Transport Management System: An Introduction (Part 1)

Introduction:

This article is focusing on an introduction to the Transport Management System and different types of transport requests which are used in SAP and order of their movement.

But before we continue with TMS, we must understand about SAP System landscape.

SAP System Landscape:

               SAP system landscape is the arrangement of SAP servers in a specific order. SAP ideally recommends this three-system landscape.

-         Development System(DEV)

-         Quality (QAS)

-         Production (PRD)

In this basic cycle, new developments and customizing settings are moved from DEV to QAS only once unit testing is completed in DEV. In QAS we have updated production data in which integration testing and other quality testing is performed and finally, these changes are taken to the PRD system.

These TR’s are moved in a single way manner from Development (DEV)->Quality (QAS)->Production (PRD) in the landscape using RFC (Remote Function Call).

Transport Management System (TMS):

Transport Management System commonly known as TMS is a package which carries Development changes and Customizing setting from one system to another. These packages commonly known as Transport Request or TR is exported from source and imported in the target system in an orderly fashion within SAP landscape.

               These TR’s are moved in a single way manner from DEV->QAS->PRD in the landscape using RFC (Remote Function Call). SAP ideally recommends this three-system landscape.

Types of Transport Request (TR):

There are three primary types of TR’s which are been used in SAP;

? Customized TR:

Customised TR contains ‘Client-specific’ changes or settings. SAP-Note, Client Import and Export, Client copy, etc. For these kinds of changes, BASIS Consultant creates these TR.

? Workbench TR:

This TR is generated by the technical consultant which is ’Cross-client’. This TR Contains Table level changes, Programs, Repository objects and Cross-client customizing objects.

               As mention, as per requirement, it is necessary to move these TR’s in a specific order, and it also might create some complex situations. Hence, to overcome this issue, there are two more secondary types of request which can contain both Workbench as well as Customize TR. This differentiated as below;

? Transport of copies:

This TR includes one more customize or workbench TR within itself. We can create multiple TR’s and take them to one Transport of copies which reduce the complexity of sequential movement of TR’s

? Relocation:

This TR is ideally used to change the source system of the TR. The necessity for this can be for manipulation of a development class.

              We can use this TR with following reasons;

-         Relocation with development class change

-         Relocation without development class change

-         Relocation of complete development classes

? Piece Lists:

It is an object list which is freely created means the object can be named as per your choice under Piece Lists. This objects cannot be transported and if added to the transportable package, then after changes to the piece list the entry LIMU COMM <piece list name> is made in your current change request.

Even after when this type of change request is moved to the target system, the objects entered in the piece list are not automatically included in the transport.

In Transport Management System: An Introduction (Part 2) I will try to cover topics regarding return codes, Perquisite for TR movement and different methods by which a TR can be moved.