(Glue-2211) SLT Integration

Owned by SNP
Nov 09, 2022
7 min read

SNP Glue™ provides an option to integrate SAP LT with its data extraction framework. This enables you to leverage the existing SLT implementation and provide the ever-growing SNP Glue™ support for multiple targets,

The solution enables you to:

  • Support batch and real-time data integration

  • Write to multiple targets, leveraging queues

  • Control load and performance

  • Deploy SNP Glue™ on a separate box from SLT

  • Handle new sources/targets in an automated way

The integration leverages SAP LT SDK to write to custom ABAP-based targets via BADI implementation. The end-to-end process is seamless and automated.

This page describes the configuration required and additional information about troubleshooting and clean-up activities.

For detailed information about how to implement these steps, follow the guide from the SAP Note 2652704.

Deployment

The solution can be deployed in 2 modes:

  • Standard deployment

  • Separate box deployment

Standard deployment

SLT and SNP Glue™ run on the same SAP system.

Separate box deployment

In this deployment, SLT and SNP Glue™ run on separate SAP systems.

The prerequisites for this scenario are the following:

  • SNP Glue™ and SNP Glue™ SLT connectors are imported to both SAP LT and the SNP Glue™ Box

  • RFC communication is enabled in both directions between SLT and SNP Glue™

  • Package DMIS_2011_1_731 or above is present in the SNP Glue™ Box

Configuration Information

Before the replication run

For the replication to start the valid SAP LT configuration needs to exist and the SNP Glue™ SLT setup needs to be preset.

SAP LT configuration

Go to transaction LTRC and click the button New to create a new configuration. The system displays a dialog box where you can specify the settings for the new configuration. Note the following important settings when creating the configuration:

  • In the step Specify Target System, enter the connection data to the target system. Choose RFC Connection as the connection type. In the field Scenario for RFC Communication, select the value Write Data to Target Using BAdI from the dropdown list. If you don’t see Data to Target Using BAdI you have a newer version of SLT which needs you to select OTHERS and choose SLT SDK in the dropdown list. The RFC connection is automatically set to NONE.

  • In the step Specify Transfer Settings, use the input help (F4 help) for the field Application to find the application ZDVD_GLUE. The application is automatically added into the SAP LT customizing when SNP Glue™ transport is imported into the system.

Preset of SNP Glue™ SLT setup

Via SNP Glue™ cockpit (/DVD/GLUE) access in the menu Tools → SLT integration → Setup maintenance. This will direct you to the SM30 for the table /DVD/GL_SLT_SETT. SNP Glue™ SLT setup needs to be filled before starting any replication in SAP LT.

The Maintain button will enable you to create/edit a setup that will be used for the generation of the SNP Glue™ objects. The fields of the table are:

  • ID - Mass transfer ID which is represented by the specific SAP LT configuration. If this value is empty all configuration which doesn’t have a specific setup will use this one

  • Storage - Storage ID which will be used for the SNP Glue™ table creation. It needs to exist on the system where the SNP Glue™ table will be generated

  • RFC to SNP Glue™- RFC destination from a system where SLT is operated to the system where transfer of the data should be executed. This value can be empty for the case of processing the data on the same system where the SLT is executed

  • RFC to SLT - RFC destination from a system where transfer of the data should be executed to the system where SLT is operated. This value can be empty for the case of processing the data on the same system where the SLT is executed

  • Prefix - prefix of the generated SNP Glue™ objects. The value must start with the 'Z' character, placeholder <MT> is supported which in case of use will be replaced by the Mass transfer ID value

  • Package - package for the SNP Glue™ objects to be generated. In case the system where SLT is operated is not the same as the system where data transfer should be executed the same package needs to exist on both systems

  • Watchdog - name of the Queue watchdog from the system where data transfer should be executed

  • Capture timestamp - checkbox for adding the additional column into the SNP Glue™ table with the value of timestamp when the data was received from the SAP LT functionality

  • Profile name - name of the profile which should be used in the generation of the SNP Glue™ table

  • Escape / in tabname - checkbox for escaping the '/' by '_' character in generated SNP Glue™ table name

  • Enable Merge - checkbox for enabling Merge for SNP Glue™ Consumer and Key deduplication in SNP Glue™ Queue Fetcher.

After the replication run

SAP LT replication will generate SNP Glue™ objects and prepare the data to be transferred to the target storage. In case the created replication for a specific source is no longer required by the user, generated SNP Glue™ objects with SNP Glue™ SLT metadata can be deleted. Also, all actions within the SNP Glue™ SLT integration create application logs.

Container name in lower case (Binary storages)

To create a container on the target with a name in lower case, profile settings can be used. The name of the profile is one of the parameters of SLT settings. To create a container with the name in lower case and without the prefix, use <SOURCE_TABNAME_LOWER> placeholder instead of <GLUE_TABNAME> in profile settings. If the prefix is desired, use GLUE_TABNAME_LOWER> placeholder.

Unsupported data types - RAW fields

In case source table contains RAW fields, the type RAW is replaced with data element /DVD/GL_RAW_STRG, which can be added to the data element mapping in the/DVD/SM_SETUP transaction.

Transfer data to target storage

To complete the data transfer the extraction via generated Extraction Process needs to be executed. For that, the Queue watchdog can be used (if it was set in the SNP Glue™ SLT setup) or the user can manually perform the extraction.

Schema drift

If the source schema was changed for the table already running within the configuration, the target adjustment will be executed automatically.

As described in SAP Note 2055599, there are limitations as to what source system table structure changes are replicated by SLT automatically.

  • Supported:

    • Add non-key field

  • Not supported:

    • Add/delete key field

    • Delete non-key field

    • Modify data types

In case of not supported operations, the whole table must be removed from the SLT configuration, and the generated objects must be deleted.

In case the replication of the data from a source table get stuck and there are visible errors for the table (such as “Migration object .. has been deleted due to changes in table definition“ or “Replication job canceled by the user (job name/1LT/.. )“ ) it is necessary to manually suspend and resume replication for the table or to deactivate and activate the whole configuration to unstuck the replication.

Update of generated objects

In SNP Glue™ SLT version 2208, the performance of the SLT replication has been improved significantly. This is beneficial, especially when replicating data from tables with frequent changes. This change is relevant for newly created SLT configurations, if you want to also use it on already created ones please follow the steps described below.

  1. Update Glue Queue Fetchers

Go to SNP Glue™ cockpit (/DVD/GLUE) and in the menu pick Tools → SLT integration → Update Glue objects.

The screen contains a select option for the Mass transfer ID and a select option for the Source table.

The button Show objects can be used for a visual check of the objects that can be updated.

Execute the report to update generated Glue objects.

2. Update Glue Queues

Go to SNP Glue™ cockpit (/DVD/GLUE) and in the toolbar select Queue overview.

Enter filter criteria.

Select desired queues and press calculate button.

This operation may be time consuming. Consider this when specifying queues for calculation.

Deletion of generated objects

Via SNP Glue™ cockpit (/DVD/GLUE) access in the menu Tools → SLT integration → Deletion report. This will submit a report for deleting the generated SNP Glue™ objects for the specific combination of Mass transfer ID and source name.

The screen contains a select option for the Mass transfer ID which is mandatory, a select option for the Source table, and the checkbox for Force Delete for deletion of corrupted Glue tables.

The button Show objects can be used for a visual check of the objects before the execution of deletion based on the filled selection.

After pressing the execute button the confirmation pop-up will be displayed.

SNP Glue™ SLT application logs

To access application logs go to transaction SLG1 and fill screen input Subobject with '/DVD/GL_SLT'.