to join the meeting
Governance Board:
Governance Model Execution:
During the freeze period of upgrading SAP systems, there are two kind of situations which can occur:
1. Aftercare issues ongoing projects
2. Production issues in operations
• Project Manager of the respective project must approach business, Tech Lead/BA of that project an
operations lead in case of Change required and get the approval ready.
• Then formal approval in Governance board meeting.
• Project Manager of the respective project to connect with Release Manager and QA officer for transporting
changes/fix
approved.
2. Production Issues:
• Raise an incident in the ticket handling tool.
• Corrective change/fix must be checked and Incident Manager/Service Lead must approach Business and
operational lead for approval.
• Then formal approval in Governance board.
• Service Lead/IM to connect with Release Manager for transporting changes/fix if approved.
------X-----