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.
937 results
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Entertainment Industry Pricing and Pricing Architecture in SAP CRM-IPM 7.0 with Enhancement Package 1
Learn about commonly used entertainment industry pricing models, SAP CRM-IPM pricing architecture, and royalty scopes. See how they support pricing calculations and user data entry, and discover potential gaps that you might encounter in the media industry, especially with television companies. Key Concept The entertainment industry has unique needs involved in pricing licenses sale contracts...…
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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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An Introduction to SAP Predictive Analysis and How It Integrates with SAP HANA
In this exclusive report, take a walk into the world of SAP Predictive Analysis and how it ties into SAP HANA and SAP Lumira (formerly known as SAP Visual Intelligence). Learn the importance of general predictive modeling concepts, and then apply those concepts as part of a bigger discussion about the architecture and features of...…
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How a Mediation Engine Prepares and Connects Data Among Multiple Applications on the SAP NetWeaver Platform
With wireless communication and mobility applications growing, telecommunication billing systems have to process a large volume of data in a near-real-time manner. The billing system is among the critical components in a telecommunication company’s IT landscape, so a high-performance mediation engine, providing high availability, data integrity, and system throughput, is critical. Learn about the architecture...…
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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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9 Tips for Planning Your mySAP CRM Implementation
SAPexpert/CRMImplementing mySAP CRM for the first time, adding functionality to an existing implementation, or upgrading mySAP CRM can seem daunting. It is best to start with an organized plan to give your project direction and purpose. Here are nine tips to help you streamline and optimize the planning process. Key Concept Planning your mySAP CRM...…
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SAP Cloud ALM – The essential tool for any SAP Cloud implementation
After over 20 years of experience with SAP, I’ve found SAP Cloud ALM to be an efficient, user-friendly tool for managing the entirety of SAP projects, providing integrated project management capabilities, real-time visibility, and cost-effective solutions that enhance collaboration and streamline SAP S/4HANA implementations.
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SAP Build Putting Developers in the Drivers’ Seat
SAP unveiled new AI-driven capabilities for SAP Build and the SAP Business Data Cloud at TechEd 2025, enhancing developer flexibility with integrations like Cursor and Claude Code, and aiming to equip 12 million professionals with AI training by 2030.
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IBM is RISE with SAP’s New Hyperscaler Option
SAP has launched RISE with SAP on IBM Power Virtual Server, enabling existing SAP S/4HANA customers to migrate to SAP Cloud ERP more efficiently while maintaining architectural consistency and reducing complexity, with additional resources and tools from IBM to support the transition.
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mySAP Business Suite 2005 Features Changes in IPC Usability
The latest release of Internet Pricing and Configurator (IPC), available in October 2005, offers a new Listing Engine that helps you determine whether to allow or exclude certain products for a specific customer. It also has a radical change in its technology layer that leads to greater system stability for users and easier implementation for...…
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