SAP HANA Migration is the process where we need to migrate SAP ERP System from the ECC platform to the HANA platform which works on On-premise and cloud technology. In short, this process involves converting the SAP ECC database to HANA technology.
(To jump on a specific topic, click on it, or read the full article).
This SAP HANA Migration guide will help you understand many aspects of SAP HANA data migration. Go into detail about each segment to understand each concept well.
The new S/4HANA uses the in-memory database, while the previous ones were outsourcing databases. Since much data is there in the old database, we need to shift it all to the new S/4HANA.
Hence, to get all data under the new platform, we do the data migration in SAP HANA. This way, not only do we curtail the limitations of old databases, but also, get the complete data in sync and connected.
I hope you understand the concept behind doing SAP HANA Migration.
An updated version, a successor or call it a new functionality of SAP ERP. This is actually SAP S/4HANA.
It is based on cloud technology that uses an in-memory database. While the previous versions like SAP R/3 and SAP ECC were outsourcing databases, which lead to many drawbacks. This includes performance issues, being slow and outdated reports and many more. Hence, the need for S/4HANA came into the picture.
FYI- The latest version that is now launched is S/4HANA 2020.
Watch Slide: What’s New in SAP S/4HANA Finance 2020?
Well, this needs to be ascertained at the beginning of the process that, where the SAP HANA is to be migrated.
Either we can easily deploy HANA on-premise to gain maximum control with low risk. Else, we can use the cloud to increase flexibility with new user experiences to business users.
Therefore, both platforms have their own qualities.
However, this also depends on budget allocation, resources, time and needs of the business.
Customers can use SAP’s cloud offering called SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud. For instance, SAP HANA license, original cloud infrastructure as well as SAP managed services.
The Sizing scope of SAP HANA in-Memory Database is very important while preparing the project plan.
This is because it helps customers to get the maximum benefit from their investment and ROI. Though you can effectively compress the DATA in HANA, it’s a bit difficult to guess the amount of memory required.
Therefore, it is always advised to check the size of memory by using the SAP Quick Sizer tool as well as reports and notes.
We have three SAP HANA Migration options to do the Migration.
Here we install a new system to HANA. It can be either without doing any changes to the current solutions. Or by doing selecting certain data from the existing solution and migrating it to the HANA.
Here we upgrade the original system and bring it on release that the SAP HANA supports. Then further, we classically migrate the old database to HANA.
In this option, we use DMO i.e. Database Migration Option. It is a combination of upgrade and migration. With this, we perform migration in one single step, instead of two or more steps. In other words, it is a one time process using one single tool. Thus, involves one downtime only.
The following image shows the steps or process of Migration from the ECC model to the S4 HANA Platform.
Following are the SAP HANA migration steps that you should follow. It includes:-
Check: SAP S4 HANA Finance Online Training
There are three phases of the conversion process from ECC to HANA.
Let us understand each one of these.
In the Pre-conversion stage, we perform all pre-steps which we need to start conversion. This helps us to find any issues in the early phase of the project. This stage is also called a Preparatory stage.
The purpose of the Pre-conversion stage is to check the issues or problems in the SAP ECC system and fix them in advance. This consequently makes the actual conversion process error-free.
Because, in this phase, we need to perform all the new configurations. This includes the following:
The Pre-Conversion phase is also called Customization Phase. Here we need to do all those new customizations which are missing from the previous old system database.
For example, In the old system, we already had a New GL configuration. We also had leading and non-leading ledgers configurations. Still here in the new system, we need an extension ledger, simulation ledger, add global currency types here.
Thus, in short, the phase where we need to do the brownfield migration, we call it the Customization Phase.
After these customizations, we will perform:-
Learn: SAP S4 HANA Finance – Ledgers
It is designed for customers who want to transfer their business data from SAP or Non SAP software systems. SAP HANA migration cockpit tool is now an essential tool for SAP S4 HANA data migration. It also supports customers during the transaction to SAP S/4 HANA .
The Migration Cockpit is part of both SAP S/4 HANA and SAP S4 HANA cloud . Thus, you can launch using “Migrate your Data” App in the Fiori Launchpad or using LTMC.
Further. within the migration cockpit , you can migrate your master data and transactional data to SAP S/4 HANA. It uses migration objects to identify and transfer the relevant data and thus facilitates the migration process by providing predefined migration content and mapping.
We have some important SAP HANA migration tools that we need to do the SAP ECC to HANA data migration. Understand them in detail and how they work.
Some Supporting SAP HANA Migration tools are:-
Let us look at them one by one in detail.
The Maintenance planner checks the system with regards to the business functions, industry solutions, add-ons, etc.
In order to perform the conversion, you should activate all the business functions in the system. In case, it is not yet activated, ask your technical counterpart to activate it. Since in HANA we need to work on various new functions, thus, these should be in active mode to get their full functionality.
For example, you need to activate the New GL in order to work on New Asset Accounting. Others are Cash Management, Bank Communication Management, etc. which are required to be activated.
Do Read: SAP New GL Migration – Overview
You must use the Maintenance Planner for your conversion to SAP S/4 HANA Finance. It then creates the download files like add-ons, packages, database drivers stack files etc. These files the Software Update Manager (SUM) uses to install SAP S/4 HANA Finance.
The Maintenance Planner checks the following.
After these checks, the stack configuration file is created which SUM uses for conversion to S/4 HANA.
These checks provide users with all the mandatory steps for SAP S/4 HANA Finance migration in the form of SAP Notes. To ensure accuracy, the checks are run twice in the SUM during the conversion process. The pre-check result provides the log that needs to be addressed before the actual conversion process. If errors are encountered during the process, the conversion is stopped.
The Maintenance Planner is an SAP solution that helps you plan and maintain systems in your landscape. You can plan complex activities such as installing a new system or updating existing systems. You can also schedule all changes to be deployed at a convenient time to minimize downtime. This essential administrative tool will further help you complete a major part of your application lifecycle management.
With the Maintenance Planner, you can do the following:-
In SI Check, we check the Data for any inconsistency or missing activity, mandatory for conversion. Furthermore, we can identify the simplification items which are relevant for the conversion of the database.
In SI Check, we get error codes with unique colours each representing different actions to be taken as per code and colour.
Noteworthy, SI Check is Run at the early stage of the project. Thus, for performing SI- Checks, you need to adhere to some settings.
You may follow the below steps:-
The new S/4HANA Finance architecture is obviously based on the new S/4HANA model. Hence, the migration to SAP S/4 HANA Finance creates new data structures in SAP ERP Finance.
This includes table BKPF as the header table. It also has table ACDOCA as the line item table and with read-only access compatibility views replacing SAP ERP tables.
You might need to adapt certain custom codes to comply with the SAP S/4 HANA Finance data model. Otherwise, the installation of SAP S/4 HANA Finance may be blocked with SAP ABAP dictionary activation errors.
The SAP Basis, technical and development teams must perform the checks and activities detailed in the next sections in the test system. This helps them to check the non-disruptive usage of the existing ABAP programs.
This work is related to the hardware of the system and we work on analyzing the hardware parameters for the new database. It also helps us to know the estimated size required for HANA System.
Likewise, it also gives an estimate of how much storage/RAM is required for the HANA Database.
Since the right side of the storage or memory is very important, the consultant needs to take this step very carefully. The right size estimate can reduce costs in the long term.
So, till now, this was the information about the Pre-Conversion phase. That included:-
To explain more clearly let us go deeper into this topic.
This step involves determining hardware requirements such as network bandwidth, physical memory, CPU power etc. Often, the sizing is determined based on the volume of the current data and the rate at which the data is expected to grow.
The hardware platform, the SAP software, the system settings and the customizing settings that are based on the business processes, all are factors that influence sizing.
Here is the recommended approach to compute the memory requirement for SAP HANA:-
Thus, for the SAP HANA database size, the recommended approach is to use half the size that currently exists for the disk-based database.
In a live production system, we need to plan this step carefully with the architecture team and hardware partner. Hence, we require to use SUM along with the maintenance planner for the proper installation of SAP S/4 HANA Finance.
SAP Note 2157996 includes an Excel-based installation/upgrade checklist. This helps you to verify whether important topics of preparing the installation and upgrade to SAP S/4 HANA Finance are properly considered.
The checklist focuses on specific aspects and condition prerequisites for the SAP S/4 HANA Finance backend installation, the installation/upgrade of the frontend server such as FIORI.
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Among its many functions, the Software Update Manager (SUM) helps you perform release upgrades install enhancement packages apply service packages and update single components on SAP Net- weaver.
SUM further checks the current version of the system and analyzes the required components imports the necessary programs & add-ons. Finally, it installs all the components that are divided into multiple roadmaps.
Therefore, SUM is the main tool that we can use to convert our system from SAP FICO (ECC) to SAP S/4 HANA Finance.
If your source system is not yet running on an SAP HANA database, use the database migration option (DMO) of SUM to migrate your database to SAP HANA during the conversion.
DMO is a tool that we can use for database migration. It is a component of the SUM tool.
We must install SAP S/4 HANA Finance using SUM in combination with the Maintenance Optimizer.
What a Maintenance Optimizer does?
The Maintenance Optimizer leads you through the planning, downloading and implementation of new software versions in existing systems. This is because the system does not support the SAP add-on Installation Tool (SAINT). Thus, we need to check whether the implementation team has experience in using SUM.
With SUM and DMO, you can run the upgrade to SAP ERP or above. Likewise, you can do the SAP HANA database migration to SAP HANA and installation of SAP S/4 HANA Finance in a single step.
Now we will briefly understand what we do in the Conversion Phase and what happens in the Post Conversion Phase.
In conversion, we convert the system to S4 HANA. This phase includes adaption to new Business Processes, Validation, etc.
The conversion phase includes two things. Conversion and Migration.
Firstly, you understand that when we talk about Conversion, we actually mean the SAP Database conversion.
Here we convert the old ECC model to the new S4 HANA System. This phase includes the Adoption of a new business process.
Thus, here in place of ECC, we use SAP S4 HANA Enterprise Management or the Business Suit.
Do You know? The difference between SAP HANA & S/4HANA
We call the final phase as the Post-Conversion Phase.
Here we perform follow-up activities to make sure we get the maximum use of SAP S/4 HANA for our Business.
Please note, all ECC to S/4 HANA conversions take place ON-PREMISE. It cannot happen on the cloud.
Likewise, all these steps are meant for those businesses, who are already using classic SAP ERP or Business Suit.
Important: See the new changes brought in SAP S/4HANA 2020
To do the technical migration on SAP HANA, it is best to do a trial run by validating the customer’s business process in a SANDPIT environment first.
This will ensure that SAP HANA Migration is a success and can support the technical project also.
It will also help consultants to evaluate important points like time to migrate, realizing the actual process of SAP HANA, understanding the issues in the SANDPIT environment so as to avoid them later.
It further gives them a great opportunity to validate the non-productive environment.
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SAP HANA Migration is the most crucial phase in the up-gradation of SAP ERP to the S/4HANA platform. Thus, it is a must for every SAP consultant to understand it deeply.
With this article, you would surely have understood this SAP S4 HANA Migration guide in detail. It is important in order to become a successful SAP S/4HANA Consultant, that you can do the technical migration on SAP HANA. And likewise, it is equally important to know its three phases in detail.
In order to do the perfect Migration, you definitely need the best knowledge of SAP ERP Financials in ECC and also in SAP S/4HANA. This you can achieve by learning the SAP from its basics till you reach a point where the project certainly involves migration and related work.
Related Video: SAP HANA Migration Guide
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