If you’re tired of managing change requests in Microsoft Excel lists or sending transport releases via email, this practical guide is the book for you! With detailed coverage of both the basic and extended configuration of Change Request Management within SAP Solution Manager, you'll quickly master all the methods and tools needed to systematically implement changes to SAP systems. In addition, you'll learn about important topics such as enhanced Transport Management (CTS+), Transport Strategies, Conditions, and Quality Gate Management.

Change Request Management from A to Z: Discover best practices and little-know secrets for step-by-step technical configuration, creation of projects, and monitoring and administration.

Practical Implementation: Familiarize yourself with numerous real-world areas of use: roles and activities, urgent correction, retrofit process, hot news, change tracking, configuration of work centers, and much more.

ITIL in Real Life: Find practical tips and advice for implementing the Change Management process according to ITSM/ITIL.

The Ideal Companion for all Project Phases: Learn how best to plan for a Change Request Management project, and continue to use this book as a reference for ongoing development and post-implementation optimization.

Cross-Release Coverage: Based on the Enterprise Edition of SAP Solution Manager, almost all functions described can also be used for the standard edition (Release 7.0 SPS18).

Highlights

• ITIL: definition and implementation
• Architecture: transaction types, workflows
• Configuration: standards and extensions
• Usage: projects, roles, processes, reporting, work center
• Security: authorizations, object locks, intersections
• Extensions: CTS+, actions, conditions, transports

About the Author(s)

Matthias Friedrich and Torsten Sternberg work at Bautzen IT Consulting GmbH. Their work focuses on the analysis and development of concepts for Software Change Management, Incident Management, and Service Desk, as well as the practical implementation of national and international projects.

Table of Contents

1 ... Introduction ... 15
... 1.1 ... IT Change Management and the Information Technology Infrastructure Library ... 15
... ... 1.1.1 ... Classification of IT Change Management ... 16
... ... 1.1.2 ... Definition of Concepts ... 18
... ... 1.1.3 ... Tasks of IT Change Management ... 19
... ... 1.1.4 ... Success Factors for IT Change Management ... 20
... 1.2 ... SAP Solution Manager and the Information Technology Infrastructure Library ... 20
... ... 1.2.1 ... SAP Solution Manager Functions ... 21
... ... 1.2.2 ... Support of ITIL Practices Using SAP Solution Manager ... 24
... 1.3 ... Change Request Management with SAP Solution Manager ... 28
... ... 1.3.1 ... Change (Request) Workflows ... 29
... ... 1.3.2 ... Project Administration ... 30
... ... 1.3.3 ... Monitoring and Reporting ... 31
... 1.4 ... Summary ... 31

2 ... Architecture of Change Request Management ... 33
... 2.1 ... Elements of Change Request Management ... 33
... 2.2 ... Project Administration in SAP Solution Manager ... 35
... ... 2.2.1 ... Solution Manager Project Types ... 35
... ... 2.2.2 ... SAP Solution Manager Projects in Change Request Management ... 39
... ... 2.2.3 ... IMG Projects and CTS Projects ... 41
... ... 2.2.4 ... Project Cycle and Task List ... 45
... ... 2.2.5 ... cProjects ... 50
... 2.3 ... Transaction Types/Workflows ... 51
... ... 2.3.1 ... Service Desk Message ... 53
... ... 2.3.2 ... Change Request ... 54
... ... 2.3.3 ... Change Document ... 58
... ... 2.3.4 ... Normal Correction/Development Activity ... 59
... ... 2.3.5 ... Urgent Correction ... 64
... ... 2.3.6 ... Administration Message ... 65
... ... 2.3.7 ... Test Message ... 66
... ... 2.3.8 ... Job Request ... 67
... ... 2.3.9 ... Change Transactions for Projects ... 67
... 2.4 ... Summary ... 68

3 ... Configuration of Change Request Management ... 69
... 3.1 ... Preparation ... 69
... ... 3.1.1 ... Organizational Questions ... 69
... ... 3.1.2 ... Technical Questions ... 70
... ... 3.1.3 ... Prerequisites ... 70
... ... 3.1.4 ... Available Documentation and Resources ... 71
... 3.2 ... Configuration of Change Request Management ... 72
... ... 3.2.1 ... Standard Configuration ... 73
... ... 3.2.2 ... Extended Configuration ... 85
... 3.3 ... Defining Projects and Systems in Change Request Management ... 102
... ... 3.3.1 ... Defining Logical Components ... 102
... ... 3.3.2 ... Creating a Solution Manager Project ... 107
... ... 3.3.3 ... Final Check ... 108
... 3.4 ... Summary ... 109

4 ... Use of Change Request Management ... 111
... 4.1 ... Roles and Activities ... 111
... ... 4.1.1 ... Requester ... 112
... ... 4.1.2 ... Service Desk Employee ... 113
... ... 4.1.3 ... Change Manager ... 113
... ... 4.1.4 ... Change Advisory Board ... 114
... ... 4.1.5 ... Developer ... 114
... ... 4.1.6 ... Tester ... 115
... ... 4.1.7 ... IT Operator ... 115
... ... 4.1.8 ... Additional User Information ... 116
... 4.2 ... Processes and Integration Examples ... 116
... ... 4.2.1 ... Example of the Urgent Correction ... 117
... ... 4.2.2 ... Retrofit Process ... 134
... ... 4.2.3 ... Hot News ... 140
... ... 4.2.4 ... Structure Elements for Change Transactions ... 142
... 4.3 ... Administration ... 148
... ... 4.3.1 ... Task List ... 148
... ... 4.3.2 ... Extended Configuration ... 162
... ... 4.3.3 ... Change Tracking ... 163
... ... 4.3.4 ... Scheduling ... 165
... ... 4.3.5 ... Project Logistics ... 167
... 4.4 ... Reporting and Monitoring ... 169
... ... 4.4.1 ... Solution Manager Reporting ... 169
... ... 4.4.2 ... Transaction Monitor ... 171
... 4.5 ... Work Centers ... 175
... ... 4.5.1 ... Change Management Work Center ... 175
... ... 4.5.2 ... Configuration of Work Centers ... 179
... ... 4.5.3 ... SAP GUI for HTML Configuration ... 180
... 4.6 ... Summary ... 181

5 ... Security in Change Request Management ... 183
... 5.1 ... Authorizations in the SAP System ... 183
... ... 5.1.1 ... Authorizations in the SAP Solution Manager System ... 183
... ... 5.1.2 ... Authorizations in Satellite Systems ... 184
... ... 5.1.3 ... Work Center ... 185
... ... 5.1.4 ... Extended Authorization Checks ... 185
... 5.2 ... Cross-System Object Lock ... 186
... ... 5.2.1 ... Functionality ... 186
... ... 5.2.2 ... Required Settings ... 189
... 5.3 ... Critical Transport Objects ... 191
... ... 5.3.1 ... Functionality ... 191
... ... 5.3.2 ... Required Settings ... 193
... ... 5.3.3 ... Modifications ... 194
... 5.4 ... Project Intersections ... 195
... ... 5.4.1 ... Real-Life Example ... 196
... ... 5.4.2 ... Required Settings ... 197
... 5.5 ... Summary ... 197

6 ... Extensions of the Change Request Management Scenario ... 199
... 6.1 ... Extended Transport Landscapes ... 199
... ... 6.1.1 ... Three-System Landscape ... 200
... ... 6.1.2 ... Four-System Landscape ... 201
... ... 6.1.3 ... Parallel Phase Landscape ... 203
... ... 6.1.4 ... Landscapes for Global Developments ... 205
... ... 6.1.5 ... Conclusion ... 206
... 6.2 ... Enhanced Transport Management ... 206
... ... 6.2.1 ... Components ... 208
... ... 6.2.2 ... TMS Configuration ... 210
... ... 6.2.3 ... Integration with Applications ... 214
... ... 6.2.4 ... Landscape Scenarios ... 217
... ... 6.2.5 ... Integration of CTS+ and Change Request Management ... 225
... ... 6.2.6 ... Conclusion ... 227
... 6.3 ... Extension Developments and Development Package ... 227
... 6.4 ... Customer-Specific Tab ... 228
... ... 6.4.1 ... Defining the Necessary Data Structures ... 228
... ... 6.4.2 ... Defining the Layout and Flow of the Dynpro ... 232
... ... 6.4.3 ... Integrating the New Tab via the Screen Control ... 235
... ... 6.4.4 ... Tabs in the Change Request ... 236
... ... 6.4.5 ... Inserting the Calculation Logic ... 237
... 6.5 ... Extension of the Transaction Monitor ... 239
... 6.6 ... Extended Actions and Conditions ... 241
... ... 6.6.1 ... Extended Check for Text IDs ... 242
... ... 6.6.2 ... Extended Check for Partner Functions ... 247
... ... 6.6.3 ... Displaying Transport Requests ... 251
... 6.7 ... Summary ... 255

7 ... Change Management in SAP Landscapes ... 257
... 7.1 ... Change Management Concept ... 257
... ... 7.1.1 ... Maintenance — Maintenance Optimizer ... 258
... ... 7.1.2 ... Technical Integration ... 260
... ... 7.1.3 ... Testing ... 260
... ... 7.1.4 ... Analysis ... 261
... 7.2 ... Quality Management in SAP Solution Manager ... 261
... ... 7.2.1 ... Functional Scope ... 261
... ... 7.2.2 ... Prerequisites for Quality Gate Management ... 263
... 7.3 ... Summary ... 265
8 ... Technical Notes on Usage and Troubleshooting ... 267
... 8.1 ... Adding New Systems ... 267
... 8.2 ... System and Client Copy ... 268
... 8.3 ... Setting Up a Project Landscape ... 271
... 8.4 ... Repair Flag for the Import ... 274
... 8.5 ... Urgent Corrections in Parallel Systems ... 275
... 8.6 ... Transports and SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse ... 276
... ... 8.6.1 ... Urgent Correction ... 276
... ... 8.6.2 ... Import All ... 276
... 8.7 ... Import Subset and Import Project ... 277
... 8.8 ... Error Analysis ... 278
... ... 8.8.1 ... Application Log ... 280
... ... 8.8.2 ... Reports for Completing Project Cycles ... 280
... ... 8.8.3 ... Authorization Problems ... 283
... 8.9 ... SAP Notes ... 284

... The Authors ... 285

... Contributing Authors ... 286