Introduction to SAP Netweaver 7.0 Usage Types(AS ABAP,AS Java,EPC,EP,BI,BI Java,DI,MI,PI)

Systems that are configured for a specific purpose, as indicated by one or more usage types.

Standalone engines that provide one specific (server) function in combination with one or more SAP NetWeaver systems.

Clients used by (many) people from their local front-end PC to access functions offered by systems of SAP NetWeaver or standalone engines in the system landscape.

USAGE TYPES

Application Server ABAP (AS ABAP)

AS ABAP is used to provide the ABAP foundation of SAP NetWeaver. AS ABAP can be combined optionally with other usage types in one system.

Application Server Java (AS Java)

AS Java is used to provide the Java foundation of SAP NetWeaver. AS Java can be combined optionally with other usage types in one system.

Capabilities of AS Java

• J2EE Engine - a J2EE 1.3-compliant application server for running enterprise applications.


• SAP Composite Application Framework Core (CAF Core) is a service-oriented architecture for building and deploying composite applications.


• Web Dynpro is the user interface technology for developing professional business applications for mobile as well as for desktop clients.


• Adobe document services is a set of runtime services that provide a range of form and document creation and manipulation functions.


• SAP Central Process Scheduling by Redwood adds powerful cross-component scheduling functionality to the integration capabilities of SAP NetWeaver. SAP Central Process Scheduling has to be installed separately after the AS Java installation.( http://sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-scheduling.)

EP Core (EPC)

EPC provides the basic portal capabilities for SAP NetWeaver. It brings SAP NetWeaver to the user in a uniform and consistent manner. It offers a single point of access through a Web front end to SAP and non-SAP information sources, enterprise applications, information repositories, databases and services across organizational and technical boundaries - all integrated into a single user experience. Usage type EPC is a prerequisite for using the portal add-on capabilities provided by usage type EP. EPC alone provides more flexibility when implementing a portal where the full enterprise portal capabilities are not needed.

EPC requires AS Java as a prerequisite in the same system. Optionally, it can be combined with other usage types in one system.

In addition to the Web front end capabilities, EPC contains the Universal Worklist and Guided Procedures (GP):

• Universal Worklist offers users unified and centralized access to their work and relevant information from within the portal. It collects tasks and notifications from multiple provider systems – Business Workflow, Collaboration Task, Alert Framework and KM Recent Notifications and displays them in a single list.


• Guided Procedures (GP) is a framework for modeling and managing processes that involve access to multiple back-end systems. GP enables runtime collaboration and execution of ad-hoc items. It also allows the invocation of various types of applications and services within a process, such as Web Dynpro and Business Server Pages (BSP) applications, and RFCs.

Enterprise Portal (EP)

EP requires EPC and AS Java as a prerequisite in the same system. Optionally, it can be combined with other usage types in one system.

The following portal add-on capabilities are tightly integrated into usage type EP:

• Knowledge Management (KM) enables portal users to distribute, access, and manage unstructured information within an organization in a heterogeneous repository landscape.


• Collaboration brings users, information, and applications together to ensure successful cooperation and interaction in the portal.


• Visual Composer is a powerful modeling tool that facilitates the creation of content on top of the SAP NetWeaver platform, enabling model-driven application development via a visual user interface rather than manually writing code.


• PDK for .NET offers a set of tools that enables Microsoft .NET developers to build portal content for SAP NetWeaver Portal.


• Adobe Flex server models applications that run in the Flash runtime, the Adobe Flex server is required to compile applications modeled in Visual Composer to Flash .swf files, for deployment to the portal.


• Application Sharing Server provides data streaming services that enable application sharing capabilities provided by SAP NetWeaver Collaboration. The server handles the flow of data between portal users collaborating through the real-time-collaboration-based application sharing feature.

Optionally, you can install the following add-ons on top of EP:

• Forums application provides a comprehensive range of discussion features which are particularly suitable for community scenarios. Forums typically focus on a specific purpose like support or human resources or they might offer customers a place to trade product tips and solutions.

• Web Page Composer add-on enables departments to create and publish Web sites for a company intranet or an external information portal.

Business Intelligence (BI)

BI provides the foundation for scenarios such as Enterprise Data Warehousing, Enterprise Reporting, Query, and Analysis, and Business Planning and Analytical Services. It includes the complete ABAP stack of the SAP NetWeaver BI data warehouse and BI platform units.

BI requires AS ABAP as a prerequisite in the same system. Optionally, it can be combined with other usage types in one system as well. Usually, scenarios running on usage type BI also require usage type BI Java - be aware that no matter if you run BI and BI Java in the same or in separate systems, you must keep them in sync concerning applied Support Package Stacks.

Business Intelligence Java Components (BI Java)

BI Java is used to provide the Java runtime for IT scenarios such as Enterprise Reporting, Query, and Analysis as well as Business Planning and Analytical Services. It enables variants such as Information Broadcasting and Ad-hoc Query & Analysis. It also enables Web Dynpro-based BI applications and third party data access via Universal Data Integration.

BI Java requires AS Java and EPC and EP in the same system. Optionally, it can be combined with other usage types in one system. Usually, scenarios running on usage type BI Java also require usage types BI and AS ABAP.

While installing BI Java, AS Java, EPC and EP get installed automatically. After configuring BI Java, you do not need to perform further steps in AS Java, EPC and EP.

Development Infrastructure (DI)

Development Infrastructure of SAP NetWeaver is used to provide the environment for all processes of Java-based development and Java-based software life-cycle management. DI requires AS Java as a prerequisite in the same system. Optionally, it can be combined with other usage types in one system.

For each IT scenario that uses SAP NetWeaver Development Infrastructure (NWDI), the following two Java development scenarios of NWDI define to what extent NWDI is used:

• Java Projects with Central Source File Storage: Development with central source code versioning only (that is, only DTR is used).


• Developing Components with the NWDI: All services of the Development Infrastructure and SAP's component model are used.

Mobile Infrastructure (MI)

Mobile Infrastructure is used to enable field personnel to participate in a business process in an "occasionally connected" mode. Occasionally connected means that a direct connection (using WLAN or GPRS) between mobile device and back end is only established at certain times - at synchronization points, when the Mobile Infrastructure Server (that is, the system with usage type MI) and Mobile Infrastructure Client exchange data in order to keep server and client updated.

Mobile Infrastructure uses Jakarta Tomcat 3.2.4.

MI requires AS ABAP and AS Java as prerequisites in the same system. Although technically possible, it is not recommended to combine MI with other usage types (besides AS ABAP and AS Java) in one system at the moment. Instead, it is recommended to install a dedicated MI system.

Process Integration (PI)

PI consists of core components that model, design, automate, and integrate processes in one or more application systems. For the integration of internal and cross-company processes, PI is used to incorporate all the functions of what was formerly known as Exchange Infrastructure (XI). In addition, PI contains core components for Business Process Management for application-embedded

and application-unbounded processes.

The service J2EE Adapter Engine (PI/XI) is also part of usage type PI. You use J2EE Adapter Engine (PI/XI) to connect to SAP systems (RFC adapter) and external systems.

We can use the J2EE Adapter Engine (PI/XI) that is part of your PI system as a central J2EE Adapter Engine (PI/XI).Optionally (for performance reasons), we can install a non-central J2EE Adapter Engine (PI/XI) separately as a system with AS Java and parts of the usage type PI on a separate host.

In addition, Partner Connectivity Kit (PCK) runs on AS Java with parts of the usage type PI.

PI requires AS ABAP and AS Java as prerequisites in the same system. Optionally, it can be combined with other usage types in one system.

It is recommended to have a dedicated PI system. For PI, it is a prerequisite that no other system in your system landscape has a higher release than the PI system. Although it should be technically possible to run an application system with a higher release than your PI system in your system landscape, this is not supported by SAP (apart from the exceptions listed in SAP Note 1043047).