Welcome to SAPIXOS SAP Data Management Blog!

Mastering SAP ILM: Data Archiving Strategies for Compliance and Cost Reduction Mastering SAP ILM: Data Archiving Strategies for Compliance and Cost Reduction For many organizations, the move to SAP S/4HANA—and the rise of global data regulations—has turned data archiving into a business-critical activity. SAP ILM (Information Lifecycle Management) isn’t just a compliance safeguard—it’s a proven strategy for managing data growth, reducing TCO, and enabling audit-readiness. Why SAP ILM is a Game-Changer SAP ILM goes beyond traditional archiving by enabling: Policy-driven retention management Granular legal hold enforcement Automated data destruction workflows Metadata tagging and storage governance Strategic Benefits of ILM-Based Archiving Compliance: Ensure data retention and deletion align with regulations like GDPR, SOX, and local tax laws. Cost Optimization: Offload aging data to lower-cost storage to reduce HANA memory and licensing costs. Audit Readine...

Top SAP ILM Use Cases: Archiving, Retention Rules, and Legal Hold Explained Top SAP ILM Use Cases: Archiving, Retention Rules, and Legal Hold Explained Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) in SAP is more than a compliance toolkit—it's a strategic asset that supports everything from archiving to secure deletion. In this post, we explore the top use cases where SAP ILM delivers measurable value across business, legal, and IT domains. 1. Archiving Business-Complete Data One of the core use cases of ILM is archiving data that’s no longer actively used but still legally required. ILM ensures that: Data is archived in a structured, rule-based manner Archives are tamper-proof and accessible when needed Archive files are stored in certified WebDAV-compliant storage This process offloads the primary database, improves system performance, and ensures ongoing access to historical records for audit and reporting. 2. Enforcing Retention Policies ILM lets you automate ...

Cut Costs and Boost Performance: Why SAP ILM is Essential for Data Archiving Cut Costs and Boost Performance: Why SAP ILM is Essential for Data Archiving In today's enterprise IT landscape, performance and cost control go hand in hand. With SAP systems growing rapidly in volume, it becomes crucial to implement a long-term solution that handles data growth without compromising compliance or inflating infrastructure costs. That solution is SAP ILM (Information Lifecycle Management) . Why Traditional Archiving Isn't Enough Legacy archiving methods often rely on manual processes, lack compliance automation, and do not scale with data privacy regulations. SAP ILM introduces a governance-first approach to archiving, bringing automation, retention enforcement, and legal hold capability into the core of data lifecycle management. How SAP ILM Helps Reduce Costs Reduces HANA Memory Consumption: Archived data is removed from the high-cost in-memory environment. Decre...

How to Implement SAP ILM for Effective Data Management and GDPR Compliance How to Implement SAP ILM for Effective Data Management and GDPR Compliance With data privacy regulations such as the EU GDPR, organizations are under pressure to manage personal data more transparently and responsibly. SAP ILM (Information Lifecycle Management) enables structured, policy-driven data handling that aligns with legal obligations and optimizes data management practices. Why ILM is Critical for GDPR Compliance GDPR requires that data be: Stored with purpose limitation Retained only as long as necessary Deleted upon request (Right to be Forgotten) Protected against unauthorized access SAP ILM supports all of these through technical and governance frameworks that enforce data policies across systems. Step-by-Step SAP ILM Implementation Plan Step 1: Assess the Current Landscape Inventory all SAP systems and modules holding personal data Identify high-risk objec...

Data Retention, Legal Hold, and ILM in SAP: A Compliance-Driven Approach Data Retention, Legal Hold, and ILM in SAP: A Compliance-Driven Approach With growing global scrutiny on data governance, enterprises need more than storage—they need structured, enforceable data lifecycle controls. SAP Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) is designed to meet this need by aligning data retention and legal hold requirements with regulatory mandates such as GDPR, SOX, HIPAA, and more. What Is a Retention Policy in SAP ILM? A retention policy defines how long specific types of data must be kept before it can be archived or destroyed. These rules depend on legal regulations, tax laws, industry norms, and internal corporate guidelines. SAP ILM enables the definition and automation of these rules at the object and attribute level. Key Components of a Retention Strategy Residence Time: Duration data remains active in the system before archiving Retention Period: Time duri...

SAP Data Volume Management: Best Practices for Archiving and ILM Success SAP Data Volume Management: Best Practices for Archiving and ILM Success As enterprise data volumes skyrocket, SAP systems can quickly become bloated, costly, and slow—especially in HANA environments where memory consumption directly affects TCO. To combat this, organizations must implement a structured data volume management (DVM) strategy, anchored in robust archiving and SAP ILM practices. Why Data Volume Management Matters Reduces SAP HANA memory consumption and infrastructure costs Improves system performance and reporting responsiveness Streamlines backup, restore, and upgrade processes Ensures long-term compliance and data governance Best Practices for SAP Data Volume Management 1. Start with Data Volume Analysis Use tools like TAANA , DB02 , and SAP DVM Work Center to analyze your top tables and modules by data size. Focus on archiving candidates with high row counts or...

Ultimate Guide to SAP Data Archiving: From SARA to ILM Integration Ultimate Guide to SAP Data Archiving: From SARA to ILM Integration SAP data archiving has evolved from a performance enhancement tool into a full-blown compliance framework. With rising storage costs, performance demands, and privacy mandates like GDPR, mastering both the traditional archiving tools and modern ILM integration is critical to running a clean, compliant SAP landscape. What Is Data Archiving in SAP? Data archiving removes historical, closed, or obsolete business data from the active database and stores it in compressed archive files. This data is no longer needed for day-to-day operations but must remain accessible for audits, reporting, or legal requirements. Phase 1: Classic Archiving Using Transaction SARA SARA is SAP’s transaction for managing the end-to-end archiving process: Write: Selects and extracts data to be archived Store: Moves the archive file to external stora...

SAP Data Archiving & ILM Roles Overview In the world of SAP, data archiving and Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) are essential for managing data growth, ensuring compliance, and optimizing system performance. But just as important as the tools themselves are the roles and authorizations that govern who can do what. This guide walks you through the key roles, transaction codes, and best practices for SAP data archiving and ILM. 🔐 Key Authorization Objects To manage access, SAP uses authorization objects assigned via transaction PFCG . Here are the most relevant ones: S_ARCHIVE – Controls access to archive functions (write, delete, read). S_DATASET – Governs access to logical file paths and file operations. S BTCH JOB / S BTCH NAM – For scheduling and managing background jobs. S ADMI FCD – Administrative functions for archiving. S_TCODE – Required for executing archiving transactions. S_PROGRAM – Allows execution of archiving reports. S ILM OBJ / S ILM STOR / S ILM L...

Best Practices for SAP Archiving in Data Management Best Practices for SAP Data Archiving SAP data archiving is a mission-critical function—not just for reducing database size, but for driving compliance, performance, and long-term sustainability in enterprise systems. When implemented effectively, archiving can transform how your organization manages data across its lifecycle. Below are key best practices every SAP architect, administrator, and data governance lead should follow. 1. Start with a Data Footprint Analysis Before initiating any archiving activity, conduct a comprehensive analysis of your system’s data footprint. Identify large tables, transaction-heavy modules (such as FI, MM, SD), and aging data that is no longer needed in the live database. Tools like TAANA and DB02 can help in understanding volume patterns and setting priorities. 2. Define a Clear Archiving Strategy Aligned with Business Goals Work with business process owners, compliance officers, a...

Migration Approaches and Archiving in SAP S/4HANA Projects Migration Approaches and Archiving in SAP S/4HANA Projects The move to SAP S/4HANA is a defining moment for any enterprise. But while much of the focus is placed on the target architecture and business transformation, one element is often underutilized— data archiving . Regardless of which migration path you choose, archiving plays a pivotal role in shaping the success, cost-efficiency, and performance of your S/4HANA landscape. Understanding S/4HANA Migration Approaches There are three primary migration approaches to SAP S/4HANA: 1. System Conversion (Brownfield) Migrating an existing SAP ERP system to S/4HANA with minimal disruption Retains existing data and configurations 2. New Implementation (Greenfield) Complete reimplementation of SAP S/4HANA from scratch Clean data and processes from the ground up 3. Selective Data Transition (Hybrid) Move only specific business units, processe...

Role of Archiving in Legal Compliance and Data Privacy Role of Archiving in Legal Compliance and Data Privacy In today’s regulatory climate, organizations face growing pressure to manage data in a legally compliant and privacy-conscious manner. SAP data archiving, when enhanced with Information Lifecycle Management (ILM), provides a robust foundation to meet these obligations. Beyond technical benefits, archiving plays a vital role in ensuring data is retained, accessed, and deleted in accordance with evolving legal and privacy standards. 1. Supporting Legal Retention Requirements Governments and regulatory bodies around the world mandate how long businesses must retain operational and financial data. These requirements vary by country—ranging from six to ten years—and often include stipulations around storage format, accessibility, and auditability. SAP archiving allows organizations to offload inactive data from the production system while ensuring it remains intact,...

Types of Archiving in SAP: Data, Document & ILM Explained Types of Archiving in SAP: Data, Document & ILM Explained Archiving in SAP is multifaceted. It’s not just about saving space—it’s about legal compliance, lifecycle governance, and optimizing HANA performance. In this article, we explore the three primary types of archiving in SAP and when to use each. 1. Data Archiving Data archiving refers to moving obsolete business data from the active database into archive files using archiving objects. These files can be retrieved when necessary but are no longer part of the online transactional system. Tool: Archive Development Kit (ADK) Managed via: Transaction SARA Use case: Archiving billing documents, material movements, FI documents Goal: Improve system performance and reduce database size 2. Document Archiving Document archiving focuses on archiving business documents (invoices, POs, delivery notes, etc.) in external storage systems using ArchiveL...

Benefits of SAP Data Archiving: Performance, Compliance, and Cost Savings Benefits of SAP Data Archiving: Performance, Compliance, and Cost Savings As data volumes grow exponentially in enterprise systems, managing this data efficiently becomes a top priority. SAP Data Archiving is not just a technical task—it's a strategic enabler that drives system efficiency, ensures regulatory compliance, and supports long-term digital transformation. What Is SAP Data Archiving? Data archiving in SAP involves removing application data from the database while retaining access to it for legal, audit, or operational needs. The data is stored in archive files that can be retrieved if required. This is essential in both ECC and S/4HANA environments where in-memory databases demand lean data footprints. Core Benefits of SAP Data Archiving 1. Enhanced System Performance Reduces database size and improves transaction speed. Shortens batch job runtimes and improves system respons...

Benefits of SAP Data Archiving: Performance, Compliance, and Cost Savings Benefits of SAP Data Archiving: Performance, Compliance, and Cost Savings As data volumes grow exponentially in enterprise systems, managing this data efficiently becomes a top priority. SAP Data Archiving is not just a technical task—it's a strategic enabler that drives system efficiency, ensures regulatory compliance, and supports long-term digital transformation. What Is SAP Data Archiving? Data archiving in SAP involves removing application data from the database while retaining access to it for legal, audit, or operational needs. The data is stored in archive files that can be retrieved if required. This is essential in both ECC and S/4HANA environments where in-memory databases demand lean data footprints. Core Benefits of SAP Data Archiving 1. Enhanced System Performance Reduces database size and improves transaction speed. Shortens batch job runtimes and improves system respons...

Key Archiving-Relevant Tables in SAP: A Guide for Data Volume Management Key Archiving-Relevant Tables in SAP: A Guide for Data Volume Management In the ever-evolving landscape of SAP Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) and Data Volume Management , identifying and targeting the right tables for archiving is essential. This post highlights the core SAP tables that are directly relevant to standard archiving processes—organized by SAP module for your convenience. Finance (FI) BKPF – Accounting Document Header BSEG – Accounting Document Segment RFBLG – Cluster for Accounting Document Sales and Distribution (SD) VBRK – Billing Document Header VBRP – Billing Document Item LIKP – Outbound Delivery Header LIPS – Outbound Delivery Item VBFA – Sales Document Flow VBAK – Sales Document Header VBAP – Sales Document Item Materials Management (MM) MKPF – Material Document Header MSEG – Material Document Segment EKKO – Purchasin...

SAP Transaction Codes for Data Archiving & ILM SAP Transaction Codes for Data Archiving & ILM SAP Transaction Codes for Data Archiving & ILM 🔍 Analysis & Sizing Transaction Code Description DB02 Database Analysis DB15 Tables and Archiving Objects TAANA Table Analysis TAANA_AV Table Analysis – Analysis Variants TAANA_VF Table Analysis – Virtual Fields ST10 Table Call Statistics ST02–ST06 System & DB Performance Analysis 🛠 Archiving & ILM Administration Transaction Code Description SARA Archive Administration SARE Archive Explorer SARJ Archive Retrieval Configurato...

SAP Data Archiving & ILM Authorization Roles SAP Data Archiving & ILM Authorization Roles In SAP Data Archiving, proper authorization roles are crucial to ensure users can only access the data and archiving objects they’re permitted to. Below is a list of common authorization roles and objects used in SAP Data Archiving, particularly in ILM (Information Lifecycle Management) and classic SARA-based archiving. 1. Key Authorization Objects for SAP Data Archiving These are the technical authorization objects assigned to roles via transaction PFCG. 2. Common Archiving Roles (SAP Delivered or Custom) SAP doesn’t always deliver pre-built roles for archiving, but you can either create custom roles or base them off templates like these: Role Name Description Z_ARCHIVE_ADMIN Full ac...