Migrating SAP Workloads to Azure

By Ashwin Venugopal -

 



Classic vs. SAP Database Migration Option (DMO)

Classical Migration

With the help of this option, SAP's Software Provisioning Manager (SWPM) can be exclusively used as a Software Logistics (SL) tool for database migrations and can easily exports data from a source system while importing it to a target system where the target can be anyDB. This method especially uses a file-based approach.

SAP Database Migration Option (DMO)

It allows both the SAP upgrade as well as a database migration to the SAP HANA database through one tool only. Due to this functionality, the DMO process is labelled as a one-step migration while Classical Migration is called a two-step migration.

Classical Migration vs. DMO

Parameter

Classical Migration

DMO

Purpose/Use Case

Migration only

Upgrade + Migration New DMO version available for migration-only option

Downtime Optimization Flexibility

High

Medium

Migration

Manual

Automated

Migration Expertise

OS/DB certification is mandatory

OS/DB is not mandatory, but highly recommended

Data Consistency

Manual

Automatic

Options for Data Transfer

Socket mode option, Net exchange mode option, FTP mode option to transfer data

Memory pipes Filesystem dump

Migration Check Service

It is required for classical approach on productive systems

It is not required for DMO on productive systems

Monitoring Progress

Distribution monitor and migration monitor tools available

Built-in SAPUI application for monitoring process

Post-migration Consistency Check

Process is manual and requires MIGCHECK tool and the time analyzer tool generate reports

Built-in feature in DMO

Table Splitting

Dedicated table splitting and package splitting tools available- R3TA, R3ZCHECK

It is built-in and tuned

Import & Export Table Splitting

It can be changed on the fly

It requires adjustment as part of uptime (not on the fly)

DDL Statements

Manual process to generate all DDL statements prior to migration

Built-in process for DDL statement calculations and deployment

SWPM, MIGMON, DISMON

They can be started and stopped manually. Not recommended to run from remote desktops for MIGMON tools

No such option available in DMO

No such restrictions in DMO

Export/Import

Ability to add multiple application servers to run the export/import

Only one application server can be used

R3 Load Process Limit

No limits

Limit of 999 R3 load processes

Table Splits Limit

No limit on number of table splits

Limit of 200 table splits

Target DB

anyDB (e.g. SAP HANA, SQL server, Oracle, DB2, etc.)

Only SAP HANA, AS (other databases are available on request)

SAP Recommendation

Apply for no software change

Apply if SAP can be upgraded

   






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