SAP Admin Tips: SAP Security Patching

Throughout the year, SAP releases numerous security patches and updates. For some security administrators this means that they will need to make time to implement these updates into their own system; however, this task tends to be overlooked by many. If you've never performed a security update to SAP, or would just like to audit your system's security patches, the task is very simple and can be performed in a few short steps.

In order to check your security system, you will need to run SAP Report RSECNOTE. This can be done via transaction ST13.

Executing the RSECNOTE report via ST13.

Once you have executed the report, you should see a list of security patches that your system is missing. These are color coded based off of severity, red being the most critical. Each security patch will have a corresponding OSS Note that should be applied to the system in order to alleviate that particular security risk.

RSECNOTE security patch results.

Performing a security patch to your SAP system should not affect your business operations, as it will not cause a lock within the system. It should also not have any adverse effects to your transactions and/or programs, unless they happened to have a security risk that was patched during the update. All in all, it should become a common practice to periodically check this report for any available security updates, and to resolve any issues.

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SAP Admin Tips: Disabling NWBC Splash Screen

When launching the NetWeaver Business Client from within SAP, it firsts takes you to a splash screen. This screen shows all of the SAP Roles you have assigned via the cockpit. This isn't always useful, and from my experience can be more of a nuisance as it provides an unnecessary step when wanting to access NWBC. If you're like me, then you'd prefer to not have this splash screen anymore. Like a wide variety of things within SAP, it's not that hard to change if you just know where to look.

Screenshot of the NWBC Splash Screen.

The first thing you will need to do is run transaction SICF. This will let you manage the various services that SAP has available. The service that governs the splash screen is NWBC_LAUNCH.

From the starting screen of SICF, enter "*nwbc_launch" into the Service Name field and hit the Execute button.

SICF starting screen, with NWBC_LAUNCH service selected.

Executing this should bring you to a more detailed screen showing the NWBC_LAUNCH service. In order to remove the splash screen, you will need to right-click on the service and select Deactivate Service.

Screenshot showing the SICF screen after execution. Right-Click on the NWBC_LAUNCH service to deactivate it.

After performing these steps to deactivate NWBC_LAUNCH, you will no longer see the NWBC splash screen when accessing the Netweaver Business Client from within SAP. From now on you will be taken directly into the NWBC application.

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