“A good book for people who deal with SAP systems for a living. I haven’t read another book like this. It’s technical but it’s also an entertaining read. A pleasant departure from the norm.” —David C. Gilliland, Senior Consultant, SAP America, Inc. “Clearly, this book could be used as an excellent development tool and could help a company like mine perfect performance tuning steps and standards.” —Dennis Prince, SAP Development/Support Specialist, Hewlett-Packard “SAP optimization is one of those subjects that developers struggle to find time for and managers don’t know is necessary. Presenting the value of the process up front serves to give the developer ammunition to win time for optimization and the manager an education in the value and necessity of optimization. Even if the manager types don’t read past chapter 3, George’s job is done. They should be convinced that someone technical in their IT department needs to be reading this book. Anderson explains the value, then the core technology, and then when we’re all on the same page, the process. To me, that was very helpful.” —Crew Reynolds, Software Development Manager, Daydots “This book features good discussion on performance tuning the mySAP suite that no other books have so far. This is the perfect book for SAP Stress Test Project Managers, SAP Stress Test Project Teams, SAP Basis Administrators, Oracle DBAs, Unix Administrators managing SAP systems, and project implementation teams. Those who stress test their systems well with the help of this book will have significant returns.” —Sanjoy Rath, SAP Consultant Drive maximum performance and value from your SAP investment! In this book, a leading expert on SAP performance walks through every facet of tuning and optimizing mySAP Solutions, and the technology layers underpinning these solutions, to maximize performance and value. George W. Anderson covers the entire testing and tuning process: planning, staffing, developing, testing, executing, validating, evaluating...and acting on what you’ve learned. Anderson offers unparalleled guidance with regard to predicting the impact of system changes—from new hardware to updated NetWeaver-enabled business processes. Along the way, he shows how to make the most of countless optimization and monitoring tools—from free and low-cost technology stack-based utilities to comprehensive, automated SAP testing suites. His vendor-neutral, unbiased coverage includes: Quantifying concrete performance requirements—even for complex, cross-application business processes Testing and monitoring daily system loads, month-end or seasonal business peaks, key transactions, and complex multi-system business processes Conducting comprehensive server, SAN/disk subsystem, and database testing Managing the testing process, leveraging proven best practices and techniques Analyzing, verifying, and quantifying SAP availability, scalability, and TCO Regardless of the technology infrastructure underpinning your SAP solutions, if you’re responsible for deploying, managing, maintaining, refreshing, upgrading, or supporting SAP technologies, you need this book—now.

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.