Upgrade
Upgrading an SAP system moves it to a newer release or support package level, bringing new features, fixes and continued support. Upgrades are significant projects that touch the application, database and custom code, and demand careful planning and testing.
The biggest upgrade risk is usually custom code and modifications.
- An upgrade updates the SAP software (release and/or support packages) using the Software Update Manager (SUM).
- The Maintenance Planner determines the target stack and generates the correct, compatible files.
- Read the release/upgrade notes and compatibility matrix.
- Watch out: Underestimating custom-code adjustment (SPAU/SPDD).
What an upgrade involves
An upgrade updates the SAP software (release and/or support packages) using the Software Update Manager (SUM). It may include database and kernel updates, and it can affect custom code and configuration, which must be adjusted and re-tested. Upgrades run through the landscape (DEV first, then QAS, then PRD) like any change.
Planning with the Maintenance Planner
The Maintenance Planner determines the target stack and generates the correct, compatible files. It ensures the components you upgrade to actually work together, a prerequisite for a clean SUM run.
Custom code and testing
The biggest upgrade risk is usually custom code and modifications. SPAU/SPDD handle adjusting modified SAP objects during the upgrade, and thorough regression testing in QAS confirms nothing broke. Plan time for both.
Safe execution
- Read the release/upgrade notes and compatibility matrix.
- Upgrade DEV → QAS → PRD, testing at each stage.
- Back up before upgrading production, with a rollback plan.
Common pitfalls
- Underestimating custom-code adjustment (SPAU/SPDD).
- Skipping regression testing in QAS.
- No backup/rollback before the production upgrade.