Unit 1

Introduction to SAP Solution Manager

Implementation

Unit Overview
SAP Solution Manager is SAP's service and support platform to help you
implement and operate your SAP solution efficiently. Together with the SAP
Service Marketplace, SAP Solution Manager represents SAP's strategic service
infrastructure that guides our customers through all stages of their SAP solution
life cycle.

Unit Objectives
After completing this unit, you will be able to:

• Define Solution Manager

• Describe the key benefits of the SAP Solution Manager
• Outline how the tools provided can support a successful and efficient SAP
implementation
• Outline the key concepts and components of the SAP Solution Manager

Unit Contents
Lesson: Definition and Benefits of SAP Solution Manager...................2
Lesson: Today's Business Challenges ..........................................6
Exercise 1: Introduction to SAP Solution Manager ..................... 17

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Unit 1: Introduction to SAP Solution Manager Implementation SMI310

Lesson: Definition and Benefits of SAP Solution

Manager

Lesson Overview
This lesson describes the benefits of the SAP Solution Manager.

Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Define Solution Manager
• Describe the key benefits of the SAP Solution Manager
• Outline how the tools provided can support a successful and efficient SAP
implementation

Business Example
The SAP Solution Manager supports you throughout the entire life-cycle of
your solutions, from the business blueprint through configuration to production
operation. It provides central access to tools methods and pre-configured content
that you can use during the evaluation, implementation, and productive operation
of your systems.
As a project manager of the project team, you need to help the team understand
the benefits of implementing the SAP Solution Manager.

What is “Solution Manager”?

The SAP Solution Manager is a set of tools and functions which help manage
software solutions throughout the entire life-cycle, from initial implementation
through operations and continuous improvement.
It runs in a separate central system to which all other SAP systems are connected.
These other systems are called “satellite systems”

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SMI310 Lesson: Definition and Benefits of SAP Solution Manager

Benefits of SAP Solution Manager

Figure 1: Why SAP Solution Manager?

SAP Solution Manager – Benefits at a Glance

• Benefits of using the SAP Solution Manager in Implementation

– Central point of access and support of key implementation activities
– Process-driven Blueprint, Configuration and Testing approach
– Automated customizing synchronization across mySAP components
– Standard scenarios provided through Business Process Repository
– Central repository to store project documentation and issues
– Project monitoring/reporting capabilities
– Services aligned to assure Go-Live and smooth operations of the
customer solution
• Benefits using the SAP Solution Manager in Operations
– Reduction of operational costs (TCO) to an acceptable level
– Customer satisfaction increasing performance
– Service Level Management/Reporting
– Application Management/Monitoring
– Software Change Management for the entire solution
– Best SAP Support with integrated Support Desk

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Unit 1: Introduction to SAP Solution Manager Implementation SMI310

Figure 2: SAP Solution Manager – Use in RAMP-UP

SAP provides a controlled Go-to market strategy with the ramp-up process for
new SAP solutions.
The Ramp-up Knowledge Transfer (RKT) model is a vital part of the ramp-up
process, which includes knowledge, competency, and tools that support successful
implementation of new SAP solutions.
In support of the RKT model, the SAP Solution Manager is a key enabler in
ramp-up projects and provides:
• Operational competence
• Links to SAP support and knowledge base

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SMI310 Lesson: Definition and Benefits of SAP Solution Manager

Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Define Solution Manager
• Describe the key benefits of the SAP Solution Manager
• Outline how the tools provided can support a successful and efficient SAP
implementation

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Unit 1: Introduction to SAP Solution Manager Implementation SMI310

Lesson: Today's Business Challenges

Lesson Overview
This lesson describes how SAP Solution Manager was designed to enable
customers to successfully implement and manage today’s complex system
landscapes.

Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Outline the key concepts and components of the SAP Solution Manager

Business Example
You are considering using SAP Solution Manager to aid in the successful
implementation and management of your system landscape. You need a clearer
idea of the benefits of the toolset and the functionality available.

Solution Management
Key Objectives:

• How can we ensure successful implementation (functional and technical)

and operation of core business processes?
• How can we secure the technical installation and operation of related SAP
solutions?
• How can we facilitate communication between a customer's IT-department
and their business units, technical operation units, partners, and SAP to
manage the customer‘s business solution?
• How can SAP ensure the continuous improvement of the customer's business
solution?
• How can SAP ensure the best-in-class support for customers when problems
arise?
Business Needs
As a result of an ongoing spread of distributed systems and dependencies of
business processes beyond single system boundaries, there is a need for a new
efficient support infrastructure.
Integration aspects that address both technical and business (applications)
requirements of heterogeneous environments are very crucial and should be
mastered.

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SMI310 Lesson: Today’s Business Challenges

Software change management should be taken into consideration, including all

aspects of single component upgrade, release strategies, and the development
and modification of standard scenarios.
Minimizing potential risks during operations and establishing operation concepts
early is the key to avoid unforeseen financial investments and minimize operation
costs.

Figure 3: Consider ... Global Operations

Each customer solution is unique and should be analyzed and developed to

specific needs.
Global customers in particular require global strategies to:
• Operate global core business processes
– Independent of regions, time zones, or business process requirements
• Mitigate operational risks on a global scale such as:
– Production downtime situations
– Performance degradation
– Skill deficiency in IT and applications
• Operate global core business processes at the least Total Cost of Ownership
(TCO)

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Unit 1: Introduction to SAP Solution Manager Implementation SMI310

Figure 4: Consider ... Solution Landscapes

The graphic shows today's complex, intertwined application integration scenario.

The installation and effective operation of current SAP solution landscapes with
SAP and non-SAP components is an increasingly complex task.
Best Practices have shown that there are three types of interconnected problems:
• Know-how transfer of new technologies and products (limited training days)
• Very complex system landscapes and installation procedures
• Complex business processes of IT infrastructure and application issues

Figure 5: Consider ... Business Processes

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SMI310 Lesson: Today’s Business Challenges

Good business process management requires a concept that should include:

• Documentation of core business processes, including relevant process tasks,
interfaces, business process owners, availability requirements, performance
and throughput requirements, and functional dependencies
• Procedures for business process-oriented monitoring, error handling, and
escalation management for a company’s core business processes
• Techniques for integration management regarding interface operation and
the interfaces’ impact on business processes to ensure data quality and
consistency, interface security, and recovery reliability
• Procedures for program scheduling management, including planning,
controlling, and monitoring all system- and business process-related
operational activities in a distributed system landscape
• Methods for master data maintenance for the exchange of master data

Figure 6: Delivery of SAP Solution Management

Solution Management is a strategy. The SAP Solution Manager is the technical

infrastructure to realize this strategy.
For more information about Solution Management, visit http://service.sap.com/so-
lutionmanager

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Unit 1: Introduction to SAP Solution Manager Implementation SMI310

Evolution from ASAP to SAP Solution Manager

Figure 7: Evolution from AcceleratedSAP to SAP Solution Manager

SAP Solution Manager represents a new era of solution management for relevant
aspects of implementation, operations, and continuous improvement.
The SAP Solution Manager is an integrated platform that runs centrally in a
customer’s solution landscape and ensures the technical capability of supporting
distributed systems.
The SAP Solution Manager is a customer platform that provides integrated
content, tools, and methodologies required to implement, support, operate, and
monitor an enterprise's SAP solution.
The SAP Solution Manager provides:
Implementation Roadmaps
• Focus: More product-specific information; less project management
• Knowledge transfer to project team and technical implementation aspects
are key elements
• Available support services aligned with implementation procedures
Implementation Content
• Business process repository as initial input for a process-driven design of
a customer solution
• Predefined scenarios available for many solution areas

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SMI310 Lesson: Today’s Business Challenges

Tools
• Basic ASAP tools (Blueprint and Masterlist functionality)
• Integrated use of customizing and test technologies
• Focus: scoping, process-oriented configuration and testing, project
administration

SAP Solution Manager at a Glance

Figure 8: SAP Solution Manager at a Glance

The SAP Solution Manger is a separate system providing both Implementation

and Operations tools.

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Unit 1: Introduction to SAP Solution Manager Implementation SMI310

Figure 9: SAP Solution Manager as a Central Platform

• a customer platform that enables representation and documentation of the

entire SAP solution.
• The SAP Solution Manager provides a single point of access to component
systems for design, configuration, and testing activities.
• The SAP Solution Manager enables process-oriented design, configuration,
testing, and on-going system monitoring during operations, regardless of the
complexity of the system landscape.
SAP Solution Manager is linked to other systems in the landscape, for differing
purposes during the implementation and operation of a solution. For example,
development systems are linked for configuration processes, QAS systems may
be linked for testing processes, production systems are linked for support and
operations processes.

Solution Manager During Implementation

The process of an implementation may be managed through different phase
structures, represented in SAP Solution Manager as roadmaps. These will be
considered in detail in a later section. Solution Manager offers tools to support
each of the key phases in an implementation process.

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SMI310 Lesson: Today’s Business Challenges

Figure 10: Implementation Roadmap

The shaded areas indicate Solution Manager tools which support the key
implementation phases.
During the Business Blueprint phase, the key task is the process-oriented scoping
of the solution to be implemented.
Business Process Repository (BPR)

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Unit 1: Introduction to SAP Solution Manager Implementation SMI310

Figure 11: Process-Oriented Scoping of a Customer Solution

The SAP Solution Manager provides with the Business Process Repository central
access to the list of business scenarios that serve as a starting point to identify
the project scope to be implemented.
The Business Process Repository is a package of reusable predefined business
process content that comprises:
• Scenario documentation
• Transaction assignments
• IMG assignments
• Configuration guides
• Predefined test cases
Note: The available Business Process Repository content may vary for
different scenarios.

When creating the detailed business blueprint, customers select additional

predefined business processes to complement the project scope. The customer can
also create their own business processes and amend predefined processes to suit.
During the Realization phase, the key activities are configuration and testing of
the solution.

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SMI310 Lesson: Today’s Business Challenges

Figure 12: Process-Oriented Configuration and Testing

The SAP Solution Manager enables process-oriented rather than

component-oriented configuration and testing.
The SAP Solution Manager provides a common platform to navigate to various
component systems to complete configuration and testing activities.

Solution Manager for Operations

SAP Solution Manager can monitor SAP solutions, and non-SAP software
components through agents. Several systems can be grouped together as a solution
landscape. A remote connection to SAP can be utilized for service delivery and
active SAP support.
Support and monitoring functions may begin during the implementation of the
system itself.

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Unit 1: Introduction to SAP Solution Manager Implementation SMI310

Figure 13: Services Delivery Platform: Functions and Engines

Solution Manager Release Strategy

The current release of SAP Solution Manager is 4.0, available on general release
since March 2006. For complete release information, see the SAP Solution
Manager homepage at http://service.sap.com/solutionmanager

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SMI310 Lesson: Today’s Business Challenges

Exercise 1: Introduction to SAP Solution

Manager
Exercise Objectives
After completing this exercise, you will be able to:
• Describe the evolution from the ASAP software package to the SAP Solution
Manager
• Outline the release strategy for the SAP Solution Manager
• Describe the key benefits of the SAP Solution Manager

Business Example
Your project team is assigned the task of upgrading all existing SAP applications
to ECC 6.0 and implementing all key CRM business processes.
The original SAP implementation project was successfully completed using the
ASAP methodology and tools. You need to understand the evolution of the SAP
Solution Manager and its benefits

Task 1:
SAP Solution Manager
1. Which of the following does NOT describe the Solution Manager?
Set of tools and functions which help manage software solutions throughout
the entire life-cycle
Runs in a separate central system to which all other SAP systems are
connected
Cannot be used to support customers during upgrades
Helps to reduce overall TCO costs

Task 2:
ASAP Principles Supported by the SAP Solution Manager
1. What key “ASAP principles” are supported by the SAP Solution Manager in
the implementation phase?
Phase-driven implementation approach
Prototyping as implementation concept
Process-oriented implementation approach

Continued on next page

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Unit 1: Introduction to SAP Solution Manager Implementation SMI310

Task 3:
Benefits of the SAP Solution Manager
1. Name three key benefits that the SAP Solution Manager provides in the
implementation phase.

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SMI310 Lesson: Today’s Business Challenges

Solution 1: Introduction to SAP Solution

Manager
Task 1:
SAP Solution Manager
1. Which of the following does NOT describe the Solution Manager?
Set of tools and functions which help manage software solutions throughout
the entire life-cycle
Runs in a separate central system to which all other SAP systems are
connected
Cannot be used to support customers during upgrades
Helps to reduce overall TCO costs
a)
• Cannot be used to support customers during upgrades

Task 2:
ASAP Principles Supported by the SAP Solution Manager
1. What key “ASAP principles” are supported by the SAP Solution Manager in
the implementation phase?
Phase-driven implementation approach
Prototyping as implementation concept
Process-oriented implementation approach
a)
• Phase-driven implementation approach
• Process-oriented implementation approach

Continued on next page

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Unit 1: Introduction to SAP Solution Manager Implementation SMI310

Task 3:
Benefits of the SAP Solution Manager
1. Name three key benefits that the SAP Solution Manager provides in the
implementation phase.
a)
• Integrated platform for the entire project team, which supports
key implementation activities
• Central point of access and support of key implementation
activities
• Process-driven Blueprint, Configuration and Testing approach
• Standard scenarios delivered through the Business Process
Repository
• Automated customizing synchronization across mySAP
components
• Central repository to store project documentation and issues
• Project monitoring/reporting capabilities
• Services aligned to assure Go-Live and smooth operations of
the customer solution

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SMI310 Lesson: Today’s Business Challenges

Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Outline the key concepts and components of the SAP Solution Manager

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Unit Summary SMI310

Unit Summary
You should now be able to:
• Define Solution Manager
• Describe the key benefits of the SAP Solution Manager
• Outline how the tools provided can support a successful and efficient SAP
implementation
• Outline the key concepts and components of the SAP Solution Manager

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SMI310 Test Your Knowledge

Test Your Knowledge

1. What are the benefits of the SAP Solution Manager in implementation
activities?
Choose the correct answer(s).
□ A Central point of access and support of key implementation
activities
□ B Project monitoring and reporting capabilities
□ C Software change management for the entire solution
□ D Standard scenarios provided through Business Process Repository
(BPR)
□ E Process-driven blueprint, configuration, and testing approach

2. Identify the benefits of the SAP Solution Manager in operation activities.

Choose the correct answer(s).
□ A Service-level management/reporting
□ B Reduction of operational costs to an acceptable level
□ C Automated customizing synchronization across mySAP
components
□ D Application management/monitoring
□ E Best SAP support with integrated Support Desk

3. The contents of the BPR in the SAP Solution Manager remain the same
regardless of the business scenario to which it is applied.
Determine whether this statement is true or false.
□ True
□ False

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Test Your Knowledge SMI310

Answers
1. What are the benefits of the SAP Solution Manager in implementation
activities?

Answer: A, B, D, E
There are several benefits of the SAP Solution Manager in implementation
activities, such as:
• Central point of access and support of key implementation activities·
• Project monitoring and reporting capabilities·
• Standard scenarios provided through Business Process Repository
(BPR)·
• Process-driven blueprint, configuration, and testing approach

2. Identify the benefits of the SAP Solution Manager in operation activities.

Answer: A, B, D, E
There are several benefits of the SAP Solution Manager in operations,
such as:
• Service-level management/reporting
• Reduction of operational costs to an acceptable level
• Application management/monitoring
• Best SAP support with integrated Support Desk

3. The contents of the BPR in the SAP Solution Manager remain the same
regardless of the business scenario to which it is applied.

Answer: False
The contents of the BPR in the SAP Solution Manager vary according to the
business scenario to which it is applied.

24 © 2007 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2006/Q2