In different situations during the life-cycle of your solution, it may be appropriate for you to perform a system copy or a migration.
Tasks on Demand
SAP recommends that you perform a system copy if you are planning to set up a test system, demo system, or training system. You must also perform a system copy if you want to change your operating system or your database. For more information about system copies, see SAP Service Marketplace at http://service.sap.com/systemcopy.
● Up until NetWeaver 04 (SAP Web Application Server 6.40), it was only possible for you to perform a system copy for an ABAP system.
● As of NetWeaver 04 SR1 (SAP Web Application Server 6.40 SR1), you also have the option of performing a system copy for a Java add-in of an ABAP system, as well as for a Java standalone system.
● As of NetWeaver 7.0, you can copy a mixed ABAP Stack and Java Stack system in a single operation, not just standalone ABAP or Java systems.
When you perform a system copy, all software units or usage types in the source system are copied to the target system. This means that none of the usage types in the target system can be excluded from the system copy, nor can you select usage types.
● You perform a homogeneous system copy if your target system is on the same operating system and database system as your source system. The database contents are copied from the source system to the target system.
● You perform a heterogeneous system copy if you want to change the operating system or database system. Migration is another term for a heterogeneous system copy.
● For a detailed description of the system copy procedure, see SAP Service Marketplace:
○ For SAP system releases based on SAP R/3
http://service.sap.com/instguides ® SAP Components ® SAP R/3 ® Release<…> ® R/3 Heterogeneous / Heterogeneous System Copy
○ For SAP system releases based on SAP R/3 Enterprise
http://service.sap.com/instguides ® SAP Components ® SAP R/3 Enterprise ®
SAP R/3 Enterprise Core 4.70 <Release> ®
System Copy SAP Systems Based on SAP Web AS <Release>
○ For SAP system releases based on SAP Web Application Server 6.30 or earlier
http://service.sap.com/instguides ® SAP Components ® SAP Web Application Server ® SAP Web Application Server <Release> ® System Copy SAP Systems Based on SAP Web AS <Release>
○ For SAP system releases based on SAP NetWeaver 04
http://service.sap.com/instguidesNW04 ® Release 04 ® Installation ® SAP Web AS ® SAP Web AS 6.40 / SAP Web AS 6.40 SR1 and Related Information ® Homogeneous and Heterogeneous System Copy.
○ For SAP system releases based on SAP NetWeaver 7.0
http://service.sap.com/installNW70