Patches are used to fix the bugs in the system. The transaction used for patch administration is SPAM.
Patches are always applied in 000 client.
There are 4 different types of patches ABAP (SAPKA620XXXX); BASIS (SAPKB620XXXX); HR (SAPKE470XXXX); & APPLICATIONS (SAPKH470XXXX).
These are also called as Support packs.
They should be administered in the following sequence BASIS (SAPKBXXXXXXX), ABAP (SAPKAXXXXXXX), APPLICATIONS (SAPKHXXXXXXX) & HR (SAPKEXXXXXXX).
All patches start with SAPK.
Patch levels should be the same in DEV, PRD & QAS.
SPAM is the tool which is used to apply the patches. It
has its own version. You should always have the latest SPAM version.
What are the commonly asked questions for SAP patch administration or management?
The following are the frequently asked questions during patch administration:
1. When you will apply patches? Give short of examples the situation, where to troubleshoot you have applied patches!
SMP provides correction in form of patches. It may contain corrections similar to SAP notes, ABAP programming. It helps to avoid Runtime error and dumps. You can check logs at SPAM. Sometime leaving the TR un released caused the issue or some manual correction is required.
In that case we cannot apply sap notes (even if we find
them at OSS) as we are stuck in SPAM error phase. Also in backend
usr\sap\trans\log and temp file contains the logs for error.
2. Why it`s required to shutdown all SAP, Database instances & services during kernel up-gradation.
Because SAP system and database uses kernel service starsapsrv.exe
for their functioning, if the service file to be updated is in use, kernel
upgrade is not possible then.
3. Why it`s required to keep all instances up during the updating hot package?
Because SAP system process the system tables/object and
modifying them during updating hot package besides hot packages are the
most basis packages required for SAP system to work fine.
4. Can we apply higher version Patch Level using lower version of SPAM? If not, why?
No. To meet the pre requisites, we need to update our SPAM/SAINT level. To update our package, according to SAP standard- First update Kernel to latest level available at SMP.
Then SPAM/SAINT, apply maintenance certificate then start
with sap components patching/upgrade.
5. What is importance of Import Queue?
It servers 2 purpose:
1. Maintain the support packs selected.
2. Check the dependency, actually queue cant be defined
unless the
dependencies of selected components meet and let them apply
in order.
6. Can we apply higher level of HR or other Financial Patch with lower version of ABAP/BASIS patch level?
Never. Because SAP Basis/ABAP are the most basic components
that need to be updated before you can update any components.
7. Is there any sequence to apply hot packages?
Means, BASIS ABAP HR FIN or HR FIN ABAP BASIS
vice versa Basis and ABAP should be at first then others.
8. BASIS and ABAP patch level should be same. So first which patch level should be updated ABAP or BASIS? If BASIS then why? If ABAP then why?
Not necessary for them to be at same patch level. Though
standard says they should be at same level. Generally we apply BASIS
and ABAP together. If we have to apply one at first, it should be basis.
9. Why you update SPAM version before applying other patches? What is the logic behind this?
A SPAM/SAINT Update (PAT) contains updates and improvements
to the SAP Patch Manager and the SAP Add-On Installation Tool.
10. How you will decompress the downloaded compressed patch files? After decompression what are the two files generated. State the names of that files & type of the files?
SAPcar xvf filename.sar
They will contain PTT and ATT files.
11. Why we login as DDIC user at the time of patch administration?
If we logged as different user, what will the problem?
Users are locked generally for SPAM upgrade. Hence use
DDIC, its standard SAP user.
12. Updating the patch level means Updating of SAP system or Upgrading SAP system?
Updating the SAP system.
13. You are updating patch level and kernel version of 4.6c to the latest patch level of SAP that you found in service.sap.com. So, will it become 4.7ee to 4.6c version? If not what will be the changes?
4.7c
14. If not then what is upgrading?
Upgrading is the process of increasing the Level like
oracle upgrade from 10g to 11g, patching is going from oracle 10.2.0.2
to 10.2.0.4
15. How from Client 000, all clients exists in SAP system get effected? In which table these stored?
It updates standard tables objects and data dictionary objects which are accessible by all the clients.
