Security aspects of TA SE16

You might be probably all aware about security breaches within TA SE11 - Data Browser. I also mentioned this TA in my previous post regarding Secure programming in ABAP. Trick here is much known between SAP people. I’m not going to repeat it but by few key strokes into transaction code field of SAP GUI you can seriously touch the data inside any SAP table and therefore caused data inconsistency even an fraud. Protection against such a activity needs to be implemented. 

Therefore I list here few important SAP Notes dealing with this topic:

26909 - SE16 - Security

1133739 - Security note: Security gap in Data Browser (SE16)

763269 - Line-by-line authorization check in SE16

1224620 - Authorization check S_TCODE for SE16 in background jobs

947557 - Authorization check S_TCODE for SE16 from SE11

546797 - FAQ Data Browser (SE16)

Plus few more blogs:

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs?blog=/pub/wlg/16205

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs?blog=/pub/wlg/16302

Layered Scalable Architecture (LSA) of SAP

Is concept that can be used for modeling of Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW). Concept as itself is dividing and grouping your EDW objects into dedicated horizontal layers. Those layers represent services for particular tasks (Data acquisition, Consolidation, Propagation, Reporting, etc.) Such a concept tends from raw, granular unconsolidated data to business specific information and intelligence. Furthermore there can be implemented also vertical domains across organizational structures, regions or time zones in for of semantic partitioning across all layers.


Such a concept is pursuing all the holy grails of DW like single version of truth, non-silos data, solid and non-volatile data basis etc. Basically definition of LSA by SAP is reference architecture to design transparent, complete, comprehensive customer DWH architectures (Customer LSA). This does describes corporate standards to build BI applications in a performant, maintainable, flexible manner.

Problem with SAP NetWeaver? Use SAP’s PAG !

Recently I found very nice collection of useful tips how to solve particular problems within SAP software. It is provided directly by SAP and it is called Problem Analysis Guide (PAG). Basically it is a list of Problem Analysis scenarios (PAS). This includes all the activities and sequence’s of activities which needs to be performed in order to solve particular problem related to SAP NetWeaver installation. It does contain a list of tool supposed to be used in identification/solving of problems as well. More over description of problem behavior how it can be identified within system’s logs. Following areas are covered in PAG according SAP NW usage types:

·         Usage Type Application Server ABAP

·         Usage Type Application Server Java

·         Usage Type Enterprise Portal

·         Usage Type Mobile Infrastructure

·         Usage Type Business Intelligence

·         Usage Type Process Integration

·         Usage Type Development Infrastructure

·         Administration of Standalone Engines

·         General Administration: Security

In case of SAP NW BW there are documented possible problems within UD Connect and Business Planning – in particular BW-IP. Hope more content about BW topics will be covered soon.

PAG is available via online documentation site here.

What's new in SAP NW BW 7.0 across different EhP ?

Here comes another blog post as addition to previous one related to new functionalities of SAP NW BW per different SPS. As obvious first blog post was related to changes across Support Package Stack (SPS) and this one is related to EhP) for SAP NetWeaver (NW).kaho Enhancement Packahes garding SAP BW here.new functionalities delivered by EhPs. So far (May 2010) there are two Enhancement Packages (EhP) for SAP NetWeaver (NW).

  

EhP 1 also known as SAP EhP 1 for SAP NW 7.0 (from BW point of view: SAP NW BW 7.01) was introduced around April 2008. Here’s its SDN homepage. Release restriction SAP Note here. For BW functionalities see here. For Online documentation see here.

EhP 2 also known as SAP EhP 2 for SAP NW 7.0 (from BW point of view: SAP NW BW 7.02) was introduced around April 2010. Here’s its SDN homepage. See SAP Note with enhancement here here. For BW functionalities see here. For Online documentation see here.

EhP 3 might be released in next two years – 2012?

- update 26/08/2012 – 

EHP 3 – Was introduces approximately around 10.2.2011. See online documentation of NW 7.0 here. What’s new from BW point of view see here. Release restriction note: 1557825. 

Complete SDN's page with overview of all EHPs for NW 7.0: here.

SAP Business User software

SAP Business User is a term used by SAP as its 4th main product group along existing ones: NetWeaver, Business Suite, Business ByDesign. It was introduced around year 2007 as next generation set of applications gained by BOBJ acquisition. It refers to category software which covers needs of specific organization users out of ERP systems.

It has following categories:

1. EPM - Enterprise Performance Management: Business Planning Consolidation (BPC); Strategy Management; Profitability and Cost Management

2. GRC - Government, Risk and Compliance:  Risk Management; Process Control; Environment Health and Safety; Access Control; Global Trade Services

3. IDD - Information Discovery and Delivery: Reporting Dashboarding and Visualization; Advance Analytics; Query, Reporting and Analyses; Search and Navigation

4. IM - Information/Data Management: Data Integration; Master Data Management; Data Quality Management; Metadata Management

SAP sees huge potential out of this Business User software. They expects to get more then 50% of revenue. If you compare how much they get from ERP it is huge number.

Overview of particular products comprised in SAP Business User Stack:

1. EPM: BOBJ Cartesis, SAP BPC NW based, SAP BPC Microsoft based (OutlookSoft),

2. GRC: SAP GRC

3. IDD: Crystal Reports, WebI, Pioneer/Voyager, Xcelsius, Explorer

4. IM: Data Integrator, Dat Services, Metadata Manager, SAP MDM, Data Insight

SAP Business User technical Environment:

In 2010 BWA will be released in an Open Environment called BOA – BusinessObjects Accelerated. This will allow BWA which is in-memory data warehouse to host SAP and non SAP data with access via Explorer. Moreover SAP is continuing with partnering some other database vendors in order bring more data into SAP BW platform. Those vendors includes: IBM with DB2 database, HP with tier NeoView, Microsoft with its SQL Server and Sharepoint plus Duet as joint product with SAP and Teradata. Further there are more companies cooperating in BWA in some ways: Dell and Cisco. There is an anticipation that SAP from long term perspective will fade out a need for traditional data warehousing platform by such an in-memory platform.

See all documentation related to Business User at help.sap.com.

SAP Solution Manager 4.0 vs. 7.0

Similarly like other SAP NetWever components (BW, PI, MDM) SAP Solution Manager (SMG) was re-versioned as well. This took place in May 2008 and SMG version changed its version from 4.0 to 7.0. By this it has same release number and it is aligned with SAP's decision to streamline its product offerings. So between versions 4.0 and 7.0 there is no change in its functionality, release schedule, installations, or other technical aspects of SAP Solution Manager.
Just to introduce SMG in more detail: SMG is tool to support entire life cycle of SAP solutions from planning through Business Blueprint preparation, following by implementation, testing and ending with running and operating SAP solution. Its features can be split to following areas:

•    Implementing and Upgrading SAP Solutions – central project administration, creation of Business Blueprints, Configurations, Group Rollouts, Templates, Roadmaps, system landscapes, documentation.
•    Solution Documentation – evaluation of business processes, support of custom developments and modifications.
•    Test Management – central test management, tests evaluations
•    Business Processes Operations – monitoring of business processes, job management
•    System Administration – central system administration, landscape analyses, real-time system monitoring.
•    SAP Engagement and Service Delivery – Using of SAP Services as part of SAP Delivery, Issue management – Tracking problems.
•    Incident Management – workflow to create and process problems messages
•    Change Request Management and Change Management – support to change management processes.
•    Root Cause Analysis – Problem analysis and error-resolution.

SMG has connection to BW as well. There is SMG related Business Content which enables to report SMG data in BW. See online documentation - BI Reporting in SOLMAN. There are DataSources called 0SM_SMG* under node 0SM_SMG_ROOT. Basically it serves for Business Process Monitoring reporting. Other connection of BW and SMG can be within transport request handling. In this case all BW transports can be managed from SMG.

SAP PI vs. XI

Are you interesting what’s a difference between SAP Process Integration (PI) and SAP Exchange Infrastructure (XI)? 

Basically there is no real difference. It is just about marketing name of same products. SAP PI or XI is SAP NetWeaver based technology for Enterprise Application Integration (EAI). EAI software enables different systems to communicate each other. This cover systems within same organization or systems of external parties. That type of software is so called Integration Brokers as they are mediates between entities with varying requirements in terms of connectivity, format, and protocols. It provides common repository for all interfaces. Central component of XI/PI is the SAP Integration Server, which facilitates interaction between diverse operating systems and applications across internal and external networked computer systems.

When was SAP XI/PI introduced into the market and how it all began? There was always a demand for integration software within SAP’s costumers and always lack of it on SAP side. Since SAP had no strong experience within integration software they teamed up with WebMethods Company  (in 2009 acquired by Software AG) and introduced SAP Business Connector (known as SAP BC). This happened around year 2000. SAP BC was branded version of webMethods Integration Server as a middleware solution for SAP R/3. In 2002 joined team were split and both companies continues to develop their product lines independently. SAP released SAP BC version 4.7. Approximately at same time SAP as having experience learned with SAP BC started with own integration / middleware product called Message Broker. This was renamed later to SAP Exchange Infrastructure (XI). Later (around year 2006) within SAP NetWeaver the name was changed from XI 3.0 to SAP Process Infrastructure (PI 7.0).

What is future of PI? Actually it is been little bit cloudy. Gartner and other analysts are saying that SAP’s statements about PI are clumsy and therefore they do not advise costumers to use it for strategic projects. This was strengthening even more by SAP’s acquisition of SOALogix. Therefore for sure there will be changes in PI as integration of BPM software is never easy. But SAP says that they are strongly committed to SAP PI. 

Used sources:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/ba/d4c23b95c8466ce10000000a114084/frameset.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAP_Exchange_Infrastructure

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-xi

http://www.sap.com/platform/netweaver/components/xi/index.epx

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/2205b790-0201-0010-0586-87e7cdc28ceb

- update 26.08.2012 - 

There is one more term spread around sap-sphere with regards PI. It is SAP NetWeaver Process Orchestration. Actually it is combination of:

SAP NetWeaver Business Process Management
SAP NetWeaver Process Integration (PI)

SAP NetWeaver Business Rules Management 

all integrated into one offering. Therefore sometimes it may happen that XI/PI is referred as PO - Process Orchestration.

Run web browser in you session in SAP system

For those of you who would not believe I can clearly say yes it is possible to run web browser in SAP GUI while you are in session in system. Thanks to SAP standard ABAP report called SAPHTML_R3HTTP_DEMO.

You can run it in TA SE38:
 

















After that you get a screen with input field where you can put any URL. Then you will get your page :-)

- 09/04/2013 update –

To open web browser from SAP GUI not to have it embedded in GUI you can you function module: CALL_BROWSER just provide input parameter URL with desired URL to be opened.

SAP NetWeaver Business Client - where to download it?

In addition to my older post related to SAP NetWeaver Business Client (NWBC)

I'd like to provide a download link where this software can be downloaded.

Go to OSS and navigate to Software Download Center @ service.sap.com/swdc

-> Download -> Installations and Upgrades -> Installations and Upgrades - Entry by Application Group -> SAP Frontend Components -> NETWEAVER BUSINESS CLIENT -> Installation.


- 20/07/2011 update -
Path on OSS where you can download NWBC has changed.Therefore I'm updating this post:
swdc -> Browse Our Download Catalog -> Installations & Upgrades -> SAP Frontend Components -> NETWEAVER BUSINESS CLIENT -> NWBC NW BUSINESS CLIENT 3.0 ->


- 08/11/2011 update -
Instead of navigating on OSS you can use following shortened URL:

http://goo.gl/oJlzl

for downloading NWBC

Currently there is NWBC NW BUSINESS CLIENT version 3.0 available as of 22.06.2011.

- 04/10/2013 update -
service.sap.com/swdc -> SAP Frontend Components -> NETWEAVER BUSINESS CLIENT -> Browse our Download Catalog

NWBC NW BUSINESS CLIENT 3.5 – part of SAP GUI 7.3 installations

NWBC NW BUSINESS CLIENT 4.0 – download from here http://goo.gl/eGh5i or here.

- 12/08/2014 update -
Again installation files were moved within Download area of SCN. This time navigation is like following: service.sap.com/swdc -> Installations and Upgrades -> N -> NetWeaver Business Client -> currently there are versions 3.5 and 4.0 available

Please notice that links are being changed very often on SAP’s SMP. Therefore if you find broken link on this page go to service.sap.com/swdc and navigate to particular area. Also notice that you need to have valid SMP credentials in order to be able to download SAP’s software.