The Sales and Distribution (SD) Benchmark covers a sell-from-stock scenario, which includes the creation of a customer order with five line items and the corresponding delivery with subsequent goods movement and invoicing. It consists of the following transactions:

• Create an order with five line items. (VA01)
• Create a delivery for this order. (VL01N)
• Display the customer order. (VA03)
• Change the delivery (VL02N) and post goods issue.
• List 40 orders for one sold-to party. (VA05)
• Create an invoice. (VF01)

Note: Each benchmark user has his or her own master data, such as material, vendor, or customer master data to avoid data-locking situations.

Benchmark Results

SD

Two-tier Internet configuration, SAP R/3 Releases 2.2 - 4.70, mySAP ERP 2004 and SAP ERP 2005

Three-tier Internet configuration, SAP R/3 Releases 2.2 - 4.70 and mySAP ERP 2004

SD-Parallel

Using a round robin data distribution, SAP R/3 Releases 3.0 - 4.70 and SAP ERP 2005

Without a round robin distribution, SAP R/3 2.2D

SD Versus SD-Parallel

The SD-Parallel Benchmark consists of the same transactions and user interaction steps as the SD Benchmark. This means that the SD-Parallel Benchmark runs the same business processes as the SD Benchmark. The difference between the benchmarks is the technical data distribution.

An Additional Rule for Parallel and Distributed Databases

It is generally accepted that data distribution can significantly influence the benchmark result in a parallel environment. Therefore, in May 1996, the SAP Benchmark Council redefined data distribution to establish a means to reproduce and compare results within parallel benchmarks. The additional rule is: Equally distribute the benchmark users across all database nodes for the used benchmark clients (round-robin-method).

Following this rule, all database nodes work on data of all clients. This avoids unrealistic configurations such as having only one client per database node. From a theoretical point of view, the rule yields comparable and reproducible parallel benchmarks.

The SAP Benchmark Council agreed to give the parallel benchmark a different name so that the difference can be easily recognized by any interested parties – customers, prospects, and analysts. The naming convention is SD-Parallel  for Sales & Distribution - Parallel.

How to Appraise the Benchmark Results

Parallel benchmarks depend on the additional parameter "data distribution," which, by definition, does not exist in single database benchmarks. All tests show that the scalability of parallel databases significantly depends on the data distribution. When you compare SD Benchmark with SD-Parallel Benchmark results, you have to remember this difference.

Dialog Steps

0. Logon	10. Choose Enter
1. Main screen	11. Call /nVL02n (Change delivery)
2. Call /nVA01 (Create customer order)	12. Choose [F20] (Posts goods issue)
3. First screen	13. Call /nVA05 (List orders)
4. Second screen (with five items)	14. Choose Enter
5. Choose Save	15. Call /nVF01 (Create invoice)
6. Call /nVL01N (Create a delivery)	16. Choose Save
7. First screen	17. Call /nend
8. Choose Save	18. Confirm log off
9. Call /nVA03 (Display customer order)

User interaction steps 2 - 16 are repeated n times (15 user interaction steps --> min. 150 sec. duration).

Business aspect:
One run (user interaction steps 2 - 16) corresponds to the selling of five items.