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?

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.

- SAP ECC 6.0
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Published: 15/September/2010

Reading time: 10 mins

Companies who have vendors manage the inventory in their stores for specific stock keeping units often opt to use Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI). VMI improves customer service, reduces inventory requirements, and improves customer retention. Discover how to seamlessly execute VMI across demand planning, Supply Network Planning, and sales and distribution. Key Concept Vendor-Managed Inventory is an...…
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Published: 01/April/2005

Reading time: 14 mins

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RF-Enable Logistics Transactions for Automated Data Collection in Real Time

Published: 01/December/2003

Reading time: 18 mins

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Safety Stock: Which Method Is Right for You?

Published: 02/September/2009

Reading time: 141 mins

Learn about various methods of safety stock supported by standard SAP Advanced Planning & Optimization (SAP APO), including a new method that provides a more cost-effective way of managing safety stocks in a supply chain. Key Concept Supply chains are exposed to multiple uncertain influencing factors, such as demand upsurges or production disruptions. Safety stock...…
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Published: 14/May/2013

Reading time: 3 mins

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- SAP Financial Planning
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Published: 15/November/2003

Reading time: 11 mins

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Web Channel Experience Management – The New Way to Do E-Commerce

Published: 13/June/2012

Reading time: 8 mins

SAP Web Channel Experience Management allows businesses to turn the Internet into a sales and interaction channel. It does this by providing a common platform that supports multichannel self-service interactions across e-commerce, e-marketing, and e-service. This new SAP offering should eventually replace the older SAP ERP Central Component and CRM Internet Sales solutions. Key Concept...…
Design SAP NetWeaver BW for APO SNP Reporting and Save Your Planners’ Time

Published: 22/March/2012

Reading time: 13 mins

SAP Advanced Planning & Optimization (SAP APO) Supply Network Planning (SNP) is used by supply planners in many companies for distribution requirements planning (DRP) and master production scheduling (MPS). However, it is not user friendly to log in to SAP SNP books to display planning data. Instead, I show how to display the data on...…
SAMPLE: Design SAP NetWeaver BW for APO SNP Reporting and Save Your Planners’ Time

Published: 22/March/2012

Reading time: 13 mins

SAP Advanced Planning & Optimization (SAP APO) Supply Network Planning (SNP) is used by supply planners in many companies for distribution requirements planning (DRP) and master production scheduling (MPS). However, it is not user friendly to log in to SAP SNP books to display planning data. Instead, I show how to display the data on...…
A Roadmap to Effective Business Process Management

Published: 13/July/2010

Reading time: 13 mins

ManagerThis guide to an enterprise-wide business process management (BPM) strategy focuses on the features in SAP Solution Manager that you can use for the four phases of BPM. It also highlights the use of solution maps and third-party products (such as ARIS, HP Quality Center, and HP QuickTest Professional) that have standard integration adapters for...…