Client Copy

Client copy means “transferring client specific data” within the same instance (SID) or between
different instances (SID).

You can use the client copy to create, for example the following clients:
 New clients from the SAP reference client 000 during initial installation of an SAP system.
 Training clients
 Demo clients
 Test clients
 Production clients
The source client can be in the same or another system.

SAP delivers 3 client copy methods:

o Local client copy in order to perform client copies inside a given instance
o Remote client copy in order to copy client between different SAP instances
o Client export / import also to perform client copies between different SAP instances.

The difference between the remote client copy and the client export / import lies in the way the data
is transferred:

o In remote client copies the data is transferred immediately across the network using RFCs.
o Using client export/import, the data is exported in files to the transport directory. The import is
done in a second time.

 Client copy tools let you copy the following data types: users data, cross client customizing,
application data and client dependant customizing.
 The objects from the ABAP dictionary like ABAP reports, table definitions and so on, are not
handled by the client copy tools. These objects can only be transported through transport requests
across the instances.

 
Client copy pre requisites
The client copy should be performed on a low system activity timeframe.

To have a consistent client copy you should not have any activity on the source system.

Therefore, it is recommended to:

 Disconnect and lock dialog users.

 Suspend background jobs :
This can be done using report BTCTRNS1. The jobs will be released afterwards using report BTCTRNS2.

 For remote client copies, the data dictionaries between the source and target systems should be the
same.

If not, in case of client copy between a production and development system, you can exclude tables from
the client copy using report RSCCEXPT. You have to be sure that your target client will still be usable and
consistent compared to your needs depending on the table excluded.

Local client copy:

Follow these steps to create a copy of existing clients −

Step 1 − To create a copy of a client in local SID, the transaction code is SCCL.

Step 2 − Enter the following details −

Select your desired profile, enter source client, and enter description.
Step 3 − By default, the client copy is executed in a single process and you can distribute the workload on
multiple processes to reduce time for copying.
Step 4 − Copying a client can take longer. Therefore, this process can be run as background job.

Step 5 − To check the logs, transaction code — SCC3 can be used.

Remote client copy:

This method uses RFCs.

The network must have good performances in order for the client copy to be as fast as possible.

An RFC must have been declared in sm59 to access the source client.

If you want to copy your SAP client to new client with specific data selection then you can follow the
steps…

1. Logon to target client which you want to create and go to transaction code SCC9
2. Choose “Source Destination”

3. Before start the real operation my recommendation is check the “Test Run” selection and make a test
copy
4. Also before start the operation you can configure the “Parallel Process Parameters” just click the related
button

5. And choose the “Maximum Number of Processes” value and click to SAVE button to exit this screen

6. Also you have to select profiles with “Selected Profile” button and choose which profile you want to use
for this client copy operation
Click the “Schedule as Background Job” button to start process, also you can use specific background
server for related job.

You can also choose “Immediately” selection to start operation instantly

8. The last screen is “verification” screen and if everything is OK then we can start the client copy
operation with “Continue” button.

Client Export / import:

The copy is performed in 2 steps:

 The client export during which the source client is exported to files in /usr/sap/trans/data | cofiles.
 The client import during which data is imported in the target client.
You must have enough space in the /usr/sap/trans file system to perform the client export.
 1st step : export
o Log on to the target system
o Create an entry for your new target client using scc4
o Log on to the source system / source client.
o Start Tcode scc8
o Select the target system and export profile
o Schedule the export in background
o The transport request containing the client export are then shown
o Depending on the chosen export profile there can be up to 3 transport requests created :
Request <S-SID>KO<number> will hold the cross client data,
Request  <S-SID>KT<number> will hold the client dependant data,
Request  <S-SID>KX<number> will also hold some client dependant data.

 2nd Step : import
o Log on to the newly created target client using SAP* and password pass.
o Start the stms transaction
o Display the target system’s import queue,
o Select the transport requests generated by the client export and import theses transport
requests on the target client.
o The transport requests will be  imported in the following sequence :
request <S-SID>KO<number> (client independant),
request <S-SID>KT<number> (client dependant),
request <S-SID>KX<number> (client dependant).
o The system automatically detects these are client export transport requests and
automatically performs the import of the 3 requests.
o The import logs can be seen in stms.
 3rd step : post import phase:
o Once the import is done, start the scc7 Tcode to perform the post client import actions,
o Schedule the post import job,
o The log will be available in scc3.

Golden rules for CLIENT Copies

1. Master data can not be copied without copying transactional data and transactional data can not be
copied without copying master data.

2. Application data (transactional and master) should not be copied without copying configuration data.

3. Client copy requires a valid client as the destination client. Make sure that the client exists in T000 table
and you can logon to that client

4. The transport system and the transport management system of 4.0 are the only proper tool to be use to
keep multiple systems in sync by transporting development and customizing changes to another instance.

5. When you copy a client from one system to another, client-independent tables should only be copied if
they are not yet modified in the target system.
6. We recommend the users to read all the OSS notes regarding client copy that applies to their SAP
release. It is always better to schedule the client copy job in the background for the night run when normal
work is not taking place.

7. Always check the database space before performing a client copy.

8. To avoid data inconsistencies all the users working in the source and target clients should logoff from the
system.

9. RSCLICHK program should be run in the target system remotely before doing a client export. This
program will give information about the missing definitions from the data dictionary in the target. After
executing this program and getting successful results you can ensure that the client copy will have no
problems. In case some tables are different; you can use SE11 to compare and adjust the table structure in
both the system before the client copy. A remote test client copy also can be executed to know the
differences between source client and target client.

10. If you are not in release 2.2 then do not use R3trans to copy a client.