03. Importing Support Packages

Step-by-Step process of Importing Support Packages into SAP System

The most important part of the installation is the preparation work. This is absolutely critical that side-effect notes, relevant basis notes and patches are applied before applying the support packages (see appendix). 99% Preparation, 1% perspiration!

Remember you can only download SP’s from Solution manager (well sort of). What SolMan really does is generate the link for you to download the SPs. Once you have the link generated, you can just call the link from your browser independent of SolMan (see appendix on process).

Another point I want to highlight is in this scenario, we are simply updating a subset of Support packages i.e HR support packages and not the Support Pack ‘Stack’. Whilst it is recommended to apply the stack, this is not always practical and feasible due to resources, availability to test and other complexities in large SAP landscapes.
A. Load Ssupport Pack

1 Check all per-requisites are met, e.g file system space, SAP notes, locked users, etc. See appendix below for checklist of what to do.

2 Login to Client 000 with a Super User (SAP_ALL/SAP_NEW)

3 Ensure all the required SP’s have been downloaded from the SAP Marketplace and have been unzipped/uncarred into the …./EPS/in folders. The process of identifying which SP’s to load and the inter dependencies is a separate task on its on and usually conducted in conjunction/direction of the application/functional team

4 Load SP’s from App server (you must first download the *.SAPCAR files and extract it in usr/sap/trans/EPS/in

B. Define Queue. 
Essentially what you are doing here is telling SAP which SPs you want to import. It is intelligent enough to calculate inter dependencies.

Load the SP’s from the Application server (after you have unzipped them into the ../EPS/in folder). Pick the highest SP number. (It will automatically included other SP’s or dependencies.). If you are importing SP for different modules e.g HR, Finance, etc, then you may need to build the queue and change the settings to “Calculation for a Vector of components”.

Queue calculation for a vector of software components:

The Support Package queue calculation takes place for multiple software components based on the target Support Package level that has been defined for each software component (see Defining a Queue Based on Multiple Software Components).

C. Check SPAM settings

You can schedule more parallel processes if you like and if you system can support. These are the typical settings I use when importing initially into a development system

Check if the SPAM settings are as follows :

Section Import queue

Create new datafile = Yes (only in DEVELOPMENT)

Delete data file after import = No

Section ABAP/Screen Generation

Generate screen = Never

D. Import Support Packages (Shift + F7)

This step onward basically kicks starts the SP import process. From now onward, there is no going back (well almost).

Generally we run phase 1 in ‘dialog mode’ and all other phases in ‘background’ mode

These are the various phases the SPAM goes through during the import process. You will see the phases change in the ‘Status’ section in tcode SPAM

D1. Preparation Module

1. PROLOGUE: This phase checks whether you are authorized to import Support Packages.

2. CHECK_REQUIREMENTS: This phase checks various requirements for importing a Support Package, for example, whether the transport control program tp can log on to your system.

3. DISASSEMBLE: This phase unpacks files from the appropriate EPS parcels and saves them to the transport directory.

4. ADD_TO_BUFFER: This phase places the queue in the transport buffer of your system.

5. MODIFY_BUFFER: This phase prepares the transport buffer for correct processing of the following import phases.

6. TEST_IMPORT: This phase performs a test import for the queue with the transport control program tp. The system checks whether there are objects that are in open repairs and that are overwritten during the import, or whether other conditions prevent the import of an object.

7. IMPORT_OBJECT_LIST: This phase imports the object lists for the Support Packages in the queue into the system.

8. OBJECTS_LOCKED_?: This phase checks whether there are objects that are overwritten by the import, and that are still in unreleased requests.

9. ADDON_CONFLICTS_?: This phase checks whether there are conflicts between objects in the queue and any installed add-ons.

10. SCHEDULE_RDDIMPDP: This phase schedules the transport daemon (program RDDIMPDP).

Import 1 Module

11. CREATE_VERS_BEFORE: This phase generates versions of the objects that are contained in the Support Packages in the queue (if this option is set).

12. SPDD_SPAU_CHECK: In this phase, the system checks if a modification adjustment is necessary (transactions SPDD/SPAU).

13. DDIC_IMPORT: This phase imports all ABAP Dictionary objects in the queue.

14. AUTO_MOD_SPDD: This phase checks whether all modifications to ABAP Dictionary objects can be adjusted automatically.

15. RUN_SPDD_?: In this phase, you are asked to adjust your modifications to the ABAP Dictionary objects by calling transaction SPDD.

16. LOCK_EU: (only for import mode downtime-minimized) This phase locks the development environment.

17. INACTIVE_IMPORT: (only for import mode downtime-minimized) This phase imports program code and program texts in an inactive state.

18. DDIC_ACTIVATION: This phase activates the imported ABAP Dictionary objects.

Import 2 Module

19. IMPORT_PROPER: This phase imports all the Repository objects and table entries if they were not already imported in the INACTIVE_IMPORT phase. This is preceded by actions such as table conversion and activation of the name tabs.

20. PREPARE_XPRA: This phase prepares the execution of the XPRAs and after-import methods.

21. UNLOCK_EU: (only for import mode downtime-minimized) This phase unlocks the development environment.

22. AUTO_MOD_SPAU: This phase checks whether modifications can be adjusted automatically.

23. XPRA_EXECUTION: This phase executes the XPRAs and after-import methods.

24. ABAP_GENERATION: This phase generates the runtime objects for the imported Repository objects (ABAP source texts and screens).

Clean Up Module

25. RUN_SPAU_?: This phase prompts you to adjust your modifications to Repository objects by calling transaction SPAU.

26. CLEAR_OLD_REPORTS: (only for import mode downtime-minimized) This phase deletes the obsolete versions of program code and program texts in the database.

27. EPILOGUE: This phase completes the import. Among other things, it checks whether the queue has been processed completely.

D2. Main Import Phases and Actions required.

In the following steps below, I only highlight only the main phases and the necessary actions required. Generally if you have done your homework and checked and met all prerequisites, you should a relatively smooth import process.

1. SPDD Adjustment – Handover to Developer

SPAM -> Goto -> Status – Queue to confirm adjustment to proceed to next phase

2. SPAU Adjustment

After the SPDD is completed, it will go through a number of phases and eventually pause at SPAU adjustment phase (RUN_SPAU). Now again, ask the developers to continue with the SPAU adjustments (This is only done in Development systems. For changes to take place in all downstream systems, transports are created and imported into e.g QA and PROD and usually after the SP’s are applied).

Once developers complete their SPAU adjustments successfully (be patience, this can take from several hours to a week or more depending on size of landscape and amount of customizing), simply resume i.e Goto Support Package -> Import Queue (similar to SPDD steps)

3. Tail end – EPILOGUE

Finally, it all goes well, the last phase is the EPILOGUE as shown below. This should not take that long and once completed, you proceed to confirm (or complete) the import with the next step

Once EPILOGUE completed, the Status will turn Yellow. You must then go to Support Packages -> Confirm (Shift F6) to close off or complete the SP implementation.

E. CONFIRM queue

Method to confirm queue shown below.