Batch Inputs Test

Batch input is one of the primary ways in which data can be transferred into the SAP ABAP System. Batch input is used for bulk data transfers and not for near real-time data transfers.

Typical uses of batch input include the one-time import of data from a legacy system into a newly installed SAP ABAP System. Another typical use is for periodic (hourly, daily...) transfers of data from external systems or legacy systems that are still in use into SAP ABAP, where all enterprise data is consolidated.

A batch input session is a set of one or more calls to transactions along with the data to be processed by the transactions. The system normally executes the transactions in a session non-interactively, allowing rapid entry of bulk data into an SAP ABAP System.

Administrators should periodically check whether/not the batch input sessions have completed successfully. If bulk transfers into the SAP ABAP system via these sessions is interrupted, then administrators should be able to promptly capture the errors in sessions, instantly initiate error analysis, and rapidly correct the problem. The Batch Inputs test enables administrators to perform all this and more! This test monitors the batch input sessions, promptly detects errors in sessions, and accurately points administrators to those sessions where errors have occurred. In addition, the test periodically measures the load on the SAP ABAP system by reporting the number of created and running sessions, and in the process, warns administrators of probable overload conditions.

Target of the test : A SAP ABAP instance

Agent deploying the test : An internal/remote agent

Outputs of the test : One set of results for the SAP ABAP instance being monitored.

Configurable parameters for the test
Parameter	Description
Test Period	How often should the test be executed
Host	Host name of the server for which the test is to be configured.
PortNo	Enter the port to which the specified host listens.
ClientName	Specify the ID of the client system as what the eG agent will be connecting to the SAP ABAP instance. To know how to determine the client ID to use, follow the instructions provided in Determining the Client ID/Name for the eG Agent to Connect to the SAP ABAP Instance.
SAPUser	Typically, to connect to a SAP ABAP instance and run tests, the eG agent requires the permissions of a SAP user who has been assigned with certain authorization objects. Ideally, you will have to create a new user role on the SAP ABAP instance for this purpose, associate the above-mentioned authorization objects with that role, and assign the new role to an existing SAP user. The procedure for the same has been provided in Creating a New User Role for Monitoring and Assigning it to a SAP User. Once the new role is assigned to a SAP user, specify the name of this user against SAPUser.
Password	The password of the specified SAPUser.
Confirm Password	Confirm the password by retyping it here.
SysNo	This parameter appears only if the Use SAPControl flag is set to No – i.e., if the test uses SAPJCO to collect measures. An indicator of the TCP/IP port at which the SAP server listens. For example, for a server that listens at port 3200, the SysNo will be ‘00’. Similarly, if the SAP server port is 3201, the SysNo will have to be specified as ‘01’. Therefore, in the SysNo text box specify the system number of the SAP server with which the specified client communicates. To know the system number for the ABAP server being monitored, follow the procedure detailed in Identifying the SAP Router String and System Number.
Router	This parameter appears only if the Use SAPControl flag is set to No – i.e., if the test uses SAPJCO to collect measures. If the SAP client with the specified ClientName exists in a network external to the SAP server, then a router will be used to enable the server-client communication. In such a case, specify the router string of the router in the Router text box. If both the client and the server exist in the same network, then specify ‘none’ against the Router text box. To know what is the SAP Router string for the ABAP server being monitored, follow the procedure detailed in Identifying the SAP Router String and System Number.
InstanceName	This parameter appears only if the Use SAPControl flag is set to No – i.e., if the test uses SAPJCO to collect measures. This is set to none by default. This implies that the eG agent automatically discovers the instance name at run time.
Timeout	Indicate the duration (in seconds) for which this test should wait for a response from the SAP ABAP instance. By default, this is set to 120 seconds.
JCO Version	The eG agent uses the SAP JCO library to connect to the SAP ABAP system and pull out metrics. To enable the eG agent to make this connection and query the metrics, you need to specify the version of the SAP JCO library that the agent needs to use. For instance, to instruct the eG agent to use JCO v2.1.19, it would suffice if you specify the ‘major version number’ alone against JCO Version – in the case of this example, this will be 2.x. Note that if you have downloaded the SAP JCO CONNECTOR files for SAP JCO version 3 from the SAP market place (as instructed by Downloading the SAP JCO Connector files Required for Monitoring ), then the JCO Version configuration should be 3.x.
DD Frequency	Refers to the frequency with which detailed diagnosis measures are to be generated for this test. The default is 1:1. This indicates that, by default, detailed measures will be generated every time this test runs, and also every time the test detects a problem. You can modify this frequency, if you so desire. Also, if you intend to disable the detailed diagnosis capability for this test, you can do so by specifying none against DD Frequency.
Detailed Diagnosis	To make diagnosis more efficient and accurate, the eG Enterprise embeds an optional detailed diagnostic capability. With this capability, the eG agents can be configured to run detailed, more elaborate tests as and when specific problems are detected. To enable the detailed diagnosis capability of this test for a particular server, choose the On option. To disable the capability, click on the Off option. The option to selectively enable/disable the detailed diagnosis capability will be available only if the following conditions are fulfilled: The eG manager license should allow the detailed diagnosis capability Both the normal and abnormal frequencies configured for the detailed diagnosis measures should not be 0.

Measurements made by the test
Measurement	Description	Measurement Unit	Interpretation
Error sessions	Indicates the current number of batch input sessions with errors.	Number	Ideally, the value of this measure should be 0. A non-zero value indicates that transactions in one/more sessions ended in errors. A transaction contains an error if it issues a message of type E (error) or type A (abnormal termination). In such situations, the system administrator must analyze the error. Most errors fall into one of two categories: Required data is missing from the batch-input session or invalid data has been included in the session. Possible external causes of this type of problem include errors in the data conversion program or the presence of unexpected types of data or incorrect data in the legacy database. Causes for this type of problem within SAP ABAP include incorrect or incomplete customizing in an application. For example, a legacy data type may not have been foreseen in the check table entries made in application customizing. Technical/programming problems. A batch input session enters data by running SAP ABAP transactions non-interactively. A typical technical or programming problem is therefore incorrect identification of one of the data fields in a transaction. Or the conversion program may not fill a required data field or may have provided invalid values. You can use the detailed diagnosis of this measure to know which batch input sessions encountered what type of errors. To correct transactions with errors, the system administrator or the responsible department can interactively correct and reprocess the transactions.
Background sessions	Indicates the current number of batch input sessions running in the background.	Number	The data in a batch input session can be processed in one of the three modes: Process/foreground: Runs the session in the foreground, displaying every screen and field. If you change a screen in this option, the process halts. Display errors only: Runs the session in the foreground, displaying only errors. Background: Runs the session in the background. The Background sessions measure reports the number of sessions currently running in the background mode. Since sessions are typically run in this mode to execute the data transfer or test its performance, you can use the Background sessions measure as an indicator of the number of data transfer sessions the SAP ABAP system can handle at a given point in time.
Inprocess sessions	Indicates the number of batch input sessions that are currently running.	Number	This is a good indicator of the current batch input session load on the SAP ABAP system.
Sessions being created	Indicates the number of batch input sessions being created.	Number