Database Reference
In-Depth Information
in the form of a service wrapper enables the description and configuration of the processes in a central
instance that is valid across all applications within the enterprise. This separation also enables the
changeability of business processes because the process can be optimized or reoriented with changing
the actual implementation of the processes. Consequently, continual and incremental improvements
can also be made depending on the changing requirements of the business environment.
The importance of referring to the original SAP NetWeaver documentation correspond-
ing to the version of your installation cannot be overemphasized. What we have pre-
sented in this chapter are the essential details of the various components of SAP
NetWeaver. However, this chapter is not intended as a replacement for the colossal
amount of instructive documentation, guidelines, checklists, templates, samples, question-
naires, and so forth provided and recommended for use by SAP. Those are well-proven instru-
ments, and for an actual project, it is highly recommended that you procure the version of the
documentation corresponding to the version of your installation and use it in conjunction with
the implementation project.
10.4 SAP netWeaver overview
SAP NetWeaver is the most comprehensive integration and application development, deployment,
and management platform available on the market today. Enterprises face the challenge of sup-
porting the growth of the enterprise and at the same time protecting IT investments in the past.
SAP NetWeaver supports the integration and applications in a multiplicity of environments and
thus reduces the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the IT landscape.
The real proof and power of the SAP NetWeaver's all-encompassing vision can be seen in
the seamless combination of distributed systems, Enterprise Application Integration (EAI),
Component-Based Development (CBD), Web Services, Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA),
and Enterprise Services Architecture (ESA).
SAP NetWeaver provides a complete interoperability with IBM WebSphere and
Microsoft's .NET.
As discussed earlier, SAP NetWeaver connects people, information, and processes beyond the
organizational and technological boundaries of the enterprise.
SAP NetWeaver, which is based on open standards, consists of four layers:
1. People integration
2. Information integration
3. Process integration
4. Application platform
Figure 10.3 presents the SAP NetWeaver components.
