From WAS to AS

During September 2001 SAP started to deliver SAP Web Application Server (WAS) 6.10 (under General Availability), the natural evolution of its proven application server technology. WAS was a new version of SAP R/3 technology foundation called SAP Basis Component (BC) or just simply SAP Basis. WAS introduced open standards technologies like a native web enabling infrastructure, the embracement of the latest technical standards, like HTTP, HTTPS, XML, SMTP and SOAP, was one of the highlights of SAP Web Application Server 6.10. So far no JAVA arrived on scene. After one year (in 2002) a second version of WAS become available. SAP Web Application Server 6.20, one of the key capabilities of the mySAP Technology platform, supports all existing and new releases of mySAP.com (later called only mysap) components, any JAVA 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) based application or any third party or custom developed – as well as a new component of SAP NetWeaver initiative: eXchange Infrastructure (XI) and Enterprise Portal (EP) infrastructure. This application server comprised of 2 stacks: ABAP (as a classic one) and new one: JAVA. After one year (in 2003) a third version of WAS arrived on market. SAP Web Application Server 6.30 had major improvements in its JAVA stack like: J2EE 1.3 support, J2EE Cluster Infrastructure, Java Persistence (Open SQL for JAVA, comprising JDBC and SQLJ; Object-relational persistence), JAVA Development Infrastructure (NetWeaver Developer Studio based on Eclipse project was introduced). Them Web Service Framework based on open industry standards. Web Dynpro was very hot new thing in here as well.

Later during years 2004 and afterwards a strong focus on NetWeaver from SAP was observed. As a major release of SAP NetWeaver ’04 on October 1, 2004 SAP Web Application Server 6.40 was introduced as flag ship WAS release. ABAP stack got aligned up with JAVA development features. There are no overall architecture changes since SAP Web AS 6.30 but main features covers web Dynpro, a runtime and development environment for creating easily adaptable Web based user interfaces. It includes extensive enhancements within SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio as well. JAVA lifecycle management is added as well with the Design Time Repository (DTR), a global System Landscape Directory (SLD), automatic Component Build Service (CBS) and Change Management Services (CMS) similar to the ABAP transport system. Based on those changes development in JAVA gets equal to ABAP development as we always being to do so. Also, the SAP Web AS is now fully J2EE 1.3 compliant and offers limited J2EE 1.4 support (Web Services and JCA (J2EE Connector Architecture) 1.5).

Comparing SAP basis/WAS’s milestones in brief:

• Application Server <6.10
• User access
• SAP GUI
• Web Browser and Mobile Devices via SAP ITS
• User interface programming
• Dynpro
• Programming language
• ABAP
• Connectivity
• RFC
• Access to 3rd party infrastructure via connectors and gateways

• Web Application Server 6.10
• User access
• SAP GUI
• Web Browser and Mobile Devices
• User interface programming
• Dynpro
• BSP (Business Server Pages)
• Programming language
• ABAP
• Connectivity
• RFC
• HTTP(S)
• SMTP
• SOAP/XML

• Web Application Server 6.20
• User access
• SAP GUI
• Web Browser and Mobile Devices
• User interface programming
• Dynpro
• BSP (Business Server Pages)
• JSP (JAVA Server Pages)
• Programming language
• ABAP
• JAVA
• Connectivity
• RFC
• HTTP(S)
• SMTP
• SOAP/XML

• Web Application Server 6.30
• User access
• SAP GUI
• Web Browser and Mobile Devices
• User interface programming
• Dynpro
• Web Dynpro
• BSP (Business Server Pages)
• JSP (JAVA Server Pages)
• Programming language
• ABAP
• JAVA
• Connectivity
• RFC
• HTTP(S)
• SMTP
• SOAP/XML

• Web Application Server 6.40
• Integrated Internet Transaction Server (ITS) in WAS kernel
• User access
• SAP GUI
• Web Browser and Mobile Devices
• Adobe Forms
• User interface programming
• Dynpro
• Web Dynpro
• BSP (Business Server Pages)
• JSP (JAVA Server Pages)
• Programming language
• ABAP core (Shared Objects, Dynamic Assertions & Breakpoints, Dynamic Type Creation)
• ABAP tools (Memory Inspector, New ABAP Debugger, ABAP Unit, ABAP XML)
• JAVA
• Connectivity
• RFC
• HTTP(S)
• SMTP
• SOAP/XML

Since mySAP ERP and its component Enterprise Core Component (ECC) was introduced as successor of SAP Enterprise (before SAP R/3) ERP platform in winter of 2005 SAP started to avoid using word web in technicality of WAS and it stays with application server phrase with combinations like: SAP NetWeaver Application Server (SAP NW AS). The aim in here is to emphases that AS is serving as a common platform to develop any kind of enterprise’s applications like: platform-independent web services, business applications, and standards-based development.