Multiclient Administration

Use

This section summarizes the most important administration tasks necessary for the smooth operation of a multiclient system.

Prerequisites

The following discussion is based on a system/client landscape in which n clients are set up in m systems, where m is kept as small as possible.

Process

Preparing and Planning the Multiple Client System Landscape

When you distribute the n customers among the systems, it is a good idea to first categorize the customers according to their differing requirements, for example, by application solution.

Any decision you make must also be reversible, in case the basic conditions of your setup change. Relocating a complete client from one node in a system landscape to another entails the same amount of time and effort as migrating an installation from one host to another, but it can still be included in your calculations.

Setting Up the System Landscape

You can use the Transport Management System to help you map your scenario to a system/client landscape. To call the Transport Management System, choose Start of the navigation pathTools Next navigation step Administration Next navigation step Transports Next navigation step Transport Management SystemEnd of the navigation path (STMS).

Setting Up the New Client

Set up the new client with a template client as a basis, using the functions of the client copy tool. To call these functions, choose Start of the navigation pathTools Next navigation step Administration Next navigation step Administration Next navigation step Client Administration Next navigation step Client CopyEnd of the navigation path.

To prevent client settings from making changes to Repository objects and cross-client Customizing data, use the client maintenance functions. To call client maintenance, choose Start of the navigation pathTools Next navigation step Administration Next navigation step Administration Next navigation step Client Administration Next navigation step Client MaintenanceEnd of the navigation path (SCC4).

For more information, see BC - Client Copy and Transport (BC-CTS-CCO).

Deleting a Client

You can use the client copy tools to delete an obsolete client.

Migrating a Client

You can use the client copy tools to migrate a client from system A to system B.

Change Management (Central Customizing Changes)

We recommend that you use Business Configuration Sets (BC Sets) to make necessary changes to all clients, and then distribute these changes.

Recovery

Make a normal recovery to another backup system, and then migrate the restored client from the backup system to the production system.

For more information, see Recovery Solution.

Comparing Clients

The SAP Web Application Server contains dedicated functions for comparing the Customizing settings of one client with another client or template client:

  • Cross-System Viewer Compares complex Customizing environments. To call the Cross-System Viewer, choose Start of the navigation pathTools Next navigation step Accelerated SAP Next navigation step Customizing Next navigation step Customizing Cross-System ViewerEnd of the navigation path (Transaction SCU0).

  • To compare individual tables or views, use the comparison function in the standard table maintenance transaction (SM30) or the view/table comparison transaction for any number of tables (SCMP).

Client-Specific Monitoring

The CCMS Monitoring tools also include some options for client-specific online monitoring of certain transactions and clients (see SAP Note 308048 Information published on SAP site). These include the following:

  • Transaction load for each client (number of dialog steps)

  • Average response time for some or all transactions in a client

  • Client-specific monitoring:

    Choose Start of the navigation pathAdministration Next navigation step System Administration Next navigation step Monitor Next navigation step Performance Next navigation step Workload Next navigation step AnalysisEnd of the navigation path (ST03N). At the top left of the navigation screen, choose Expert (other options are Administrator and Service Engineer). Choose TOTAL under Today's Workload. Select a time period (such as this week). Then choose Start of the navigation pathAnalysis Views Next navigation step User and Settlement Statistics Next navigation step Settlement StatisticsEnd of the navigation path in the bottom left navigation screen.

  • You have a restricted database space analysis option for each client, as described in SAP Note 118823 Information published on SAP site.

Background Job Support

  • You use client-specific services for administering background jobs. You can start and restart background jobs from the logon client only. If you have sufficient administration authorizations you can also monitor jobs in other clients, however, you cannot modify them. No options for monitoring jobs started in other SAP Systems are supported.

  • The background job administration functions offer a range of interfaces. These interfaces are already used in the context of many SAP solutions. In addition, you can also choose from a range of established external administration tools offered by third-party vendors, which offer cross-client and cross-system job administration. You integrate these external solutions into SAP using the BC-XBP interface.

System Administration

Database and system maintenance functions are supported only at the physical system platform level, and not at the client level. This affects the following:

  • Database reorganization

  • Data backup

  • Release upgrades

  • Hardware and software maintenance

More Information

For more information, see