SAP Transaction Codes (T-CODE) for Basis Admins

If you are a Basis Admin/ABAP developer you must have some knowledge of SAP Transaction codes(T-CODE).

Each function in SAP has a Transaction code (or t-code) and it consists of letters, numbers or both. By suing the Transaction code you can go to task and start the faction in a single step.

Before you learn about SAP Transaction codes, you need to understand transaction Control in SAP.

Transaction Control in SAP - Below commands are commonly used

n + Transaction code – To end current system task and go to new task
/o + Transaction – To create new session and go to new task without closing prior session
/o  – To list all existing or open sessions
/n  – To terminate the transaction ( F 15 or Shift +F3 )
/i  – To terminate the current session
/nend  – To terminate all separate sessions and log off.
/h – To turn on Debugging mode

Below are the few transaction codes I have used and come across during the Basis Administration.

SAP User/Group/Role/Profile Administration SM01 – Lock Transactions
SM04 – Overview of Users
SU1 – Maintain Own user Addresses
SU3 – Maintain users Own Data
SU01 – User Maintenance
SU02 – Maintain Authorization Profiles
SU03 Maintain Authorizations
SU05- Maintain Internet Users
SU10 – User Mass Maintenance
SU12 – Mass Changes to user Master Records
SU20 – Maintain Authorization Fields
SU21 – Maintain Authorization Objects
SU22 – Authorization object usage in Transaction
SU24 – Authorization object check under Transactions
SU25/SU26 – Upgrade tool for profile generator
SU53 – Evaluate user Authorization check
SUIM – User information System
SUGR – Maintain user Groups
SUMM– Global User Manager
SUPC – Role Profiles
PFCG – Role Maintenance

SAP Jobs, Events and Batches
SM36 – To Define Background job
SM37 – To view Background job Overview
SM50 – Work Process Overview (Alternatively you can use SM66)
SM66 –System Wide work process over view
SM51 – To Display list of SAP Systems/Active application servers
SM34 – View cluster maintenance
SM49 – Execute External Operating system Commands
SM69 – Maintain external Operating system commands
SM62 – Define and Display Events
SM64 – Release of an event or administration of events

SAP System/Client Administration, Analysis , Run Time, Logs
SCC4 – Client Administration
SCC5 – Delete Client
SCC8 – Client Export
SCCL – Local Client copy
SCC9 – Remote Client Copy
ST01 – System Level trace
ST06 – Operating System Monitor
ST22 – ABAP dump analysis
SM21 – Online System Log Analysis
AM13 – Administrative Update requests
SE30 – Runtime analysis

SAP Database Administration, Backup/Recovery, Performance, Logs
DB02 – Tables and Indexes Monitor
DB13 - DBA Planning Calendar (Schedule Backups, Maintenance jobs)
DB12 – Overview of Database Backup Logs and Status
DB14 – Display DBA Operation Logs
DB15 – Data archiving from Database tables.
DB16/DB17 – Database system Check
DB24 – Administration/Monitoring of Database Operations
DB 26 –Display and history of Database parameters
DBCO – Maintain Database connection information
DBACOCKPIT - Start DBA Cockpit
SM12 – Display and delete locks
ST04 – Database performance Monitor
ST06 – Database Tune Summary
ST06 – Monitor Memory Resources
ST05 – Performance Trace

SAP Object Level, Paths, Connections
SUC3 – SAP table History/change log
SCMP – Table comparison.
SM58 – Transactional RFC
SM59 – RFC Destinations/Connections
AL11 – SAP file Directories
AL22 – Dependent objects display
FILE – Cross-Client File Names/Paths
SCU0/OY19 – Customizing Cross-System Viewer
SM56 – Number range buffers
SNRO – Number range Objects

Regards,
Satishbabu Gunukula, Oracle ACE
http://www.oracleracexpert.com

OPATCH prereq failed with checkConflictAgainstOHWithDetail not executed

Recently I was working on applying a PSU One-Off Patch, before applying patch it is necessary to get conflict resolution with existing patch information.

I was running below command to get one-off patches conflict with the PSU and received error

$ opatch prereq CheckConflictAgainstOHWithDetail -phBaseDir ./9352164

Invoking OPatch 10.2.0.4.2
 
Oracle Interim Patch Installer version 10.2.0.4.2
Copyright (c) 2007, Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved.

PREREQ session

Oracle Home : /home/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1
Central Inventory : /home/oracle/oraInventory
from : /etc/oraInst.loc
OPatch version : 10.2.0.4.2
OUI version : 10.2.0.4.0
OUI location : /home/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/oui
Log file location : /home/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/cfgtoollogs/opatch/opatch2013-10-29_15-58-39PM.log
Invoking prereq "checkconflictagainstohwithdetail"
The location "./9352164/README.html" is not a directory or a valid patch zip file.
Prereq "checkConflictAgainstOHWithDetail" not executed
PrereqSession failed: Invalid patch location

OPatch failed with error code 73

You may see below error when you check the log file

INFO:Invoking prereq "checkconflictagainstohwithdetail"
INFO:The location "./9352164/psu_root.sh" is not a directory or a valid patch zip file.
INFO:Prereq "checkConflictAgainstOHWithDetail" not executed
SEVERE:OUI-67073:PrereqSession failed: Invalid patch location.
INFO:Finishing PrereqSession at Tue Oct 29 16:22:07 PDT 2013
INFO:Stack Description: java.lang.RuntimeException: Invalid patch location.
INFO:StackTrace: oracle.opatch.opatchprereq.PQSession.parseBaseDirListFile(PQSession.java:2118)
INFO:StackTrace: oracle.opatch.opatchprereq.PQSession.checkconflictagainstohwithdetail(PQSession.java:1424)
INFO:StackTrace: sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
INFO:StackTrace: sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
INFO:StackTrace: sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
INFO:StackTrace: java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:324)
INFO:StackTrace: oracle.opatch.PrereqSession.process(PrereqSession.java:251)
INFO:StackTrace: oracle.opatch.OPatchSession.main(OPatchSession.java:1937)
INFO:StackTrace: oracle.opatch.OPatch.main(OPatch.java:619)

Solution: You will see this error when you don’t have a latest Opatch version. Go to My Oracle support and download the latest patch.

Irrespective of the Oracle version (9i,10g,11g) you will see this issue when you don’t have latest Opatch version.

Steps to install the newer version of OPATCH
1. Copy the patch into ORACLE_HOME
2. Rename the old “Opatch” directory
$ mv OPatch OPatch_bak
3. Unzip the file patch
4. Check new OPatch version
$ opatch version
You should be able to see new Opatch version.

Refer Metalink Notes:-
Master Note For OPatch (Doc ID 293369.1)
How To Download And Install The Latest OPatch Version [Article ID 274526.1]

Regards,
Satishbabu Gunukula, Oracle ACE
http://www.oracleracexpert.com

INVISIABLE Columns and MULTIPLE Indexes on Same Set of Columns in Oracle 12C

As you know Oracle 11g introduced Virtual Column and Invisible indexes. Now Oracle 12c introduced new enhancements in this area.

1. Invisible Column
2. Multiple Indexes on the same set of Columns

Invisible Column:
In Oracle 12c you can able to add a column to table in the invisible fashion. The invisible column will not show up in DESCRIBE statement and also column won’t appear in queries for ex: - SELECT * query
You can add an INVISIABLE COLUMN or you can modify an existing COLUMN as INVISIBLE.

SQL> CREATE TABLE test1 (a number, b varchar2 (10), c date);
Table created.

SQL> ALTER TABLE test ADD( d number INVISIBLE );
Table altered.

SQL> DESC test
Name Null? Type
--------------------------
A NUMBER
B VARCHAR2(10)
C DATE

As you see the column “D” is not visible. Let’s insert the data into table.

SQL> INSERT INTO test VALUES (1,'Test1',sysdate,100);
1 row created.

SQL> commit;
Commit complete.

SQL> SELECT * FROM test;
A   B       C
--- ------ ---------- 
1 Test1 10-OCT-13

We are able to insert the data into INVISIBLE column, but not able to see the data using “SELECT *” query. Let’s try to query the data referring the columns explicitly in SELECT statement.

SQL> SELECT a,b,c,d from test;
A  B        C                 D
-- ------- ------------ --------
1  Test1  10-OCT-13 100

Now we are able to see the data from INVISIBLE column

NOTE: - In order to INSERT or SELECT data in INVISIBLE column, you must explicitly use the INVISIBLE column name

Let’s change the column to be visible and query the data.

SQL> ALTER TABLE test modify d visible;
Table altered.

SQL> SELECT * from test;
A B         C                 D
-- ------- -----------  ----------
1  Test1  10-OCT-13 100

Multiple Indexes on the same set of Columns
Prior Oracle12c, you cannot able to create another index on same column name or set of columns which already have index. In Oracle 12c, you can able to create multiple indexes the same set of columns as long as some characteristic is different and qualifying characteristics are:

· B-tree versus bitmap
· Different partitioning strategies
· Unique versus nonunique

Creating multiple indexes on the same set of columns enables transparent and seamless application migrations without the need to drop an existing index and re-create it with different attributes.

SQL> CREATE INDEX test_index1 ON TEST(a,b);
Index created.

SQL> CREATE BITMAP INDEX test_index2 ON TEST(a,b);
CREATE BITMAP INDEX test_index2 ON TEST(a,b)
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-01408: such column list already indexed

Here I am trying to create a BITMAP index, but it is failed. Note that one type of index is usable/visible at any given point of time.

SQL> CREATE BITMAP INDEX test_index2 ON TEST(a,b) INVISIBLE;
Index created.

Now index created successfully.

SQL> ALTER INDEX test_index2 VISIABLE;
ALTER INDEX test_index2 VISIABLE;
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-14147: There is an existing VISIBLE index defined on the same set of
columns.

First we need to make sure that the existing index is INVISIBLE then only you can able to make the other index visiable

SQL> ALTER INDEX test_index1 INVISIBLE;
Index altered.

SQL> ALTER INDEX test_index2 VISIBLE;
Index altered.

Regards,
Satishbabu Gunukula, Oracle ACE
http://www.oracleracexpert.com

PACKT Publishing offers 50% off on eBooks and Videos

Hi Everyone,

PACKT Publishing offers 50% off on all eBooks and Videos until Oct 21^th 2013 Midnight. It is a limited time offer and take an advantage of this Columbus Day offer to buy your favorite books for half the price.

USE PROMO CODE: COL50

Here is the PACKT PUBLISHING Link

http://www.packtpub.com/?utm_source=Columbus+Day&utm_medium=Link&utm_campaign=Columbus+Day

Regards,

Satishbabu Gunukula

http://www.oracleracexpert.com

SAP HANA Training & Certification (C_HANATEC_1) Experience

I was excited to see how HANA in-memory database works and finally I have attended SAP HANA Training i.e. HA100, HA200 courses from SAP America Education.

The HA100 – SAP HANA – Introduction (2-day course)
This course provides an overview on the capabilities of SAP HANA.

I felt that they would have covered some more technical details in this course. From this course you will get a chance to exercise feel and look of HANA Studio and levels of Modeling. I don’t recommend this course, unless until your company offering free training. Now days there is plenty of documentation/ Free Videos/Webinar available, I would recommend going over those to get the overview of SAP HANA.

Here are some good links 

Introduction to Software Development on SAP HANA
https://open.sap.com/videos/36?module_item_id=84

SAP HANA Academy
http://www.saphana.com/community/hana-academy

The HA200 – SAP HANA – Installation & Operations (5-day course, previously it is a 3 day course)
This course covers some important tasks of the daily work of an SAP HANA Administrator. It also provides details about troubleshooting and assuming the high-availability of SAP HANA System.

From this course you can expect some level of technical information about Architecture, administration, operations, backup & recovery and monitoring addressing primarily technology consultants and administrators.

Note that the SAP HANA Student Guides/Course materials are not enough to prepare for SAP HANA Certification. I would highly recommend to go over below documentation links as it has very detailed, in-depth technical information.

Here are some good links

Help on SAP HANA
http://help.sap.com/hana - it has lot of useful guides

SAP HANA Administration Guides
http://help.sap.com/hana/SAP_HANA_Administration_Guide_en.pdf

SAP HANA Security Guide
http://help.sap.com/hana/SAP_HANA_Security_Guide_en.pdf

SAP HANA Server Installation Guide
http://help.sap.com/hana/SAP_HANA_Server_Installation_Guide_en.pdf

Most of the SAP courses offer both Instructor Led in Physical and Virtual Classroom courses, I always prefer Instructor Led Physical as you will have direct interaction with Instructor.

Certification

I know Certification is very important part and most of us want to complete the SAP HANA Certification as it has some demand in the market. If you are seriously planning to go for certification, then don’t expect that you will get questions from SAP HANA Training Guides/Books of HA100, HA200 like other Vendors guides.

First decide which path you want to go

1. SAP Certified Application Associate - SAP HANA 1.0
2. SAP Certified Technology Associate - SAP HANA 1.0
...etc

Check below link for SAP HANA Certification Paths
http://scn.sap.com/community/hana-in-memory/blog/2013/01/10/sap-hana-certification-pathways

I would highly recommend reading the documentation from above links and getting some hands on practice before you go for SAP HANA Certification.

SAP Offering free 30 day SAP Hana Trail, and it is very useful.
http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-39531

Few vendor’s offers SAP HANA Systems on Cloud and you can use their services for Practice
https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/B009KA3CRY/ref=mkt_ste_sap_slns_SAPHana1

I have used the above documentation and hands on experience and to complete SAP Certified Technology Associate - SAP HANA 1.0(C_HANATEC_1) certification.

Questions

If this is not your fist certification with SAP then you might already know that you will get the questions from list of “Topics”. From each topic some percentage of questions will be asked, you should be able to see that information in above links.

For C_HANATECH_1 Certification, the no of questions will be 80, you must get 60% to pass the Exam and the duration is 180 min (3 hrs). From my experience this is really good amount of time to complete the exam and also to go-over flagged questions. Note that PASS percentage (60%) will NOT be decided by each topic, it will be on overall exam.

Don’t expect that you will get straight questions from book or documentation. I got many questions addressing practical experience and real-life scenarios.

1. System Security and Authorization- There is no straight questions from Security, most of the questions that I got from this section are “scenario” based. They will explain “scenario” and “Error Message” you need to correct the security issue. Some hands on experience needed in this section.

2. Installation – In this topic don’t expect that you will get the questions from HANA Couse Material. If you go through the documentation that I provided then you will be in a very comfortable position.

3. System Architecture Design - If you don’t have much hands on experience then you must concentrate on this Topic. I felt that it is easy to clear 100% questions from this section without hands on experience.

4. System Architecture Implementation – For non-experienced users this is the next easy topic. I feel that the documentation links that I provided are good enough.

5. Data Provisioning – In this section you will see 8%-12% of questions, but related to “Data Services” (Install, Admin, Architecture, Modeling, Monitoring...etc.) itself I have received around 20-25 questions. Don’t neglect “Data Services”.

I hope this is useful to you. “Best of luck for your HANA Certification…!”

Regards,
Satisbabu Gunukula, Oracle ACE
http:/www.oracleracexpert.com