Basics TERP02 SAP ERP: Introduction into SAP NetWeaver > About This Module > Introduction TERP02

SAP ERP: Introduction into SAP NetWeaver This module gives you an overview of the components and functions of SAP NetWeaver, the role of SAP NetWeaver in supporting business processes and its strategic advantages.

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About This Topic This topic explains the various components of SAP NetWeaver, how it supports businesses, and its strategic advantages. What's in it for me?

Describe the NetWeaver Explain the supported by Describe the NetWeaver

components of Business Processes NetWeaver strategic advantages of Integration

SAP NetWeaver

The SAP Business Suite is built on SAP NetWeaver, which allows integration between SAP and non-SAP components and supports integration with the Internet thereby enabling collaborative business or c-business. In this image you can see that the Business Suite offering combines R/3 as well as ERP components and makes it one complete solution offering in a collaborative business environment. Apart from cross-industry solutions, SAP also offers 22 industry-specific or IS solutions such as Automotive, Chemicals and more. As you see here, the SAP Customer Services Network spreads across the entire Business Suite and aims at ensuring that customers achieve maximum return on their investment with SAP Business Suite.

Sub areas of SAP NetWeaver

Audio Transcript SAP NetWeaver is an open and scalable infrastructure upon which the SAP Business Suite is built. With its ability to integrate with the Internet, SAPs NetWeaver enables collaborative business. As you see on this slide, NetWeaver provides for a comprehensive integration and application platform thereby delivering solutions with lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) to the customer. We will see more of the NetWeaver features in next slide. SAP NetWeaver Components

Let us explore the various components of SAP NetWeaver and how it is placed through out the life cycle of software management NetWeaver enables SAP Mobile Infrastructure SAP Enterprise Portals SAP Business Information Warehouse Master Data Management SAP Exchange Infrastructure and SAP Web Application Server. It also provides a composite application framework with People integration, Information integration, Process integration, and Application platform. People Integration uses SAP Enterprise Portal to ensure that Employees get the information, and access necessary for efficient work. Using SAP Business Information Warehouse, Information Integration ensures that structured and unstructured information is accessible. Next, to ensure that all your business processes run smoothly through your heterogeneous system landscape, SAP exchange Infrastructure works with XML Data packages and workflows at the Process Integration level. Finally, the Application platform supports J2EE and ABAP in a single environment using SAP Web Application Server. This guarantees independence between databases and operating systems. Thus SAP NetWeaver plays a vital role in collaborative e-business.

Integrated System Landscape Audio Transcript

SAP NetWeaver is a complete package of components that works in harmony to provide solutions for customers integration requirements, where a single platform is used to integrate information and systems. More and more SAP applications are making use of the SAP NetWeaver Exchange Infrastructure and introducing NetWeaver XI to customer landscapes. Some of the applications and components that use SAP NetWeaver XI include Extended Applications like xRPM Master Data Management Supplier, Relationship Management, ERP Central Component, Customer Relationship Management, and SAP BusinessOne.

Integration and Flexibility with ESA

Enterprise Services Architecture provides a blueprint for service-based, enterprise-scale business solutions solutions that are adaptable, flexible, and open, for lower TCO. Applications can be created on top of existing enterprise applications, and served by Enterprise Services Architecture to increase the value of those systems, and extend automation to new processes. ESA expands the concept of Web services to architecture for business applications. While Web services represent only a technical concept, ESA is the proposal for comprehensive and service-based business applications. Enterprise Services Architecture: Supports all people that participate in a business process inside and outside of the corporation, comprises all information that is relevant for the business process, integrates all systems that are important for the process. It does this regardless of whether the systems involved are SAP or non-SAP, internal or external.

Properties and Structure of SAP Web AS

The functional architecture of SAP Web application server contains three separate levels: Presentation level, Application level and integration level. SAP Web Application Server has a runtime environment for J2EE-based Java programs, the SAP J2EE Engine. This is, in addition, to the traditional runtime environment for ABAP programs, together with the database SAP Web Application Server forms the Application Platform of SAP NetWeaver.

SAP Web application server offers:

A multilevel architecture with the SAP Web application server a reliable tested runtime environment for ABAP and Java programs. High scalability An independence between Operating System and databases. A Convenient development environment. Support for various protocols like HTTP and RFC, and The Highest security standards for the execution of complex business process.

SAP Web AS as Part of Different SAP Systems

Audio Transcript You have seen that the SAP Web Application Server is the application platform of SAP NetWeaver. The functions of different SAP systems like ECC 6.0 and CRM can be divided into two categories namely, Basis functions and Application functions. For example, if you take ECC, the SAP ERP central component would be the Application function and the Web Application Server would be the Basis function. In CRM, SAP CRM would be the application function. Similarly, many SAP software components, such as, SAP BI and SAP SCM, also use the SAP Web Application Server as its Basis function.

Connecting Different Systems to SAP XI

SAP XI connects to different SAP and Non-SAP systems. In this example of an integration landscape at a customer site, an SAP R/3 version 3.1, an SAP R/3 version 4.6C, and a third party system are integrated through SAP XI. The Integration Server also handles the connection to different Business Partners, as well as, to a Public Marketplace. Certain adapters are needed in situations where the Integration Server has to exchange messages with an R/3 system. If you want to use SAP XI to realize a cross-system integration process and if the systems involved are based on SAP Web Application Server 6.20 or higher, you can use the new SAP XI programming model.

Integrated SAP MDM

Let us now explore how Master Data Management enables companies to store, augment and consolidate Master Data, while ensuring consistent distribution to all applications, and systems within the IT landscapes. MDM uses the technological foundation of the exchange infrastructure, SAP XI, to distribute the data. Master Data Management features: Content Consolidation Master Data harmonization and Central Master Data Management. SAP MDM supports a step by step approach to collective Master Data maintenance in a distributed and heterogeneous environment.

SAP EP Central User Interface

SAP Enterprise Portal is a flexible, reliable, and secure solution that lets you take advantage of all your information assets. Based on open standards, it integrates any enterprise information source. All your SAP and non-SAP systems, your data warehouse, desktop documents, Web contents, and Web services are brought together in one single user interface. Portal content is used to empower users to get relevant information, make effective decisions, take appropriate action, and collaborate with others. With SAP Enterprise portal, the portal also provides content designed specifically to serve users in various industries and business areas. The SAP Enterprise Portal provides a role-based, secure Web-based interface to all information, applications and services. Portal roles structure and deliver targeted content to each end user. A company can structure its business processes and deliver business content according to the needs of certain user groups.

Advantages of SAP NetWeaver

SAP NetWeaver has a number of advantages:

Openness and extendibility: SAP NetWeaver features complete compatibility and extendibility with IBM WebSphere and Microsoft .NET (technologies in which companies have made significant investments.) SAP Web Application Server achieves the Operating System and Database independency for both ABAP and JAVA applications. Immediate Integration: SAP NetWeaver allows complete integration of people, information, and business processes in companies. Clear Roadmap: SAP NetWeaver is the technological foundation of all future SAP Solutions.

Lower total cost of ownership: SAP Web AS protects customer investments. It leverages existing IT investments by integrating different systems.