SAP Information Lifecycle Management

Is there a need to adapt the current system replication configuration to include cold partition(s)?

No changes need to be done to the current system replication configuration as the cold partitions are belonging to the table itself as all other partitions and will be replicated to the replication side together with the rest of the table.

Why can’t I simply use snapshots to extract all data from a legacy system?

Snapshots are a simple way of extracting data from a system, since no archivability checks are performed. So why not use this function to extract the entire data set of a system, particularly if the system will be shut down anyway? The answer has to do with the nature of snapshots. In contrast to standard…

Is it possible to create archive information structures based on snapshot files?

No, snapshots are not indexed. The corresponding original data remains in the database.

Why do I need snapshots?

A snapshot is a copy of data from the database created by running an ILM enhanced archiving object (for transactional data) or by running the CDE (for context data). If an archiving object is run in snapshot mode, no archivability checks take place. Also the data is not deleted from the database as in regular…

What is the purpose of the CDE?

The Context Data Extractor (CDE) is a tool used during system decommissioning which enables the extraction of context information (master data, customizing data, meta data) from the legacy system in order to complement the information contained in standard archiving objects. The data extracted with the CDE is stored in snapshots files.

What about the archiving of BW content? Is it covered by ILM?

No. ILM does not offer a new functionality in this area. For data reduction within BW nearline storage systems are used. However, using the solution ILM Retention Management Storage Option for SAP IQ, you can store your archiving indices and archive files on SAP IQ. In combination with the storage of analytical data from the…

Is it possible to decommission non-SAP systems?

Yes. Using specialised tools, such as SAP Data Services and SAP Landscape Transformation and the CDE features of SAP ILM, it is possible to extract data from non-SAP systems, map it to SAP or custom structures, and convert it into ADK files. These files have the same structure as archive files created from native SAP…

Is it possible to transfer old archive files from former “pre-ILM” archiving sessions to the Retention Warehouse?

Yes. Using the ILM file converter, every ADK file that was created prior to the ILM implementation can be converted to ILM because the ADK file format has not changed. The only point you need to consider is that compared to older releases the content of several archiving objects has changed. As a prerequisite for…

Is it possible to remove data from the storage system directly in order to destroy it?

No. With ILM data is only archived if there is a reason for doing so. This reason is represented by the retention rule(s), upon which the system calculates the expiration date. If no active retention rules exist, it is not possible to move the data to the WebDAV store. Once moved to the store data…

What kind of storage system do I need for ILM?

To use ILM functions you need to store your structured data, e.g. transactional data, on a WebDAV storage system that is certified according to the WebDAV storage interface certification for SAP ILM. Unstructured data, such as ArchiveLink documents and print lists, can remain on the original ArchiveLink storage system.

How does Information Management compare to ILM, and what’s the difference?

Information Management (IM, formerly called Enterprise Information Management, EIM) must be seen in a much broader context than ILM. IM is a framework designed to turn enterprise information (in many cases scattered throughout the organization) into a strategic asset. IM solutions create, cleanse, integrate, manage, govern, and archive structured and unstructured data. They enable enterprise…

Does ILM replace data archiving?

Not at all, ILM is not a product that replaces data archiving. Rather, data archiving is an important part of any ILM strategy. If you have an established data archiving strategy in place, you already have a very good basis for ILM. You can start from there and gradually work your way towards a full-fledged…