SAP Business Client: Configuring Remote

Systems in SM59
Posted by Alexey Arseniev Jun 1, 2015

Introduction
There are business scenarios in which the application needs to jump from one system to another, or the
application requires information from a remote system.
For example:
application wants to call a transaction from a remote system
application wants to navigate to a Web Dynpro application that is located on a remote system
application wants to execute an Object-Based Navigation (OBN) or intent-based navigation (IBN)
targeting a remote system
application needs to read data from a remote system
application wants to generate a URL that would be available outside the corporate network and
needs to point to a Web dispatcher
application wants to call an OData service from a remote system

In most cases, when there is a need to communicate or navigate to a remote system, the application can use
RFC destination names, defined in SM59 as ABAP Connection (Connection type 3). However, in some cases
the information provided in the RFC destination is not enough to resolve a request (for example, the application
wants to navigate to a Web Dynpro application using HTTPS), and runtime additionally requires the HTTP
destination for the remote system.
The following article covers only ABAP-based use-cases and is targeted at application developers and system
administrators working with NetWeaver Business Client (NWBC) and Fiori Launchpad.

Supported Shells
The resolution of the remote system configuration and the processing of cross-app (cross-system) navigation is
handled by the shell that hosts the application.
The following shells need remote system configurations and must be able to handle cross-system navigation:
NWBC for Desktop

NWBC for HTML

Fiori Launchpad

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Same as for NWBC for Desktop

Remote targets used in:
Index page and navigation
menu links, exposing
application to remote systems
OBN targets
Quick launch, collecting links
from navigation menu

Remote targets used:

When navigating with tiles
that point to Web GUI/ Web
Dynpro applications defined
in ABAP Report Launchpad
(LPD_CUST)
When passing Data Origin for
SAP Fiori applications via sapsystem parameter

Use-Cases
To refer to remote systems, you can use the SM59 name (RFC Destination Name) or System Alias -the
normalized/base form of the SM59 Destination Name(see below).
There are several places and services in which the System Alias can be used, as described in the following list:
Transaction PFCG. The attribute, Target System, of the navigation menu entry. This indicates that
the application shall be called by the remote system that is specified by the System Alias.

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Transaction LPD_CUST. The mandatory parameter, System Alias, in the Change Launchpad
Role screen. The application shall call the remote system that is specified by the System Alias. The
System Alias can be resolved by the ABAP runtime (NWBC) or by Portal runtime.

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Fiori Launchpad Designer. System alias can be used in configuration of the Target Mappings in
Fiori Launchpad Designer, for such application types as: Transaction, URL or WebDynpro, to
define application and data origin (SAP Fiori App using LPD_CUST allows definition of system alias
in LPD_CUST, see case above). The system alias can be entered in dedicated field System Alias
or as default parameter sap-system in Parameters section (passing of the alias using sap-system
parameter has priority over definition in dedicated field).

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As a dynamic parameter, SYSTEM, when navigating by OBN (PFCG-based) or resolving the Report
Launchpad (LPD_CUST) link. Passed as a URL parameter that overwrites customized values defined
in LPD_CUST or in PFCG ( ...?sap-client=001&sap-language=EN&SYSTEM=ERP1 ).

As a dynamic parameter, sap-system, passed within intent (intent-based navigation in Fiori

Launchpad -> ... #SalesOrder-display? sap-system=ERP1). The parameter overwrites the System
Alias parameter defined in LPD_CUST.

As a parameter for System Alias Repository API web service implemented for NWBC 5.0.

Naming Convention

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SAP Business Client: Configuring Remote Systems in SM59

SM59 does not allow you to create several destinations with the same name even if the connection types are
different. The trick for referencing several destinations by the same name is to have multiple SM59 entries
with the same base name and an extension (_RFC, _HTTP, _HTTPS) attached to it to distinguish between the
different types of connections.
For example, if the system name is XYZ, the different destination names should be the following:
SM59 name-resolving sequence for SAP GUI aliases: XYZ_RFC,XYZ
SM59 name-resolving sequence for HTTP aliases: XYZ_HTTPS, XYZ_HTTP, XYZ

Using this approach, it is possible to reference multiple connections by passing the base name only. Using the
example above, it would be XYZ. The following name extensions (suffixes) can be used:
_HTTP (XYZ_HTTP) - to define HTTP connection settings. Can be applied for connection types G
and H.
_HTTPS (XYZ_HTTPS) - to define HTTPS connection settings. Can be applied for connection types
G and H.
_RFC (XYZ_RFC) - to define RFC / SAP GUI connections. Can be used for connection type 3.
_BOE (XYZ_BOE) - to define additional HTTP connection when used ABAP Launchpad Crystal
Reports links. Can be define with connection of types G and H.

For connection types RFC (3) and HTTP (H,G), the name extension can be omitted (base name equal to SM59
destination name) and the runtime will still resolve the connection data properly. This fallback allows you to
reuse existing definitions without extra configuration.

NOTE
Destination names in SM59, and in tools using SM59 aliases, are case-sensitive. The recommended way is
to use UPPER case names, and to type suffixes in all consumption points.
The technical destination names NONE, LOCAL, etc. are resolved as the local system, that is, the application
is located on the same system as the runtime.

Referencing by System ID and Client

From UI Add-On SP09 onwards, it is also possible to reference a system not only by logical aliasing but also
by system ID and client. The use-case could be the generation of the callback location by the service called
remotely: the remote service does not know the name of his system used by the caller, and can only provide its
own system ID and client.
If referencing by system ID is required, the following syntax must be used:
sid(SYSTEMID[.CLIENT]) for example : sid(U00.111) or sid(U00)

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The syntax is case-sensitive. sid definitions may be used in the following cases:
PFCG -> Target System field
LPD_CUST -> System Alias field
SYSTEM -> URL parameter for OBN/LPD_CUST link resolving (... ?SYSTEM=sid(U00.111)...)
sap-system -> intent parameter in Fiori Launchpad ( ...#SalesOrder-display?sapsystem=sid(U00.111)...)

The system-resolving logic is as follows:

1. Look up SM59 destinations with explicit match, that is, with the system alias equal to string
sid(SYSID.CLIENT).
2. If this is not found, parse sid string into System ID and Client
3. Search in SM59 for RFC destination associated with given SYSID with specified client (or without, if not
provided)
4. Detect base name of system alias from RFC destination name (use as is, or remove _RFC name
extension)
5. Collect system data using system alias

To enable the SM59 destination to be searchable by SID + client notation, the Load Balancing setting of
the corresponding RFC destination must be set to Yes, and the target system settings must be properly
maintained.
Because the repository (SM59) can have more than one destination pointing to the same SYSID + client, the
first matching value is returned.

Which Connection Types to Maintain?

Different SM59 destination types are used for supporting different application technologies. It is recommended
to always maintain all connection types even if you do not need them currently. This ensures stable resolution
even if your application technology should change in the future.
Destination Type

Remarks

RFC (3)

Necessary for supporting navigation using RFC

protocol or native application embedding. If you would
like to use native SAP GUI, _RFC connection must be
maintained.

HTTP (H)

Necessary for supporting HTTP-based

communication, e.g. all Web-browser-based
application technologies such as Web Dynpro, SAP
UI5, BSP, Portal, etc. If you want to use one of the
mentioned app technologies, _HTTP connection must
be defined.

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HTTPS (H)

Necessary for supporting secure HTTP

communication. The requirements are as for HTTP.

RFC Connection Definition

When maintaining the RFC connection, you can either select Load Balancing or provide direct settings (= Load
Balancing OFF + Target Host address). Having Load Balancing switched off in the RFC connection definition
ensures that your connection can be used for all versions of NWBC for Desktop and all versions of the NWBC
server runtime. If you want to implement load balancing using the RFC connection setting, you need to run
NWBC 5.0 together with the server runtime for SAP NetWeaver User Interface Services on User Interface AddOn 1.0 for SAP NetWeaver SPS 09 or SAP NetWeaver 7.4 with software component SAP_UI SPS08.
Referencing by System ID and Client is only supported if RFC Load Balancing is enabled.
Technical Settings (Load Balancing)

Settings for load balancing can be taken from

corresponding SAP Logon system connection.
See below for more details.
Logon & Security

Technical Settings (Direct)

Target Host can be taken from SM51 host

Instance No. can be taken from SAP Logon
connection definition. See below for more details.

Logon & Security (SNC)

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SNC settings can be taken from the corresponding

SAP Logon connection. Partners corresponds to
SNC name, QoP corresponds to security settings.

Leave Language empty if you want to use the

language from the calling application
A generic user is not yet supported, so you cannot
hard code a user and password here
Ensure that the Client that you have defined in
all connection types is the same. If Client is not
specified, Client of calling Application will be
added
Set SSL to Active if you want to use Single SignOn; you need to define SNC settings first.

HTTP Connection Definition

Technical Settings

Logon & Security

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SAP Business Client: Configuring Remote Systems in SM59

HTTP host and port can be found in transaction

SICF of corresponding system
You can use Path Prefix to define a fixed prefix
path for ALL your web addresses. For example, if
you work only with UI5 : /sap/bc/ui5_ui5/

Leave Language empty if you want to use the

language of the calling application
Generic user is not yet supported, so you cannot
hard code a user and password here
Ensure that the Client that you have defined in
all connection types is the same. If Client is not
specified, Client of calling application will be added
For HTTP connection, SSL must be set to Inactive

HTTPS Connection Definition

Technical Settings

Logon & Security

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SAP Business Client: Configuring Remote Systems in SM59

HTTPS host and port can be found in transaction

SICF of corresponding system
You can use Path Prefix to define a fixed prefix
path for ALL your web addresses. For example, if
you work only
with UI5 : /sap/bc/ui5_ui5/

Leave Language empty if you want to use the

language from the calling application
Generic user is not yet supported, so you cannot
hard code a user and password here
Ensure that the Client that you have defined in
all connection types is the same. If Client is not
specified, Client of calling application will be added
For HTTPS connection, SSL must be set to Active.
Ensure that you have entered HTTPS Port in the
Service No. field on the Technical Settings tab.

How to Find System Settings

HTTP Hosts and Ports
In the remote system, call transaction SICF -> F8
On the application toolbar, press the button Host and Port Information

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SICF transaction

Host and Port information

RFC Load-Balancing Data

Data for configuring the RFC destination can be found in the properties of the corresponding connection
defined in SAP Logon (or in NWBC 5.0 System Selector):
Load-balancing settings can be found on the Connection tab of the SAP Logon connection
SSO settings can be found on the Network tab.

SAP Logon System Settings (Connection)

SAP Logon System Settings (Network)

NWBC 5.0 System Selector

SM51 Server List

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System Alias not Resolved?

If runtime is unable to determine the system configuration provided by the system alias, it will use the local
system (relative path to the application), and will pass the unresolved system alias parameter (SYSTEM or
sap-system) for further processing by the application. If a system alias that is dynamically passed (as a URL
or Intent hash parameter) is resolved, the URL/Intent parameter is deleted from the parameter list and is not
forwarded to the application.
If the application refers to a remote target using System Alias,it normally tries to point to the origin of the target.
There are two types of origin:
Data Origin: Points to the location of data used/consumed by the target application, and indicates
the location from where the data shall be loaded. For SAP UI5 applications, this will be a backend
system implementing OData services.

Application Origin: Points to the location of the application sources, and indicates the location from
where the application itself shall be loaded. For SAP UI5 applications, it is the front-end server.

The Application Origin may be the same as the Data Origin;examples of this are SAP GUI and Web Dynpro
applications. For SAP UI5 applications, the SAP GUI, Web Dynpro, or URL system alias that is passed for
resolution with the sap-system parameter is treated as Data Origin in all cases. It should not be used for
any other purpose. It is not yet possible to explicitly pass the application origin. Instead, the Fiori Launchpad
resolves the Application Origin based on the most likely default:
SAP UI5 application: FLP origin (front-end server) is assumed to also be the application origin.

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SAP GUI, Web Dynpro, and URL: System Alias(data origin) is assumed to also be the application
origin.

System Alias Mapping

In some cases, it makes sense to use indirection in system alias assignments and be able to redirect several
system aliases to another one. There are several ways how such system alias mapping can be done:
PFCG If you assign system aliases to applications in PFCG, you can use database table SSM_RFC
(can be called using dedicated maintenance view transaction SM30_SSM_RFC).

SSM_RFC is client independent and you cannot configure any client dependent system
alias mappings.
Recursive mappings are not supported.
SSM_RFC table is available from stone age, so can be used mostly on any SAP_BASIS
release.

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ABAP Report Launchpad (LPD_CUST).From SAP_BASIS 730 you can configure system alias
mapping in ABAP Report Launchpad. The mapping is Launchpad role/instance and client dependent.
There is no way to globally remap system aliases for all Launchpad instances and you can only map
system aliases used in selected Launchpad.

Fiori and NWBC.With UI Add-on V2 there is new functionality available, that allows you to configure
system alias mapping for all use cases running within UI2 NWBC (NetWeaver Business Client for
UI Add-on) and Fiori Launchpad (PFCG, LPD_CUST, Fiori Launchpad Designer). The mapping
can be defined in DB table /UI2/SYSALIASMAP (or using maintenance view /UI2/V_ALIASMAP in
transaction SM30).

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The mapping allows you to define global or client dependent mapping (for global, client field shall be
left empty). Client dependent definition has priority over global definition.

NOTE
Please note, that not all system alias mappings are easy trackable by all frameworks and it may happen,
that some settings are cached and not invalidated after changing of mappings. So it is recommended to run
invalidation reports, after changes (transaction SE38):
NWBC_DELETE_MENU_CACHE (when using any of SAP_BASIS delivered NetWeaver Business Client)
/UI2/NWBC_DELETE_MENU_CACHE (when using UI Add-on delivered NetWeaver Business Client)
/UI2/INVALIDATE_CLIENT_CACHES (when using Fiori Launchpad)

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/UI2/INVALIDATE_GLOBAL_CACHES (when using Fiori Launchpad)

Existing documentation
Configuring remote systems to be used in NetWeaver Business Client (NWBC)
Configuring of remote systems to be used in ABAP Report Launchpad (LPD_CUST)

Requirements
UI Add-On SP09 (support of sid format and load-balancing in NWBC 5.0)
To integrate content from other systems by using the property Target System in PFCG, users need
display authorization for SM59 in the back end. (NWBC 5.0)
3325 Views Tags: navigation, abap, web_dynpro, sap_gui, url, pfcg, nwbc, sm59, lpd_cust, rfc_destination,
sap-system, fiori, http_destinations, fiorilaunchpad, target_mapping, target_system, remote_system, ibn,
fiorilaunchpad_designer

Matt Harding
May 10, 2016 7:03 AM
Hi Alexey,
Thanks for pointing out /UI2/V_ALIASMAP in UI Add On 2.0 - Was exactly what I needed for all the Target
Mappings in FLP.
Plus good to see all of this summed up in one place.
Cheers,
Matt
Alexey Arseniev in response to Sathish Kumar on page 17
Apr 21, 2016 11:37 AM
Hello Satish,
thanks for the feedback. If you will have questions, you can ask them here directly - I will try to help. Central
place for debugging will be class /UI2/CL_SYS_ALIAS_MANAGER=>RESOLVE if you are using UI Addon
(NWBC with logon URL /ui2/nwbc or Fiori Launchpad) and CL_URL=>RESOLVE_SM59_ALIAS in case of
SAP_BASIS versioon of NWBC (NWBC logon URL /nwbc - without ui2).
Best regards,
Alexey.
RESOLVE_SM59_ALIAS

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Sathish Kumar
Apr 20, 2016 9:21 PM
This is a very detailed and informative blog. One of our RFC destinations was named _HTTP and it never
worked. I debugged to figure out that something interesting was happening. And googled it, came across your
blog to understand the same.
Thanks.

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