System Parameter Changes

NOTE OCTOBER 2009

System Parameter Changes

SAP® system parameters are controlled via profiles.
These profiles are stored in text files on the operating system level.
With that profile parameters could be changed on the OS level with the help
of common editors if a person has the necessary access.
Changes that occur on this level will not be logged, if the logging
is not especially activated for the OS level.

Therefore changes should not occur on this level, and access needs
to be restricted accordingly.

To identify where the actual file is stored, the transaction AL11 can be utilized.
The name of the parameter that controls the file location is DIR_PROFILE.



Via double-click onto the respective entry you can branch into the detail view.
Another double-click leads to the content of the file.



The profile parameter settings can be reviewed with transaction RZ10
[can be restricted to read-only via object S_RZL_ADM with Activity 03].
If a parameter was changed via RZ10, a new profile version will be
automatically created [sequential numbering].



After selection of the radio button Extended maintenance and pushing the button Display, all active parameters of the respective profile version will be displayed.



By selecting the menu path GoTo – Detailed List twice, the complete history of a
profile parameter will be displayed.

Alternatively the transaction TU02 can be used as well by selecting the system
for review via double-click, and then entering a selection of a change period.


Please be aware that profile versions can be deleted, or new profiles may be
created without any system logging.


Transaction RZ11 allows to perform individual parameter changes dynamically [meaning during runtime]. Depending on the system release approx. 1.000
[in 4.6C], 1.100 [in 4.7] and 1.363 in ECC6 system parameters are available.
Out of these parameters up to 364 can be changed dynamically.


Please be aware that these changes might get lost after a restart.
To keep those settings permanent it would be beneficial to set them
up in a profile version.

These changes are not logged within the system, but the last modifier can be
identified.
To do this the table name TPFYPROPTY [parameter attributes] is to be selected in transaction SE16N. The selection for the filed Generated by [CUSR] will provide
a list of the last changes and who performed them, when selecting Not Equal to
SAP.

Other parameter information that are available in tables are:

Table TPFHT [profile header] - version of individual profiles
This table contains all information of the profiles (Default-, Instance-
and Start profile) including last modifier with date, and timestamp.

Table TPFET -  parameter values of individual profile parameters
The versions of all profile parameters with all corresponding values
are stored here.