SAP System Copy with MaxBack

MaxBack supports two methods for creating SAP system copies from production backups.

Method 1: System rename with SAP SWPM

The system rename function is recommended for initial system copies of virtual machines:

1. Clone the source system to a new VM
2. Execute SAP SWPM in rename mode on the clone

Please see the SAP documentation for the complete procedure.

Method 2: System refresh with data volume restore

If you already have a running database and SAP system for the target, you can restore only the data volumes from a backup and let MaxBack handle the database migration automatically.

Prerequisites

• Source and target database are on the same MaxDB version
• Target database is activated and can be set to online state
• Data volumes are stored on separate volume(s)
• A backup of the source system exists (created in online mode)

Procedure

1. Restore the data volume — Restore the disk volume containing the MaxDB data volumes to the target VM. The volume may also be on a new disk.

2. Attach the disk — Attach the restored or new disk volume to the target VM.

3. Locate the metadata — Log on to the target system and find the path to the first data volume. You will find a file named datavolume.metadata in this directory.

4. Stop the target database — Make sure the target database is stopped.

5. Run autorecovery — Execute from an elevated command prompt:

maxback.vssclient db autorecovery -m <path to first datavolume directory>

The MaxBack VSS Writer will automatically detect the new data volume paths and rename them to the target database if necessary.

If required, you can now apply log backups using the standard MaxDB recovery procedure.