SAP NetWeaver Components : Integration Layers

In my last post, I gave a brief introduction on SAP NetWeaver which is the enterprise portal / integration platform for SAP. In this post, I would provide a foundation for the various components that are part of the SAP NetWeaver. This would form a basis for my upcoming posts on how the integration actually takes place in each of these components.

[Quick Reference]: SAP NetWeaver helps in integrating business processes, business applications and databases from a number of sources using web based services.

What makes SAP NetWeaver unique?
It is the first fully interoperable web based cross application platform that can be used to develop not only SAP applications but others as well. So with NetWeaver, a developer can integrate information and processes from various platforms or technologies such as Java technologies, IBM Websphere, and Microsoft’s .NET etc.

Components:
SAP NetWeaver consists of three integration layers and an application platform. The integration layers include, people integration, information integration and process integration.



People Integration – This layer ensures that users have information at hand and are able to process it quickly. This layer mainly consists of SAP Enterprise Portal and SAP Mobile Infrastructure.

Information Integration – Information Integration provides access to all structured and unstructured information in an enterprise. Information integration consists of SAP Business Information Warehouse, knowledge management, a component of the SAP Enterprise Portal, and Master Data Management.


Process Integration – Process Integration is used to streamline business processes across the company using the systems available. Process integration used XML data packages and workflow scenarios. However, the mian component used in process integration is SAP Exchange Infrastructure (XI).


Application platform - This is the SAP Web Application Server, which supports both the J2EE and ABAP runtime environments. Web applications and web services can be developed easily with the help of the application platform.

References:
http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-xi
http://sapdocs.info/sap/netweaver/sap-netweaver-basics-and-components/
http://www.oies.es/oies/images/svc_sapnetweaver2.gif

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