Maintenance Certificate

The maintenance certificate enables SAP's software logistics tools to identify your system and the scope of your corresponding SAP maintenance agreement
Resources

SAP Solution Manager - Application Help

SAP Note 1280664(opens in new tab) - Distribution of maintenance certificates: Troubleshooting

 

 

NEW: Upfront distribution of Maintenance Certificates is not needed anymore, the maintenance eligibility can be checked automatically in the SAP Support Backbone via SAP Host Agent. To learn more, please refer to this blog article.

Automatic Distribution by SAP Solution Manager

You no longer need to get maintenance. The automatic distribution of maintenance certificates through SAP Solution Manager ensures up-to-date maintenance certificates in managed systems. That is the perfect alternative to install the maintenance certificates manually.

License Management in SAP Solution Manager provides a complete view of all systems, licenses and their respective status. It also provides an overview on the status of the automated transfer of maintenance certificates from SAP to the customer's SAP Solution Manager system.

Frequently Asked Questions

A maintenance certificate enables SAP's software logistics tools (such as Software Update Manager, SUM, SPAM, SAINT and JSPM) to identify your system and the scope of your corresponding SAP maintenance agreement. It ensures that only customers with a valid maintenance contract can apply support packages. SAP's software logistics tools will only apply maintenance items if a valid maintenance certificate is available.

A maintenance certificate will be required for all customers using SAP products (currently not including Business Objects and Sybase products). Details:

  • As of SPAM/SAINT version 0034, the maintenance certificate will be required to import support packages.
  • Java support packages (imported using JSPM) require a maintenance certificate. Currently a warning is displayed.

All SAP products based on SAP NetWeaver 7.0 and beyond require a maintenance certificate.

A maintenance certificate has a validity of three months, then it has to be renewed.

In order to minimize the effort for customers, an automated deployment for maintenance certificate through SAP Solution Manager 7.1 and 7.2 is offered. In addition, a manual request option is available in the SAP Support Portal.

SAP Solution Manager 7.1 and 7.2 fully support the automatic deployment.

SAP Solution Manager 7.0 SP 16 is the minimal requirement. 

Yes, to use the automatic deployment of maintenance certificates with SAP Solution Manager, a connection to SAP as well as a connection to the managed systems is required.

No, the automated deployment option is recommended but not required. It is possible to use automatic deployment for some systems and manual deployment for other systems.

Yes, SAP Solution Manager will request a new maintenance certificate 30 days (this can be customized) before the end of validity of an existing certificate.

No, this is not required. You can use the manual deployment option.

Please use License Key Application to generate or prolong your maintenance certificate.

Launch License Key Application

The maintenance coverage is visible in the SAP Support Portal in the system data application.

During the installation, there is no step to import support packages; therefore, the maintenance certificate is not checked. Afterwards, when applying support packages, a maintenance certificate is required.

A maintenance certificate is not required during an upgrade. This allows for an easy upgrade from old to current releases with the inclusion of support packages.

In the relevant system, run the SLICENSE transaction, then click the Digitally-Signed Licenses tab (in earlier releases: click the New Licenses button to switch to the Digitally-Signed License Keys display).

Then check whether an additional license key is visible with:

  • Software Product : "Maintenance_" in column "SW Product" 
  • Valid from: "date when the Maintenance Certificate was requested"
  • Valid until: date of request + approx. 3 months

Yes, SAP Solution Manager can be used to serve several customers. In addition, apply SAP Note 1229904(opens in new tab) - Maintenance certificate distribution for service provider.