SAP system copy, refresh, and clone scenarios
Suggest changes
PDFs
The term SAP system copy is often used as a synonym for three different processes: SAP system refresh, SAP system copy, or SAP system clone operations. It is important to distinguish between the different operations because the workflows and use cases differ for each one.
-
SAP system refresh. An SAP system refresh is a refresh of an existing target SAP system with data from a source SAP system. The target system is typically part of an SAP transport landscape, for example a quality assurance system, that is refreshed with data from the production system. The hostname, instance number, and SID are different for the source and target systems.
-
SAP system copy. An SAP system copy is a setup of a new target SAP system with data from a source SAP system. The new target system could be, for example, an additional test system with data from the production system. The hostname, instance number, and SID are different for the source and target systems.
-
SAP system clone. An SAP system clone is an identical clone of a source SAP system. SAP system clones are typically used to address logical corruption or to test disaster recovery scenarios. With a system clone operation, the hostname, instance number, and SID remain the same. It is therefore important to establish proper network fencing for the target system to make sure that there is no communication with the production environment.
The figure below illustrates the main steps that must be performed during a system refresh, system copy, or system clone operation. The blue boxes indicate steps that can be automated with SnapCenter, while the gray boxes indicate steps that must be performed outside of SnapCenter, either manually or by using third-party tools.
