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Silent Data Migration SAP (Detailed Guide)

The data migration procedures in SAP are quite different and specific to particular methods. The process or method might change depending on the amount of data you want to migrate alongside the platform you’re migrating to. For example, when it comes to planning a release update to the S/4HANA 1909 or any other higher version, silent data migration should always be your choice.

Do you want to know why?

We will certainly address the same in this article itself. However, before we get started with that, let’s learn a little more about what silent data migration or SDMI is.

What is Silent Data Migration?

If you are planning to execute a release update or SUM (Software Update Manager), opting for a migration strategy will be crucial. Or else, it’ll be impossible to adhere to the changes that have been seen within the data structure. These changes can occur when you are enabling superior app performance or develop newer features within the same. Usually, most people tend to carry out these data migrations during the upgrade of XCLA or XPRA techniques.

However, it can prolong the overall downtime massively.

The SDMI (silent data migration) technique can allow you to migrate data during an uptime. So, you will be able to use the system productively and reduce the downtime to some extent.

The goal of silent data migration is to decrease the technical downtime of SAP S/4HANA release or updates while you are using the SUM tool.

This technique is generally used for data conversion in S/4HANA 1909 and higher. After all, the time required to migrate data in these tends to be much higher than usual. And, with this method, the entire process will get much, much easier as well.

In the future, almost every data migration procedure will be moved to the SDMI from the XPRA processing. And the lower technical downtime will be the only reason behind it.

Technical Details

In this section, we have shared the technical details of silent data migration in a tabular form. But if you want to get more information in this aspect, don’t forget to let us know in the comments.

Type New
Scope Item
Functional Localization Not application 
Application Component BC-CCM-SDM
Available as of ABAP Platform 1909

If you want to enable this form of migration, you’ll need to set up a specific technical user for the SDMI database in every client. You can do it either after or during the upgrade.

SAP S/4HANA system upgrade can be dissected into two different high-level phases. These may include the following –

  • S/4 N+1 = S/4HANA 1909.
  • S/4 N = S/4HANA 1809 and lower.

Once you have offered SUM with the required information, your system will enter the restricted zone of an uptime phase. During this period, business users will still be allowed to operate in the system. However, the ABAP repository or customization will be locked in your case. 

In any case, a clone of the ABAP repository will be developed, so that you can use it if needed.

How Do You Enable Silent Data Migration?

The classes of silent data migration can be created automatically in an online mode by using the following background job – SAP_SDM_EXECUTOR_ONLINE_MIGR.

The job should be executed in each and every client with a specific step-user. It’s also known as a SDMI user. This technical user must be created in every client, or else the silent data migration will not run properly within your system.

You can create these technical users through three different ways, including –

  • When you are upgrading SUM, an update user for SDMI will be curated and registered. 
  • Once the upgrade is complete by using SDM_USER transaction, you can register a brand new user for SDMI.
  • Create a user manually for SDMI by using SU01 and register it by using SDM_User.

Once you have created a user, you can begin or enable silent data migration accordingly. But, in case you are stuck somewhere, make sure to talk to a consultant quickly.

The Benefits of Silent Data Migration

If used properly, silent data migration can be highly beneficial for your business. In this section, we have discussed a few of them. So, let’s take a look at them –

  • Silent data migration can enable automatic data migrating during the period of the system uptime. This, in turn, can decrease the time required to complete the entire procedure.
  • The procedure is pretty easy to execute. And it usually doesn’t affect your system much if you make a mistake. However, it’s still best to create a plan before executing the system.
  • The process can be completed within a small amount of time too. There’s no need to do a prior preparation or something as such, which can reduce the downtime even more.

All in all, silent data migration can be really beneficial in some specific instances. Nevertheless, if you have any question regarding the same, it doesn’t hurt to talk to a professional.

How to Monitor the Silent Data Migration Log?

In our experience, silent data migration never failed due to any kind of error or anything. But if it happens in your case, it will be important for you to know where you have saved the logs. It’ll be required for finding out the core issue and evaluate the same accordingly. 

Here’s how you can go through the same –

  • Firstly double click on the migration class that has gone rogue. The name of it is shown on the left-most side of your screen. 
  • Once you have clicked, the system will automatically redirect you to the SLG1 selection screen with whatever field is required there. These will be auto-populated with the values of the migration class. Just write the proper date on it and tap on ‘execute.’
  • Now, click twice on the log to check out more details regarding the class.

Here, you can find three different options shown on your screen. Here’s what they mean –

  • Records to be… first migration run: This’ll refer to the number of different migration records that the SDM will find at the first attempt while running the migration. This will never be updated later on, so there’s no need to note it down.
  • Records to be… end of migration run: This will count the records that you may find at the end of your current migration run. If the process is going well, the value would be 0.
  • Records to be… start of migration run: This is the number that your migration records have found out at the beginning of the migration attempt. Keep an eye on this number, as it might change later on. In that case, remembering the first number will be important.

The Bottom Line

So, that will be all for this article. We hope we could proffer as much information as you need to get a clarified idea regarding the technique. However, if you still need to know about something else, please comment below. We’ll try our best to offer the required insights to you quickly.