System Cloning – an example of the benefits of new IT Technologies

“Never change a running system“. You often hear this or similar statements when new technologies are introduced in an existing computer center. Yet the reality is quite different.

Even during normal operations of SAP-systems, IT managers and administrators have to contend with the problem that upgrades SAP patches and custom configuration changes sometimes have significant effects on an existing production environment.

It is true that the classic SAP 3 system environment (development, test and production) does help to reduce the risk, but today’s SAP environments do not consist of just an ERP. Portal, PI, BI and CRM, to mention just a few SAP systems, together with several non-SAP systems, not only make it relatively difficult to build a reliable test environment, but also lead to considerable administrative and financial overheads.

Even if all systems comply with all the standards, nobody can give a 100% guarantee that a successful test will be transferable into production. It may well be a case of transferring the test directly into production using the “hope and pray” principle, with a good backup strategy. Unfortunately this is what happens all too often in everyday life.

But what if a modern infrastructure and intelligent concept could set up a 100% identical copy of an entire system environment practically in parallel – without great difficulty, without creating additional data and without disrupting production? And not just as a one-off? How about if you could revert to a safe initial position in a few minutes? A dream scenario for secure testing.

If you would like to experience what can be achieved with today’s technology, and find out how this kind of intelligent concept is already being used – contact us.

GOPA IT Consultants are at the cutting edge of System Cloning and use of new system availability solutions, in collaboration with the “SAP Center of Excellence“.