mySAP Tool Bag for Performance Tuning and Stress Testing (Paperback)

Table of Contents:

Preface.

1. Introduction.

Why I Wrote This Book.

How I Wrote This Book.

My SAP Customers and Their Boats.

My Audience.

2. Performance Tuning and Stress Testing Reviewed.

Who Needs Testing and Tuning?

The Challenge–Getting "Real" Return on Information.

Challenges Inherent to Performance Tuning mySAP Systems.

Performance-Tuning Overview.

Real-World Factors Driving Changes in mySAP Solutions.

Developing General Performance-Tuning Goals.

Integrating People, Information, and Processes.

3. SAP Fundamentals and Testing Challenges.

Reviewing the Core SAP Technology Layer.

Stress-Testing Considerations for mySAP Solutions and Products.

Stress Testing Other SAP Enterprise-Enabling Solutions and Products.

Testing, Tuning, and the SAP System Landscape.

Tools and Approaches.

4. Turning Business and IT Goals into Success Criteria.

A Closer Look at Goals, Business Processes, and Data.

Understanding Stress-Test Methods.

Developing Solid Real-World Success Criteria.

Tools and Approaches.

5. Staffing the Testing and Tuning Team (T3).

SAP IT, Meet "The Business".

General Staffing Considerations and Best Practices.

Staffing for New Implementations in the Real World.

Staffing to Support Operational Change Management.

Staffing for Strategic Projects.

Concluding Our Staffing Discussion.

6. Selecting Your Testing Tools.

Test-Tool Piloting Overview.

Essential Infrastructure, Server, and OS-Specific Tools.

Disk Subsystem and Database Testing.

Non-SAP API-Aware Scripting Tools.

SAP API-Aware Application Layer Scripting Tools.

SAP API-Aware Application Layer Load-Testing Tools.

SAP AG Testing Tools and Approaches.

Tools and Approaches.

7. Monitoring Tools and Approaches.

The Role of Monitoring Tools.

Current-State Configuration Documentation Tools.

Discrete Monitoring Utilities and OS Applets.

Systemwide Lab Utilities and Applications.

Enterprise Management Applications.

Monitoring Tools Provided by SAP AG.

Tools and Approaches.

8. Starting on the Right Foot: Preparation.

Team Leadership and Organization.

Developing a Strawman Project Plan for the Real World.

Creating Repeatable Testing Methods.

Where Should You Test and Tune in the Real World?

Capturing Your Current State and Baseline.

Real-World Methods of Conquering the Learning Curve.

Pretuning the Stack.

Next Steps.

Tools and Approaches.

9. Determining a Suitable Test Mix.

Overview–What’s a Mix?

Real-World Low-Level Technology Stack Test Input and Mixes.

Testing and Tuning for Daily System Loads.

Testing and Tuning for Business Peaks.

Identifying Key Transactions and Business Processes.

Real-World Access Method Limitations.

Best Practices for Assembling Test Packages.

SAP Component and Other Cross-Application Test Mix Challenges.

Tools and Approaches.

10. Automating a System Load.

Automation Fundamentals and the Big Picture.

Approaches That Really Work.

Scripting Preparation.

Sound Script Development Practices.

Building Standard Real-World Subroutines.

Data Considerations When Scripting.

Best Practices in Script Writing and Testing.

Tools and Approaches.

11. Preparing for Test Week.

Reviewing Your Test Plan and Goals.

Implementing a Real-World Client-Driver Approach.

Stress-Test Infrastructure Configuration.

Configuring Your Client-Driver Tools.

Locking Down the Test Platform.

Stress-Test Monitoring Considerations.

Tools and Approaches.

12. Executing and Monitoring Stress-Test Runs.

Repeatable, Repeatable, Repeatable!

Pre-Test-Run Preparation.

Ready . . . Set . . ..

Validating a Good Test Run: Initial Data Collection.

Real-Time Use of SAP Monitoring Tools.

Winding Down Test Runs.

Tools and Approaches.

13. How to Analyze Test Runs.

Overview–SAP Technology Stack Performance Data.

Real-World Performance Data Sources.

Collecting More Data: Using SAP CCMS during and after Each Test Run.

Collecting and Cleaning Real-World Data.

Data Analysis: Figuring Out What It All Means.

Tools and Approaches.

14. Iterations in Testing and Tuning.

Stop, Analyze, and Resume.

Tracking and Evaluating Changes.

Tuning the Disk Subsystem, Database, and SAP Application Layers.

Lessons Learned in the Real World.

Tools and Approaches.

15. Don’t Quit Now! Valuable Insight Is Just Around the Corner!

Determining True High Availability–the Second Pillar.

Verifying Scalability–the Third Pillar.

Analyzing TCO–the Fourth Pillar.

Ensuring Your DR Solution Is Not a Disaster.

SAP Systems Management.

Testing Proactively and Playing What-If.

Conclusion–Me, Your Boat, and Three Little Rules.

Index.