SAP Architecture
What is SAP Architecture?
SAP Architecture is the technical requirements of your system landscape and the applications that you need for that. SAP’s major step forward in architecture came when it introduced SAP R/3 — the three references a three-layer architecture — in the late 1990s. SAP ERP applications ever since, including SAP S/4HANA, still follow these basic architectural layers:
- The Presentation Layer is the component specialized in interacting with end-users, the user interface. SAP GUI is the traditional SAP interface, but newer SAP applications utilize SAP Fiori design principles.
- The Application Layer is the component that specializes in processing the SAP application — such as SAP S/4HANA. Development at the SAP application layer has been done traditionally with the ABAP coding language. The HTML5-based UI5 is growing in importance as a language for building applications that can run on a variety of devices.
- The Database Layer is the software component that specializes in the management, storage, and retrieval of data. The key difference in SAP S/4HANA vs. previous ERPs at this level is a simplified data model that is specifically designed to run on the SAP HANA in-memory database.
What is SAP Architecture?
SAP Architecture is the technical requirements of your system landscape and the applications that you need for that. SAP’s major step forward in architecture came when it introduced SAP R/3 — the three references a three-layer architecture — in the late 1990s. SAP ERP applications ever since, including SAP S/4HANA, still follow these basic architectural layers:
- The Presentation Layer is the component specialized in interacting with end-users, the user interface. SAP GUI is the traditional SAP interface, but newer SAP applications utilize SAP Fiori design principles.
- The Application Layer is the component that specializes in processing the SAP application — such as SAP S/4HANA. Development at the SAP application layer has been done traditionally with the ABAP coding language. The HTML5-based UI5 is growing in importance as a language for building applications that can run on a variety of devices.
- The Database Layer is the software component that specializes in the management, storage, and retrieval of data. The key difference in SAP S/4HANA vs. previous ERPs at this level is a simplified data model that is specifically designed to run on the SAP HANA in-memory database.
There’s a wide range of vendors that support at least part of the SAP Architecture. Red Hat and SUSE specialize in the Linux operating system, on which the SAP HANA database runs. SAP architecture needs a foundation, and a vendor such as Dell Technologies can provide on-premise hardware such as servers. Microsoft is one of the hyperscalers that can set up cloud environments for SAP applications. Companies like Deloitte offer consulting services to assist companies in building out their SAP Architecture.
Key Considerations for SAPinsiders:
- ABAP coders are still important to SAP Architecture. If your company is looking to adopt SAP S/4HANA and other SAP applications with consumer-grade user experiences, then you will likely need UI5 and SAP Fiori skillsets.
- Legacy SAP ERP systems typically have heavy customization at the application layer and potentially complex data models. Many customers that are adopting SAP S/4HANA are choosing to eschew customization and instead are adapting their processes to the technology to provide cleaner data and easier upgrades.
- SAP HANA’s in-memory capabilities are meant to speed up data retrieval significantly. However, with the rise of low-cost and open-source data storage, many companies are storing their data in “hot” and “cold” locations. Hot, or frequently accessed, data may be stored in-memory, but cold, or sporadically accessed, data may be stored in a Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) or cloud storage.
482 results
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How to Select the Right Mobile Solution Architecture for Your Use Case
Understand the main mobility architecture paradigms currently supported by the Sybase Unwired Platform, and the advantages and drawbacks of each. Get a high-level view of the architecture and basic steps for implementing each. Key Concept A mobile business object is a method of encapsulating business data so that it can be used across multiple kinds…...…
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SAP HANA Administration Chat: Kurt Hollis on Architecture, Monitoring, and More
SAP HANA is an in-memory database engine and application platform that offers unique advantages for reporting and high-performance operations. Customers have to answer many questions in their path to running on SAP HANA. How can architect your SAP HANA solution to fit your needs? Once you are up and running, how can administrators monitor the…
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Understanding Your SAP System Architecture Before Migrating to the Cloud
Before migrating your existing SAP systems to the cloud—an initiative that many businesses are undertaking to remain relevant and redefine their IT landscape—it’s important that SAP customers understand their system architecture. Knowing where the connection points are between different pieces of architecture, where you’re putting them from an infrastructure perspective, and what sort of information…
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SAP NetWeaver 2004s Simplifies Architecture for Transitive Attribute Reporting
Reporting based on transitive attributes can be both useful and tricky. In BW 3.5, The Washington Post developed architecture to perform transitive attribute reporting. Upgrading to SAP NetWeaver 2004s considerably simplified the architecture. Key Concept An attribute of an attribute is called a transitive attribute. Suppose InfoProvider 0123 contains a particular InfoObject called X. X…...…
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Assisting the Digital Transformation
When exploring new solutions for your IT environment, there are plenty of resources that can help you sift through different technology options. But when trying to develop a strategy — or build a business case for that strategy — there aren’t nearly as many options out there. IT professionals often have to cobble together justifications…
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Get Ready for the Next Generation of SAP Business Applications Based on the Enterprise Service-Oriented Architecture (Enterprise SOA)
Every aspect of your business and its automated processes is becoming increasingly more dynamic, driving the need for your supporting technologies to be correspondingly adaptable. The Enterprise Service-Oriented Architecture (Enterprise SOA) in SAP NetWeaver is a Web services-based conceptual architecture that is designed to help you meet this challenge by bringing flexibility, adaptability, and ease…...…
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Groupware Integration Enhancement: Explore Server-side Architecture and Enhancement Options
Enhance version 10 of the SAP CRM groupware integration architecture by using the flexibility of SAP standard and non-standard offerings. Also pinpoint what can be enhanced based on the current groupware architecture. Key Concept Groupware integration server-side codes include an HTTP handler class to process the XMLs posted from a groupware integration client. In practical…...…
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SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation: Get to Know It Before Migrating
Learn about the architecture of SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation. This helps you understand the migration options available for the different SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation releases. Key Concept Performance management is about the methodologies, processes, and systems that companies use to drive and monitor organizational performance. Organizations have to decide the right strategies to…...…
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Take Your Mobile SAP Systems Further with Sybase Unwired Platform
Discover Sybase Unwired Platform, a mobile enterprise application platform (MEAP), and how you can use it to mobilize your systems. SAP provides this platform with the co-innovation architecture of SAP NetWeaver Mobile 7.1. This is the first time that SAP has supported the mobilization of all major mobile device types with a single technology. Key…...…
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Plan Your SAP S/4HANA Finance Implementation with an Understanding of Multicurrency Architecture
Learn about the multicurrency architecture in SAP S/4HANA Finance and discover how to set up the right solution design aligned to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), external reporting, and internal management reporting needs. Key Concept In both the classic General Ledger and the SAP General Ledger, you can define three parallel currencies in FI, two…...…
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