(DTERP-2002) Set Up and Install
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Configuration of the Outboard DataTiering ERP is logically divided into configuration steps required on Outboard service side and Archiving Client side.
- Outboard Service
- Set up and activate Outboard HTTP service in ICF
- Set up Storage connection in Storage Management
- Define Source ID as archiving client identifier
- Assign Storage to Source ID
- Archiving Client
- Define Content Repository
- Send system security certificate to the Outboard Service
- Verify and allow the security certificate by the Outboard Service
Outboard Service
ICF HTTP Service
Transaction code: SICF
→ MANUAL STEP – Requires separate setup on each system (no transports)
The Outboard is deployed as an ICF (Internet Communication Framework) HTTP service running locally on the system. The service definition is delivered out of the box. Parameters requiring attention are listed and described in the table below. Once it is configured, activate the service.
| Parameter | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Server Path | /default_host/dvd_crp_http | Host URL of the ICF service. This path is part of the host script identification in Content Repository definition. |
| Logon Group | <optional> | The logon group delimits applications servers that are used to execute incoming HTTP requests from an archiving client. |
| Service User | <mandatory> | Service user which executes incoming HTTP requests from an archiving client. |
| Handler | /DVD/CRP_HAL_CL_REQ_HANDLER | Request handler class of the OutboardTM DataTiering solution. |
| SSL | Not required – running within internal network | Requirement to use secured communication |
Authentication | Standard SAP User | Only SAP users may request service |
Cockpit
Transaction: /DVD/CRP
Service side provide single point of access that you can use to complete necessary setup steps.
Menu bar contains following information
- Service status
- if service is inactive please follow previous section ICF HTTP Service
- Application logs of service
- each time service is used new application logs are written
Main area contains links to setup steps.
Particular setup steps are described in more in subsequent sections.
License
To be able to use Outboard service you need to firstly request and install the license.
How to install license
When you access cockpit transaction /DVD/CRP without valid license you will be reminded to install the license, just click yes.
When you click yes, license form will appear
Now click on button Ask for license, this will automatically collect all necessary information required for license generation and send it to our support team.
When you get reply from our support team please copy license key and validity date back to license for and confirm.
How to check/change license details
Use cockpit transaction and click on Datavard button and chose License.
Storage definition
Follow setup of a Storage ID in Storage Management.
If you want to use data validation functionality, please turn on the hash calculation for created storage ID.
Source definition
Transaction code: /DVD/CRP_SRC
→ Changes written to the workbench transport request
Archiving client represented by a system and a content repository is recognized by the Outboard as a Source. The Source definition in Outboard customizing refers to the content repository D1 and is shown in the table below:
| Property | Description | Value Example |
|---|---|---|
| Source ID | Unique source identifier. Recommended naming convention: <system line or ID>_<content repository defined in source> | E1_D1 |
| Source Description | Short description of the source. | System Line E1, Content Rep. D1 |
| Source SID | [Optional] SID of the source system. <initial> = empty | n/a |
| Source Client | [Optional] Client of the source system. <initial> = 0 (zero) | n/a |
Content Repository ID | Content repository defined in the source that is being identified by the source ID. (1:1 mapping) | D1 |
Folder Full Path | [internal use only] Virtual folder path used for categorization of documents. Follows name of the Source ID. | /E1_D1 |
No Signature (checkbox) | The property indicates whether the operations must be secured with signature or not. <not checked> = signature must be present | <not checked> |
Example Values of the properties Source SID and Source Client in the table above are <initial>. Reason for this is to have an unified customizing utilizable by all system levels which simplifies transportability as well as the future maintenance.
Initial values of the properties do not influence functionality of the solution - these properties have informative character.
When the “No Signature“ option is On and then switched Off, all documents that have been stored in the meantime can not be accessed without the signature.
Source to storage mapping
Transaction code: /DVD/CRP_SRC_SM
→ Changes written to the workbench transport request
Each individual Source must be mapped to a target Storage ID which identifies the storage connector and its corresponding customizing. This enables the distribution of different data categories into dedicated storage locations – different storages or just different containers (folders). Mapping of the Source D1 to a Storage ID is shown in the table below:
| Property | Description | Value Example |
|---|---|---|
| Source ID | Unique source identifier. Defined in the Outboard DataTiering’s Source customizing. | E1_D1 |
Storage ID | Unique storage identifier. It is defined in the Storage Management customizing. | ARCH_STOR |
Storage Type | Type of storage connector. | <storage type> |
Binary Container ID | Prefix for a container name. The container is an equivalent to a folder in a file-system-like storage. | E1-d1- |
The Binary Container ID (container name prefix) must conform to naming rules of the Binary Storage platform.
Archiving Client
Content repository Definition
Transaction code: OAC0
→ Can be assigned to a transport request
The archiving client connects with the archiving service using Content Repository definition. Once setup ends, perform connection test.
- Content Repository connecting to the Outboard service: D1
| Property | Description | Value Example |
|---|---|---|
Content Rep. | Content Repository name. | D1 |
Description | Datavard Outboard – <storage type> Content Repository | |
Document Area | Communication interface. | <depends on data to be stored> |
Storage Type | Repository type. | HTTP content server |
Protocol | Protocol is required in case there is a need for a specific application to be used to display ArchiveLink document attachments. | n/a |
Version no. | ArchiveLink protocol version. | 0047 |
HTTP Server | Host name of target storage service. The Outboard service runs locally on the same SAP system, therefore it must be system host name. | <system host name> |
Port Number | HTTP port number of the system. | 8000 |
HTTP Script | Content Server path on the Web server with Outboard’s Source ID. | dvd_crp_http/E1_D1 |
SSL | Requirement to use secured communication | Not required – running within internal network |
Basic Path | File path for asynchronous storing of archived data. | <ideally same as the phys. path in the logical file path used as staging folder for archiving> |
Archive Path | File path for archive file retrieval. | <ideally same as the phys. path in the logical file path used as staging folder for archiving> |
No signature | Forging communication without signature verification. Accepted if the Outboard Service is in the “No signature” mode too. | <empty> |
Security Certificate for Outboard Service
Transaction code: OAC0
System’s public security certificate MUST be sent to the Outboard Service to ensure it can validate security signatures of incoming data.
Verification and Approval of Client Security Certificate
Transaction code: /DVD/CRP_HAL_CERT
Each archiving client trying to communicate and manage data in Outboard Service must be verified and approved by an administrator. Without an approved certificate signature verification fails and consequently the requested operation is aborted.
Verification
Verification, whether the communication from an Archiving client to an External Storage has been correctly set, is performed
- Running the connection test for the Content Repository definition
- Running Storage Check in Storage Management configuration cockpit
Additional check can be performed using the SAP program RSCMST, see more details provided in the SAP Note 1482012 - Check the connection to the content server.
Retention management
Retention management enables content repository to delete stored document when its retention period is over. Functionality itself is provided by an integration with the product Datavard DataFridge. There are few steps that you need to accomplish before you can start using retention management.
Please note that retention management can be currently used only for archiving files created and stored using transaction SARA.
Prerequisites
Datavard DataFridge transports imported the system. License for product Datavard DataFridge and Datavard Glue is required.
Extended cockpit
If you chose to use our service also with Retention management and you imported all relevant transports to the system your product cockpit will be automatically extended with Retention management setup steps.
Please read complete section to do proper configuration of retention management.
Archiving object customisation
To register archived file into retention management we need to identify two values:
- Retention date
- Legal entity
To be able to get these values you need to specify which table and field contains these information for all archiving object you want to use retention management.
How to identify retention date and legal entity
Archiving object file contains data of multiple tables, you have to chose one table which field will be used to identify retention date and legal entity.
Firstly you have to identify tables used in archived object:
- Open DB15 transaction
- Fill desired archiving object
Now you know how to identify tables that could be used for specified archiving object. Based on your retention management policy chose table that contains required information.
For example if you choose archiving object BC_SBAL, you would probably use header table BALHDR and legal entity field OBJECT and retention date ALDATE
Retention date field needs to contain date information (at least year is required) otherwise registration of file could fail with parsing error.
How to fill customising
Transaction: /DVD/CRP_RM_SETUP
If you already identified retention date and legal entity field, you can now fill the customising using mentioned /DVD/CRP_RM_SETUP transaction.
- Click on New entry button
- Fill required fields
- Click on execute button
Example for BC_SBAL
Logical system setup
In order to use retention management you need to setup logical system in Datavard DataFridge and pair it with required sources created for Outboard service. Each source which files should be subject to retention management needs to have defined logical system. This can give you possibility for multiple scenarios.
- One logical system for one source
- One logical system for multiple sources
You can choose based on your use case preferences. However we recommend to have second option, so you have multiple sources mapped to one logical system.
Creation of logical system
Transaction: /DVD/RMX_SARA_SETUP
Before you create logical system you need to know for which archiving object/s it will be used. Setup report will generate so-called business objects (for each Archiving object) and assign it to logical system.
Report parameters
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Source System ID | Source System ID and Source sys. Client is used for creation of new logical system name. New name will be created as follows: <Source System ID>_<Source sys. Client> Created logical system will be automatically used for registration of archiving files from sources which have set identical System ID and Client on Source definition (transaction /DVD/CRP_SRC). Kindly find more information bellow in section How to pair logical system to source. Note that System ID doesn't needs to be ID of real system and also apply for Client, it is possible to choose it freely. |
| Source sys. Client | |
| Archiving Object | List of archiving object that will be assigned as business objects to the system. |
| Storage ID for gen. objects | Transparent storage ID where required tables will be generated. Storage ID created for primary database is used in most cases. |
| Package for generated objects | Name of development package where generated tables will be created. You can use also local package $TMP. |
How to pair logical system to source
Outboard service can store files into multiple sources. If you want to register files from particular source to retention management you need to map it to logical system.
Source system definition contain following two fields:
- SID - Source System ID
- Client - Source Client
These fields needs to be set identically as Source System ID and Source sys. Client during creation of logical system.
Example of mapping
Logical system creation
Source definition
As a result, logical system DV_111 will be created and linked from source DV_CR.
Retention definition
Another required step is to set retention definition. There are two options how to set retention for archive file.
- Generally for complete archiving object
- Specifically for legal entity of archiving object
- This is possible only for sessions/files that contain only one legal entity
Specific retention for archiving object and legal entity can be set in transaction .
Set retention for complete archiving object
You are able to set default retention for archiving object, this retention will be applied when
- No retention rules are defined for specific legal entity
- Archiving file contains more than one legal entity value
You can set default retention by following step list:
- Open transaction /DVD/RMX_EXPERT
- Double click on tree node /DVD/RMX_OBJDIR: Object directory
- node location in tree: /OutBoard DataFridge/Metadata Management/General/Business Object Maintenance/
- Fill Object Identifier with name of <logical system>.<archiving object> and execute
- example DV_111.BC_SBAL
- Click on Edit entry button
- Fill desired Retention period and Retention period unit and execute
Set retention for specific archiving object and legal entity
Transaction: /DVD/RMX_SARA_RET
If your use case requires definition of specific retention for legal entity value, firstly you need to make sure that archiving files in fact sessions fulfil following prerequisite.
- All records in archive file have same legal entity value
Therefore you need to consider this before you start with creation of archive variants in SARA transaction.
Retention than can be set using following step list:
- Open transaction /DVD/CRP
- Double click on Retention definition tree node
- Click on New entry button
- Fill following details
- Object Identifier - <logical system>.<archiving object>
- Legal entity - legal entity value relevant for arching object
- Retention and Retention Period
- Execute
Automatic reg. document parameters
Registration of stored documents is necessary step to be able to use retention management. This can be done manually or automatically when document is successfully stored into storage. Here you can find how to activate automatic registration.
- Open transaction /DVD/CRP
- Double click on Automatic reg. document parameters tree node
- Fill tool as CRP_RM
- Find parameter REG_RET_ENABLED
- Click on edit button
- Set value to X
- Confirm
Automatic registration will be automatically executed after next successful store task. Technically registration will be executed in separate job with job name: DVD_RM_REG_DOCUMENT
Manual registration of document
There are scenarios when you would need to register document manually. For example you used our content repository without retention management and now you want to use it for already stored files. Also when error occurs during automatic registration and you solved reason why it is failed, you would like to catch up also this document to retention management. Here you can find described report you can use.
- Open transaction /DVD/CRP
- Double click on Manual registration of document
Report parameters
| Parameter name | Description |
|---|---|
| Source ID | Source ID where documents are stored |
| Register only new documents | Register that was added after last execution this report with this option If you want to check last execution timestamp please follow: |
Re/Register selected documents | Register documents from source ID defined by select option Document ID |
| Document ID | Fill document IDs that should be registered, this is valid only for option Re/Register selected documents |
Logs
For each execution of the report, application log is created. This apply for manual as well as automatic registration. You can find detailed information about registered documents.