SAP BASIS Administration learning path: everything to study, topic by topic

End-to-end architectural view of SAP NetWeaver Application Server ABAP (AS ABAP): presentation, application, and database layers; S/4HANA on-premise deployment model; ABAP stack vs Java stack distinctions; SID, client concept, and logical system names

SAP instance structure: central instance vs application instance; dispatcher role and work process types (DIA, BGD, UPD, ENQ, SPO); message server and enqueue server; work process configuration and limits

SAP kernel executables, kernel patch levels, and kernel upgrade procedure; DEFAULT profile, instance profile, and start profile; critical profile parameters and their impact on system behaviour; RZ10/RZ11 transactions

In-memory columnar database architecture: row store vs column store; HANA services (index server, name server, statistics server); HANA tenants and multi-tenant database container (MDC); persistence layer and delta merge

Software Provisioning Manager (SWPM) installation tool: installation options, prerequisite checks, and parameter files; system landscape concepts — DEV, QAS, PRD; SAP software lifecycle framework and product availability matrix (PAM)

Starting and stopping SAP systems and instances using sapcontrol, startsap/stopsap scripts, and SAP Host Agent; status checks via sapcontrol GetProcessList; correct shutdown sequence (SAP then HANA)

SAP memory architecture: extended memory (EM), heap memory, roll memory, and paging area; key profile parameters (ztta/roll_extension, em/initial_size_MB, abap/heap_area_total); memory alerts and analysis via ST06 and OS monitors

Standard SAP directory structure: /usr/sap/<SID>/<INSTANCE>, /sapmnt, global directory, profile directory, work directory, and transport directory; environment variables (SAPSYSTEMNAME, SAPGLOBALHOST, DIR_TRANS)

SAP GUI connection setup and logon groups; session management and multiple logons; commonly used BASIS administration transactions overview (SM50, SM51, SM21, SM36, SM59, STMS, SU01, PFCG, SE06); transaction code structure

Monitoring work process status using SM50 (instance-level) and SM66 (system-wide); identifying stuck, sleeping, and running work processes; cancelling work processes; interpreting work process status codes and actions

Reading and filtering the SAP system log (SM21): error severity levels, critical log entries, and remote log access; ABAP short dump analysis (ST22): dump structure, runtime error categories, and resolution workflow

Defining and scheduling background jobs using SM36: job steps, variants, start conditions (immediate, time-based, event-triggered); monitoring job status and logs in SM37; periodic jobs and job class priority

RFC connection types (ABAP, external, TCP/IP, HTTP); creating and testing RFC destinations in SM59; trusted RFC and background RFC (bgRFC); troubleshooting RFC connectivity issues

Operating mode concept for time-based work process redistribution (day/night modes); configuring operating modes in RZ04; timetable for automatic switching; relationship between operating modes and instance profiles

SAP update concept: V1 and V2 update records; monitoring update records using SM13; handling deactivated updates; activating and deactivating the update service; update termination analysis and restart

Workload Monitor (ST03N): response-time analysis, transaction hotspots, and workload statistics; OS Monitor (ST06): CPU, memory, paging, and disk; system-wide work process analysis (SM66); performance alert thresholds

Transport Management System setup: domain controller, transport domain, adding and configuring transport routes in STMS; transport domain configuration file (DOMAIN.CFG); RFC connections between systems in STMS

Standard three-system landscape: development (DEV), quality assurance (QAS), and production (PRD); consolidation and delivery transport routes; extended landscape patterns; landscape diagram and route types

Transport request lifecycle: creation, task assignment, object recording, release sequence (task then request); request types (Workbench, Customizing, Transport of Copies); SE09/SE10 transactions; request documentation

Transport buffer mechanics: adding requests to import queue, import sequence, and preliminary import; tp command and STMS import options; transport logs and return codes; cofiles and data files in transport directory

Client roles (production, customizing, test, demo); client settings and change options; local client copy (SCCL), remote client copy (SCC9), and client export/import; client deletion (SCC5) and client lock

Support Package Manager (SPAM) and Add-On Installation Tool (SAINT): downloading support packages from SAP Service Marketplace; applying ABAP support packages and add-ons; spam/saint queue and phase log analysis; handling support package import errors

Software Update Manager (SUM): near-zero-downtime maintenance (SUM with DMO); upgrade phases (extraction, checks, shadow, cutover); SUM roadmap and SUM tool architecture; database migration option (DMO) for HANA migration

Creating, locking, and deleting user master records in SU01; user types (dialog, system, communication, service); logon data, address data, and defaults tabs; mass user maintenance (SU10) and user information system (SUIM)

Single and composite roles; building roles in PFCG: menu tab, authorization tab, and profile generation; role transport; derived roles for organizational management; authorization profile assignment to users

Authorization object structure: object class, object, and fields; how the ABAP kernel performs authorization checks; reading failed authorization checks via SU53; authorization trace (ST01) for identifying missing authorizations

CUA architecture: central system and child systems; distributing user master records and role assignments across systems; SCUA and SCUM transactions; ALE distribution model for CUA

Secure Network Communication (SNC): SNC modes (authentication, integrity, privacy); configuring SNC for SAP GUI connections and RFC connections; SSL/TLS configuration for ICM and web services; digital certificates in SAP

Critical security profile parameters (login/*, auth/*); configuring the Security Audit Log in SM19: filter profiles, audit classes, and events; reading and evaluating audit log entries in SM20; UCON (Unified Connectivity) overview

SAP login parameters governing password complexity, history, expiry, and lockout; password hashing algorithms (CODVN B, F, H); initial password handling and self-service password reset; user-specific logon restrictions

HANA Cockpit and SAP HANA Studio as administration interfaces; HANA system overview, resource monitoring, and alert management; HANA users and roles; tenant database management in MDC; HANA configuration parameters (global.ini, indexserver.ini)

HANA native backup types: complete data backup, incremental, and differential; HANA backup catalog and backup validation; BR*Tools for traditional Oracle-based landscapes; backup monitoring via HANA Cockpit and DBACOCKPIT; RTO and RPO targets

DBA Cockpit (DBACOCKPIT) as the central database monitoring tool from ABAP; HANA performance views: M_CONNECTIONS, M_SERVICE_MEMORY, M_LOAD_HISTORY; expensive-statement trace and SQL plan cache analysis; database alert monitoring and threshold configuration

HANA data volume and log volume monitoring; disk space alerts and thresholds; table partition and row store growth; data aging and housekeeping in SAP (archiving overview, ILM); HANA table unload/load and memory management

SQL trace activation from ABAP (ST05) and HANA side; identifying expensive SQL statements using the HANA SQL plan cache and M_EXPENSIVE_STATEMENTS view; reading execution plans; bind variable analysis and index recommendations

Homogeneous and heterogeneous system copy procedures; HANA-based system copy using HANA backup/restore or storage snapshot; post-copy activities (SCC5, post-copy automation with PCA); system refresh for sandbox and QAS environments

HANA System Replication architecture: primary and secondary; replication modes (synchronous, synchronous in memory, asynchronous); takeover procedure; HSR monitoring via HANA Cockpit; SAP HANA HA/DR with HSR and Pacemaker cluster

End-to-end workload analysis correlating ABAP (ST03N) and HANA (HANA Cockpit) views; HANA memory areas: column store, row store, code, and shared memory; delta merge monitoring and optimization; identifying memory-pressure root causes and applying parameter tuning

SAP high availability concepts: redundancy at application server level (multiple application instances, enqueue replication server ERS); HANA HA with HSR + Pacemaker; RTO and RPO targets for SAP; single points of failure analysis and mitigation

Solution Manager core capabilities: Change and Transport Management (ChaRM), IT Service Management (ITSM), monitoring and alerting, and System Landscape Directory (SLD); LMDB (Landscape Management Database); diagnostics agent and managed system setup

RISE with SAP offering: S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, managed infrastructure, and included services; SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) overview: extension scenarios, SAP Integration Suite, and data analytics; shared responsibility model for BASIS in cloud deployments

SAP maintenance strategy: kernel patching, support package stacks (SPS), and HANA revisions; maintenance planner tool for stack compatibility checks; patch calendar and change freeze windows; testing and rollback planning for patches

Computing Center Management System (CCMS): monitor sets, alert monitors (RZ20), and threshold configuration; auto-reaction methods and notification integration; SAP Focused Run as next-generation operations platform: System Monitoring and Advanced Event Management

Advanced job scheduling concepts beyond SM36: SAP Job Scheduling with SAP Landscape Management (LaMa) and third-party schedulers; job chaining and dependencies; standard SAP periodic jobs (reorganization, report RSBTCDEL); automation of routine BASIS tasks via BC-XBP interface

SAP Notes as the primary vehicle for corrections and recommendations; SNOTE (Note Assistant) for applying corrections; SAP for Me (successor to SAP Launchpad): creating and managing support messages, downloading software, and checking product availability matrix (PAM)