Martin Maruskin blog (something about SAP): From SAP NetWeaver to ABAP Platform

Saturday, July 17, 2021

From SAP NetWeaver to ABAP Platform

This post can be simply called as how SAP got from SAP NetWeaver (approx. 1997-2020 even till end of 2030 if we count extended maintenance) to ABAP Platform (2018 or 2019 onwards). This includes relations between all NetWeaver components like SAP Kernel, NetWeaver/BASIS/ABAP component/ABAP platform and corresponding ERP version (on-premise only).

In past there was an SAP term SAP NetWeaver, which was (still is) an umbrella term for SAP’s software stack. It represents an underlying technology component that provides a runtime environment for many SAP applications. Its roots goes back to year 1997 where it started as an internet portal technology (JAVA stack). Afterward an ABAP stack was added into NW Application Server. Other components were added meanwhile too (e.g. Business Warehouse (BW), Enterprise Portal (EP), Process Integration (PI)/Process Orchestration (PO), Master Data Management (MDM), etc.). Thus, it can be called as product family term. Over the years its name was changing. From SAP Web Application Server (although Application server is just a component of NW, this was during a times of SAP R/3 Enterprise) to just SAP NetWeaver. Then to NetWeaver 2004 (mySAP ERP 2004, SAP ECC Core). Subsequently to NetWeaver 2004s (SAP Business Suite). Followed by a name NetWeaver 7.0 (SAP ERP 6.0). The NetWeaver 7.0 had its versions: 7.01, 7.02, 7.03 and 7.31. Next major releases was NetWeaver 7.4 and NetWeaver 7.5. From 7.5 was first release to be used for next generation of *4 products like S/4 (SAP S/4HANA), BW/4 (SAP BW/4HANA). The NetWeaver 7.5 has its versions: 7.50, 7.51 (Innovation Package) and 7.52.

The SAP NetWeaver reached its maturity level and now it is not being developed any more. Instead, it is being transitioned to ABAP Platform. ABAP Platform provides technology and integration platform underlying SAP’s digital core. The new ABAP Platform (1809) is the foundation of the S/4HANA products starting with S/4HANA 1809.

One of differences while comparing ABAP platform to NetWeaver AS ABAP is that the ABAP platform is not shipped independently but only indirectly. That means it is embedded with the shipment of SAP S/4HANA. Applying of patches can be done separately.

Versioning of the ABAP Platform followed two digits that describes a year followed by another two digits that describes a month when the version was shipped - YYMM. E.g. ABAP Platform 1809 was shipped in September 2018. This was valid until year 2020 year when versioning of SAP S/4HANA was changed. Going forward on-premise releases are named for the year only (YYYY). This started from S/4HANA 2020 in October 2020. However, cloud releases of S/4 are continuing with the YYMM naming convention. As the ABAP Platform follows the S/4 versioning, it changed too.

For details on how long classic SAP NetWeaver will be supported refer to my blog post Life after life of SAP NetWeaver and Business Suite/ECC.

Below is an overview table that depicts a relations between SAP Kernel, NetWeaver / BASIS / ABAP component /ABAP Platform and corresponding ERP version with almost all its versions. Notice that these are on-premise versions only.