HANA Updates & Upgrades

In addition to the technical update, the maintenance cycle also includes testing the application and performance, as well as ensuring integrity. This is often neglected.
However, the more you use the HANA features, the more elementary the importance of a proper procedure for quality assurance of your system stability becomes.

Workshop

This workshop is used for the initial recording of the systems and expectations.
This is where the KPIs are set against which the end result is measured.

To analyse

Analysis of the systems in advance using our own tools and methodology

Results report

In the report, we reflect the system behavior after the upgrade.
  • What test effort must be carried out for a new HANA revision or a support package stack?

    This depends on the features used and the number of in-house developments. The more deviations from the standard and the larger the database volume, the more intensively testing has to be carried out.

  • What procedure does XLC use?

    Due to our expertise and the many upgrades that we were allowed to accompany, the following procedure has been established:


    • Capture & Replay
    • HANA Health Check (sizing, MiniChecks, parameter check, consistency checks, TimeFrameReports etc.)
    • SQL Plan Stability (SAP: Note 2799998)
    • Definition of KPIs (result from the points: core application, high-runner, frequently used reports)
    • Mapping of the top statements with the KPIs
    • Functional technical tests: Backup / Restore / Recovery, HSR Takeover, TimeTravel, SDI / SDA etc.

    The KPIs are determined together with you. You determine which applications are important and set the response times as the goal.

  • How much time should you plan for each DB update?

    As always, there is no general answer to this, since every environment is special and arbitrarily complex.


    Test phases between QAS and PRD should not be longer than 14 days.


    A downtime is usually set at around 4 hours. However, everything has already been tested in advance.


    HyperCare phases extend up to 14 days after GoingLive.


    At the end of the day, work should begin approx. 2 months (example: 3-system landscape) before the planned GoingLive at the latest.

  • Can employees be trained on the methodology?

    Yes, we also offer customized workshops on these topics. Of course, the methodology changes again and again depending on the PLC and the features used. There are also delta workshops on this every year.

  • What is the exact process of an analysis?

    In the case of a complete analysis with all components, a framework and the expected goals are defined at the beginning.


    • 80% planning and testing
    • 20% technical implementation


    A health check of the systems is carried out to get an idea of ​​the current landscape, usage and setup. Known problems are derived and also corrected in the course of the upgrade.


    In the next step, top SQLs are listed and mapped against the high-runners, core applications and frequently used reports listed by the department. The KPIs are derived from this. These serve as a yardstick for later operation after GoingLive.


    The tooling is defined jointly and "frozen" for the period of the upgrade / update. Our own XDC tool (Crossload Double Checker - a database with over 2000 notes) is used to work out the parameter set. This creates a risk analysis with the published known issues of SAP for the respective revision.


    With the help of Capture & Replay, whole hours or even days of workload from the productive system can be replayed with the new setup. Additional features such as SQL Plan Stability help you to use well-known and proven execution plans again.


    The typical technical functions such as backup, restore & recovery or HANA system replication are also verified based on your standards.


    In the end, all that remains is the technical implementation with the comparison of the KPIs on the real systems.

  • Can individual components of an analysis also be purchased?

    Yes, but we should be involved early on when the project starts. After the system is already live, some analyzes can hardly be carried out.

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We help to implement your projects successfully and cost-effectively. With the Tandem License Ethics and XLC as specialists, you gain the necessary knowledge advantage.
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