Introduction to SAP Basis

SAP Basis is the technical foundation of the SAP system, responsible for managing
system operations including:

• Installation and Configuration

• Load Balancing

• System Monitoring

• Integration with different systems

• Database and OS management

SAP System Architecture

Three-Tier Architecture:

1. Presentation Layer: End-user interface (SAP GUI, browser)

2. Application Layer: SAP server processes logic and computations

3. Database Layer: Stores all SAP data

• Development (DEV): Configuration and ABAP development

• Quality Assurance (QAS): Testing

• Production (PROD): Live environment

Roles and Responsibilities of SAP Basis Consultant

• System Administration: System health, performance, patching

• Transport Management: Moving changes between systems

• User Administration: Create/lock/unlock users, assign roles

 • Monitoring: Performance, background jobs, logs

• Backup & Restore

• Kernel & Patch Management

• RFC Configuration

T Codes:
User Administration (T-code: SU01)

• Create users

• Assign roles & profiles

• Set/reset passwords

• Lock/unlock users

• Types: Dialog, System, Communication, Service, Reference

Transport Management System (TMS)

• Configured using STMS

• Moves development/config from DEV ➝ QAS ➝ PROD

• Use STMS_IMPORT to view import history and apply transports

• Refresh SE06 after refresh for transport reconfiguration

Background Jobs

T-codes: SM36 (Schedule), SM37 (Monitor)

• Class A: High priority

• Class B: Medium
 • Class C: Low

Set job frequency, start conditions, and define program/variant.

Client Administration

• Clients are logical systems in one SAP instance (ex: 000, 001, 066)

• T-codes:

o SCC4: Create/manage clients

o SCCL: Local copy

o SCC9: Remote copy

o SCC8: Export

o STMS_IMPORT: Import transports

o SCC3: Check logs

o SCC5: Delete client

Remote Function Call (RFC)

• Type 3 (ABAP to ABAP): Most used

• Create trusted RFCs using SM59

• Used in ECC ↔ HANA connections

• Allows communication without repeated login

Key Daily Monitoring Activities

Task T-Code Purpose

Check App Servers SM51 Active servers and status

Work Processes SM50/SM66 Identify stuck/PRIV processes

System Logs SM21 Check errors/warnings

Background Jobs SM37 Job status and logs

Spool Requests SP01 Monitor printing issues

Update Records SM13 Cancelled updates

Lock Entries SM12 No lock should exist >24 hrs

Memory & Buffers ST02 Analyze buffer swaps and memory issues

ABAP Dumps ST22 Analyze short dumps (e.g., timeouts)

System Load ST03N Workload analysis

Gateway Monitor SMGW Active connections

RFC Errors SM58 Identify failed RFCs

Queue Monitoring SMQ1/SMQ2 Monitor stuck qRFC queues

Important Transaction Codes (T-Codes)

Task T-Code Use Case / Description

Create user, assign

Create / Lock / Unlock /
SU01 roles/profiles, reset
Manage Users
password

Lock/unlock multiple users,

Mass User Management SU10
assign roles

Monitor Background Schedule jobs (SM36),

SM36 / SM37
Jobs monitor job status (SM37)

View system logs for errors,

Check System Logs SM21
warnings, locks

Identify and troubleshoot

Analyze ABAP Dumps ST22
ABAP runtime errors

View/remove user/system
Display Lock Entries SM12
lock entries

Monitor Update Check and fix failed update

SM13
Requests records

Configure RFC Create or test RFCs between

SM59
Connections systems

View and reprocess failed

Monitor RFC Errors SM58
transactional RFCs

Check WP status; SM66

Monitor Work Processes SM50 / SM66
shows all instances

List of all SAP application

View Server Overview SM51
servers

Analyze SAP memory and

Memory & Buffer Check ST02
buffer usage
Task T-Code Use Case / Description

OS-Level Resource CPU, memory, disk stats from

ST06
Monitoring OS (via SAPOSCOL)

Monitor spool requests

Print / Spool Monitoring SP01
(prints, logs)

SM51 > Release Notes / View current kernel release

Display Kernel Version
disp+work -version level

Transport Management Manage transport

STMS
System configurations and systems

Import Transport Import transports, check

STMS_IMPORT
Requests history

Monitor & Configure Monitor alerts (CPU, disk,

RZ20
CCMS Alerts jobs) via CCMS

Create or modify client

Configure Clients SCC4
settings

Copy one client to another

Local Client Copy SCCL
within same system

Copy client from another

Remote Client Copy SCC9
system using RFC

Export client data for

Export Client Data SCC8
transport/import

Review client copy or import

Check Client Copy Logs SCC3
logs

Remove a client from the

Delete Clients SCC5
system
Task T-Code Use Case / Description

Install/Apply Support Load and apply support

SPAM
Packages patches

Perform BDLS Convert logical system names

BDLS
Conversion after refresh

Analyze performance (GUI

Monitor Workload ST03N
time, response time)

View active RFC gateway

Gateway Monitor SMGW
connections

Monitor/Change Load View logon group response

SMLG
Balancing times

Monitor qRFC Queues Check stuck outbound RFC

SMQ1
(Outbound) queues

Monitor qRFC Queues Check stuck inbound RFC

SMQ2
(Inbound) queues
Step by step Process

SAP Installation (ECC or S/4HANA)

SAP ECC 6.0 Installation

Step Activity

1 Prepare hardware & OS (Windows Server 2003, 4GB+ RAM, 250GB HDD)

2 Install prerequisite software (Java JDK, SQL Server/Oracle DB)

3 Run sapinst.exe to launch SWPM

4 Select installation type (Central System)

5 Enter SAP SID, instance number, DB info

6 Load export CDs, kernel, provide paths

7 Perform prerequisite check

8 Complete installation wizard

9 Install SAP license

10 Verify using SAP GUI login and check system status

SAP S/4HANA Installation

Step Activity

1 Set up Linux OS (SuSE/RedHat)

2 Install HANA DB (min: HANA 2.0 SP07)

3 Run SWPM to install SAP S/4HANA

Step Activity

4 Configure RFC/liveCache if needed

5 Use SUM to install add-ons

6 Post-install: Configure instances and users

SAP User Management

Task T-Code Steps

Enter username > Address > Logon Data > Roles >
Create User SU01
Profiles > Save

Reset Password SU01 Enter user > Change > New Password > Save

SU01 /
Lock/Unlock User Enter username > Lock/Unlock
SU10

Mass Users
SU10 Enter multiple users > Lock/Unlock
Lock/Unlock

SAP Background Job Management

Task T-Code Steps

Create Job SM36 Enter Job name > Steps > Start Condition > Save

Monitor Job SM37 Enter Job/user/date > Execute > View log/status

Delete Logs SE38 → RSBTCDEL Enter date range > Execute

SAP System Monitoring (Daily Tasks)
Area T-Code Purpose

App Servers SM51 Check list of servers, status

Global Work Process SM66 Check PRIV process

Work Process (Local) SM50 Check waiting/active processes

Spool Requests SP01 Check pending/failed print jobs

Gateway Monitor SMGW Check RFC gateway connections

Job Monitoring SM37 Check background job status

System Logs SM21 Analyze errors/warnings

Update Records SM13 Check for failed updates

ABAP Dumps ST22 Analyze runtime errors

Lock Entries SM12 Delete entries > 24 hours

Memory/Buffer ST02 Check swaps and buffer health

OS Monitor ST06 CPU, RAM, file system

DB Monitoring DB02 Tablespace, growth, missing indexes

Load Balancing SMLG Check response times

Workload Analysis ST03N Response time, transaction load

Import History STMS_IMPORT View transport logs

SAP System Refresh
Pre-Refresh

Step T-Code Activity

Export users/roles SCC8 Save current client settings

Take snapshots SCC4, RZ12, SPAD etc. Logon groups, RFCs, etc.

Backup transports SE01 For settings like AL11, SPAD

Refresh Activity

Step Activity

1 Stop SAP & hand over to DB team

2 DB team restores source DB

3 Validate and return to Basis team

Post-Refresh

Step T-Code Activity

Disable Batch Jobs SM37 Set all to "Scheduled"

Import users & transports SCC7 / SE01 Reapply backed-up items

Run BDLS BDLS Logical system change

Delete old entries SM13, SM58, SE14 Update/Spool/RFC clean-up

Regenerate programs SE38 (SGEN) Run RSGENINVLAS

Step T-Code Activity

Activate Services SICF Make services available

Transport Management
Task T-Code Steps

Check Import
STMS_IMPORT View history or import
Queue

Client Copy (Local) SCCL Select profile/source client

Client Copy
SCC9 Configure RFC and copy
(Remote)

Import/Export SCC8 → STMS_IMPORT →

Used for large DB sizes
Client SCC7

Select client > Delete now/in

Delete a Client SCC5
background

RFC Configuration
Task T-Code Steps

Create RFC SM59 Connection type 3 for ABAP system

Configure Trusted RFC SM59 → LTR No password login across SAP systems

Test Connection SM59 Use "Test Connection" after setup