The power of SeaPark's VAL4 – BW/4HANA automated testing tool
We recently completed a technical upgrade from BW on HANA to BW/4HANA for a major energy company in Germany. The migration, executed via an In-Place Migration, culminated in a successful production system go-live in November 2024.
The process described involves the migration of specific objects as part of a BW/4HANA upgrade. Here's an organized breakdown of the key steps and a description of the test tool utilized, VAL4.
Scope Identification and Breakdown
During the upgrade, the first step is identifying the objects that need migration, using the BW4 Readiness Check Report.
The scope of these objects is divided into packages (as discussed in an earlier blog), each addressing specific components required for the migration.
VAL4 Tool for Automated Testing
VAL4, developed by SeaPark, plays a crucial role in this migration process. It is an automated testing tool used for both metadata and data testing.
VAL4 helps in taking snapshots of object structures pre- and post-migration, which are essential for identifying any discrepancies or anomalies in the migration process.
Metadata Testing with VAL4
VAL4 captures object structures such as RSDS, DSO, CUBE, MPRO, RSPC, TRFN, and others.
A comparison of these structures before and after migration helps in detecting any issues.
This is particularly important when using the in-place migration tool for conversion.
Full Testing (Optional)
For a more comprehensive migration validation, full data loads are executed. This includes:
Taking data snapshots.
Documenting query executions.
Checking DSO active table entries.
Verifying InfoCube key figures.
Pre- and post-migration comparisons help identify any data discrepancies.
VAL4 Execution Recommendations
Based on the landscape, different levels of testing are recommended for various systems:
BW Sandbox: Full testing (including data) to validate the initial migration.
BW Development: Metadata-only testing to focus on structural verification.
BW Quality: Full testing to ensure everything is validated before production.
BW Production: Metadata-only testing, as data consistency is expected post-migration.
VAL4 Approval Process
A review and approval process is established at the start of the project. In this example, the client required two approvals:
BW Sandbox VAL4: To deploy into the BW Landscape (Development → Quality).
BW Quality VAL4: To deploy into BW Production.
These approvals ensure the testing is conducted at appropriate stages and is aligned with business requirements.
Documentation and Future Use
The VAL4 documents created during the migration can serve multiple purposes in the future:
They can be used for audit and review purposes.
They will document the new structure of the data flows, helping in the maintenance and further development of the system.
Summary
This structured approach by VAL4 automated testing tool ensures a smooth transition to BW/4HANA by identifying any issues early in the process and providing clear documentation for future reference.
The VAL4 cost savings to a BW/4HANA project could be in the region of 20% to 40% depending on the complexity of the target BW/4HANA solution.
If you or your colleagues have further questions and would like to understand more about this, please feel free to contact us - services@seaparkconsultancy.com .
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