Process Chain Monitoring in SAP Focused Run

Process Chain Monitoring in SAP Focused Run is possible via Job And Automation Monitoring which is available as of SAP Focused Run 3.0 FP02.

You can launch the Job & Automation Monitoring app in the Advanced Application Management section in the Focused Run launchpad.

When you launch the app you will be asked for a scope selection for which you can specify the systems for which you want to activate Process Chain Monitoring.

To start the setup of Process Chain Monitoring click on the settings button .

In the settings popup click on the pencil button under Technical Systems.

In the next popup select the system for which you want to configure process chain monitors by clicking on the area as shown below.

In the next screen , in the Monitoring tab click on the + sign to create a new filter to activate data collection.

Now provide a filter name and then in Job Type select SAP BW Process Chain and save.

After creating the filter move to Alerting tab and click on the + sign to create a new alert.

You can create the following types of alerts.

  • Critical Execution Status: The Execution Status is rated green, if a job finished successfully and red, if the job execution did not finish, i.e., aborted. It is rated yellow, if a job finished with warnings or errors without aborting.
  • Critical Application Status: The Application Status is rated green, if a job successfully processed the application data. It is rated red, if e.g., an ABAP job execution writes errors into the application log and yellow, if there are warnings, but no errors.
  • Critical Delay: The Start Delay rating is rated green, if the technical delay of a job (e.g., in case of an ABAP job the time passed until a job gets a work process assigned) did not exceed the threshold defined.
  • Critical Runtime: The Run Time is rated green, if the runtime of a job did not exceed the threshold defined.  

To create the alert first select the alert type.

Then in Alert Filters section provide the BW Process Chain name for which you want to activate alerting. Also you must provide the job type as BW Process Chain. You can optionaly enter further filters like Execution User, Executable Name, ABAP Client and whether it’s a Standard Job or not.

Note: With Job & Automation monitoring you can create alerts for Standard ABAP jobs as well. The filters Executable Name and Standard Job is applicable only for ABAP Job type.

Optionaly you can also set Notification Variant, Alert Severity and enable Automatic Alert Confirmation in the Alert Settings section.

Optionaly you can also provide Resolution Instructions in the Alert Resolution area.

If you select alert type Crtical Dealy or Critical Runtime you also have to enter the thresholds.

Finally click on the Save button to save and activate the alerting.

Note: When we activate monitoring of process chain by creating the filter in the Monitoring tab, we activate data collection for Process Chain monitoring. This will enable data collection of all process chains of that managed system. You can see status of all process chain runs for that system in the main page of the Job & Automation Monitoring app. Additionaly and optionally you can create/enable alerting in the Alerting tab to alert on specific process chain failures.

Note: Since the launch of Job & Automation Monitoring in Focused Run 3.0 FP2 the old Job Monitoring feature has been renamed to Job Monitoring ABAP Only. The Job Monitoring ABAP Only functionality is completely depricated as of release of Focused Run 4.0.

For more details on Job & Automation Monitoring you can refer to SAP documentation here.

Storing monitoring data longer with the aggregation framework…

The detailed monitoring data from system monitoring is only kept 28 days.

For specific reasons you might want to store certain details longer for specific systems in a condensed way. For example, you want to keep short dumps and failed jobs for your productive systems on daily basis for 1 year.

Here is where the aggregation framework can help you.

Set up aggregation framework

To setup up the aggregation framework go to the System monitoring Individual maintenance FIORI tile:

On the left hand side choose the option Aggregation Framework:

Choose the button Create Variant to create a new variant:

Fill out the name and basic description and press the Continue with next step button:

The next screen is bit more complex:

In sequence: first search for the extended system ID and press go in the top left section. In the bottom left section, select the system you want. In the top right section now select Add filter from the left button. And press the Add selected objects for aggregation button on the bottom right part. Now press the Continue with next step button:

Select the metrics on the left hand side and add the filters on the right hand side. When done press the Continue with next step button:

Press the Start Calculation button and check your results. Then press Save.

Using the aggregation framework

For using the aggregation framework there are no special requirements. Whenever you use an aggregated metric in system monitoring, you can simply use the details with a long period.

Settings for the aggregation framework

In the aggregation framework configuration screen, you can click on the configuration wheel top right to set the retention period for Short/Medium/Long:

Monitoring Netweaver Gateway systems…

This blog will focus on monitoring on Netweaver Gateway systems. These are used to host FIORI applications.

Monitoring productive Netweaver Gateway systems

When monitoring a productive system, you will need to finetune the monitoring templates for:

  • ABAP 7.10 and higher Application template, for the ABAP application
  • ABAP 7.10 and higher Technical instance template, for the ABAP application servers
  • System host template
  • Database template

In many cases you will also an SAP web dispatcher installed. This requires a separate SSI and monitoring setup.

ABAP APPLICATION TEMPLATE

Make sure you cover in the ABAP application template the following items:

Availability:

  • Message server HTTP logon
  • System logon check
  • RFC logon check
  • License status
  • Certificates expiry
  • Update status

Performance and system health:

  • Critical number ranges
  • SICK detection
  • Dumps last hour
  • Cancelled jobs last hour

Security:

  • Global changeability should be that the system is closed
  • Locking of critical users like SAP* and DDIC (see blog)

Fine tune the metrics so you are alerted on situation where the system is having issues.

Netweaver gateway template

For Netweaver gateway, also assign and fine tune the Gateway template:

This contains gateway specifics:

Web dispatcher template

If you use a web dispatcher, make sure you perform the SSI for it and assign the web dispatcher template:

The important custom check on URL availability is best to setup as well: read this blog for instructions.

ABAP APPLICATION SERVER TEMPLATE

Make sure you cover in the ABAP application server template the following items:

Availability:

  • Local RFC logon test
  • Local HTTP logon test (if any BW web scenario is used)
  • Local Logon test
  • Message server disconnects (see blog)

Application server performance and health:

  • Amount of critical SM21 messages
  • No more free work processes (see blog)
  • Update response times

You can consider to setup extra custom metrics for the application servers:

System host template

For system host the regular CPU, memory, disc template is sufficient. Finetune the thresholds to your comfort level.

Database template

Important items of the database template:

  • Database availability
  • Database health checks
  • Backup

Functions monitoring

Next to the availability and performance mentioned above, check also for monitoring certain functions:

Custom metric for web dispatcher URL monitoring

When you are using a web dispatcher, you want to check that the main URL is available. You can achieve this via URL monitoring in health monitoring (see blog).

In some cases you want to integrate this vital start URL into system monitoring, since that is your main central tool.

You can create a custom monitoring metric to measure and act on this.

In the use case below we will setup URL monitoring for web dispatcher for SAP Netweaver Gateway serving FIORI pages.

Creation of the custom metric for web dispatcher URL monitoring.

Create a custom metric following the steps in this blog. The template to be adjusted is the technical system SAP Web Dispatcher template.

Don’t forget to tick it on for monitoring otherwise it is not active.

In expert mode create a custom metric.

Create technical name Z_WEBDISPATCHER_URL_AVAILABILITY:

In the data collection:

Data to enter: RFC on diagnostics agent (push). Select SRSM Ping Http Unsp. Select the HTTPS protocol and setup the URL to monitor: /sap/bc/ui2/flp?sap-client=xxx&sap-language=EN. This is the main FIORI start URL. The port number is taken from the LMDB settings of the web dispatcher: $SAP_WebDispatcherIPServicePort->SAP_IPServicePort.PortNumber$.

Define the threshold for alerting:

We take here three measurements. If we don’t then with a single glitch in the network an alert will be triggered.

And assign the metric to the system message alert group:

Monitoring GTS system…

This blog will focus on monitoring on GTS systems.

Monitoring productive GTS systems

GTS systems are at the not frequent in use. When in use they do play a vital role in import and export business scenario’s when good are crossing borders.

Since a GTS system is normally installed, and often no to little maintenance and software changes are performed on the system. Also basis teams tend not to look at it too often, since it normally runs stable.

In case of non-availability of GTS, ECC scenario’s linked to GTS might fail and can causes severe business disruptions.

For this reason it is important to set up monitoring in FRUN for your GTS system and also configure mail alerts in case of issues. They will not happen too often, but when they happen you can act fast. This will also save the basis team spending a lot of time on checking GTS system for log (most cases, the checks are good).

When monitoring a productive system, you will need to finetune the monitoring templates for:

  • ABAP 7.10 and higher Application template, for the ABAP application
  • ABAP 7.10 and higher Technical instance template, for the ABAP application servers
  • System host template
  • Database template

ABAP application template

Make sure you cover in the ABAP application template the following items:

Availability:

  • Message server HTTP logon
  • System logon check
  • RFC logon check
  • License status
  • Certificates expiry
  • Update status

Performance and system health:

  • Critical number ranges
  • Enqueue lock % filled
  • SICK detection
  • Dumps last hour
  • Update errors last hour
  • Cancelled jobs last hour
  • Long running work processes and jobs (see blog)

Security:

  • Global changeability should be that the system is closed
  • Locking of critical users like SAP* and DDIC (see blog)

Fine tune the metrics so you are alerted on situation where the system is having issues.

ABAP application server template

Make sure you cover in the ABAP application server template the following items:

Availability:

  • Local RFC logon test
  • Local HTTP logon test
  • Local Logon test
  • Message server disconnects (see blog)

Application server performance and health:

  • Amount of critical SM21 messages
  • No more free work processes (see blog)
  • Update response times

You can consider to setup extra custom metrics for the application servers:

System host template

For system host the regular CPU, memory, disc template is sufficient. Finetune the thresholds to your comfort level.

Database template

Important items of the database template:

  • Database availability
  • Database health checks
  • Backup

Functions monitoring

Next to the availability and performance mentioned above, check also for monitoring certain functions:

Monitoring SCM system…

This blog will focus on monitoring on SCM systems. Also known as APO systems.

Monitoring productive SCM systems

SCM systems are at the often used logistics optimization systems. They are mainly used in combination with traditional ECC systems. They are less needed in combination with S4HANA systems (or you can use the embedded SCM of HANA).

The core of an SCM system is a BI system. Many data is using similar extractors and process chains as a BI system. Hence follow the tuning needed for a BI system.

Extra in an SCM system are the LiveCache and the CIF (Core interface).

LiveCache monitoring

LiveCache is normally running on a MaxDB database.

So it is important to activate, assign and finetune the metrics for the MaxDB database:

Focus on:

  • Availability
  • Backup
  • Performance

Next to the database, you also need to activate, assign and finetune the LiveCache specific application template:

This template contains the primary elements to monitor for the LiveCache functions like:

  • Availability of LiveCache as a function
  • Structure check for LiveCache
  • Memory issues for LiveCache specifically

Fine tune the metrics so you are alerted on situation where the system is having issues.

CIF monitoring

The CIF is the core interface between SCM and ECC system. The interface typically uses RFC and qRFC. And it is working both ways.

Setup for the CIF specific RFC’s and qRFC’s the monitoring:

Process chain monitoring

SCM uses process chains. To monitor process chains, read this dedicated blog.

Monitoring BW systems…

This blog will focus on monitoring on BW systems.

Monitoring productive BW systems

BW systems are at the often used as reporting systems within an SAP landscape.

When monitoring a productive system, you will need to finetune the monitoring templates for:

  • ABAP 7.10 and higher Application template, for the ABAP application
  • ABAP 7.10 and higher Technical instance template, for the ABAP application servers
  • System host template
  • Database template

ABAP application template

Make sure you cover in the ABAP application template the following items:

Availability:

  • Message server HTTP logon
  • System logon check
  • RFC logon check
  • License status
  • Certificates expiry
  • Update status

Performance and system health:

  • Critical number ranges
  • SICK detection
  • Dumps last hour
  • Cancelled jobs last hour
  • Long running work processes and jobs (see blog): this is more tricky in a BW system, since it can have longer running extraction and processing jobs

Security:

  • Global changeability should be that the system is closed
  • Locking of critical users like SAP* and DDIC (see blog)

Fine tune the metrics so you are alerted on situation where the system is having issues.

ABAP application server template

Make sure you cover in the ABAP application server template the following items:

Availability:

  • Local RFC logon test
  • Local HTTP logon test (if any BW web scenario is used)
  • Local Logon test
  • Message server disconnects (see blog)

Application server performance and health:

  • Amount of critical SM21 messages
  • No more free work processes (see blog)
  • Update response times

You can consider to setup extra custom metrics for the application servers:

For a BW system some numbers are typically higher than on an ECC or S4HANA system. Response times of 1.5 seconds would indicate horrible performance on ECC, but are normal on BW system.

System host template

For system host the regular CPU, memory, disc template is sufficient. Finetune the thresholds to your comfort level.

Database template

Important items of the database template:

  • Database availability
  • Database health checks
  • Backup

Functions monitoring

Next to the availability and performance mentioned above, check also for monitoring certain functions:

Monitoring ECC and S4HANA systems…

This blog will focus on monitoring on ECC and S4HANA systems.

Monitoring productive ECC and S4HANA systems

ECC and S4HANA systems are at the core of each SAP landscape, and most vital to the business.

When monitoring a productive system, you will need to finetune the monitoring templates for:

  • ABAP 7.10 and higher Application template, for the ABAP application
  • ABAP 7.10 and higher Technical instance template, for the ABAP application servers
  • System host template
  • Database template

ABAP application template

Make sure you cover in the ABAP application template the following items:

Availability:

  • Message server HTTP logon
  • System logon check
  • RFC logon check
  • License status
  • Certificates expiry
  • Update status

Performance and system health:

  • Critical number ranges
  • Enqueue lock % filled
  • SICK detection
  • Dumps last hour
  • Update errors last hour
  • Cancelled jobs last hour
  • Long running work processes and jobs (see blog)

Security:

  • Global changeability should be that the system is closed
  • Locking of critical users like SAP* and DDIC (see blog)

Fine tune the metrics so you are alerted on situation where the system is having issues.

ABAP application server template

Make sure you cover in the ABAP application server template the following items:

Availability:

  • Local RFC logon test
  • Local HTTP logon test
  • Local Logon test
  • Message server disconnects (see blog)

Application server performance and health:

  • Amount of critical SM21 messages
  • No more free work processes (see blog)
  • Update response times

You can consider to setup extra custom metrics for the application servers:

System host template

For system host the regular CPU, memory, disc template is sufficient. Finetune the thresholds to your comfort level.

Database template

Important items of the database template:

  • Database availability
  • Database health checks
  • Backup

Functions monitoring

Next to the availability and performance mentioned above, check also for monitoring certain functions:

Custom metric to detect if there are no free work processes…

From availability perspective, you want to detect as quickly as possible if you don’t have any free work processes left.

You can create a custom monitoring metric to measure and act on this.

Creation of the custom metric for no free work processes

Create a custom metric following the steps in this blog. The template to be adjusted is the technical instance SAP ABAP 7.10 and higher template.

Don’t forget to tick it on for monitoring otherwise it is not active.

In expert mode create a custom metric.

Create technical name Z_NO_FREE:

In the data collection:

Data to enter: RFC on diagnostics agent (push). Select ABAP System Log Stats. Filter on message number QoG with text *NOWP*.. For more information on system log messages, read this blog.

Define the threshold for alerting:

And assign the metric to the ABAP Resource Shortage alert group:

Custom metric to detect if hardware ID is missing…

From availability perspective, you want to detect as quickly as possible if you are suffering from missing hardware ID.

You can create a custom monitoring metric to measure and act on this.

Creation of the custom metric for missing hardware ID

Create a custom metric following the steps in this blog. The template to be adjusted is the technical instance SAP ABAP 7.10 and higher template.

Don’t forget to tick it on for monitoring otherwise it is not active.

In expert mode create a custom metric.

Create technical name Z_METRIC_MSG_SRV_HW_ID_MISSING:

In the data collection:

Data to enter: RFC on diagnostics agent (push). Select ABAP System Log Stats. Filter on message number Q16. This indicates missing hardware ID. For more information on system log messages, read this blog.

Define the threshold for alerting:

And assign the metric to the ABAP Instance not available alert group, create a custom alert group:

Msg Server hardware ID missingChecks for Syslog message Q16. Threshold Red for 1.