Apply SAP R/3 Support Packages, Patches, Service Packs using SPAM, SAINT

From time to time SAP does modifications to the various objects of its R/3 software and makes the modifications available to the customers in form of support packs and CRTs. Customers are required to check for the latest updates on the changes being made by SAP to its software and accordingly apply them at their installations. The support packs and CRTs are made available by SAP on their mySAP.com Marketplace site (earlier known as SAP Net) http://service.sap.com.
The following is procedure to show you step-by-step process of applying different support packages into your system.

• It is always advisable to first verify the SPAM/SAINT version in the system.
• If you do not have, download the latest SPAM/SAINT package.
• There are certain support packages, which require certain level of SPAM/SAINT. For such packages, you first have to update the SPAM/SAINT
• SPAM/SAINT update and support packs are applied through Transaction code SPAM.
• The SPAM/SAINT updates and support packs files are .CAR (compressed archive) files, which need to be unpacked. Each CAR files is an archive of two files.
• Supports packs for Applications area (i.e. changes made to the objects of various functional modules of SAP) are also known as HOTPACKS

What Is a Support Package?

• A Support Package is a quantity of corrected SAP objects. Support Packages Are required to correct errors in various components. This is done by replacing erroneous objects with corrected versions of these objects.
• Each software component has a separate sequence of Support Packages. The following list contains the technical names of a number of components and the notation for their Support Packages:
• COP (Component Package)

SAP_APPL (SAP R/3 Support Package)
Naming conversion of SAP_APPL is SAPKH<rel><no>

SAP_APPL Stands sap application platform
SAP_BASIS (Basis Support Package)

Naming conversion of SAP_BASIS is SAPKB<rel><no>
SAP_BASIS Stands sap basis component

SAP_ABA (Application Interface SP)
Naming conversion of SAP_ABA is SAPKA<rel><no>

SAP_ABA Stands sap cross application component
SAP_HR (SAP R/3 HR Support Package)

Naming conversion of SAP_HR is SAPKE<rel><no>
SAP_HR stands human resources

SAP_APO (APO Support Package): SAPKY<rel><no>
SAP_BW (BW Support Package): SAPKW<rel><no>

SAP_CRM (CRM Support Package): SAPKU<rel><no>
SAP_SRM (SRM Support Package): SAPKU<rel><no>
SAP_SEM (SEM-BW Support Package): SAPGKS<rel><no>

Why Support packages are required

1. A support packages is a quantity of corrected SAP objects.
2. Support packages are required to correct errors in various components. This is done by replacing erroneous objects with corrected versions of these objects.
3. Each software component has a separate sequence of Support Packages.

Prerequisites of Support Packages:

1. Login to 000 client with user like DDIC.
2. Support packages and patches are applied in T-code SPAM (support package manager)
3. No aborted packages should be available in the system.
4. Download the support packages from marketplace.
5. Always use the updated SPAM & SAINT versions to Apply Support Packages.
6. There should be enough space in EPS directory to hold support directory.
7. There should be at least two background processes reserved for this process.
8. Functional and technical consultants should be around for applying changes to data dictionary elements and repository objects.
9. Take the database backup before going to apply support packages.
10. In order to avoid network congestion the files which are more than 10MB has to be applied through “application server”. Patches which are less than 10MB can be applied through front end
11. There should be enough space in table space in the table spaces (DB02),it should not be above 90%.
12. Apply patches in the sequence defined in the composite note. Patches can be applied individually or bundled together.
13. Patches can’t be reverted by consultants, only SAP can revert patches by developing a negative patches if required.
14. Schedule the downtime before going to apply support packages.
15. Go through the composite note and document the sequence and CRT.
16. Observe the system behavior.
17. Check STMS configuration before going to apply support package.
18. Before going to apply support package we need to check either any side effects if we apply the patch.

Procedure

The support packages are needed to be applied to the system depending on the requirement from functional and technical consultants’ support package can make changes to objects are data dictionary level or at repository level. It requires to be applied during non-peak hours. It provides enhanced functionality. Sap recommended applying patches for the known problems.