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Statistical records in SAP Focused Run

Focused Run has functions to fetch ST03N data from ABAP backend systems and use the data for analysis in SAP Focused Run System Analysis functions.

System analysis SSI activation

First step is to switch on the general functions for system analysis during SSI activation. Full help link from SAP can be found here.

In Focused Run start SM30 for table RCA_SSI_CONF and add entry for activation:

Repeat SSI

For the system that you want to have ST03N data collected, you need to repeat the SSI.

Check the detailed step in the SSI for the Statistical records aggregation:

Activate per system in System Analysis

Next step is to activate it per system in System Analysis:

Go to the settings per system and make sure Performance (aggregated statistical records) is activated:

Overview of all systems

In System Analysis, go to the bottom left tool section to open the Aggregation Configuration tool:

The overview page opens:

Now you can see both configuration and data collection is ok.

Using statistical records

Go to the System Analysis tile and select the scope:

On the left side menu switch to the ABAP performance view:

In the new view in the ABAP frontend workload, push expand the screen button:

Now you get a list of all transactions. To make it simple we filter on EntryID (in this case we filter on ME to search for the procurement transactions):

Top right, there is the download to xls button. This is a very useful tool! In XLS you can post process the data.

You can also filter and sort on other elements like amount of executions.

To get a trend, click on the trend graph, in this example the trend for ME23N transaction:

Raw table data

If you have a specific query that is not met with the out-of-the-box reports, you can use SE16 on the Focused Run backend for table STATDBUSERTCODE. In this table the raw data is stored.

<< This blog was originally posted on SAP Focused Run Guru by Frank Umans. Repost done with permission. >>

Upgrading SAP Focused Run

All new functions and innovations for SAP Focused Run are delivered in either upgrades or feature packs. This blog will explain how to plan and execute upgrade for SAP Focused Run.

Questions that will be answered in this blog are:

What is the SAP Focused Run release strategy?
How to prepare for the SAP Focused Run upgrade?
How do I execute the SAP Focused Run upgrade?

Release strategy of SAP Focused Run

In the SAP Focused Run overview document created by SAP there is one slide containing the SAP Focused Run release strategy:

All new functions and innovations are delivered in either upgrades or feature packs.

The generic release strategy of SAP Focused Run is published in OSS note 3551322 – Release Strategy SAP Focused Run.

Preparations for SAP Focused Run upgrade

First look up the specific upgrade OSS note. In case of upgrade to Focused Run 4.0 SP02 these are OSS notes SAP Note 3374888: Focused Run 4.0 FP02 and 3394504 – SAP Focused Run 4.0 Feature Pack 02 – Update Preparation and Postprocessing Documentation.

For Focused Run 5.0: OSS note 3529562 – Release Information Note for SAP Focused Run 5.0 SP00.

In this note you will find:

HANA database version needed
Needed versions of the SDA (simple diagnostics agent)
Scenario specific pre and post actions required
Updates to authorizations in SAP Focused Run
Updates to authorizations in the connected systems
Pre upgrade and post upgrade actions to be performed

The HANA database can be upgraded before the actual upgrade or can be combined with the upgrade. The same applies for the SDA agent.

Best practice is to execute the HANA and SDA upgrades before. Upgrade your Focused Run test system first, leave the versions there for a few weeks to prove stability, then deploy on productive Focused Run system.

In case of changes to authorizations in the connected systems, you can already update these before the upgrade.

In case you use custom descriptions in the metrics, you must download them before the upgrade and upload them again after the upgrade. More information in OSS note 3077162 – Backup and Restore of MAI Custom description BEFORE and AFTER system Update/Upgrade.

ZDO upgrade option

As of Focused Run 3.0 you have the choice to go for a ZDO (Zero Downtime Option) upgrade to reduce the downtime of the upgrade.

Read the following notes carefully before deciding to go for this option:

Executing the SAP Focused Run upgrade

Start your upgrade first on your SAP Focused Run development system and write down all the steps you execute. You will need to repeat all steps in your productive system later on.

During the technical upgrade, you will have to perform with the SUM tool, you will need to execute the SPDD and SPAU technical upgrade actions. Store the actions in transport to be used in productive upgrade. After SPUA is done, also apply the updated collective notes listed in the central note 3374888 – Release Information Note for SAP Focused Run 4.0 FP02.

After the technical upgrade has been completed, follow and document carefully all the steps in the OSS upgrade note. For example running extra tasks lists, programs, redo SSI for JAVA, etc.

It can also be you come across items and issues that are not documented in the OSS note. Please write them down in your own runbook for production. When upgrading to SAP Focused Run 3.0 we found that the standard jobs are switched to the technical job repository SJOBREPO (since the 3.0 ABAP stack is based on the S4HANA 1909 version).

Apply all collective notes for all functions you are using. The collective note numbers are listed in the Release Information Note.

After the documented steps, update the authorizations in SAP Focused Run to get the new tiles for new functions available.

Rerun the task lists for the initial setup in STC01 (SAP_FRUN_SETUP_FOUNDATION and SAP_FRUN_SETUP_USECASE) with the variants of the use cases that you are using.

Update the monitoring content according to OSS note 2991255 – Manual content update for FRUN-CONT 300 in SAP Focused Run (FRUN-CONT). For the steps in detail, read this blog.

Check in the upgrade manual if any SSI needs to be redone. This is often the case with JAVA systems.

Finally when all actions are done, refresh your browser cache and backend FIORI cache (follow all steps from this blog).

For every upgrade also check if there is a post processing note released. For FRUN 5.0: 3540663 – SAP Focused Run 5.0 Support Package 00 – Update Preparation and Postprocessing Documentation.

Testing

Before deploying the Focused Run upgrade in production, you must test all your functions in the Focused Run development system. It is very helpful if you have a set of documented test cases that you can easily repeat each upgrade. With testing first focus on testing the current functions you are using. In a later stage you can explore, activate and test new functions.

While testing you will find issues. Solutions are normally:

Updates in authorizations
OSS notes to be applied
SICF services and Gateway services activation
Forgotten step in the activation

Capture all fixes in either transports or in your runbook.

If you still have key issues with bugs, you will need to raise a message to SAP.

<< This blog was originally posted on SAP Focused Run Guru by Frank Umans. Repost done with permission. >>

ABAP debugger stop at modification

As ABAP developer you can be asked to help out with issues in standard SAP to help debug the issue.

First of all, you normally use the ANST tool to check if there are any standard SAP notes available.

The second step is to search for user-exits and BADI’s for a transaction.

The third step you can do is use the new ABAP debugger script to search for customer enhancements during debugging. To do this, load the new script by applying OSS note 3415810 – New ABAP Debugger Script RSTPDA_SCRIPT_MODIFICATION.

Now start debugging like usual and go to the Script tab:

Then load the script RSTPDA_SCRIPT_MODIFICATION:

Then start the script and choose your break-point stop conditions:

Now you can check if there is any modification or custom coding interfering with standard SAP.

When no custom coding involved and issues is still persisting, you can debug, but will still be forced to file a case at me.sap.com for an SAP solution.

SAP Focused Run monitoring applications

This blog will explain specific items to keep in mind when monitoring certain applications.

Applications discussed and explained:

Adobe document servers (ADS)
BW systems
Cloud connectors
Content servers
ECC and S4HANA servers
EWM (enterprise warehouse management) servers
GTS (global trade system) servers
Netweaver gateway FIORI hub systems
SCM (supply chain management) servers
SLT servers
Web dispatchers

For each system we explain the monitoring of productive and non-productive system.

Adobe document server (ADS) application monitoring

Adobe Document Server (ADS) is used to generate PDF’s for output and/or interactive PDF forms.

Monitoring productive ADS systems

When monitoring a productive system, you will need to finetune the monitoring templates for:

SAP J2EE 7.20 – 7.50 Application template, for the JAVA application
SAP J2EE 7.20 – 7.50 Technical instance template, for the JAVA application servers
System host template
Database template

JAVA APPLICATION TEMPLATE for adobe document server monitoring

Make sure you cover in the JAVA application template the following items:

Availability:

JAVA HTTP availability
Expiring certificates
JAVA license expiry

From the JAVA instance template make sure to cover the following items:

J2EE application status
Instance HTTP availability and logon
JAVA server node status
GC (Garbage collection)

Fine tune the metrics so you are alerted on situation where the system is having issues.

ADobe document server template for monitoring

ADS has a specific Technical instance template.

Make sure you activate it:

Most important here is the first one: ADS availability. Please make sure you are alerted when this one is not available.

BW application monitoring

BW systems are at the often used as reporting systems within an SAP landscape.

The basic monitoring of a BW system is the same as for any ABAP based system.

For a BW system some numbers are typically higher than on an ECC or S4HANA system. Response times of 1.5 seconds would indicate horrible performance on ECC, but are normal on a BW system.

Process chain monitoring

BW uses process chains. To monitor process chains, read this dedicated blog.

Cloud connector application monitoring

The Cloud connector is used between on premise systems and Cloud solutions provided by SAP.

Monitoring of cloud connector focuses on availability and connectivity.

Monitoring productive cloud connector systems

The cloud connector template contains all the needed elements out of the box:

If your landscape has only one cloud connector that is also used for non-productive systems, you might find a lot of issues in the non-productive system. Like expired certificates, channels not working, many logfile entries. If the cloud connector is very important for your business, it is best to split off the productive cloud connector from the non-productive usage. This way you can apply sharp rule settings for production: even single issue will lead to alert. While on non-production the developers will be making a lot of issues as part of their developer process.

Monitoring non-productive cloud connector systems

In your landscape you might have a non-productive cloud connector that is used for testing purposes. In the non-productive cloud connectors you might apply a different template with less sensitive settings on certificates, logfiles and amount of tunnels that are failing.

Relevant OSS notes for cloud connector monitoring

3391143 – Cloud Connector system is not coming into SAP Focus Run LMDB

Content server application monitoring

Content servers are often used to store attachment and data archiving files. They are technical systems with usually no direct access for end user. End users normally fetch and store data form content server via an ABAP or JAVA application.

Technical setup for content server monitoring

The technical setup for monitoring content server in SAP Focused Run is described in detail in a PDF attached to OSS note 3151832 – SAP Content Server 6.40/6.50/7.53 Monitoring with SAP Focus Run. There is no need to repeat here.

The main part of content server monitoring is availability.

ABAP connection to content server monitoring

In some cases both your ABAP stack and content server are up and running, but communication between them is failing on application level. This leads to not working system for end users. Root causes can be firewall issues, certificate issues, or somebody altered settings.

To test the ABAP system connection to content server a custom ABAP program is needed. See this blog. You can schedule the program in batch and set up a new custom metric to capture the system log entry written by the program.

System host template for content server monitoring

For system host the regular CPU, memory, disc template is sufficient. Finetune the thresholds to your comfort level.

Database template for content server monitoring

Important items of the database template:

Database availability
Database health checks
Backup

In most installations it is chosen to install Content Server with the SAP MaxDB database (similar to LiveCache).

Relevant OSS notes for content server monitoring

3391094 – Location of file CONTENT SERVER log

ECC and S4HANA application monitoring

ECC and S4HANA systems are at the core of each SAP landscape, and most vital to the business.

When monitoring a productive system, you will need to finetune the monitoring templates for:

ABAP 7.10 and higher Application template, for the ABAP application
ABAP 7.10 and higher Technical instance template, for the ABAP application servers
System host template
Database template

ABAP application template

Make sure you cover in the ABAP application template the following items:

Availability:

Message server HTTP logon
System logon check
RFC logon check
License status
Certificates expiry
Update status

Performance and system health:

Critical number ranges
Enqueue lock % filled
SICK detection
Dumps last hour
Update errors last hour
Cancelled jobs last hour
Long running work processes and jobs (see blog)

Security:

Global changeability should be that the system is closed
Locking of critical users like SAP* and DDIC (see blog)

Fine tune the metrics so you are alerted on situation where the system is having issues.

ABAP application server template

Make sure you cover in the ABAP application server template the following items:

Availability:

Local RFC logon test
Local HTTP logon test
Local Logon test
Message server disconnects (see blog)

Application server performance and health:

Amount of critical SM21 messages
No more free work processes (see blog)
Update response times

You can consider to setup extra custom metrics for the application servers:

Checking specific SM21 system log messages: errors in table locking of table TBTCO
Checking for specific logon group to be active and working
Detecting missing hardware ID
Detecting OS signal
Detecting PRIV modes
Detecting resource exhaustion
Detecting specific ABAP short dumps

System host template

For system host the regular CPU, memory, disc template is sufficient. Finetune the thresholds to your comfort level.

Database template

Important items of the database template:

Database availability
Database health checks
Backup

Functions monitoring

Next to the availability and performance mentioned above, check also for monitoring certain functions:

Interface monitoring: idoc, ODATA, RFC, qRFC, web services
Batch job monitoring
Security monitoring
URL availability monitoring

EWM (enterprise warehouse management) application monitoring

EWM systems are at the often used as stand alone systems that make sure logistics and warehousing can keep running at high availability. If the connected ECC or S4HANA system is down, EWM can continue to support logistics operations.

EWM can be older version based on SCM/BI system core. Newer EWM systems are using S4HANA with EWM activated as standalone.

Extra in an EWM system are the use of qRFC and the CIF (Core interface). And many EWM systems have users that interact with the system via ITS GUI based handheld scanners.

EWM can be older version based on SCM/BI system core. Newer EWM systems are using S4HANA with EWM activated as standalone.

Extra in an EWM system are the use of qRFC and the CIF (Core interface). And many EWM systems have users that interact with the system via ITS GUI based handheld scanners.

CIF monitoring

The CIF is the core interface between SCM and ECC system. The interface typically uses RFC and qRFC. And it is working both ways.

Setup for the CIF specific RFC’s and qRFC’s the monitoring:

Handheld scanners

Many EWM systems are having interaction with scanners via the ITS server. Basically this is a small web page on a scanning device.

Make sure you monitor the availability of the URL’s that the scanners are using. More on URL monitoring can be found in this blog.

GTS (global trade system) application monitoring

GTS systems are at the not frequent in use. When in use they do play a vital role in import and export business scenario’s when good are crossing borders.

Since a GTS system is normally installed, and often no to little maintenance and software changes are performed on the system. Also basis teams tend not to look at it too often, since it normally runs stable.

In case of non-availability of GTS, ECC scenario’s linked to GTS might fail and can causes severe business disruptions.

For this reason it is important to set up monitoring in FRUN for your GTS system and also configure mail alerts in case of issues. They will not happen too often, but when they happen you can act fast. This will also save the basis team spending a lot of time on checking GTS system for log (most cases, the checks are good).

When monitoring a productive system, you will need to finetune the monitoring templates for:

ABAP 7.10 and higher Application template, for the ABAP application
ABAP 7.10 and higher Technical instance template, for the ABAP application servers
System host template
Database template

The next step is to set up interface monitoring for RFC from the ECC system towards the GTS system.

Netweaver Gateway Fiori hub system application monitoring

Netweaver Gateway systems are used to host Fiori applications.

Netweaver gateway template

For Netweaver gateway, also assign and fine tune the Gateway template:

The important custom check on URL availability is best to setup as well: read this blog for instructions.

Consider to setup interface monitoring for RFC‘s from End User to Gateway and Gateway to ECC backends.

SCM (supply chain management) application monitoring

SCM systems are at the often used logistics optimization systems. They are mainly used in combination with traditional ECC systems. They are less needed in combination with S4HANA systems (or you can use the embedded SCM of HANA).

The core of an SCM system is a BI system. Many data is using similar extractors and process chains as a BI system. Hence follow the tuning needed for a BI system.

Extra in an SCM system are the LiveCache and the CIF (Core interface).

The basic monitoring of an SCM system is the same as for any ABAP based system.

For an SCM system some numbers are typically higher than on an ECC or S4HANA system. Response times of 1.5 seconds would indicate horrible performance on ECC, but are normal on an SCM system.

LiveCache monitoring

LiveCache is normally running on a MaxDB database.

So it is important to activate, assign and finetune the metrics for the MaxDB database:

Focus on:

Availability
Backup
Performance

Next to the database, you also need to activate, assign and finetune the LiveCache specific application template:

This template contains the primary elements to monitor for the LiveCache functions like:

Availability of LiveCache as a function
Structure check for LiveCache
Memory issues for LiveCache specifically

Fine tune the metrics so you are alerted on situation where the system is having issues.

CIF monitoring

The CIF is the core interface between SCM and ECC system. The interface typically uses RFC and qRFC. And it is working both ways.

Setup for the CIF specific RFC’s and qRFC’s the monitoring:

Process chain monitoring

SCM uses process chains. To monitor process chains, read this dedicated blog.

SLT system application monitoring

SLT systems are mainly used to replicate data from source systems like ECC and S4HANA towards target systems like Enterprise HANA, HANA cloud and other data pool systems.

SLT DMIS template for SLT system

For SLT systems, apply the SLT DMIS template:

In the SLT system itself, make sure job /1LT/IUC_HEALTH_C with program R_DMC_HC_RUN_CHECKS runs. This will collect data that is needed for SLT itself, but which is also re-used by SAP Focused Run.

OSS notes to apply and check:

Anyhow you should make sure to regularly apply the notes for the DMIS component. See this blog.

SLT DMIS dummy template backend system

For SLT to work, the DMIS component is installed in both the SLT system and the backend system. For the backend system SLT component, Focused Run will pick up the template as well. But this will not make any sense in monitoring, since it is the source system and not the SLT system.

For this reason, set up a dummy empty template with every monitoring item disabled:

Assign this dummy template to your backend system.

SLT integration monitoring

Set up the SLT integration monitoring to monitoring communication.

Web dispatcher application monitoring

Standalone web dispatchers are used to load balance web traffic towards ABAP and/or JAVA systems. Common use case is to have web dispatcher for a large Netweaver Gateway FIORI installation.

Monitoring productive cloud web dispatchers

Monitoring of web dispatchers focuses on availability, connectivity and performance.

The web dispatcher template contains most needed elements out of the box:

Issues with performance are often caused by limitations set in the web dispatcher configuration. Keep these settings active.

You might want to add specific custom metric to monitor the most important URL for your web dispatcher. Read more in this specific blog.

Next to this setup the normal host monitoring to make sure the file system and CPU of the web dispatcher are not filling up and causing availability issues for the web dispatcher function.

Monitoring non-productive web dispatcher systems

For monitoring non-productive web dispatcher systems, it is normally sufficient to restrict to host and availability monitoring.

Relevant OSS notes for web dispatcher monitoring

3373764 – Issue with Content Server on Web dispatcher templates

LMDB OSS notes

3104059 – Troubleshooting ABAP Data supplier populating LMDB

<< This blog was originally posted on SAP Focused Run Guru by Frank Umans. Repost done with permission. >>

ABAP performance examples

The ABAP workbench has a set of examples to show you how to make the best coding with regards to performance.

You can reach the examples in SE38 transaction by selecting menu Environment, Examples, Performance Examples. You then reach the performance examples demos screen.

On the left hand side you can choose a topic and double click on it. You then see 2 examples of implementation. By clicking on the Measure Runtime button:

Now the two examples are evaluated at runtime. At the bottom you can see the documentation and explanation on what is best to use.

SAP Focused Run service availability management

manage the figures you need for service availability management:

Uptime of the system
Planned and unplanned downtime of the system

All service availability management functions are present using this Fiori tile:

On the left hand side there is the menu with all options:

Service availability management definitions

There are 2 definitions we need to configure:

The outage customization
Service availability definitions

First we start with the outage customizing:

Make the required settings for planned and unplanned downtime.

Now you add a new service management definition:

Provide a name and validity date for the definition and use the + symbol to add systems for which the definition is relevant.

In the tab availability set the SLA threshold for the availability percentage:

If relevant you can set specific contractual maintenance time in the last tab:

Example of use for this tab: you are running your SAP system hosted on for example AWS or Azure. Those platforms can have scheduled maintenance as well. That is not in your control.

Carefully check your entries and definition before saving. They cannot easily be changed later!

You cannot delete an active definition. To make it inactive you need to change the end date of the definition to today, and then delete it next day.

Each system can only be in one SLA definition!

Classifying the outages

On the Outages overview you can see the outages. The outages can be 0, or there can be open and/or confirmed outages:

Click on the open alert to classify it (click once for the line, click on the line for the details):

Classify the outage (planned/unplanned) and set the status. Fill out the text to clarify. And then save the update.

Outage reporting

There are 2 main reports. The uptime and outage reporting. The uptime reporting shows how long your system is up since the last reported planned or unplanned downtime. This overview is not so useful.

The useful overview is the outage reporting which shows you the downtime per system and per month:

In the example above 1 system had outage, but that was short enough to still meet the SLA target. Availability was 99.64% versus SLA target over 99.5%.

<< This blog was originally posted on SAP Focused Run Guru by Frank Umans. Repost done with permission. >>

SAP Focused Run workmode management

There will be planned maintenance on SAP systems, databases, operating systems and the below infrastructure. During this planned maintenance, you don’t want any alerts and mails from SAP Focused Run, since the application is not available for a planned time.

Using the work mode management function you plan these maintenance events.

Questions that will be answered in this blog are:

How can I set up planned maintenance for systems monitored by SAP Focused Run to temporarily suppress the alerts during maintenance?
How can I see the current maintenance and planned upcoming maintenance?
Can I make a public page for the IT calendar?

Planning maintenance

Goto the IT calendar and workmode management tile:

Select the system (or select multiple systems in one go) and create the work mode for maintenance, and immediately switch to Expert Mode:

With expert mode you can simply set start and stop date and time.

You also should check the scope (the system will make a proposal) and extend if needed:

After saving, you can send notification via mail on the planned maintenance:

You can now see the planned maintenance in the calendar mode.

Overview of upcoming events

If you are in the calendar mode there can be a lot of systems. The overview screen for upcoming events will filter on the systems which have maintenance mode planned:

Actual maintenance

Actual maintenance can be seen in the System Down monitor:

You will only see maintenance that is currently running in the system down monitor, not the upcoming events.

Alert suppression

Alert suppression is in details set in table ACWMGLOBALDIR (maintenance via transaction SM30). See also this OSS note 3142800 – Health Monitoring Alerts generated during an active workmode in Focused Run for all the details.

Tips and tricks

Can I select multiple systems for planned maintenance in one go? Yes you can, this will save you a lot of time to input.

Can I make a recurring maintenance? Yes you can, in the scheduling screen mark the maintenance as recurring.

IT Calendar access for Non-SAP Focused Run Users

During the maintenance the alerts are suppressed. The same information can also be made generally available to serve as a IT calendar for all interested persons. This can be people for the IT department and the business. These users are mainly interested in planned downtime of the IT systems.

Use of the IT calendar for non-SAP focused run users

After the setup each person can now use this URL:

https://<host>:<port>/sap/bc/ui5_ui5/sap/itcal_external/index.html? FILTER_VARIANT=<public_variant-name>&sap-client=<client>

End result looks like this:

Setup of IT calendar access for non-SAP focused run users

The basic steps are described in OSS note 2926433 – IT Calendar access to Non-SAP Focused Run Users.

Create a system user with copy of role SAP_FRN_APP_ITC role and update it with the UI5 application “itcal_external”(IWSG and IWSV).

Also add these 4 not documented authorizations:

Display for service availability management:

2. Display for work modes:

3. Add generic services:

4. Add filter bar rights:

Activate and save this role.

Activate these 2 SICF services:

/default_host/sap/bc/bsp/sap/itcal_external
/default_host/sap/bc/ui5_ui5/sap/itcal_external

On the Logon tab of these 2 services set the user ID and password of the newly created system user.

Do the same for the external system alias /sap/itcalnonsolman (also in SICF transaction): also here set the user ID and password for the newly created system user with the assignment of the newly created role.

After settings are done, execute testing. Most issues are coming from lack of auhtorizations.

OSS note for IT calendar function

Relevant OSS notes:

2926433 – IT Calendar access to Non-SAP Focused Run Users
3150979 – Number of systems in scope is limited, while using External IT Calendar

<< This blog was originally posted on SAP Focused Run Guru by Frank Umans. Repost done with permission. >>

New way of activating super user SAP*

In SAP note 3303172 – Activating a Super-User SAP* SAP is describing a new alternative to activate user SAP*.

The SAP* activation is required in some cases. Systems that are protected well have the parameter login/no_automatic_user_sapstar set to 1 which will forbid the logon with SAP* (see also blog on SAP standard users). To use SAP* this parameter has to be set to 0, followed by system restart to activate it (the parameter is not dynamic). Often after using SAP* it is forgotten to undo the SAP* activation or to set the parameter login/no_automatic_user_sapstar to the secure 1 status again.

The new way described is available as of kernel release 790 and a separate tool with a short lived password only.

SAP Focused Run tactical dashboard

ultiple systems. Items that are part of the tactical dashboard is database backup status, performance, logged on users, software maintenance status.

Questions that will be answered in this blog are:

How to use the Focused Run tactical dashboards?
How to fine tune the tactical dashboards?
How to setup your own tactical dashboard?

Tactical dashboards usage

To start the tactical dashboard, click the corresponding Fiori tile:

You now reach the tactical dashboard overview screen:

By clicking the Expand Group icon at the right you get first level of details:

By clicking the tile you are interested in you get the details.

Examples are hardware resources for current week and last month:

Dialog response times:

Amount of logged on users:

And software maintenance status for detailed components:

An alternative for manageming software components is via Security and Configuration management. More details be found in this detailed blog. The tactical dashboard is nice for 1 system. The configuration validation tool is useful for overview of components across multiple systems.

Configuration of the tactical dashboard

By clicking the personalization button top right:

you will reach the configuration screen. Here you can add and delete systems from the overview:

And you can set the view properties and thresholds for each of the categories:

This fine-tuning you do as per your companies needs. By clicking on the Visibility symbol, you can hide an aspect from your overview. Like above the Database backup was put to invisible.

Creating your own tactical dashboard

You can create your own tactical dashboard for your own specific needs. We will take the example here to make a dedicated dashboard for the backups. Since we want to check daily in the overview if the backups were successful.

Start by clicking top left on the big + symbol to add a new dashboard:

The personalization view screen will open:

Important here are a few things. Set the tick box Public if you want to share this dashboard. Find the keyword for the right SAP icon (use the SAP icons link and read this blog). Rename the dashboard by clicking the Rename button.

Now Save the page. Close the personalization. You are now in the empty screen. Open peronalization again to add the system(s):

Also hide the not needed views. On the left hand side you can immediately see the result updating.

Hint: start with one or two systems only when making a new dashboard. First fine tune what you want to see. When all is ok, add the systems later. If you have a lot of systems, the updating of the left hand screen will be slowing you down.

Don’t forget to save off course.

Using a dashboard created by a different user

If you want to use a dashboard created by a different user, go to the personalization option and select the add page option:

Now you can select any created dashboard, which has been set to public.

If you don’t see the correct dashboard, check with the owner that he made it public.

SAP Focused Run cloud monitoring overview

The integration and cloud monitoring function of SAP Focused Run consists of 2 main functions:

Cloud monitoring between on premise and cloud SAP products
Interface monitoring between SAP systems (read more on interface monitoring in this blog)

This blog will give an overview of the Cloud monitoring between SAP on premises systems and SAP cloud solutions.

Questions that will be answered in this blog are:

How does the Cloud monitoring in SAP Focused Run look like?
How much details and history can I see in SAP Focused Run interface monitoring?
Can I link an Cloud monitoring event to and alert?
Which Cloud monitoring scenarios are supported?
How to monitor message to and from SAP CPI?
How to setup the monitoring towards SAP CPI?
How to monitor message to and from SAP Ariba?
How to setup the monitoring towards SAP Ariba?
How to setup alert notification from SAP BTP?

Cloud monitoring

To start the cloud monitoring click on the Fiori tile:

Select the cloud scenarios:

You now reach the scenario overview screen:

Click on the tile for details (we will take Ariba as example):

Click on the red line between the on premise and the cloud system:

Click on the red errors number for the error overview:

Click on specific error:

Supported cloud scenarios

Not all cloud products and scenarios of SAP are supported via SAP Focused Run Cloud monitoring. On the SAP Focused Run Expert Portal the following scenarios are currently published:

Read the scenario details carefully! Inside the details there might be less monitored than you were expecting.

CPI message monitoring

SAP Focused Run Cloud Monitoring can be used to monitor messages to and from the SAP BTP CPI solution. CPI stands for Cloud Platform Integeration.

End result of CPI message monitoring

The configuration of the scenario is described in the next chapter. We start explaining the end result.

Select the scenario and the overview tile appears:

Click on the card to go to the scenario topology:

Zoom into the overview screen of the errors:

And drill down to any specific error:

Set up of the CPI monitoring scenario

llow the steps from the SAP expert portal for CPI monitoring to setup the STRUST in SAP Focused Run for the CPI URL.

Validate in the SAP Focused Run ABAP stack that these two parameters are set in RZ11:

icm/HTTPS/client_sni_enabled = TRUE
ssl/client_sni_enabled = TRUE

If this is done, go to the cloud setup FIORI tile:

Add a new end point for CPI:

The application key, client ID and client secret will need to be provided by the basis person or functional consultant maintaining the CPI interface configurations on the BTP cloud. Depending on the security setup, a proxy is required as well.

After entering the details check the connection that connectivity is working as expected.

Now go to the configuration of the interface scenario and create a new cloud service for Cloud Platform Integration:

On the monitoring screen specify filters for specific IFlows if requiered:

On the alerting tab you can set up any alerting wanted:

Set the filter for alerting (in this case all failed flows):

Assign alert receivers and make sure everything is saved and activated.

Now you can model the scenario graphically as well:

Cloud monitoring: Ariba

SAP Focused Run Cloud Monitoring can be used to monitor messages to and from the Ariba solution.

End result of Ariba cloud monitoring

The configuration of the scenario is described in the next chapter. We start explaining the end result.

Select the scenario and the overview tile appears:

Click on the card to go to the scenario topology:

Click on the red line to zoom into the communication error details:

Click on the message to zoom into the details:

Set up of the Ariba monitoring scenario

ollow the steps from the SAP expert portal for Ariba monitoring to setup the STRUST in SAP Focused Run for the Ariba URL.

Validate in the SAP Focused Run ABAP stack that these two parameters are set in RZ11:

icm/HTTPS/client_sni_enabled = TRUE
ssl/client_sni_enabled = TRUE

If this is done, go to the cloud setup FIORI tile:

Add a new end point for Ariba:

The application key, client ID and client secret will need to be provided by the basis person or functional consultant maintaining the Ariba interface configurations on the Ariba cloud. Depending on the security setup, a proxy is required as well.

After entering the details check the connection:

Now go to the configuration of the interface scenario and create a new cloud service for Ariba Network Transaction:

On the Monitoring tab connect to the end point create above and set the wanted filters:

If you want, you can also set up alerting in the third tab.

Save and activate the setup.

Now you can model the scenario graphically as well:

Alert notification from BTP

The BTP platform has a function called Alert Notification. This is a generic function that can be used to send alerts. It can be used to send alerts from applications, but also to send alerts from the HANA Cloud database.

SAP Focused Run can pick up these alert notifications form the BTP platform. From there Focused Run can be used to further relay the alert to notification teams.

Setup of the scenario

First you need to prepare your BTP environment to allow SAP Focused Run to collect data from the Alert Management application from your tenant and subaccount. This will give you the URL, client ID and client secret (be careful this is only shown once). To do this, follow the steps on the SAP Focused Run expert portal in this link.

For the setup of the scenario in SAP Focused Run, go to the FIORI tile for cloud setup: