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Procedure documentationCreating the Prerequisites to Monitor Cloud Services

 

Depending on how the cloud service monitoring data is collected, you have to meet different prerequisites. The monitoring data for cloud services monitoring can come from different sources:

  • If the data is collected by diagnostics agents, create a connection to the cloud service. To do so, create an HTTP or (S)FTP endpoint, depending on the cloud service.

  • If the data is collected from error messages in Exception Management, create a connection to the cloud service by creating an endpoint for e-mails containing error messages. In addition, create a dedicated SAP Solution Manager inbox user and configure Exception Management to generate exceptions.

To address the cloud service as a technical system in Interface and Connection Monitoring, connect it to SAP Solution Manager, by defining one or more endpoints.

An endpoint is an interface allowing SAP Solution Manager to collect monitoring data. In a preparatory step, collect the technical information required to define it, then enter the data as required.

There are three kinds of endpoints:

  • HTTP endpoints allow data collection via, for example, Web Services, OData.

  • E-mail endpoints allow alert messages to be generated from automated e-mails sent by the cloud service.

  • (S)FTP endpoints allow remote file monitoring on cloud service hosts.

Overview

  1. Preparation: Make a concept and collect the data required to connect SAP Solution Manager to your cloud service.

  2. If you use SuccessFactors cloud service (or do not want to monitor a Dell Boomi cloud service via HTTP), create a dedicated SAP Solution Manager inbox for e-mail notifications.

  3. Define the required endpoints, according to your concept.

  4. Postrequisite: Configure Exception Management to create SAP Solution Manager error messages.

  5. Configure an Interface and Connection Monitoring scenario for your cloud service.

  6. Housekeeping: Delete SAP Solution Manager-to-cloud connections which are no longer needed, safely.

Prerequisites

  • You have SAP Solution Manager 7.1 SP 13 or higher.

  • SAP Solution Manager is set up to send or receive e-mails (you have set up the Monitoring and Alerting Infrastructure for which it is a prerequisite, for example). For more information about setting up the e-mail infrastructure, see SAP Note 455140Information published on SAP site.

  • Your service provider has set up your test and production cloud services.

  • You have determined the metrics to monitor.

  • You have

    • SAP Solution Manager administration authorizations

    • authorization for the following transactions:

      • S2C_SETUP

      • SBWP

      • SM59

      • SOAMANAGER

Procedure

Collecting the technical information

To collect the technical information which defines the endpoints you want to create, ask the person responsible for the cloud service who finds the information in the data provided to your organization while onboarding the cloud service.

  1. Check which endpoints you have to create, depending on your use case:

    • Create HTTP endpoints, if you use one of the following cloud services:

      • SAP HANA Cloud Integration (HCI)

      • SAP Cloud for Customers (C4C)

      • Dell Boomi

        Note Note

        Alternatively, you can create e-mail endpoints for Dell Boomi, for example,

        • if the Dell Boomi bandwidth cap is exceeded and exceptions are no longer generated

        • if you don't have access to the Dell Boomi cloud service URL from your SAP Solution Manager system

        End of the note.

    • Create E-Mail endpoints,

      • if you use SuccessFactors cloud services, for example:

        • Employee Central (BizX).

        • Learning (LMS, Jam)

      • if you use a Dell Boomi cloud service, and one of the following applies:

        • The Dell Boomi bandwidth cap is exceeded and exceptions are no longer generated.

        • You cannot access the Dell Boomi cloud service URL from an internet browser on your SAP Solution Manager system.

    • Create (S)FTP endpoints, if you want to use remote file monitoring for a SuccessFactors cloud service.

  2. Ensure that you ask the person responsible for the data of both

    • your test cloud service and

    • your production cloud service

  3. Use the following checklist to collect the information for test and production cloud services, depending on the cloud service and the endpoints to be created:

    • HTTP endpoint: Ask for the data to build the Web service URL and access the Web service:

      • User

      • Password

      • Access URL:

        • Dell Boomi: Request the Dell Boomi test and production account ID to create the URL.

          Schema: http://platform.boomi.com:443/api/rest/v1/<account ID>

          Example: http://platform.boomi.com:443/api/rest/v1/successfactors-ET1234G

        • SAP Cloud for Customer (C4C): Request the Main URL.

          Schema: https://<Main URL>

          Example: https://qxp-cust123.dev.sapbydesign.com

          Note Note

          If the generated logical port URL does not work (an error is displayed in the extractor logs or an error occurred using the ping functionality of SOA Manager), you can use the full access URL alternatively (https://ldai01qxl.wdf.sap.corp:50001/sap/bc/srt/scs/sap/codquerywebservicemonitorforso?sap-vhost=qxl-cust233.dev.sapbydesign.com, for example).

          End of the note.

        • SAP HANA Cloud Integration (HCI): Request the tenant ID to create the URL.

          Schema: https://<tenant ID>.neo.ondemand.com/api/v1/

          Example: https://tmpmtpw2avtprsm-pw2.neo.ondemand.com/api/v1/

    • (S)FTP endpoint: Ask your service provider for the location of documents to be checked:

      • User

      • Password

      • Protocol (FTP or SFTP)

      • Host name of the cloud service's (S)FTP data exchange server

      • Port

      • Time zone of the SFTP server.

        The person responsible for the cloud service can check a timestamp to identify the time zone.

    • E-Mail endpoint:

      • Ask the person responsible for the cloud service provider's e-mail address. You need this information only if you use multiple cloud services, but only one SAP Solution Manager inbox.

        Create a dedicated SAP Solution Manager inbox for each cloud service (see below). In this case, the sender's e-mail address is not required.

Creating SAP Solution Manager Inboxes for Cloud Service Notifications

Perform this activity if you use SuccessFactors cloud services or connect Dell Boomi via e-mail instead of HTTP.

Background: SuccessFactors error messages are sent via e-mail. Create a dedicated inbox for each cloud service. To do so, create SAP Solution Manager users. The inbox is assigned to the extractor framework user automatically (defined in the Start of the navigation path Specify User & Connectivity Data Next navigation step Maintain Users End of the navigation path substep of the Basic Configuration, by default SM_EFWK). This allows SAP Solution Manager to parse the content of the e-mails in the cloud service inbox and generate exceptions.

Note Note

To differentiate between test and production cloud services, you have the following options:

  • Recommended: Create 2 dedicated inboxes.

  • Create 1 inbox and ensure you have the sender's e-mail adresses for both the test and the production cloud server.

End of the note.

  1. In transaction SU01, create a dialog or system user and enter the e-mail address to which the cloud service error messages are to be sent. To receive e-mails, no authorizations are required.

    Example Example

    For SuccessFactors BizX, enter the user name BIZX. In the Last Name and First Name fields enter BIZX and Cloud Product Integration, to identify the user later.

    End of the example.

  2. Ask the person responsible for the cloud service to dispatch error message e-mails received from the cloud service to the SAP Solution Manager inboxes.

  3. If you don't have the cloud service provider's e-mail addresses for the test and production cloud service, ensure that you create dedicated inboxes.

Defining an endpoint

For each cloud service, perform this activity for both the test and the production cloud service.

  1. Start transaction S2C_SETUP.

  2. Create the connection.

    1. Select the cloud service.

    2. Choose Add.

    3. Specify the technical name and a meaningful description of the cloud service connection.

    4. Choose OK to confirm.

    The system automatically creates a system ID (HCI~UNSPAPP, for example) which is displayed in the Cloud Service ID column. When setting up monitoring, this system ID will allow you to address the cloud service as a technical system in the SAP Solution Manager system landscape.

  3. Configure the connection, by defining an endpoint.

    1. Select the connection.

    2. Select the tab page according to kind of endpoint you have to create.

    3. Choose Add.

    4. Enter the technical information you have collected from the person responsible for your cloud service. Specify the following, depending on the use case:

      • HTTP endpoints: If you use a proxy server, specify the URL, user and password.

      • General: The value in the Type field is Others, by default. You can select a value only when specifying the type of a SuccessFactors cloud service (BizX, Jam, LMS, for example).

    5. Choose OK to confirm.

      If you have configured an e-mail endpoint, the extractor framework user (by default, user SM_EFWK) is assigned automatically to the inbox user as a substitute. If a message informs you that the “extractor framework user cannot access the cloud service user inbox”, this automatic process failed. To assign the substitute user manually, do the following:

      1. Log on to the SAP Solution Manager system, using the credentials of the cloud service inbox user.

      2. Start transaction SBWP.

      3. Choose Start of the navigation path Settings Next navigation step Office Settings End of the navigation path.

      4. On the Substit. tab page, choose the Create icon on the left side.

        You go to the Create Substitute dialog box.

      5. In the Substitute field, enter SM_EFWK.

      6. Define a substitution period and choose Copy to confirm.

      7. Log on to the SAP Solution Manager system, using the credentials of the extractor framework user SM_EFWK.

      8. Start transaction SBWP.

      9. Choose Start of the navigation path Settings Next navigation step Workflow Settings Next navigation step Maintain Substitute End of the navigation path.

      10. Select extractor framework user SM_EFWK and choose Create substitute.

      11. Search for the cloud service inbox user you have created (user BIZX for Cloud Service Integration BizX, for example) and choose Copy to confirm.

        You go to the Detail Screen Substitution dialog box.

      12. Save your entries.

        You go back to Personal Substitute dialog box.

        The cloud service user's first and last names (Cloud Product Integration BIZX, for example) appear in the list of substitutes assigned to the extractor framework user SM_EFWK.

      13. To activate the substitution, choose Start of the navigation path Settings Next navigation step Workflow Settings Next navigation step Activate/Deactivate Substitute End of the navigation path.

      14. Choose Activate.

        E-mails in the cloud service inbox are dispatched to the extractor framework user (SM_EFWK) inbox.

  4. If you have created a Dell Boomi HTTP or an SAP Cloud for Customer (C4C) endpoint, import the SSL certificate.

    1. Open http://platform.boomi.comInformation published on non-SAP site or the SAP C4C main URL (https://qxl-cust233.dev.sapbydesign.com, for example), depending on the cloud service.

      The logon screen is displayed.

    2. Export the certificate.

      Example Example

      In Google Chrome, do the following:

      1. In the context menu, select View page info.

      2. On the Connection tab page, choose the Certificate information link.

      3. To start the export wizard, on the Details tab page, choose Copy to File.

      4. Choose Next.

      5. Choose Base-64 encoded x.509 (.CER), choose Next, and export the data to a file.

      End of the example.

    3. Import the certificate into the SAP Solution Manager trust store.

      1. Start transaction STRUST.

      2. Double-click SSL client SSL Client (Standard).

      3. Under Certificate choose the Import certificate icon.

Configuring Exception Management

Perform this activity for all endpoints, except for (S)FTP endpoints.

  1. In the Basic Setup for Monitoring of SAP-Based Hybrid Solutions screen (transaction S2C_SETUP), select the connection and choose Start of the navigation path  Navigate to Next navigation step Exception Management Setup End of the navigation path.

  2. On the Exceptions Sources tab page, choose Add Log Store.

    The available log stores are displayed.

  3. Select the endpoint you have created and choose OK to confirm.

  4. Recommended: Add a filter, to focus on the exceptions you want to monitor.

    If you monitor a Dell Boomi cloud service via an HTTP endpoint, for example, use a filter to ensure that your bandwidth cap is not exceeded by too many messages.

    Caution Caution

    Do not choose Next. Do not choose the Exception Monitoring Configuration tab page.

    End of the caution.

  5. To activate Exception Management, choose Save.

  6. To check whether exceptions are generated, in the Root Cause Analysis work center, choose Exception Management.

Result

When the endpoint has been defined, the cloud system is represented in SAP Solution Manager as a technical system of type UNSPAPP (unspecific standalone application system). Exceptions are displayed in the Exception Management Cockpit in SAP Solution Manager (oot Cause Analysis work center).

Next step: Configuring an Interface and Connection Monitoring scenario

To configure an ICMon scenario, in the Basic Setup for Monitoring of SAP-Based Hybrid Solutions screen (transaction S2C_SETUP), select the connection configured and choose Start of the navigation path Navigate to Next navigation step Interface and Connection Monitoring Setup End of the navigation path. Follow the instructions under Configuring an Interface and Connection Monitoring Scenario.

Housekeeping: Deleting a connection

When deleting a connection to a cloud service, ensure that the monitoring is deactivated.

  1. In the Basic Setup for Monitoring of SAP-Based Hybrid Solutions screen (transaction S2C_SETUP), select the connection.

  2. Choose Where Used.

  3. If a message informs you the “Cloud service is used in Exception Management”, do the following:

    1. Choose Start of the navigation path Navigate to Next navigation step Exception Management Setup End of the navigation path.

    2. On the Exception Sources tab page, select the log store associated with the cloud service.

    3. Choose Remove and confirm.

    4. Save your entries.

    5. Go back to the Basic Setup for Monitoring of SAP-Based Hybrid Solutions screen.

    6. To verify that the monitoring is inactive, select the connection and choose Where Used.

  4. If the cloud service is not used, choose Delete and confirm.