Support packages

Applying Support Packages:- A support package is the collection of standard programs which is released by SAP and are available to download on the service marketplace.

Support packages are applied in the following circumstances.

To fix the error.

As part of early watch report SAP recommends.

Following are the prerequisites which should be followed

1)      Login in 000 client user like ddic

2)      SPAM/SAINT should be updated

3)      Perform kernel upgrade if require

4)      Support packages should be applied in number sequence.

5)      Support packages should be applied in landscape sequence.

6)      Support packages should be applied in the sequence of support packages.

7)      Take the backup before applying the support packages.

8)      Support packages are hot packages so no downtime is required.

9)      Ensure that rdd* jobs are triggered

10)   Lock all the users other than the super user.

11)   Ensure that stms is configured

12)   Ensure that atleast 2 btc processes are freely available.

13)   There should not be any user logged in the system.

14)   Ensure that two functional consultant are available.

15)   Record the changes to later transport

Que1).:-Why do you use DDIC user not SAP* for Support Packs and SPAM? 

Ans.:-Do _NOT_ use neither DDIC nor SAP* for applying support packages. Copy DDIC to a separate 
user and use that user to apply the support packages and patches.

Que2):- How to uncar car/sar files in a single shot?

Ans.:- login to the system as <sid>adm and execute the following command.

 Sapcar –xvf  *.car or .sar (windows and Unix)

 $ for i in *.SAR; do SAPCAR -xvf $i; (Unix )

Que.3):- Can we revert back the support packages.

Ans.:-  Yes, there are around 30/31 phases among those  import_abap is one of the phase till that you can revert back but it is not the good practice. You can’t revert back after abap import phase.

Que.4)Why we need to have atleast two background workprocess free.

Ans:-When we apply support packages there are certain phases which runs in the background and if one workprocess fails during applying the support packages, We have another one free which can take the charge.

Que:-5)Why we should login in 000 client before applying the support packages?

Ans.:-In client 000 only we have all the options enabled.

Que.:-6) Why we need to ensure that stms is configured properly before applying support packages?

Ans.:-When we apply the support packages there are certain changes are made, so to record those changes and to transfer later in another system we need to ensure that stms is configured
.

Que:-7)What is the use of spdd or spau?

Ans:- Spdd and spau t- codes are used by functional consultant to make the decision about go for the changes in the respective module or not.

Que:-8)What will you do if support package gets aborted?

Ans:- One of the prerequisite which I do follow is I always take the backup before applying support package , So if it’s get aborted I can rebuild the system from the backup.

OR

I can raise a very high priority ticket to SAP. Or I will include the developer sometimes he/she can resolve the problem

Que.9)Why we need to have the spam/saint version updated before applying the support packages.

Ans:-SAP claims to release the support packages and patches within 3 months or higher,Which is a set of programs, So those programs are updated and spam/saint is the tool to apply those program if that tool is not up to date than it may not be able to understand the phases triggered by the spam/saint.

Que.:-10)If you are applying support packages and you have followed all the prerequisite, In the middle of applying support packages operation mode triggered, which is defined to convert all the btc workprocess to dialog, Than what will you do?

Ans:- If background process is running and operation mode switch occurs than btc will not get converted until these finishes there job.

Que.:-11)Why we should lock all the users except the one super(user defined) user before applying the support packages?

Ans.:-To avoid the data inconsistency since applying the support package means you are replacing older program with the newer one. And if users are not locked at the same time they can also access the same.

Que.:-12) What are the naming conventions for support packages?

Ans.:- KA<nr>à ABAP

                KB<nr>àBasis

                KH<nr>àHR

                KW<nr>àBW etc.

To know more login into sap system and execute the t-code spam than choose appropriate option and click on display button.