SAP NetWeaver.......Apogee of Business Integration Sachin KS MBA-IT (Sem-I)

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SAP products have been developed since the early 1990s in a language called ABAP* on top of a platform that encapsulated the operating system and database called Basis. In SAP NetWeaver the language of choice is a combination of Java and ABAP and the equivalent of Basis is the SAP Web Application Server (which implements the J2EE 1.3 standard) extended by other products now underneath the SAP NetWeaver umbrella like SAP Exchange Infrastructure, SAP Business Intelligence, SAP Enterprise Portal and others. So now, not only does NetWeaver offer support for such standards as HTTP, XML, Web services and of course ABAP, but now it also offers support for Java. All of this adds to SAP's future interoperability with such applications as Microsoft .NET and IBM WebSphere. SAP NetWeaver is the technical foundation of mySAP Business Suite solutions, SAP xApps composite applications, partner solutions, and customer custom-built applications. It also enables Enterprise Services Architecture, SAP's blueprint for service-oriented business solutions. NetWeaver is also a comprehensive management application and integration platform that works with existing IT infrastructures. It enables infrastructure integration to link remote sales forces with order management, logistics, and transportation operations.  

SAP NetWeaver currently consists of the following products:

●      Web Application Server

●      Enterprise Portal

●      Business Information Warehouse

●      Exchange Infrastructure

●      Knowledge Management

●      Mobile Infrastructure  

These products are all available now and each of them except SAP Mobile Infrastructure has significant developer communities. Mobile Infrastructure has just been released and is being used to extend the interface of applications through to mobile and wireless devices. 

There are also three other elements to SAP NetWeaver that have been announced but not described in detail. They are:

●      Master Data Management

●      Composite Application Framework

●      Lifecycle Management  

The essence of SAP NetWeaver is to discard the notion of these toolkits as separate products unto themselves and to start thinking of them as a unified development platform.

The NetWeaver 2004 platform is based on a service-oriented architecture and integrates SAP's combined ABAP and Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition Web application server, Mobile Infrastructure, Enterprise Portal, Business Intelligence, Master Data Management, Composite Application Framework, and its Exchange Infrastructure for integration.  

NetWeaver 2004 also brings a handful of new functionality, including the ability for users to integrate RFID (radio frequency identification) data into SAP software using a new Auto-ID Infrastructure that automates communication to and from hardware devices; full support for Web services-based provisioning and consumption in the Web application server; and new ad hoc workflow capabilities in the Portal. 

At the same time, a new business-process engine in the Exchange Infrastructure, called XI, facilitates process integration outside a company's four walls. SAP historically provided a messaging broker that provided business-process-management capabilities in the 2003 version of NetWeaver. NetWeaver 2004 adds end-to-end workflow models that are built and modeled visually and executed internally as well as externally-a capability that increasingly gains importance as companies look to accomplish B2B integrations. 

At the same time, with the 2004 upgrade brings the first massive release of SAP's Web Dynpro technology, so that the tools that generate iViews can interact with other iViews-XML-based presentation components executed in the Portal.

Web Dynpro is essentially a Web transactional-application engine, developed by SAP and based on Java standards, that enables users to create optimized forms. Part of SAP's application server, the Web Dynpro technology accompanies cluster-management capabilities, database-abstraction support and upgraded Java tools for large-scale development groups.

The 2004 release also comes with its share of enhancements, including a Business Intelligence business-planning and simulation capability, Business Explorer Broadcaster capability for automated distribution of information, a Java software development kit that facilitates custom development, and XML for Analysis interfaces.

The portal component has been enhanced with support for more than 20 languages using Unicode Worldwide Character Standard, a system for processing and displaying written texts of different languages. It also provides support for Windows and UNIX operating systems and bundled knowledge management capabilities such as integrated search, classification and publication for navigation across document repositories. The mobile capabilities are updated with a centralized alert infrastructure and better development and debugging features.

One of the new additions to the Java functionality of NetWeaver includes the Java Virtual Machine container technology which allows standard Java code to run on a framework around the Java Virtual Machine itself. It does this by reducing the number of parallel users per virtual machine. It also improves on the overall memory consumption, the application stability and the number of affected users in the event of a screen freeze, loss of data or the need for re-keying of information.  

Business Benefits of  SAP NetWeaver 

Flexible business strategies -- SAP NetWeaver provides flexibility, visibility, and control to effectively execute, monitor, and refine corporate strategies.

Innovative business processes -- The platform powers innovative, industry-specific software and allows  combining existing systems to support innovative processes.

Superior business value -- SAP NetWeaver provides a business-focused infrastructure that supports continuous improvement of processes. It minimizes the risk and cost of introducing new processes, because existing systems remain unchanged.

Improved business performance -- SAP NetWeaver helps to aggregate and analyze information across the organization, so as to provide the insight needed to make the right decisions.

Unmatched user experience -- Solutions built with SAP NetWeaver provide an efficient user experience through a role-based portal interface. SAP NetWeaver, can extend business processes to all employees, partners, and customers. 

IT Benefits of  SAP NetWeaver 

Sustainable cost structure -- SAP NetWeaver reduces total cost of ownership across the IT landscape. It helps to leverage existing IT investments, including SAP and non-SAP systems.

Improved development -- SAP NetWeaver, can be used to create new processes on top of existing systems by using a services-oriented architecture based on Web services, Java, and other industry standards.

Reduced total cost of ownership -- SAP NetWeaver components are integrated in a single platform and come preconfigured with business content, which reduces complexity and supports IT standardization and consolidation. The technology components also integrate readily with SAP applications, which reduces the need for custom integration.

Easy development of best practices -- SAP NetWeaver supports communication, knowledge management, and collaboration across existing systems. One can take advantage of existing skills to improve current practices or develop new functionality. 

SAP NetWeaver: Customer Successes 

SAP Business Intelligence

●      BMW Group , Germany

●      Coca-Cola, United States

SAP Exchange Infrastructure

●      Texas Instruments, United States

SAP Web Application Server

●      Adobe Systems, United States

 

*Advanced Business Application Programming Language.

SAP NetWeaver is the trademark of SAP AG, Germany.

(The article has been compiled from information available at: http://sdn.sap.com)

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