Automatically analyze SAP HotNews with Avantra Enterprise Edition

We all know the importance of managing our SAP landscape to ensure our systems are stable, secure and legally compliant. Most of us manage this primarily through the information we receive from SAP HotNews. 

Monitoring SAP HotNews

With the latest Avantra release, 21.11, we have introduced a new edition called Enterprise Edition. One of the exciting capabilities of Avantra Enterprise is the ability to monitor SAP HotNews. But that is not where the story ends, it’s just the start!

The intelligent algorithm within Avantra Enterprise automatically analyses which systems each SAP Note is relevant for and gives you the power to choose what action best suits your requirements. The scope of the SAP HotNews analysis is not just for all assets being monitored through Avantra but it can also analyze generic notes that need to be read and acknowledged or involve infrastructure, like frontend browsers, that are not monitored by Avantra.

The SAP HotNews functionality is also responsive, synchronizing all updates on a daily basis (with an ‘on demand’ option, if required) as well as the different implementation statuses from your actions taken. This means you can focus on what is important and you will always have the most up to date information to act on. 

Find out more in our documentation >

Setting up SAP HotNews analysis in Avantra

The first time you use the SAP HotNews analysis feature, new notes over the last 10 days are downloaded, through for an initial download, when first using SAP HotNews, this can be overridden and set to a number of years. 

As is typical with the development of the Avantra platform, we’ve made the implementation of this functionality uncomplicated and with as few configuration steps as possible. All you need is a Technical Communication S-User ID from SAP and you’re ready to go!

Now let’s walk through this new Avantra SAP HotNews capability.

Within Avantra select Configuration → Integrations menu item. Then select SAP Backbone and maintain the required user and password for the Technical S-User and enable the download of SAP HotNews.

Once the notes have been synchronized they can be viewed via the Show Notes button or via the menu Support → SAP HotNews.

The Avantra interface uses a ‘note centric’ view where the synchronized notes are displayed showing useful information such as version, status and category. The final columns show a summary of the implementation status for all the relevant systems (i.e. New, To Be Implemented, Implemented) and a list of the relevant systems recommended for the note.

Predefined filters are provided (e.g. All notes or new notes only) but you can also adjust to your own preferences with the flexible user filtering.

How often is SAP HotNews synchronized?

SAP HotNews is synchronized daily. The screen below shows where there is the ability to perform a synchronization on demand if required. It is here that you can also globally set an implementation note status. For example, if you decide that the note is not relevant for all the recommended systems in your SAP landscape.

SAP HotNews synchronization is shown below in Avantra Enterprise.

You can drill into any specific note and see the relevant systems and individual implementation status for that specific system. 

Notes drill down is shown below in Avantra Enterprise.

You can also set an individual note implementation status at a specific system level.

System specific status shown in Avantra Enterprise.

The main SAP HotNews list is ‘note centric’ but there is also a system specific view which can be accessed via the hyperlinked systems that are in the Relevant Systems column, or from the SAP Systems screen (Systems → SAP Systems and select a system) selecting the tabs SAP System Details → SAP Notes.

System specific view shown below in Avantra Enterprise.

What do you get with SAP HotNews analysis?

In summary, the new Avantra Enterprise Edition (released with version 21.11) includes the following capabilities for SAP HotNews analysis:

• SAP HotNews is delivered natively within the Avantra Enterprise Edition
• Minimum configuration is required, just a Technical S-user 
• The Avantra algorithm automatically determines which notes are relevant for which system
• Note centric view, allowing note status handling right down to the note level.
• System centric view also available, allowing you to view the impact across your entire landscape
• Useful predefined filters plus flexible user filtering
• Additional helpful information displayed to show you exactly what software components the note relates to, for which systems (and for what reason) the note is relevant
• Note version history is available with the selection of Show Old Note Versions
• Useful predefined filters provided and flexible user filtering is possible

If you’d like a demo of the Avantra Enterprise Edition, including SAP HotNews analysis, book some time with Max (North America) or Ariam (ROW).

In the meantime, check out the other exciting capabilities of the latest version of Avantra by reading the 21.11 technical overview article or watch the 21.11 overview here.