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.
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SAP NetWeaver 2004s Simplifies Architecture for Transitive Attribute Reporting
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How to Setup Demand Planning in SAP Advanced Planning and Optimization
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Choose the Appropriate SAP NetWeaver BI and mySAP ERP Landscape
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Assisting the Digital Transformation
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Get Ready for the Next Generation of SAP Business Applications Based on the Enterprise Service-Oriented Architecture (Enterprise SOA)
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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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SAP Announces Strong Q1 and Cloud ERP Private Launch
SAP reported strong first-quarter 2025 financials with a 28% increase in cloud backlog to €18.2 billion and a 27% rise in cloud revenue to nearly €5 billion, although total revenue grew modestly by 12% to €9 billion.
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mySAP CRM Analytics Harnesses SAP NetWeaver BI Analytical Capabilities
mySAP CRM Analytics, a group of tools offered with mySAP CRM and SAP NetWeaver BI, can help you optimize your company’s customer data. Learn about the mySAP CRM extraction mechanism and delivered analysis tools you can use with your data. Then, explore the standard tool sets available, including customer analytics, product analytics, sales and service...…
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SAP Brings AI to Everything, Everywhere at Sapphire
The Day 1 keynote of Sapphire highlighted SAP’s focus on AI integration within its Business Suite and partnerships aimed at simplifying migrations to cloud solutions.
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