SAP R/3 Archiving Solution

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Agenda
Archiving concepts What is SAP Archiving? What is Document Imaging ? What data is selected ? How is it selected ? Storage of archived data
ArchiveLink (iXOS) HSM

Why do we need archiving ? Archiving Project Archiving Solution Objective

Considerations Approach Time Line

Overall benefits

Agenda
Archiving concepts What is SAP Archiving? What is Document Imaging ? What data is selected ? How is it selected ? Storage of archived data
ArchiveLink (iXOS) HSM

Why do we need archiving ? Archiving Project Archiving Solution Objective

Considerations Approach Time Line

Overall benefits

What is Archiving?
Data Archiving refers to the process of removing data that is no longer needed in the system, but which must remain accessible either for business or legal reasons. This data may be stored in archived files which can be moved from the systems primary storage media. This process relies on applicationspecific archiving programs supplied by SAP. The SAP-provided tool used is the Archiving Development Kit (ADK). An Archiving Object comprises of a series of database tables which are structured around SAP Business Application Functions (i.e., FI_DOCUMNT identifies all SAP DB tables associated with financial accounting documents, which comprises of the document header, company code dependent postings, change documents, SAP-script texts and other elements). The archiving object determines what is to be archived and how. ArchiveLink is the communication interface supplied by SAP that links applications to third-party optical archive systems (i.e., FileNet, iXOS, etc.)

What is Archiving?
Data Archiving refers to the process of removing data that is no longer needed in the system, but which must remain accessible either for business or legal reasons. This data may be stored in archived files which can be moved from the systems primary storage media. This process relies on applicationspecific archiving programs supplied by SAP. The SAP-provided tool used is the Archiving Development Kit (ADK). An Archiving Object comprises of a series of database tables which are structured around SAP Business Application Functions (i.e., FI_DOCUMNT identifies all SAP DB tables associated with financial accounting documents, which comprises of the document header, company code dependent postings, change documents, SAP-script texts and other elements). The archiving object determines what is to be archived and how. ArchiveLink is the communication interface supplied by SAP that links applications to third-party optical archive systems (i.e., FileNet, iXOS, etc.)

What is Archiving?
Data Flow
Sapgui ADK

Analyze program
R/3 DB Archiving object
e.g. SD_VBAK CD

Third-party tool Archive flat files

Tape WORM

Documents

Archiving program

Archive Link
Storage

Delete program Reload program

What is Archiving?
Process Flow
Sapgui ADK

1.- Customize data 2.- Customize Archiving Object 3.- Run the archiving process 4.- Run the delete process 5.- Store Flat Files

Analyze program
R/3 DB Third-party tool Archiving object
e.g. SD_VBAK

Documents

3 Archiving program

Archive flat files

CD

Tape

WORM

5 Archive Link
Storage

2 4

Delete program Reload program

What is Imaging?
Document Imaging refers to imaging of SAP produced documents that are required to be stored for business or legal reasons. A snapshot of these documents may be imaged to a third party optical archive system. Documents are stored after printing for three primary reasons: to meet business requirements to meet legal requirements to meet customer service requirements

Document imaging can be extended to the storage of input documents to SAP.

What is Imaging?
View Image R/3 ArchiveLink R/3 DB Image files Third-party tool Image files

WORM

CD

Documents

Print Spool

Storage

1. At the moment of print, SAP documents

Printer

are sent to the print spool. If the print command to the defined printer is successful, document information is sent to and processed by the ArchiveLink.

2. The third-party document imaging tool

communicates with SAP through the ArchiveLink to receive the image information. The third-party tool is responsible for the storage and retrieval of the image (although the retrieve may be executed through the SAP client.)

Document Imaging session

What data is selected ?

Master data Selected and purged based on delete indicators Transactional data Selected and purge based on residence time

Dependencies : Technical : provided by SAP Functional : depend on client specific implementation of business processes.

How is it selected ?
Customization
General Application specific : criteria for archivability or

deletability of application data (residence time) Archive link : customization of the ArchiveLink interface Platform independent file names
Archiving Object specific Logical file name for the archiving object Archive file size Delete program settings : when, commit counter,

etc.

Storage of archive data

For archiving R/3 data SAP recommends two techniques: (1) ArchiveLink
A communications interface between an R/3 system and an archive system which is typically an optical archive system. The archive system is supplied by third party vendors like iXOS, FileNet, etc. ArchiveLink is not the same as data archiving but it can be used to store archive files created by R/3 archiving.

(2) HSM (Hierarchical Storage Management).

HSM is a software which manages a pool of storage consisting of disk cache, optical disks and tapes. Depending on the characters of data, e.g. how frequently the data is accessed, HSM stores the data on the suitable storage media. For the R/3 system the HSM solution is transparent. Once the archive files are generated by ADK they are moved and reloaded by HSM on request. After moving the archive files, stub files are saved on the local disk. For the R/3 system it looks like all the archive files are stored on the local machine. That is also the reason why no certification is needed. The difference between ArchiveLink and HSM archiving solutions is mainly the integration of document management features which can be a part of the archiving solutions using ArchiveLink. That allows users to scan incoming documents and integrate them in the business processes.

Archiving Using iXOS

R/3 Application Server
R/3 database R/3 Applications R/3 Gateway ArchiveLink

2
Printer

WORM Partitions assigned to a Pool

Optical Jukebox
WORM CD

WORM / CD Pools

4 R/3 Client 1 2
SAPGUI Viewer/LIB

6 Logical Archive
Write Disk Buffer Read Cache

8 Archive Server

3 3
From R/3 Application Server To R/3 Client or R/3 Application Server

Document Service Monitor Server Write Read Archive Database

Disk Buffer Admin Server

Cache

Hard Disk

1. Archive files (data) are sent to archive server via ArchiveLink 2. If outgoing documents are printed successfully, image file is sent to archive server via ArchiveLink. 3. New archive files (data and image) are stored in write disk buffer 4. Write disk buffer writes archive files to WORM/CD pool 5. Pools are assigned to buffers and WORM/CD partitions, so by writing to pool the information is written to the WORM/CD partition. 6. Archive files are also retrieved from WORM/CD to pool. 7. Pool is also assigned to Read Cache, retrieved archive file is stored in read cache. 8. Archive image file is retrieved from read cache to viewer and archive data file is moved back to operating system level to be viewed by Analyze program.

Archiving using HSM

HSM : Hierarchical Storage Management

Access Speed / Frequency of Use

Cache Aging data is migrated Cache Volatile $3.00 - $30.00 / MB to successively slower, but Memory RAM RAM larger capacity (and lower cost) media. Data is replaced by pointers Online Disk (DASD) Disk (DASD) $0.05 - $1.50 / MB allowing access to data as if online, only with longer retrieval Optical Disk, times. Optical Disk, Digital Linear Tape and Helical Scan Tape Nearline Digital Linear Tape and Helical Scan Tape

CPU CPU

Optical Disk, Optical Tape, Optical Disk, Optical Tape, Digital Linear Tape and Helical Scan Tape Digital Linear Tape and Helical Scan Tape Optical Disk, Optical Tape, Optical Disk, Optical Tape, Digital Linear Tape and Helical Scan Tape Digital Linear Tape and Helical Scan Tape

$0.02 - $0.10 / MB

Offline

Archive

Relative Capacity
Source: Adapted from How HSM Works by Peter Varhol, IT/IS Back Office, October 1996, page 86

Why do we need Archiving?

Performance Users response time (on line and batch) IT Department performance (Back up, restore and database administration) Disk Space Stabilizes database growth

Agenda
Archiving concepts What is SAP Archiving? What is Document Imaging ? What data is selected ? How is it selected ? Storage of archived data
ArchiveLink (iXOS) HSM

Why do we need archiving ? Archiving Project Archiving Solution Objective

Considerations Approach Time Line

Overall benefits

Archiving Solution Objective

The overall objective of an archiving project is to design and implement an archiving solution for SAP R/3 system. This solution must meet all business needs and statutory requirements given the functional and technical dependencies and constraints. Archiving objectives Provide a quick relief to database growth to ensure that no additional hardware will be needed in the short term. Reduce database size and growth rate to the lowest extent possible supporting efficiently business and statutory requirements for access to SAP documents. Implement the most cost effective solution for storage/retrieval of archived data. Satisfy business and statutory retention requirements. Integrate the data archiving with a proper document imaging solution.

Archiving Solution Considerations

Involvement of Functional Teams and Users is critical to project success. Standard SAP functionality should be used to the maximum extent possible, specifically, in retrieval and viewing SAP data. Implement archiving before having a problem with database growth. Proactively plan your archiving strategy Start archiving work in FI - then expand into other modules Archiving process should be scheduled, not ad-hoc The more frequent, the better Function modules (increasing order of difficulty) FI : most robust archiving architecture (large tables) CO : fairly good archiving architecture SD: difficult to implement archiving due to interdependencies of data MM : difficult to implement archiving due to interdependencies of data (large tables)

Archiving Solution Considerations

As the SAP archiving product is relatively new, SAP is continuously making improvements to enhance archiving and retrieval of data. These enhancements are usually in the form of OSS notes. R/3 Archiving-Related Products - ADK - data archiving development tool for archiving objects and delete programs - SARA - execution tool for scheduling archive runs of ADK objects - ArchiveLink - generic R/3 interface (presentation layer & application layer) to an archiving sub-system. - DART - data extraction tool for financial purposes, does not purge data from database (SAPs solution for audit requirements) - AIS (new) - tool for reloading selected archive data back into separate R/3 tables

Archiving Solution Approach

Phase I - Requirements Phase
Create Requirements Matrix Develop SAP Archiving Data Model Document SAP Archiving Approach/Strategy Third Party Vendor Selection (if reqd.) Estimations for Phase II

Phase II - Delivery Phase

Design, Configure, Component Test objects Hardware & Software Procurement (if reqd.) Technology Architecture Design and Build Assembly Test Product Test Integration Test Stress Test and Operations Readiness Test Training

Archiving Solution Timeline

The following time line is based on a phased approach for approximately 15/20 archiving objects.

Delivery

Phase

Phase II - Delivery Phase Design, Configure, Component Test Third-party Vendor Selection Hardware & Software Procurement Technology Architecture Design & Build Assembly Test Product Test Stress Test & Operations Readiness Test Integration Test Training and Transition Phase I - Requirements Phase Requirements Gathering/ Matrix SAP Archiving Data Model SAP Archiving Approach/ Strategy

Requirements

Months

Credentials
What experience/capabilities does AC have with SAP Archiving?
Strategy Strategy

Technology Technology

Working with SAP/iXOS to enhance the archiving/imaging solution Developing templates for fast deployment

Performing in-depth SAP archiving technical evaluations

People People

Process Process

Core Team with deep SAP Archiving/Imaging skills Dedicated Solution Center resources

Over 10 SAP Archiving projects underway Methodology for fast design, build and run

Overall Benefits
Knowledge of tool selection process. Requirements from past projects. Deliverables from past projects. Experienced Team. Knowledge Capital. Solution Center Benefits Core group of skilled SAP archiving resources. Ready access to SAP archiving knowledge. Ability to shift resources to other projects during any downtime