Overview
In classic SAP landscapes, we are familiar with this: changes (customizing, developments, etc.) are moved from one environment to the next via transports – e.g. from DEV to QAS to PRD.
SAP systems provide these functions by default. What is missing is often:
- Continuous documentation of who did what.
- An approval of new requirements and a release for implementation and development.
- A separation of roles, e.g. import into production not by all parties involved (dual control principle, “segregation of duties” from an auditing perspective).
- A documentation of the changes made.
- Integrated transport checks of overtakers and dependencies.
And this is exactly where transport management in SAP Cloud ALM comes into play. It enables precisely these functions.
The transport process at a glance
The transport process is controlled with SAP Cloud ALM via a document, the so-called feature (term SAP Cloud ALM: Feature).
You can use the feature to:
- transports are created and assigned
- Deployments to multiple target systems can be parallelized, including cloud and non-cloud systems
- Test certificates are documented
- Transport to production can only be permitted to a specific group of people via special authorizations (SoD)
In addition to the technical transport process, which is mapped via the feature, the formal and financial release of a change usually also plays a role. This can take place via a document of the type Requirement.
Supported technologies
SAP Cloud ALM features can control transports of the following systems:
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Private Edition / On-Premise
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Public Edition
- SAP BTP solutions with transport reference (e.g. CAP applications, UI5 apps, Integration Suite)
Technically, the feature in SAP Cloud ALM is “merely” based on existing technologies for transport control.
- Change and transport system: on-premise and private cloud
- Adaptation Transport Organizer: Public Cloud
- Cloud Transport Management Service: BTP objects such as CAP applications, iFlows etc.
The most extensive integration is in the area of classic SAP systems private cloud/on-premise.
Figure 1: Comparison of the different transportation technologies
CI/CD and GIT also play a role in the overall integration of SAP BTP solutions.
Figure 2: Connection of SAP Cloud and on-premise solutions for change and deployment management to SAP Cloud ALM
Best practices and tips from the field
SAP Cloud ALM Transport Management is already widely used by medium-sized companies that would previously have found their own on-premise solution too costly due to its fast and simple transport management.
Major SAP customers are currently waiting or starting with SAP Cloud ALM Transport Management.
A customer project of an SME showed that
- The feature status does not necessarily reflect the transport status. A check by involved persons is currently necessary. No dependencies between feature status, test status or transport status are checked.
- Transport import checks must be triggered manually. The check currently only works against the production system.
- Features and requirements are project-dependent. Comprehensive evaluations by a change manager are currently not available out-of-the-box.
Nevertheless, there are good reasons to use SAP Cloud ALM Transport Management:
- The customers using the solution have many customer-specific developments. An overview of current developments and deployment is not possible without such a solution.
- New requirements in the operation of the SAP system can be easily mapped via a system-supported approval process.
- Deployment to production must be controlled and documented. Prior testing and acceptance must be ensured. The connection between requirement – feature – test case means that the specified prerequisites can be checked very quickly and easily before a production transport. (Requirement traceability).
- Thanks to the consistency of the solution, there is complete, audit-proof documentation of all changes in the SAP systems (who carried out what and when).
- Execute the transport of copies at the touch of a button. The ToC does not have to be created manually and the objects transferred. Cloud ALM takes care of this and also carries out the forwarding and import into the test system.
It is very easy to carry out transport checks at the touch of a button. These transport checks can be used to quickly identify dependencies between transport requests. These dependencies are listed at object level.
Figure 3: Integrated transport check in the SAP Cloud ALM feature
Outlook
SAP Cloud ALM is on its way to establishing itself as the central platform for transport management in hybrid SAP landscapes. Those who start today will benefit from the constantly growing range of functions – and at the same time secure a better overview, governance and automation.
Curious?
Then an initial proof of concept is worthwhile – ideally with a small project or an initial SAP system.
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