Contents Overview..................................................................................................................42 Critical Tasks...........................................................................................................43 The R/3 System .......................................................................................................44 Database ..................................................................................................................46 Operating System ...................................................................................................46 Other.........................................................................................................................47 Notes ........................................................................................................................47 The R/3 System .......................................................................................................48 Critical Tasks...........................................................................................................49
Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks Overview
Release 4.6A/B 42 Overview We have provided sample checklists that you may use and modify depending upon your specific needs. The checklists provided for your convenience include: < Critical tasks < R/ 3 System < Database < Operating system < Other < Notes Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks Critical Tasks
System Administration Made Easy 43 Critical Tasks System: __________ Date: ____/ ____/ ____ Admin: _____________________
Task Transaction Chapter Procedure Check off/Initial Check that the R/ 3 System is up. Log onto the R/ 3 System
Check that daily backups executed without errors. DB12 Backup Logs: Overview 13 Check database backup. Database backup run time.
Check operating system level backup
Operating system backup run time.
Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks The R/3 System
Release 4.6A/B 44 The R/3 8ystem
Task Transaction Chapter Procedure Check off/Initial Check that all application servers are up. SM51 SAP Servers 16 & 10 Check that all servers are up.
Check the CCMS alert monitor (4.0+). RZ20 CCMS Monitor (4.0) 10 Look for alerts. Check work processes (started from SM51). SM50 Process Overview 16 & 10 All work processes with a running or a waiting status
Look for any failed updates (update terminates). SM13 Update Records 10 < Set date to one year ago < Enter * in the user ID < Set to all updates
Check for lines with Err.
Check system log. SM21 System Log 10 Set date and time to before the last log review.
Check for: < Errors < Warnings < Security messages < Abends < Database problems < Any other different event
Review for cancelled jobs. SM37 Select Background jobs 16 Enter an asterisk (*) in User ID. Verify that all critical jobs were successful.
Check for old locks. SM12 Lock entry list. 10 Enter an asterisk (*) for the user ID.
Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks The R/3 System
System Administration Made Easy 45
Task Transaction Chapter Procedure Check off/Initial Check for entries for prior days.
Check for users on the system. SMO4 Users AL08 - Users 10 Review for an unknown or different user ID and terminal. This task should be done several times a day.
Check for spool problems. SP01 Spool: Request Screen 14 Look for spool jobs that have been in process for over an hour.
Check job log. SM35 Batch input: Initial Screen 16 Check for: < New jobs < Incorrect jobs
Check work processes. SM50/SM51 - Processes 16 & 10
Review and resolve dumps. ST22 ABAP Dump Analysis 10 Look for an excessive number of dumps. Look for dumps of an unusual nature.
Review workload statistics. STO3 Workload: Analysis of <SID> 19
Review buffer statistics. ST02 Tune Summary 19 Look for swaps.
Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks Database
Release 4.6A/B 46 Database
Task Where Chapter Procedure Check off/Initial Review error log for problems. AL02 Database (DB) alert
ST04 DB Performance Analysis 13
Operating 8ystem
Task Transaction Chapter Procedure Check off/Initial Review system logs for problems. AL16 OS Alerts 15 OS06 OS Monitor 15 Review operating system log
Review NT system logs for problems. NT system log 15 Look for any errors or failures.
NT system log 15 Check for failed logon attempts to the SAP servers.
NT application log 15 Look for errors or failures.
Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks Other
System Administration Made Easy 47 Other
Task Where Chapter Procedure Check off/Initial Check the uninterruptible power supply (UPS). UPS program log 15 Review for: < Events < UPS self test < Errors
Notes
Problems Action Resolution
Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks The R/3 System
Release 4.6A/B 48 System: __________ Date: ____/ ____/ ____ Admin: _____________________ The R/3 8ystem These tasks are done several times a day.
Task Transaction Chapter Procedure Check off/Initial Look for any failed updates (update terminates). SM13 Update Records 10 < Set date to one year ago < Enter * in the user ID < Set to all updates
Check for lines with Err. Check System Log SM21- System Log 10 Set date and time to before the last log review.
Check for: < Errors < Warnings < Security messages < Abends < Database problems Any other different event
Review for cancelled and critical jobs SM37 Select Background jobs 16 Enter * in User ID Verify that all critical jobs were successful.
Review any cancelled jobs.
RZ01 Graphical job monitor 16 Same as for SM37.
Check users on system SM04 Users AL08 Users 10 Review for an unknown or different user ID and terminal. This task should be done several times a day.
Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks Critical Tasks
System Administration Made Easy 49 Critical Tasks There are a few critical tasks that should be completed every morning. These tasks answer the following questions: < Is the R/ 3 System running? < Did the backups execute and complete successfully? If the answer to either question is no, then the situation must be resolved quickly because: < If the R/ 3 System is down, no work can be done. < If the backups failed, and a disaster occurs, you could lose all the data since your most recent good backup. Verify that R/3 s Running Your first task of the day is to perform a high-level check to see if the R/ 3 System is running. Why If the system is not running, your users will be calling to find out what happened and when the system will be up again. As a basic level check, if you can connect to the R/ 3 System, the following questions are answered: < Is the R/ 3 System working? < Is the network between you and the R/ 3 System working? How From a workstation, log on with the SAP GUI. If you can log on, the test is successful. Verify that the Backups Ran 8uccessfully What You need to verify that the backups that were supposed to run last night, ran successfully. Backups of the R/ 3 database and related nondatabase operating system level files are essential to recover the R/ 3 System. Types of nondatabase files include: < Database log dumps < Data files for third-party applications that do not store their data in the system Examples of such files are external tax files. < Transport files < Inbound and outbound interface files < Externally stored print files Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks Critical Tasks
Release 4.6A/B 410 Why If there is a problem with any of the backups, the problem needs to be quickly resolved. If a database failure occurs that requires a restore, and the last backup failed, you will have to recover using the last successful backup. If you do not have a good (usable) backup, you will have to go to an older backup. This process requires applying more logs the further back you go and increases the time required to restore the database and bring it current. Once the problem has been fixed, if it does not significantly impact performance, execute an online backup. Even if it impacts performance, your company may make it policy to run the online backup. This step gives you a more recent backup. At the operating system level, some of these files may need to be in sync with the R/ 3 database. Restoring the R/ 3 System without these files results in an incomplete (unusable) restore (for example, external tax files that need to be in sync with the system data or the tax systems reports will not match the R/ 3 reports). When These critical tasks need to be done first thing in the morning. If there is a graveyard operations shift, the backup check should be done once the backup job is complete. The graveyard shift is the third shift of the day and is typically from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Any failed backup must be immediately investigated and resolved. Do not maintain a we will just run the backup again tonight and see if it works attitude. If that backup fails, you have another day without a backup. In chapters 48, we have included a list of transactions like the one below. This list contains basic information about the transactions in the checklist. For additional information on these transactions, see the chapter referenced in each checklist. Users {Transaction AL08} What This transaction displays all the users who are currently logged on to the system. It shows both the users ID and terminal name. Why In a smaller company, the administrator can recognize user IDs logged on to unfamiliar terminals. This step may indicate that someoneother than the designated useris using that user ID. A user is logged on to more than one terminal may indicate that the user ID is being used or shared by more than one person. Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks Critical Tasks
System Administration Made Easy 411 O8 Monitor {Transaction O806} What The system logs are where the operating system and some applications write event records. Depending on the operating system, there may be multiple logs. Why There may be indications of a developing problem (for example, a hard drive generating errors or a failing drive that needs to be replaced). 8elect Background Jobs/Graphical Job Monitor {Transaction 8M37/RZ01} What Background jobs are batch jobs scheduled to run at specific times during the day. Why If you are running critical jobs, you need to know if the job failed, because there may be other processes, activities, or tasks that are dependent on these jobs. CCM8 Alert Monitor {Transaction RZ20} What Transaction RZ20 is a centralized alert monitor and is new with Release 4.0. With this transaction, you can monitor the servers in your landscape, such as development, QA, testing, production, etc. You no longer have to individually log into each system to search for alerts. If there is an alert, the monitor will link to many of the other transactions later in this chapter. Why An alert indicates a potentially serious problem that should be quickly resolved. If not contained, these problems could degenerate into a disaster. Users {Transactions 8M04} What These transactions display all the users who are currently logged on to the system and show the users ID and terminal name. Why In a smaller company, the administrator can recognize user IDs logged on to unfamiliar terminals, indicating that someoneother than the designated useris using that user ID. Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks Critical Tasks
Release 4.6A/B 412 A user logged on to more than one terminal indicates that the user ID is being: < Used by someone else < Used or shared by several people
Lock Entry List {Transaction 8M12} What A lock is a mechanism that prevents other users from changing the record on which you are working. An example that illustrates the importance of using this function follows.
Example: You are changing a customer mailing address. Someone else is changing the customers telephone number at the same time. You save your change first; then the other person saves their change. The other persons change overwrites your change, and your change will be lost.
Why There may be old locks still in place from transactions that did not release, or from when the user was cut off from the network. Unless cleared, these locks prevent access or change to the record until the system is cycled. The easiest way to locate them is to look for locks from prior days.
We presume that the profile parameter rdisp/gui_auto_logout has been set. This parameter defines an automatic logout of the user if there is no activity for the set number of minutes. Update Records {Transaction 8M13} What A failed update, or an update terminate, is an update to the failed database. These failed updates occur when a user entry or transaction is not entered or updated in the database. The following analogy should help clarify this concept: 1. A secretary gives a file clerk a folder (similar to a save). 2. The file clerk gives the secretary a receipt (similar to the R/ 3 document number). 3. On the way to the file cabinet, the clerk falls, and gets hurt. The folder in not put into the cabinet (this is the failed update). 4. The end result is the folder is not in the cabineteven though the secretary has the receipt. For performance reasons, the database update is done in asynchronous mode. In this mode, the user continues to work while the system takes over the update process and waits for the Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks Critical Tasks
System Administration Made Easy 413 database update to complete. In synchronous mode, users would have to wait until the database successfully updated before they could continue to work. Why The users probably received a document number, so they assume that the entry is in the system; however, if a failed update occurred, the entry is not in the system. In a customer order, unless the order is reentered, the customers would not get their order and no trace of it would be found in the system! 8ystem Log {Transaction 8M21} What The system log is the R/ 3 Systems log of events, errors, problems, and other system messages. Why The log is important because unexpected or unknown warnings and errors could indicate a serious problem. Batch nput {Transaction 8M35} What This transaction shows jobs that need to be processed or started, and jobs with errors that need to be resolved. Why This transaction is important because it alerts you to batch input jobs that are: < New These are jobs that are waiting to be processed (for example, a posting from an interface file). If not processed, the data will not post to the system. < Incorrect These are jobs that have failed due to an error. The danger is that only a portion of the job may have posted to the system. This increases the potential for data corruption of a different sort, as only part of the data is in the system. Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks Critical Tasks
Release 4.6A/B 414 Work Processes {Transactions 8M50 and 8M51} What These transactions allow users to view the status of work processes and monitor for problems. Transaction SM51 is a central transaction from which you can select the instance to monitor. SM51 starts transaction SM50 for each application server. Transaction SM50 is used for systems without application servers. Why Transaction SM51 is one place to look for jobs or programs that may be hung, (indicated by long run times). If batch jobs are not running, if all the batch work processes are in use, transaction SM50 may provide a hint of the problem.
8pool {Transaction 8P01} What The spool is the R/ 3 Systems output manager. Data sent to the printer is sent to the R/ 3 spool and then sent to the operating system to print. Why There may be problems with the printer at the operating system level. These problems need to be resolved immediately for time-critical print jobs (for example, checks, invoices, shipping documents, etc.) or there may be an operational impact. Active spool jobs that have been running for over an hour could indicate a problem with the operating system spool or the printer. Tune 8ummary {Transaction 8T02} What The buffer tune summary transaction displays the R/ 3 buffer performance statistics. It is used to tune buffer parameters of R/ 3 and, to a lesser degree, the R/ 3 database and operating system. Why The buffer is important because significant buffer swapping reduces performance. Look under Swaps for red entries. Regularly check these entries to establish trends and get a feel of the buffer behavior. Workload Analysis of <8D> {Transaction 8T03} What Workload analysis is used to determine system performance. Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks Critical Tasks
System Administration Made Easy 415 How Check statistics and record trends to get a feel for the systems behavior and performance. Understanding the system when it is running well helps you determine what changes may need to be made when it is not. Database Performance Analysis {Transaction 8T04} What A high-level database performance monitor. Why This transaction provides the ability to: < Monitor the database in relation to: Growth Capacity I/ O statistics Alerts < Drill down for additional information. < Monitor the database without logging on to it. ABAP Dump Analysis {Transaction 8T22} What An ABAP dump (also known as a short dump) is generated when a report or transaction terminates as the result of a serious error. The system records the error in the system log (transaction SM21) and writes a snapshot (dump) of the program termination to a special table. This transaction can also be called from the system log (transaction SM21). Why You use an ABAP dump to analyze and determine why the error occurred, and take corrective action. Chapter 4: Scheduled Daily Tasks Critical Tasks