Maintenance Planner

Overview

The Maintenance Planner generates the download files (add-ons, packages, DBDs, and the stack configuration file) that the Software Update Manager (SUM) uses to do a conversion or an upgrade. In particular, the Maintenance Planner checks if the following items are supported:

  • Add-ons to your system

  • Active business functions in your system
The Maintenance Planner checks whether there is a valid path for any of the items listed above (for example, an add-on is not released for the conversion or the upgrade yet). After the check, the Maintenance Planner creates the stack configuration file (stack.xml).

For more information, see the Maintenance Planner User Guide at http://help.sap.com/maintenanceplanner. For specific preparatory steps, see also Cross-Application Preparations.

Business Functions

Business functions can have the following status: always on, customer switchable, and always off. This results in the following behavior during the process:

  • If a business function was switched on in the start release system but defined as always off in the target release, then a system conversion or upgrade is not possible with this release.

  • If a business function was switched off in the start release system but defined as always on in the target release, then the business function will be activated during the process.
  • If a business function is defined as customer switchable in the target release, it will keep the state defined in the source release during the upgrade.

For more information about always off and always on business functions in SAP S/4HANA foundation, see SAP Notes 2240359 Information published on SAP site and 2240360 Information published on SAP site.

Add-Ons

Add-ons are either merged into SAP S/4HANA foundation or deleted during the process if no successor is available. Some add-ons may be included without being fully functional.

For a list of supported add-ons in the target stack, see the respective Release Information Note for the product version of SAP S/4HANA foundation in the target stack.

For information about uninstalling add-ons, see SAP Note 2011192 Information published on SAP site.