Introduction to SAP

Intro to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Problem:
o The traditional corporation interaction setup is a decentralized system where
each department (e.g. Sales, Inventory, Production planning, Accounting, HR,
etc.) has their own isolated system. In order to transfer files (given different
operating platform e.g. Java and C) or communicated between the department, a
tedious and time consuming process is done.
o Also exposed to
Data duplication and probable inconsistency of information between
departments.
Customer Dissatisfaction/ Vendor conflict
Solution:
o SAP ERP creates a central database (centralized system) between these
departments.
Provides Real-time update Efficient communication and
logistics/interaction between departments
E.g. Accounting automatically determines the volume sold through
the system, instead of the Sales department informing them
manually, thus can pay vendors appropriately
E.g. Production planning is notified real-time if the stocks in
Inventory are low.

History of SAP RESEARCH FOR MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC

Formation
o When Xerox aimed to exit the computer industry in 1975, they asked IBM to
migrate their business systems to IBM technology.
o As part of IBM's compensation for the migration, IBM was given the rights to
the Scientific Data Systems (SDS)/SAPE software
Reportedly for a contract credit of $80,000.
o Five IBM engineers from the AI department (Dietmar Hopp, Klaus Tschira, HansWerner Hector, Hasso Plattner, and Claus Wellenreuther, all from Mannheim,
Baden-Wrttemberg) were working in an enterprise-wide system based on this
software, only to be told that it would be no longer necessary
Rather than abandon the project, they decided to leave IBM Tech and
start another company
o In June 1970, they founded Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte ("System
Analysis and Program Development") company, as a private partnership under
the German Civil Code.
o Instead of storing the data on punch cards mechanically, as IBM did, they stored
it locally. Therefore, they called their software a real-time system

(for this reason their flagship product carried an R in its name until the late
1990s)
R real-time
o This first version was also standalone software that could be offered to other
interested parties.
Enterprise resource planning
o 1973
the first commercial product was launched
SAP R/98
o 1979
SAP launched SAP R/2
o 1992
SAP released the new SAP R/3
o By the mid-1990s
SAP followed the trend from mainframe computing to client/server
architectures
The development of SAPs internet strategy with mySAP.com redesigned
the concept of business processes (integration via Internet)
o

SAP Architecture Version

Architecture Version
R/1

Architecture Tier
1-tier

R/2

2-tier

R/3

3-tier

SAP 5 key topic areas:

Netweaver
o SAP business suite
Contains ECC, SRM, etc.
ECC for retail
SRM for product planning

Description
Server1 = Presentation +
Application + Database
Server1 = Presentation
Server2 = Application +
Database
Server1 = Presentation
SAP GUI / Web
Browser
Server2 = Application
ABAP
Server3 = Database
RDBMS


2 Typical platforms used for SAP

ABAP based
o Original programming language for SAP
o Most commonly used in SAP
o Parts:
Basis
Administrator/ Application layer
Also commonly referred as the profession (administrator)
Security
System Security
Assigns role & authorization of users
Java based
ABAP + Java based

SAP Product Lifecycle

Phases
o Evaluation
o Project Preparation
o Business Blueprint
Mapping
o Realization
Actual work
o Testing
o Final Preparation
Using changes from testing
o Go Live
o Sustain Support
Note: Can be applied to other aspects as well (e.g. Car design and manufacturing)

SAP Basis Administrator

System/ Database admin

Maintains the system to ensure it works/ runs 24/7
Task: RESEARCH FOR MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC
o System Architect
o Transport Admin
Transport change in the system
o Batch Admin
Schedules program execution ( Regular basis)
o Security Specialist
o ABAP Specialist
o DDIC Manager
o SAP DBA

o
o
o

System Admin
Interface Analyst
Integration of 3rd party software to the system
Solution Specialist

SAP frequent transactions used

Transactions
SM04 AL08

SM51
SM37
SM50 SM66

SM12

PFCG
SM13
SM21
SM02
R220

SAP System Technical Architecture

SAP System Architecture

Description
User list
SM04 for local
AL08 for global
Display Application servers
Background Job Overview
Manage Work Process
Monitor services (applications)
SM50 for local
SM66 for global
Manage Lock Entries
E.g. Concurrent access to an
application is not allowed (e.g.
when one is editing, the other can
only view)
Maintain Roles
Manage Update Records
Analyze System Log
Send System Messages
Cross-system Monitoring

Advantage of 3-tier architecture

o Scalability
Expandable allowing support to more users
o Portability
Can be used in different platforms at all levels
o Interoperability and Openness
o Nice GUI
Note: Presentation Layer no SAP for MAC
Application Layer components: RESEARCH FOR MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC
o Dispatcher
Dispatches application function to work processes
o ICM
For web related (internet) request
I.e. input comes from the internet
Maximum 1 ICM per server/ instance
Acts similar to dispatcher
o Work processes
Parts:
Dialog (D)
o For SAP user interaction(Interactive)
o At least 2 per dispatcher
o Communicates with non-dialog work processes (i.e.
background, update, spool, and enqueuer)

Background (B)
o Background jobs
o Non-interactive (execute programs w/o user interaction)
o Usually scheduled execution of programs
o At least 2 per SAP system
o Can be more than 1 per dispatcher
Update (V)
o Update database
Includes insert, delete, and modify
Spool (S)
o Handles print processes
o Requires at least one spool work process per SAP system
o Can be more than 1 per dispatcher
Enqueue (E)
o Only one in the whole SAP system
o Handles lock table in the shared memory
o Flag for lock
To ensure 1 user edits a file at a time
Message (M)
o To increase the load(users) capacity of the system,
increasing the number of servers will be required
Allows scalability
o The Message server serves as the controlling element to
these multiple servers.
Task include load balancing
o There should only be one message server in a system
o This server is referred as the central instance
Note: Instance= Dispatcher + Work processes
Gateway (G)
o Interface to other types of network
o Interface w/ other gateway
o 1 gateway per dispatcher
o Interface between SAP systems and external application
system
o Interfaces with the database

SAP Web AS RESEARCH FOR MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC

SAP Netweaver Application Server

A component of the solution which works as a web application server to SAP solution
o The foundation on which most of their product range runs
Open front and back end