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Basic questions about NetWeaver

Former Member
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Hi experts,

Here am I with a big headache caused by the Netweaver concept which I can hardly understand. So, I would be grateful if you could give me some hints on these questions even if they sound foolish:

1. Is SAP-Gui an obsolete concept with Netweaver? That is, has the classical SAP-gui screen been replaced by a web site based on something like an Internet Explorer?

2. If I have a ITS attached now to a classical R/3 to convert some screens to the internet protocol, will this ITS be unnecessary once I go to Netweaver? I understood that the Netweaver WAS incorporates something like an ITS.

3. From my vague understanding of WAS, I reckon this is the name of the new "Development platform" of SAP, sort of workbench, with the difference that from now on, Java will be a possible language, as well as ABAP, for development, and also other "functionalities" are part of the kit: an internet server replacing the ITS, etc. Am I on the right track to consider WAS as a new and extended workbench?

4. All the classical R/3 modules are now part of the so-called "mySAP ERP". Right? So, let's say that mySAP ERP is the new brand which includes the old MM, PP, FI, CO, and so on.

5. I have read some threads about the ECC, but I can't get to the real meaning. Is the portal a web development delivered by SAP with some ready functionality? or is it just a basis on which we have to actually develop the functionalities? Is mySAP ERP part of the ECC? or rather, is ECC something that is connecting to mySAP ERP behind?

6. The easy-to-understand approach of a Development-Integration-Production platform in a classical R/3 schema, is it still valid with the Netweaver approach? I see so many elements in it (WAS, Portal, ECC, mySAP ERP, XI, etc) that I somehow get lost in this fuss and I can't see if Dev-Integr-Prod. is obsolete, and we need a hell of new systems to cope with it...

7. Where do the xApps fit into this tricky map? is it something to develop from the new development platform (WAS)? are the xApps a sort of RFC that we can call from an external system? what is really an xApp?

Well, that's all for now. Either I get some help from you, or my head will collapse. Sorry, but I wasn't able to get help on these issues, with an easy-to-understand vocabulary...

Thanks in advance.

Ray

Accepted Solutions (1)

Accepted Solutions (1)

Former Member
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Hi Rich (and the rest),

Sure your comments throw a heaven of light on my doubts. Still remains unanswered my question about xApps (for anyone willing to unveil the sense for me):

7. Where do the xApps fit into this tricky map? is it something to develop from the new development platform (WAS)? are the xApps a sort of RFC that we can call from an external system? what is really an xApp?

And with regards to the answered ones, I still have to rephrase some of the issues:

1. Let me reword my question: is this "single point of access" (called ECC) running on the classical SAPgui?

2. Again referring to the ECC, I've come to imagine it as a company-website in which the menues are configured for each employee, and every "button" on the website can be running different applications (ABAP RFC's, JSP's, etc) on different places (Financials, SRM, etc)... Does it make sense at all? How would a classic report be executed from a web portal? would a button on the screen call an RFC which calls the report, and then the selection screen is reproduced?...

Again: thanks, as all the info I get here and there seems too technical even if I have some background on the tech side.

Ray

RichHeilman
Developer Advocate
Developer Advocate
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<i>1. Let me reword my question: is this "single point of access" (called ECC) running on the classical SAPgui?</i>

ECC is just the new name for R/3, so to answer the question, yes you use SAPgui to interact with your ECC system, just like you used it in previous versions of R/3.

<i>2. Again referring to the ECC, I've come to imagine it as a company-website in which the menues are configured for each employee, and every "button" on the website can be running different applications (ABAP RFC's, JSP's, etc) on different places (Financials, SRM, etc)... Does it make sense at all? How would a classic report be executed from a web portal? would a button on the screen call an RFC which calls the report, and then the selection screen is reproduced?...</i>

What you are desribing here is not ECC, it would be the Netweaver Portal. Two totally different things. In your portal, you can have an iView which is really a jsp page which uses jCo to call an RFC function module in your ECC system, Likewise, you can do the same, but to a BW system. Or another outside application using webservices. There are a lot of possibilities.

Just to reiterate, ECC is the core component, it is really R/3 with a name change.

Netweaver Portal is a webbased app that runs on the java engine.

REgards,

Rich HEilman

Answers (1)

Answers (1)

RichHeilman
Developer Advocate
Developer Advocate
0 Kudos

Hi Ray, I'll take a stab at it.

<i>1. Is SAP-Gui an obsolete concept with Netweaver? That is, has the classical SAP-gui screen been replaced by a web site based on something like an Internet Explorer?</i>

Yes and No. Currently you use SAPgui to access ECC 6.0 system, which runs on Netweaver ABAP stack, which is the latest release. But I do believe that Project Muse may push SAPgui asside in the future.

<i>2. If I have a ITS attached now to a classical R/3 to convert some screens to the internet protocol, will this ITS be unnecessary once I go to Netweaver? I understood that the Netweaver WAS incorporates something like an ITS.</i>

I believe that is correct, the ITS is a part of the Application Server.

<i>3. From my vague understanding of WAS, I reckon this is the name of the new "Development platform" of SAP, sort of workbench, with the difference that from now on, Java will be a possible language, as well as ABAP, for development, and also other "functionalities" are part of the kit: an internet server replacing the ITS, etc. Am I on the right track to consider WAS as a new and extended workbench?</i>

WAS has been renamed to SAP Netweaver Appliation Server and it has two stacks. The ABAP stack which you access via SAPgui and is the technlogy layer under ECC 6.0, and the java stack which runs underneath the SAP Netweaver Portal. The NW Application Server ABAP Stack is the technology layer which includes all of the development tools and the system infrastructure. The basic components which allow the system to run. This is very simular to the "Basis" layer of eariler SAP versions, but greatly enhanced. Development done for the ABAP stack is done thru SE80 via SAPgui. The java stack is a little different, you do your development locally using NWDS and deploy your appliation to the java engine(stack).

<i>4. All the classical R/3 modules are now part of the so-called "mySAP ERP". Right? So, let's say that mySAP ERP is the new brand which includes the old MM, PP, FI, CO, and so on.</i>

Yes, all modules of the previous named R/3 are there. my SAP ERP also includes other bolt-on applications.

<i>5. I have read some threads about the ECC, but I can't get to the real meaning. Is the portal a web development delivered by SAP with some ready functionality? or is it just a basis on which we have to actually develop the functionalities? Is mySAP ERP part of the ECC? or rather, is ECC something that is connecting to mySAP ERP behind?</i>

ECC 6.0 is the core component, formerly named R/3. ECC is just one part of the mySAP ERP package. The Netweaver Portal is actually a bunch of java classes delievered by SAP which when deployed to your java stack allows for one point of entry to the users. It is a role-based frontend. You create iViews and assign them to roles and assign roles to your users. The iViews can be running pretty much any application, Web Dynpro ABAP, Web Dynpro Java, BSP, JSP, etc, etc. The are SAP Delivered business packages that you can deploy that are standard applications.

<i>6. The easy-to-understand approach of a Development-Integration-Production platform in a classical R/3 schema, is it still valid with the Netweaver approach? I see so many elements in it (WAS, Portal, ECC, mySAP ERP, XI, etc) that I somehow get lost in this fuss and I can't see if Dev-Integr-Prod. is obsolete, and we need a hell of new systems to cope with it...</i>

Yes, on the ABAP stack, you still have the TMS(Transport Management System), the java side also as something simular, it is called the JDI, or NWDI.(Netweaver Development Infrastucture) and it mimics the TMS on the ABAP, sort of.

<i>7. Where do the xApps fit into this tricky map? is it something to develop from the new development platform (WAS)? are the xApps a sort of RFC that we can call from an external system? what is really an xApp?</i>

Can't answer that one. Sorry.

Hope this was a little helpful.

Regards,

Rich Heilman