SAP - Client Copy

Why do we need client copy? and what the difference between client copy and database refresh? There are so many reason for you to performing SAP client copy, below are the some of them:
1. You have installed the new SAP system on the box and you want to make another client besides the standard ones.
2. You want to make a testing using data from the production. So you have to copy the production data to Q/A system.

When the client copy is performed, actually we erase the old data in the target client and fill the database with data from the source target. Client copy only copy client-dependent tables. This activity will effect only one client in a instance (system). Different with database refresh, where you delete all the table from 1 instance and fill it with all tables from the source.

Client copy in SAP can be done locally or remotely. Locally if you do it from one client to another client in one instance. On the other hand, remote client copy is done if you want to copy a client to another client in the different instance.

If you want to do the remote client copy, you have to make sure that the Support Package level between the source and target are same to avoid the inconsistency database. We also have to check the database structure from each standard table to ensure that nothing differences occur in the source and target system. But the important thing you have to do is check the space availability (please read OSS note 0118823)

If you want to make a fresh client, you can follow steps below (local client copy):
1. Run transaction code SCC4 and create new client.
2. Edit the value of parameter login/no_automatic_sap_star_user to 0 (zero)
3. Activate the profile.
4. Login to the new client using username SAP* and default password PASS
5. Run transaction code SCCL. Select profile, source client, and target client.
6. Perform test run to know that we will go well
7. Run the actual copy if the test run go well (no error)
8. Do not forget to always check the database space, especially saparch directory.

Remote client copy can be done as the steps below:
1. Run transaction code SCC9 from target client.
2. Select profile and source destination (please maintain in SM59)
3. Perform test run to know that we will go well
4. Run the actual copy if the test run go well (no error)
5. Do not forget to always check the database space, especially saparch directory

When the copy has been performed successfully, do the next step as describe in OSS note 8730 (for validation).

note:
-----
1. Sometimes you need to check parameter abap/buffersize. Please increase its value to avoid error no pxa storage available.
2. It's not recommended to perform remote client copy for a large database. Preferably choose client export/import.