Lesson 3 of 6
Post-copy activities
9 min
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Straight after a system copy, CMQ believes it is production. It has production's RFC destinations, production's logical system names, production's released background jobs, production's printers and production's email settings. If it is started and left alone, it may send invoices to real customers, post into real partner systems or pay suppliers from a bank file. Post-copy activities turn the copy into a safe, working test system. They start before the copy and run in a strict order.
- Before the copyPreserve target settingsExport CMQ users and roles, RFC destinations, partner profiles, printer definitions, STMS settings and the list of transports not yet in CMP
- First startIsolateStart with background processing restricted and outbound communication blocked; set a system message
- Technical identityRe-identifyInstall the license, adjust TMS, convert logical system names, restore RFC destinations and interface settings
- BehaviorNeutralize production behaviorSuspend or adapt jobs, redirect output and email, adjust client and system settings
- Users and dataSecureRestore test users, lock production users, apply data protection measures
- HandoverVerifyRun the smoke checklist and hand over to testers
The critical steps
| Area | Typical step | What goes wrong if skipped |
|---|---|---|
| Background jobs | Prevent released production jobs from starting at first start (for example by suspending them), then release only the jobs testing needs | Payment runs, interface jobs and outputs run in CMQ against real partners |
| Logical systems | Convert production logical system names to CMQ's (transaction BDLS) | Documents reference production's logical systems; ALE and interfaces misroute |
| RFC destinations | Restore CMQ's destinations (SM59) so they point to test partners | CMQ calls production partner systems |
| ALE and IDoc partners | Restore partner profiles and ports for test partners | IDocs go to production EDI partners |
| Email and output | Redirect or block outbound mail (SAPconnect) and point output devices to test printers | Invoices and dunning letters reach real customers |
| Transport system | Reconfigure CMQ in STMS and restore its import queue | Imports fail or go to the wrong place |
| License and settings | Install CMQ's license; set SCC4 and SE06 to CMQ's values | Logons blocked after the temporary license; QA open for changes |
| Users | Restore test users and roles; lock or remove production-only users | Production users log on to test; testers lose their roles |
Key post-copy steps. Your runbook will list more, specific to your interfaces.
SAP training on licensing notes that changing the SAP system ID, the message server host or the hardware key requires a new license, which is why the target system's own license must be installed after a copy. For logical systems, BDLS converts the names in documents and settings; it can run for a long time on large databases, so schedule it in the plan. SAP also offers post-copy automation task lists that script many of these steps; they are licensed separately, so check entitlement before planning around them.
- Block outboundMail, RFC and file interfaces closed before anything starts
- Suspend jobsReleased production jobs held
- Re-identifyLicense, BDLS, SM59, partner profiles, STMS
- Re-open selectivelyTest partners connected one by one, each tested
- Release test jobsOnly the jobs on the test plan, with test variants
Write the runbook once and improve it after every refresh. Each step should name its owner, its transaction or task list, its expected duration and how it is checked. The first refresh of a new landscape always finds missing steps; the third should run almost mechanically.
What would you do?
After a refresh of CMQ, Sam finds that the BDLS run is still converting logical system names after six hours, and the testers want to start. What is the right call?
- A fresh copy behaves like production until post-copy steps neutralize it.
- Preserve target settings before the copy; isolate first after it.
- Critical steps: jobs, logical systems (BDLS), RFC destinations, partners, email and output, STMS, license, client and system settings, users.
- Close everything, then open deliberately and test each connection.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. Which transaction converts logical system names after a copy?
2. Why are released production jobs held at first start?
3. What should be exported from CMQ before the copy?
4. Why must CMQ get its own license after a system copy?