SAP Note

Header Data

Symptom

You want to use the EarlyWatch Alert Self Service for an ABAP based system. SAP recommends that you process the data in your own SAP Solution Manager system. Because it is not possible for you to process Earlywatch Alert in a local SAP Solution Manager System you wish to set up the Earlywatch Alert so that the data is processed at SAP instead .

Other Terms

EWA, EarlyWatch Alert, Remote Services, SCUI, Automatic Session Manager, SDCC, SDCCN, SAP Solution Manager

Reason and Prerequisites

The Earlywatch Alert is a function in the SAP Solution Manager, to monitor SAP systems. SAP Note 1257308 provides an overview of information sources. The central information source for the EarlyWatch Alert is at http://service.sap.com/ewa , in the SAP Service Marketplace. Information about the basic steps to set up Earlywatch Alert in Solution Manager 7.0 can be found in the 'Best Practices' document at http://service.sap.com/solutionmanagerbp . The document's title is 'Activating the SAP EarlyWatch Alert on Solution Manager 7.0' ( ID 98) Also see the Solution Manager Learning Maps on SAP Service Marketplace http://service.sap.com/rkt-solman -> SAP Components -> Solution Manager 7.0 . Select respective Learning Map: 'Learning Map for Technology Consultants and System Administrator' -> Open 'EWA, SL and Solution Reporting'. Specific information on the EarlyWatch Alert for Java components can be found here:

l For SAP Solution Manager 7.0 EhP1 (SP18) or newer refer to SAP Note 1332428.

l For SAP Solution Manager 7.0  ( ST 400 SP17) or older refer to SAP Note 976054.

For ABAP based systems only a restricted version of the EarlyWatch Alert can alternatively be processed at SAP. The EWA processed at SAP relies only on service data collected through the Service Data Control Center (SDCCN). This excludes all checks which process data available in the Solution Manager Diagnostics (SMD):

l Only checks for ABAP systems are part of the EWA processed at SAP. No Java checks are included (even for double stack systems).

l Among the the checks for ABAP systems which are not part of the EWA processed at SAP because they evaluate SMD data are:

¡ certain checks for CRM systems

¡ detailed performance evaluation

¡ performance trend analysis over the last year.

The EarlyWatch Alert report is then provided through the SAP Service Marketplace. This procedure formerly was the standard for EarlyWatch Alert and continues to be available during a transition phase. Note that only Earlywatch Alerts processed at SAP can generate service messages in the SAP Service Marketplace, which provide you the EarlyWatch Alert report as Word document. To ensure that the RFC connection to SAP works smoothly and efficiently, all destinations to SAP need to have 'Loadbalancing' set to 'Yes'. You will find more detailed information in note 812386. EarlyWatch Alerts processed at SAP are identified by the key <Installation Number> and <SID>. If you

    207223 - SAP EarlyWatch Alert processed at SAP  

Version   53     Validity: 15.01.2013 - active   Language   English

Released On 18.01.2013 13:53:11

Release Status Released for Customer

Component SV-SMG-SDD Service Data Download

SV-SMG-SER-EWA EarlyWatch Alert

Priority Recommendations / Additional Info

Category Consulting

Other Components

do have systems with identical keys (such as a productive system with an associated standby or backup system) please suppress sending service data to SAP of the non-productive system.

Solution

The set up in ABAP based systems of the EarlyWatch Alert to be processed at SAP is described below. In the Service Data Control Center those sessions can be recognized by their session number: Z00000000xxx. The activation of the Earlywatch Alert is described for SDCC as well as SDCCN ( the successor of SDCC available from ST-PI 2005_1*). More information about SDCC can be found in note 216952. More information about SDCCN can be found in note 763561. Further information about EarlyWatch Alert service and on the structure of the EarlyWatch Alert reports can be found in the SAP Service Marketplace under http://service.sap.com/ewa . Like all remote services, the EarlyWatch Alert must be prepared according to Note 91488. Please note that in BI, SEM, CRM, and SAP Mobile Infrastructure systems as well as in APO systems with demand planning the service must be scheduled in the working client. SAP requires a data connection between your SAP system and the SAP. RTCCTOOL - Service Preparation Check Please make sure that Note 69455 has been implemented in your system. After applying this note, you have a tool for service preparation (RTCCTOOL). Start the RTCCTOOL from the Service Data Control Center. Alternatively, you can also execute report RTCCTOOL in transaction SE38. The report gives you a list of necessary implementations for a successful execution of all SAP remote services. Please implement all transports and jobs in the list, as advised in the corresponding notes. I. Activating the Earlywatch Alert at SAP in SDCC

1. a) Call Transaction SDCC. Further information on SDCC can be found in note 216952. b) Please update the service definitions via the menu path 'SDCC -> Maintenance -> Refresh -> Service definitions'. During this update, the newest definitions of all remote services are fetched from SAP. c) You can create a service session following the menu path 'Session -> Create -> Dynamic session' and choosing the service 'EarlyWatch Alert'. To ensure a speedy transfer of the data we recommend to send EWA data between Wednesday and Saturday, so the 'start date' for the first session should be chosen accordingly. The recommended frequency for sending EarlyWatch Alert data to SAP is 'every 7 days'. Please note only that only one Earlywatch Alert session per system per day can be processed at SAP. The start time for the data download for the EWA is determined by the customizing in the Automatic Session Manager.

2. Automatic Session Manager The use of the Automatic Session Manager (ASM) is recommended, because it allows the data download for the Earlywatch Alert sessions to be executed automatically. a) Activation of the ASM The ASM is activated via the path 'Autom. Sess. Manager ->  Controls'. In the displayed window you schedule a background job which takes over the data collecting and sending jobs for upcoming sessions. During scheduling, please make sure that the activation flag is set. It should be set by default. If it is not, it can be activated under the point 'Customizing'. Please schedule the ASM DAILY (!) between 10 pm and midnight. b) Customizing Via the path SDCC -> Autom. Sess. Manager -> Settings -> Customizing, you can make the following settings: - Earliest date for session data processing (0-3 days earlier) - Hour for processing session data (00-23) - Whether data may be collected prior to the Monday of the session   week (recommendation: No)

3. Manual Collecting and Sending of the Data Alternatively, you can also send the data to SAP manually, but please note that in this case, this process as well as the refresh of the service definitions must be done  BEFORE EVERY service session. To collect and send the data, mark the desired session in the SDCC and then click on the button 'Download' in the menu bar. In the next window you can schedule the collecting and sending of the data for the desired time.

4. Should you experience problems during collecting or sending of the data, these will be indicated via the status traffic light during the session in question. More detailed information about these problems can be found in the SDCC session log. By double-clicking on the respective entry in the SDCC session log, in many cases help texts for correcting the error will be shown. In Note 216952 you can find additional information on the most frequent problems in SDCC.

5. Deactivating the "EWA Sessions for SAP" These sessions can be stopped by deleting all entries in the respective table. For systems on basis release 4* with ST-PI 003*, the entries can be deleted from Table /BDL/CUSTSES using Report /BDL/DESCHEDULE_EWA_FROM_ASM. For all other systems ( which are not using ST-PI 2005_1*) the entries can be deleted from Table

BDLCUSTSES using Report BDL_DESCHEDULE_EWA_FROM_ASM. II.  Activating the Earlywatch Alert at SAP in SDCCN SDCCN must be activated as per the documentation mentioned in note 763561. 1. Call transaction SDCCN. Ensure that a 'Maintenance task' has been scheduled as per the above documentation, and that a Service Definition Refresh was executed recently. 2. The frequency of the  Earlywatch Alert has to be set in the customizing of the task, before creating it. The recommended frequency for sending EarlyWatch Alert data to SAP is 'every 7 days'. Please note only that only one Earlywatch Alert session per system per day can be processed at SAP. The frequency can be set in SDCCN -> Goto -> Settings -> Task specific-> Session Data Collection -> Data request -> Settings -> Periodic sessions. Here you have to go into 'change mode' and enter a value for 'repeat every' x days. You should also decide on the settings for 'Data collection' and 'Exception handling'. 3. Create the relevant task, via: SDCCN -> Task -> Create -> Request session data -> Periodic -> Earlywatch Alert -> Continue 'Schedule' the start date of the first session. To ensure a speedy transfer of the data we recommend to send EWA data between Wednesday and Saturday, so the 'start date' for the first session should be chosen accordingly. The 'start time' should be set to early morning. 4. Select destination SDCC_OSS. For more information about SDCC_OSS see the aforementioned documentation, and also note 763561. 5. To stop sending Earlywatch Alert data to SAP you only have to delete the newest task of this type. 6. If you need to make changes ( to the day on which the Earlywatch Alert session is executed, or the frequency, etc), you must delete the newest relevant task in tab 'To do'. Then you need to change the customizing of the task to suit your new requirements ( see step 2) . After this you can create a new periodic task. Should you experience problems during collecting or sending of the data these will be indicated through messages in the 'Detail log' of that task. In Note 763561 you can find additional information on the most frequent problems in SDCCN. III. Access to the Earlywatch Alert reports After every service session a service message named "Session Report" is created. This contains a link to the respective service report in the SAP Service Marketplace. More information on service messages can be found in the user guide in the SAP Service Marketplace under http://service.sap.com/servicemessages Please note that only the most current 12 EarlyWatch Alert reports are made available in the Service Channel. Please note also that Earlywatch Alert sessions processed in your own SAP Solution Manager are forwarded to SAP internal systems only. They can not generate service messages. Since  February 19, 2007, the service reports for SAP EarlyWatch Alert will be generated in XML format. This means small changes to the report layout, but you will continue to receive the service reports as a *.doc file, which you can open with MS Word 2003 (and higher). If your MS Word version is 2002 or lower, you can install a higher version, or MS Word Viewer, see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/891090 'How to obtain the latest Microsoft Word Viewer'. IV. Support for EarlyWatch Alert

a) Messages regarding the format of the Earlywatch Alert reports can be opened in component SV-SMG-SER-EWA.

                       Exception: Illegal xml character Symptom: When trying to open a EWA report which was generated at SAP the error message below is displayed: 'The document SID.doc cannot be opened because there are problems with the contents.' Details: Illegal xml character. Location: Line: <xxx>, Column: <xxx> Background and solution of this problem is described in SAP Note 1658306.

b) Messages on the contents of the EarlyWatch Alert can be opened in component SV-SMG-SER-EWA.

c) Messages on problems with the Service Data Control Center can be opened in component SV-SMG-SDD.

Validity

This document is not restricted to a software component or software component version

References

This document refers to:

SAP Notes

This document is referenced by:

SAP Notes (10)

1095227   FAQ: SAP Hosting - Early Watch Alerts

1518015   Enterprise Support Prerequisites

1658306   'Illegal xml character.' When Opening EWA Report With Word

216952   Service Data Control Center (SDCC) - FAQ

539977   Release strategy for add-on ST-PI

69455   Servicetools for Applications ST-A/PI (ST14, RTCCTOOL, ST12)

712757   SDCC for Basis rel 3.x

713674   SDCC for Basis Rel 4.x without ST-PI

763561   Service Data Control Center (SDCCN) - FAQ

883111   Deactivating old EarlyWatchAlert (Transaction SCUI)

91488   SAP Support Services - Central preparatory note

984434   How to speed up customer message processing

539977   Release strategy for add-on ST-PI

1658306   'Illegal xml character.' When Opening EWA Report With Word

1257308   FAQ: Using EarlyWatch Alert

883111   Deactivating old EarlyWatchAlert (Transaction SCUI)

984434   How to speed up customer message processing

763561   Service Data Control Center (SDCCN) - FAQ

713674   SDCC for Basis Rel 4.x without ST-PI

712757   SDCC for Basis rel 3.x

69455   Servicetools for Applications ST-A/PI (ST14, RTCCTOOL, ST12)

216952   Service Data Control Center (SDCC) - FAQ