- What is a Maintenance Certificate?
The Maintenance Certificate enables SAP's software logistics tools (like SPAM, SAINT, JSPM,…) to identify your system and the exact scope of your corresponding SAP maintenance agreement. It ensures that only customers with a valid maintenance contract can apply Support Packages. SAP's software logistics tools will only apply maintenance items if a valid Maintenance Certificate is available.
- When will a Maintenance Certificate be required by SAP's software logistics tools?
Maintenance Certificate will be required for all customers using SAP products (currently not inlcuding Business Objects and Sybase products).
Details:
As of SPAM/SAINT- version 0034 the Maintenance Certificate will be required to import support packages.
Java support packages (imported using JSPM) will require a Maintenance Certificate in the near future. Currently a warning is displayed.
- Which SAP products require a Maintenance Certificate?
All SAP products based on SAP NetWeaver 7.0 and beyond require a Maintenance Certificate.
- How long is the validity of a Maintenance Certificate?
A Maintenance Certificate has a validity of 3 months, then it has to be renewed.
- Which options for the deployment of Maintenance Certificates are available?
In order to minimize the effort for customers an automated deployment for Maintenance Certificate via SAP Solution Manager 7.0 is offered. In addition a manual deployment option is available via SAP Support Portal.
- Which version of SAP Solution Manager will be required to benefit from automatic deployment of Maintenance Certificates?
At least SAP Solution Manager 7.0 SP 16 is required to benefit from automatic deployment.
- Is a network connection (RFC) from SAP Solution Manager to SAP's Service Backbone required to use automatic deployment of Maintenance Certificates?
Yes, to use the automatic deployment of Maintenance Certificates with SAP Solution Manager, a connection to SAP as well as a connection to the satellite systems is required.
- Is it required to use SAP Solution Manager for the deployment of Maintenance Certificates?
No, the automated deployment option is recommended but not required. It is possible to use automatic deployment for some systems and manual deployment for other systems.
- Does the automatic deployment through SAP Solution Manager 7.0 ensure that a new Maintenance Certificate is applied before the end of validity of the current certificate has been reached?
Yes, SAP Solution Manager will request a new Maintenance Certificate 30 days (can be customized) before the end of validity of an existing certificate.
- Do I have to install a SAP Solution Manager just to use Maintenance Certificates?
No, this is not required. You can use the manual deployment option.
- How can I request a Maintenance Certificate manually?
A self-service ia availbale in SAP Support Portal, which enables you to request Maintenance Certificates for all systems. The Maintenance Certificate has to be downloaded, distributed to the server and imported manually. See details here.
- How can I check the Maintenance coverage of a System?
The Maintenance coverage is visible in the SAP Support Portal in the system data.
- Is a maintenance certificate required during the installation?
During the installation, there is no step to import Support Packages, therefore the Maintenance Certificate is not checked. Afterwards, when applying Support Packages, a Maintenance Certificate is required.
- Is a Maintenance Certificate required during an upgrade?
During the upgrade a Maintenance Certificate is not required. This allows for example an easy upgrade from 4.6c to current releases with the inclusion of Support Packages.
- How can I check the successful deployment of a Maintenance Certificate?
In the relevant system, run transaction SLICENSE, and choose the button "New Licenses" (to switch to the display of "Digitally-Signed License Keys").
Then check, whether an additional license key is visible with:
- Software Product : "Maintenance_" in column "Sware Prod" (DE: "SW-Produkt")
- Valid from: "date when the Maintenance Certificate was requested"
- Valid until: date of request + approx. 3 months
- Can Service Partners use their SAP Solution Manager for automated deployment of Maintenance Certificates?
Yes, SAP Solution Manager can be used to serve several customers. In addition please apply SAP Note 1229904 - Maintenance certificate distribution for service provider.
- Do I have to download SPs separately for all my systems?
No, this is not required. As today you can download Support Packages once and deploy and use them in many systems.
- Is the usage of SLM service within Maintenance Optimizer required?
No, the usage is optional.
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