Step-by-Step process of Importing Support

Packages into ECC6 EHP4 System

In this blog we look at a step-by-step procedure to import HR support packages (HR Sp 16 to 20)
& (EA-HR 16 to 20) into a ECC6 system with EHP4.
The most important part of the installation is the preparation work. This is absolutely critical that
side-effect notes, relevant basis notes and patches are applied before applying the support
packages (see appendix). 99% Preparation, 1% perspiration!
Remember you can only download SPs from Solution manager (well sort of). What SolMan
really does is generate the link for you to download the SPs. Once you have the link generated,
you can just call the link from your browser independent of SolMan (see appendix on process).
Another point I want to highlight is in this scenario, we are simply updating a subset of Support
packages i.e HR support packages and not the Support Pack Stack. Whilst it is recommended to
apply the stack, this is not always practical and feasible due to resources, availability to test and
other complexities in large SAP landscapes.
1.1
Check all pre-requisites are met, e.g file system space, SAP notes, locked users, etc. See appendix below
for checklist of what to do.
1.2

Login to Client 000 with a Super User (SAP_ALL/SAP_NEW)

1.3
Ensure all the required SPs have been downloaded from the SAP Marketplace and have been
unzipped/uncarred into the ./EPS/in folders. The process of identifying which SPs to load and the
interdependencies is a separate task on its on and usually conducted in conjunction/direction of the
application/functional team
1.4
Load SPs from App server (you must first download the *.SAPCAR files and extract it in
usr/sap/trans/EPS/in
1.5
Define Queue. Essentially what you are doing here is telling SAP which SPs you want to import. It is
intelligent enough to calculate interdependencies.

Load the SPs from the Application server (after you have unzipped them into the ../EPS/in
folder). Pick the highest SP number. (It will automatically included other SPs or dependencies.).
If you are importing SP for different modules e.g HR, Finance, etc, then you may need to build
the queue and change the settings to Calculation for a Vector of components.
Queue calculation for a vector of software components:
The Support Package queue calculation takes place for multiple software components based on
the target Support Package level that has been defined for each software component (see
Defining a Queue Based on Multiple Software Components).

1.6

Check SPAM settings:

You can schedule more parallel processes if you like and if you system can support. These are
the typical settings I use when importing initially into a development system
Check if the SPAM settings are as follows :
Section Import queue
Create new datafile = Yes (only in DEVELOPMENT)
Delete data file after import = No
Section ABAP/Screen Generation

Generate screen = Never

1.7

Import Support Packages (Shift + F7)

This step onwards basically kicks starts the SP import process. From now onwards, there is no
going back (well almost).
Please refer to link on SAP Help below for known errors during import:
http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/7e/c6c2ad98a711d2b429006094b9ea64/content.ht
m
Generally I Run phase 1 in dialog mode and all other phases in background mode

These are the various phases the SPAM goes through during the import process. You will see the
phases change in the Status section in tcode SPAM:
Preparation Module

1.

PROLOGUE

This phase checks whether you are authorized to import Support Packages.
2.

CHECK_REQUIREMENTS

This phase checks various requirements for importing a Support Package, for example, whether
the transport control program tp can log on to your system.
3.

DISASSEMBLE

This phase unpacks files from the appropriate EPS parcels and saves them to the transport
directory.
4.

ADD_TO_BUFFER

This phase places the queue in the transport buffer of your system.
5.

MODIFY_BUFFER

This phase prepares the transport buffer for correct processing of the following import phases.
6.

TEST_IMPORT

This phase performs a test import for the queue with the transport control program tp. The
system checks whether there are objects that are in open repairs and that are overwritten during
the import, or whether other conditions prevent the import of an object.
7.

IMPORT_OBJECT_LIST

This phase imports the object lists for the Support Packages in the queue into the system.
8.

OBJECTS_LOCKED_?

This phase checks whether there are objects that are overwritten by the import, and that are still
in unreleased requests.
9.

ADDON_CONFLICTS_?

This phase checks whether there are conflicts between objects in the queue and any installed
add-ons.
10.

SCHEDULE_RDDIMPDP

This phase schedules the transport daemon (program RDDIMPDP).

Import 1 Module
11.

CREATE_VERS_BEFORE

This phase generates versions of the objects that are contained in the Support Packages in the
queue (if this option is set).
12.

SPDD_SPAU_CHECK

In this phase, the system checks if a modification adjustment is necessary (transactions

SPDD/SPAU).
13.

DDIC_IMPORT

This phase imports all ABAP Dictionary objects in the queue.

14.

AUTO_MOD_SPDD

This phase checks whether all modifications to ABAP Dictionary objects can be adjusted
automatically.
15.

RUN_SPDD_?

In this phase, you are asked to adjust your modifications to the ABAP Dictionary objects by
calling transaction SPDD.
16.

LOCK_EU (only for import mode downtime-minimized)

This phase locks the development environment.

17.

INACTIVE_IMPORT (only for import mode downtime-minimized)

This phase imports program code and program texts in an inactive state.
18.

DDIC_ACTIVATION

This phase activates the imported ABAP Dictionary objects.

Import 2 Module
19.

IMPORT_PROPER

This phase imports all the Repository objects and table entries if they were not already imported
in the INACTIVE_IMPORT phase. This is preceded by actions such as table conversion and
activation of the name tabs.
20.

PREPARE_XPRA

This phase prepares the execution of the XPRAs and after-import methods.
21.

UNLOCK_EU (only for import mode downtime-minimized)

This phase unlocks the development environment.

22.

AUTO_MOD_SPAU

This phase checks whether modifications can be adjusted automatically.

23.

XPRA_EXECUTION

This phase executes the XPRAs and after-import methods.

24.

ABAP_GENERATION

This phase generates the runtime objects for the imported Repository objects (ABAP source texts
and screens).
Clean Up Module

25.

RUN_SPAU_?

This phase prompts you to adjust your modifications to Repository objects by calling transaction
SPAU.
26.

CLEAR_OLD_REPORTS (only for import mode downtime-minimized)

This phase deletes the obsolete versions of program code and program texts in the database.
27.

EPILOGUE

This phase completes the import. Among other things, it checks whether the queue has been
processed completely.

1.8

Main Import Phases and Actions required.

In the following steps below, I only highlight only the main phases and the necessary actions
required. Generally if you have done your homework and checked and met all prerequisites, you
should a relatively smooth import process.

1.8.1

SPDD Adjustment Handover to Developer

SPAM -> Goto -> Status Queue to confirm adjustment to proceed to next phase

1.9

SPAU Adjustment

After the SPDD is completed, it will go through a number of phases and eventually pause at
SPAU adjustment phase (RUN_SPAU). Now again, ask the developers to continue with the
SPAU adjustments (This is only done in Development systems. For changes to take place in all
downstream systems, transports are created and imported into e.g QA and PROD and usually
after the SPs are applied).

Once developers complete their SPAU adjustments successfully (be patience, this can take from
several hours to a week or more depending on size of landscape and amount of customising),
simply resume i.e Goto Support Package -> Import Queue (similar to SPDD steps)

1.10

Tail end EPILOGUE

Finally, it all goes well, the last phase is the EPILOGUE as shown below. This should not take
that long and once completed, you proceed to confirm (or complete) the import with the next
step

Once EPILOGUE completed, the Status will turn Yellow. You must then go to Support Packages
-> Confirm (Shift F6) to close off or complete the SP implementation.

1.11

Lastly, CONFIRM queue

Method to confirm queue shown below.

Post Steps SGEN

Once import is completed, proceed to run SGEN to recompile all the new imported objects
before releasing the system. Steps shown below.
Run SGEN with options
Regeneration of existing loads
Only generate objects with invalid loads
Wait until finished !

Appendix Additional Info

2.1

Checklist before Import of SPs

This is my checklist but others may have more to add (or remove!)
1. Confirm and sign-off the support pks and combination of SPs that will be applied and
project/test team available for testing
2. Verify all functional and cross-system dependencies are met. Must review and OSS note
822379 (netweaver 7 version)
3. Enough Disk space and atleast 85% free space on sapdata filesystem
4. Check if file system /usr/sap/trans/data and ../EPS/in has free space, if not clean-up old
support package data files or Pat files in EPS/in
5. Post a system message & a login screen message indicating the outage (refer to procedure
Applying Support Packages).
6. Check if no tablespace is over 85 % full

7. Verify if you have a recent backup., if not schedule a full on-line backup. If production,
have a backup just before Support pkgs to be safe.
8. Unpack all required SPs and then load them into SPAM and verify that all queues are
OK e.g SAPCAR -xvf /sapcd/sp/XXXXXXX.CAR V
9. Update Spam with latest version from Service marketplace. Also ensure binaries R3trans and
tp are updated if necessary. If you are not sure, usually it will not hurt to update these anyway.
10. Define Queue and perform TEST import and report any SPDD/SPAU conflicts to
project/developers

2.2

Using SolMan to download Support Packages

Call tcode /nsolution Manager

Select the Solution SAP Solution if you are going to download SPs for ECC 6.0 SAP System
for your environment.

Create a new Maintenance Optimizer or use existing

Here you can select the SPs to download either manually and automate i.e Let SAP decide

A Web browser window will pop up and you need to manually look for and select the e.g HR
support pkgs.