SAP

                      SAP stands for Systems Applications and Products in data processing.SAP  is an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system by SAP AG,company based out of Walldorf in Germany. AG is derived from the German word AKtiengesellschaft.  According to German Language SAP Stands for Systeme, Anwendungen und Produkte in Der Datenverarbeitung.SAP software suite that is being implemented as part of re-engineering and Provides end to end solutions for financial, logistics, distribution, inventories. Present scenario large number of companies are using sap software for their day to day business activities.

History & Features Of SAP :-
        SAP Founded in and around 1972 by five IBM engineers Hopp,  Wellenreuther, Hector, Tschira and Plattner.

Architecture Of SAP

SAP R/1 :-     

         The first version of SAP software was launched in and around 1972  known as the "R/1 system. R"stands for real-time data processing. it is one tier architecture in which three layers Presentation, Application and Database are installed in one system/server
         In this scenario all the layers are present in one box which is very risky and this is not used.

SAP R/1 Architecture

SAP R/2 :-

             In 1979 second version of SAP R/2 was released. with IBM’s database and a dialogue-oriented business application. SAP R/2 to handle different languages and currencies. R/2 is 2 tier architecture in which three layers Presentation, Application and Database are installed in two separate server.

             In this scenario Presentation Layer, Application layer are present in one box and Database layer in another box this is the another scenario which is still used by some companies which is little risky because if one is effected then the another layer may get effected.

SAP R/2 Architecture 

SAP R/3 :-

              SAP upgraded R/2 to R/3. SAP R/3 is the client/server version of the software and it is 3 tier architecture in which three layers Presentation, Application and data base are installed in three server/system.

               In this scenario all the layers Presentation Layer, Application layer and Database layer are place in different boxes which is recommended by SAP because each and every box are different.Most af the companies now are using this scenario i.e r/3.

SAP R/3 Architecture

Types of Work processes

Presentation  :-

             This is where users of the SAP R/3 System will submit input to the SAP R/3 System for the processing of their business transactions.It is also where the output from these transactions appears as output fields, reports, tables and spread sheets.

Application  :-This layer consists of  Presentation Components, SAP Applications, Kernel & Basis Services and ABAP Workbench.

Presentation Components :- The presentation components are responsible for the interaction between the R/3 System and the user. Based on the request received, presentation components inform to the client system, which screen should be presented to the end user.

SAP Applications :- An appropriate SAP Application responsible for accomplishing the request is identified by the presentation components & is provided to the kernel & Basis services.

Kernel & Basis Services :- It provides the run time environment to process the SAP Application along with the data & return results to the end user.

ABAP Workbench :- It is a development environment that provides the necessary tools to develop new SAP Applications or customize the existing SAP Applications.

Database :-

            Each SAP R/3 System is linked to a database system, it consisting of a database management system (DBMS) and the database itself. The applications do not communicate directly with the database. Instead, they use Basis services.                 

Sap Products  :-

Sap Business Solution 

 

Sap Industrial Solution

Sap Solution For Small & Midsize Enterprises 

Sap Platforms & Framework

SAP Platform 

SAP Framework

Sap Legacy Platform :- SAP R/2, SAP R/3

Other SAP Tools :-

SAP R/3 Application Modules :-

 

SAP Functional Modules

FICO – Finance ; Control

PP – Production Planning

MM – Material Management

SD – Sales & Distribution

HR – Human Resources

SAP Technical Modules

ABAP – Advanced business applications programming

XI -  Exchange Infrastructure

Net viewer

Basis

BIW – Business Information Warehousing

SAP Landscape :-

              Landscape is like a server system or like a layout of the servers or some may even call it the architecture of the servers viz. SAP is divided into three different landscape DEV, QAS and PRD.

– DEV would have multiple clients for ex: 190- Sandbox, 100- Golden, 180 – Unit Test. 

– QAS may again have multiple clients for ex: 300- Integration Test, 700 to 710 Training. 

– PRD may have something like a 200 Production.

             These names and numbers are the implementer’s discreet on how they want it or they have been using in their previous implementations or how is the client’s business scenario. 

              Now whatever you do in the Sandbox doesn’t affect the other servers or clients. Whenever you think you are satisfied with your configuration and you think you can use it moving forward, you RE-DO it in the golden client (remember, this is a very neat and clean client and you cannot use it for rough usage). As you re-do everything that you had thought was important and usable, you get a transport request pop up upon saving every time. You save it under a transport request and give your description to it. Thus the configuration is transported to the Unit Test client (180 in this example). 

              You don’t run any transaction or even use the SAP Easy Access screen on the 100 (golden) client. This is a configuration only client. Now upon a successful transport by the Basis guy, you have all the configuration in the Testing client, just as it is in the Golden client. The configuration remains in sync between these two clients. 

              But in the Testing client you cannot even access SPRO  (Display IMG) screen. It’s a transaction only client where you perform the unit test. Upon a satisfactory unit test, you move the good configuration to the next SERVER (DEV). The incorrect or unsatisfactory configuration is corrected in Golden (may again as well be practiced in the sandbox prior to Golden) and accordingly transported back to 180 (Unit Test) until the unit test affected by that particular config is satisfactory. 

               The Golden client remains the ‘database’ (if you wanna call it that) or you may rather call it the ‘ultimate’ reference client for all the good, complete and final configuration that is being used in the implementation.

In summary: 

Landscape : It is the arrangement for the servers

IDES : It is purely for education purpose and is NOT INCLUDED in the landscape

           DEVELOPMENT —> QUALITY —-> PRODUCTION

DEVELOPMENT : is where the the consultants do the customization as per the 

                         company’s requirement.  

QUALITY : is where the core team members and other members test the 

                customization. 

PRODUCTION : It is where the live data of the company is recorded.

A request will flow from Dev -> Qual -> Prod and not backwards.

1. Sandbox server: In the initial stages of any implementation project, you are  

    given a sandbox server where you do all the configuration/customization as 

    per the company’s business process.

2. Development Server: – Once the BBP gets signed off, the configuration is 

    done is development server and saved in workbench requests, to be 

    transported to Production server.

3. Production Server: This is the last/ most refined client where the user will 

    work after project GO LIVE. Any changes/ new development is done is 

    development client and the request is transported to production.

These three are landscape of any Company. They organized their office in these three way. Developer develop their program in Development server and then transport it to test server. In testing server tester check/test the program and then transport it to Production Server. Later it will deploy to client from production server.

Presentaion Server- Where SAP GUI have. 

Application Server – Where SAP Installed. 

Database Server – Where Database installed.