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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Output Management Plays A Vital Role for SAP Customers
When organizations with hundreds of SAP systems and thousands of printers in different parts of the world make big changes in their SAP architectures, ineffective output management add to the complexity and hamper the success of digital transformation initiatives. This is why it’s important to understand the vital role output management plays for SAP customers.…
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Managing Data with SAP Solutions: SAP HANA and non-HANA Use Cases
See some examples of integration solutions based on SAP-provided replication tools that you can use to integrate SAP and non-SAP applications. The tools support a wide variety of data types (structured and unstructured) and formats (including data streams). Key Concept The new SAP HANA replication and consolidation capabilities can simplify the architecture of the solution…...…
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Groupware Integration Enhancement: Decipher Version 10’s Client-side Architecture
Companies that upgrade to SAP CRM 7.0 Support Package 9 need to use version 10 of the groupware integration. Learn about changes in the user interface (UI) and functions provided by version 10. Also find out about related client architecture, which can help you troubleshoot client-side problems with registry entries and logs. Key Concept The…...…
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SAP’s Integration Solution Advisory Methodology (ISA-M) for the Intelligent Enterprise
by Matthias Allgaier, SAP SE A solid integration strategy is crucial for providing the flexibility and agility organizations require to meet rapidly changing business needs. When building this strategy, enterprise architects must take into account a variety of pervasive integration requirements. For example, leveraging intelligent technologies to advance business outcomes — becoming an Intelligent Enterprise,…
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Lessons Learned from an SAP HANA Cloud Platform Implementation
Key principles and facts are included in this overview of the design and implementation of a cloud application on SAP HANA Cloud Platform. Key Concept Applications consume and expose web service application program interfaces (APIs) that facilitate the re-usability of the capabilities of an application and support the integration into other applications. The following solution…...…
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Get Started with Cloud Computing and SAP Today
Thinking about cloud computing? Not sure how to get started? Discover the different types of cloud computing models with a focus on Infrastructure as a Service. Included are immediate SAP use cases for applying cloud technology, SAP-specific challenges and support considerations, and guidelines for building your own hybrid cloud. Key Concept Infrastructure as a Service…...…
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Are Your Skills Up to Date for the Age of SAP HANA?
/HANASAP’s recent innovations, including SAP HANA, are likely to cause a skills gap in the SAP community going forward. Experts trained on classical ERP or analytics systems don’t necessarily have the right skills for the future. Get a first-hand look at some of the new skills that you need to successfully embrace the change. Learn…...…
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Configure SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation for SAP NetWeaver to Optimize System Performance
Read about the underlying architecture for SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation 7.0, version for SAP NetWeaver. Learn how to set up the connectivity between the different SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation clients and servers, and how to change different ABAP and .NET settings to optimize system performance. Key Concept The term application has several meanings…...…
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An Introduction to SAP Predictive Analytics 2.0 and SAP HANA Predictive Tools
In this exclusive report by Hillary Bliss, take a walk into the world of the SAP suite of predictive tools with an in-depth tour of the new SAP Predictive Analytics 2.0 and how it ties into SAP HANA and SAP Lumira. Learn the importance of general predictive modeling concepts, and then apply those concepts as…...…
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A New Development Platform for Native SAP HANA Applications
Developers have several options for developing applications and business content on SAP HANA, such as the ABAP 7.5 stack and the analytics applications supported by SAP Business Warehouse (SAP BW) powered by SAP HANA. But if you’re looking to move beyond dashboard scenarios and don’t want to base that development on SAP NetWeaver stacks, your…
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