What is an SAP Landscape?
Any standard organization will have three main systems in an SAP landscape:
Development System (DEV): This is the “workshop” where developers create and customize SAP software. It’s like a safe space to experiment without worrying about messing up.
In the development system, we have 2 clients.
a) Configuration client- This is for configuring the standard features that SAP already provided b) Customization client- This is for making custom features according to the customer's needs, which is not part of standard SAP.
Quality Assurance System (QAS): Once the work is done in DEV, it moves to QAS. This is the “testing zone,” where everything is checked to ensure it works perfectly. It’s like proofreading a document before sharing it with others.
Production System (PRD): This is the real deal! PRD is the live system where actual work happens. Employees and customers interact with the software here, so it should be error-free.
All new development activity is done on DEV systems. Then it is moved to the QAS system for testing. This process is called transport. After testing it is again transported to the PRD system.
Why Does the SAP Landscape Matter?
We might think what is the purpose of 3 3-tier system, why can't we just run 1 single system?
Avoiding Mistakes: We don't want to spoil our live systems while making any new changes. We develop any new feature in the DEV system, test it properly in QAS, and then move to Production.
Smooth Operations: A clear setup ensures that everyone knows where to work on new features and where to test them.
Business Growth: As your company grows, an organized landscape makes it easier to add new tools, features, or users.
Types of SAP Landscapes
The SAP landscape can be simple or complex depending on the company's size. Here are a few examples:
Two-Tier Landscape: This combines development and testing into one system. It’s common in smaller companies where resources might be limited.
Three-Tier Landscape: This is the most popular setup, with separate DEV, QAS, and PRD systems. It’s a good balance of efficiency and control.
Four-Tier Landscape: Some large businesses add an extra “pre-production” system to test even more thoroughly before updates go live.
An SAP Landscape is more than just a technical setup—it’s the backbone of a company’s digital operations. By learning how it works, you’re gaining a key skill that companies value in IT professionals.
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