Where’s my activation icon?

In BW’s Administration Workbench transaction RSA1 under modeling area in source system section there was a nice icon available indicating that your particular source system is activated.

This feature started to be available as far as I remember at least in BW version 3.10.

Yes I’m speaking correctly “it was available” because since BI 7.0 SP 13 and higher this icon is disappeared from RSA1. I’m wandering what was reason of this icon removal. I’m not able to find any SAP note to explain this :(

New design of web reporting since BIWEBAPP 7.00 SP14

I was involved recently within upgrade of BI system and in scope of this small project was an upgrade of SAP NetWeaver portal. Upgrade of JAVA Stack of NW was performed to SP14. Since this upgrade I observe and enjoy much more look and feel design of SAP’s BI web reporting. Here’s some screenshots:

Query opening pop-up dialog window:

New feature: popup windows are resizable.

Portal screen is nicely grayed out in order to highlight pop-up window in front:

Some AJAX features are implemented. System is retrieving data in advance from backend while you analyzing data without forcing you to wait for system response.

Error when opening BEx Query Analyzer under SAP GUI 7.10

While you are trying to run transaction RRMS in SAP GUI 710 under version BW 7.x you might experience an error message saying:

Microsoft Excel is not installed; install Microsoft Excel ViewerMessage no. RSR_LAUNCH_EXCEL102

Error behaves as well when you try to run BEx Query Designer via Start menu of Windows. Then your whole Excel got stuck. The solution is to upgrade your SAP GUI to the newest version of its Patch Level (PL). Currently there is available PL 6 (gui710_6.exe) for GUI 710. Make sure that you are using BI 7.0 ADDON FOR SAP GUI 7.10 (bi710sp02p_201-10004472.exe) for SAP GUI as well.

Download PLs from OSS or FTP servers. On OSS navigate your self like following: Downloads -> Support Packages and Patches -> Entry by Application Group -> SAP Frontend Components -> SAP GUI FOR WINDOWS -> SAP GUI FOR WINDOWS 7.10 CORE -> Installation -> Win 32.

Business Intelligence Java Components aka BI-JAVA

I was recently helping to upgrade SAP BW system comprehended with SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal (EP). In case of BI related JAVA components of EP I was not very able to distinguish between them. Over here I summarize such a components.

To be able access and model BW query in EP you need to maintain following BI-JAVA Development Components (DC) installed in portal JAVA Stack:

BI-BASE-S – Base Services
BI-WEBAPP – Web Applications
BI-IBC – Information Broadcasting
BI-REPPLAN - Reporting and Planning
BI-WDALV – WebDynPro ALV
BI-MMR - Meta Model Repository
BI-UDI - Universal Data Integration

Those DCs are from J2EE technical point of view so called Software Component Archives (SCAs). Sometimes you may encounter a term Bundled resources in SAP BI Technology.

Once you are upgrading them you need to consider some of them that they need to be upgraded on same Support Package level. Check this out in SAP notes database.

BI-Java is used to provide the Java runtime for scenarios such as Enterprise Reporting, Query, and Analysis as well as Business Planning and Analytical Services. It enables variants such as Information Broadcasting and Ad-hoc Query & Analysis. It also enables Web Dynpro-based BI applications and third party data access via Universal Data Integration. BI-Java is a usage type provided by SAP and contains all of the web based BI tools available for BI 7.0.

BI-Java requires AS Java and Enterprise Portal Core (EPC) and EP in the same system. Optionally, it can be combined with other usage types in one system. Usually, scenarios running on usage type BI-Java also require usage types BI and AS ABAP. While installing BI-Java, AS Java, EPC and EP get installed automatically. After configuring BI-Java, you do not need to perform further steps in AS Java, EPC and EP. Usually, scenarios running on usage type BI-Java also require usage types BI and AS ABAP – be aware that no matter if you run BI and BI-Java in the same or in separate systems, you must keep them in sync concerning applied Support Package Stacks.

There are some changes within BI 7.x in conjunction with JAVA. BI-JAVA components are involved in these changes as well. In version of BI 7.x everything new here like web reporting is executed via BI-JAVA and not via Internet Connection Manager (ICM) of ABAP Stack of BI backend. E.g. embedding of query you have invoked via web reporting functionality is taking place on server where is BI-JAVA installed in place of BI backend system. In case of version 3.x HTML stuff is generated in BW system and is going to be outputted to user’s web browser via ICM. New concept of BI 7.x is more data scalability and virtualization enabled architecture with distributed landscape. BW server as it self is more focused on basics data warehouse functions like data acquisition, ETL as long presentation layer is separated. However possibility of query execution and web templates generation can take place in BW system as well; in case SAP EP system is not available in your landscape. The difference can be observer in the URL of queries generated for the 7.x vs. 3.x systems. A 3.x based query would have a URL that points back to the BI server and the HTTP port configured in TA SICF. In a 7.x query, the URL will point to the URL of the JAVA Application Server that is hosting EP and BI-Java components (e.g. a port in the 50000 range that is used by the EP).

Let me add a few sentences about particular BI-JAVA DCs. BI-BASE-S and BI-WEBAPP incorporates basis services for accessing BW queries from web environment to BW backend. BI-IBC is JAVA part of BI’s Information broadcasting functionality to allow make objects with business intelligence content available to a wide range of users, according different requirements. BI-REPPLAN a part of BW’s reporting and planning (e.g. Planning Modeller) functionality encapsulated in JAVA stack. BI-WDALV is a component responsible for handling of ABAP List Viewer (ALV) in web environment. BI-MMR - BI Metadata Repository Manager regulates read and write access to metadata (InfoCubes, queries, Web templates, workbooks, etc.) and the documentation on this metadata in BI system. The BI Metadata Repository Manager also allows access to online links generated using BEx Information Broadcasting. BI-UDI - Universal Data Integration is resource adapter consists of:

BI SAP Query Connector (BW-BEX-UDI) - adapter based on SAP Query, which is a component of NW Application Server that allows you to create custom reports without any ABAP programming knowledge. The BI SAP Query Connector uses SAP Query to allow applications created with the BI Java SDK to access data from these SAP operational applications. You can also use the BI SAP Query Connector to make these data sources available in BI systems via UD Connect. The SAP Query Connector implements the BI-Java SDK's IBIRelational interface.

BI ODBO Connector (BW-BEX-UDI) - adapter based on Microsoft's OLE DB for OLAP (ODBO), which is the established industry-standard OLAP API for the Windows platform. The BI ODBO Connector may be deployed into NW Application Server, and allows you to connect applications built with the BI-Java SDK to ODBO-compliant OLAP data sources such as Microsoft Analysis Services, SAS, and Microsoft PivotTable Services. You can also use the BI ODBO Connector to make these data sources available in BI systems via UD Connect. The ODBO Connector implements the BI Java SDK's IBI OLAP interface.

As of SAP NW 2004s, BI-UDI and BI-MMR are integral parts of NW Application Server. You can use the functions that these two formerly separate components provide after you have completed the necessary follow-up activities and configuration tasks.

For further information refer to SAP note:

1072576 - Frequently Asked Questions: BI Java Support Packages/patches

When your SAP GUI will die?

With an increasing amount of different SAP products and its much more different versions there is a high demand for stable and all products and version accessible SAP GUI. As you are in charge of you global release and maintenance strategy of SAP GUI you might be interesting when and for which version of SAP GUI support will be over. As a first source of this kind of information is PAM (Product Availability Matrix) followed by SAPGUI section of SAP support portal (OSS). Good tip would be to search for “Updated Support Matrix SAP GUI for Windows” on OSS. In case you want to be sure about exactly your version of SAP GUI try to search for particular SAP note. As very useful SAP note I found is 147519 - Maintenance strategy / deadlines 'SAP GUI'. Just short update is saying that version 7.10 of SAP GUI will be supported till at least to end of 2011. Most used and widespread version of SAP GUI is 6.40. This version will be supported by SAP AG till 14^th of October, this year. A reason is that on this date the used development environment of GUI: Microsoft Visual Studio 2003 will not be supported by Microsoft anymore.

Make your SAP GUI speak - JAWS screen reader for SAP GUI

To enable more users’ accessibility there is an option how to make SAP GUI be speaking. All you need is installation of Freedom Scientifics’ JAWS software. This must be installed first as a prerequisite of SAP GUI’s screen reader extension add-on called JawsScript. To make your SAP GUI speaking you need to activate this extension, enable SAP GUI scripting on the application server.

For detailed information about add-on installation see note 740785 - Accessibility: SAP GUI for Windows and JAWS integration; 480149 - New profile parameter for user scripting at the front end.

Scratched filter pane of BW report

After applying of Support Package (SP) 16 to BW 7.0 for ABAP stack and subsequent JAVA stack SP you most likely will experience strange behavior of JAVA stack while browsing your BW reports. Area of filter pane in web reporting becomes tine and narrow.

Filter area serves for filtering of characteristics for specifics values with the query. The filter pane is displayed between the application toolbar and the table (or graphic). The characteristics that you can use for filtering are displayed in the filter area. You can select the characteristic values to be used for filtering for each characteristic that is used in the data provider. It is quite important for user to have this area big enough to seek up characteristics and filter them out. If you want to make this area you need to implement following SAP notes:

1141110 Filter pane item: "Cannot find advanced control with uid..."

1089420 SPS 12/13: Filter pane item: Dropdown does not appear

1048994 Filter pane item: No dropdowns when tray is collapsed

1037254 Filter pane item: Characteristics are unsorted

1054907 WAD: Error messages for characteristic in filter element

956794 Filter Pane: Error in execution

1062330 Filter pane expanded over other elements

1138296 BEx Web Analyzer: Filter pane has a fixed height

1089420 SPS 12/13: Filter pane item: Dropdown does not appear

1037254 Filter pane item: Characteristics are unsorted

1048994 Filter pane item: No dropdowns when tray is collapsed

- update 09/04/2008 -

When you do upgrade BI 7.0 system to SP 14 you encounter this error as well. In this case implement note no. 1138296 - see above.

SP vs. SAP note

In case user finds an error or bug with an SAP application a message is raised on SAP Support portal (so called Online Support System – OSS). When issue is consider on SAP AG side as a defect it is being solved by change of code by issuing of “SAP Note”. SAP note is a first help for customer when where to look in case of help is needed. If you are able to find a note which fits your error you can implement in most cases this software correction contained in note my transaction SNOTE.

A collection of such a SAP notes (typical volume of notes is couple of hundreds) is called “Support Package or Support Pack (SP)”. Support Packages are compiled periodically and are SAP application or component specifics and are available in the SAP Support portal. SP can be implement able via transactions SPAM (Support PAckage Manager) or SAINT (SAP Add-On INstallation Tool.). For JAVA stack of WAS a tool called Java Support Package Manager (JSPM) is used for SP deployment.

Difference between ODS and DSO objects

Since SAP BW version 7.x there is a new term introduced for former ODS (Operational Data Store) object. DSO stands for Data Store Object. Some general information about ODS/DSO: In principle from data warehousing point of view such an objects are serving for storing of data from multiple sources to make analyses of data and simplifying reporting. Since data is coming from different sources data needs to be cleansed (e.g. redundancy) and consolidated (e.g. from business point of view). ODS/DSO objects store data in detailed level (atomic). In addition pure “data warehouse theory definition” would be that data to ODS/DSO is captured in “real time” or “near real time” mode and there is bigger portion of data available as opposite to data warehouse’s cubes. ODS/DSO is combining key field (e.g. business document or its item) with data field (e.g. business document status and other properties) as a key figures. There is nothing multidimensional (no dimension neither fact tables) with ODS/DSO as with cubes. Data in ODS/DSO is stored in transparent (flat) database tables. ODS/DSO objects are reportable.

In BW 3.x following types of ODS are used:

1. Standard ODS:

i. Inbound ODS object – or Inflow ODS where the data is stored in the same form as it is when delivered from the source system.

ii. Consistent ODS object - Data is stored here in granular form and consolidated.

iii. Application-related ODS object – data is combined according to the business process rules and serves as a basis for operative reporting.

2. Transactional ODS object – data is immediately available here for reporting no data is stored in different versions (active, delta, modified).

In BW 7.x following types of ODS were introduced:

1. Standard DSO object – as standard 3.x ODS; 3 tables with different data version (new/active/delta) data.

2. DSO object for direct update - as transactional 3.x ODS; data in a single version.

3. Write optimized DSO - contains only one table of active data; data is loaded using the data transfer process.

7.x DSO types differences:

SAP Business Intelligence Platform Roadmap

Surely; after acquisition of Business Objects (BOBJ) SAP has renewed its BI strategy to reflect newly acquired products to its BI portfolio. Some time has passed and in February; almost a half a year after acquiring company is coming with new BI roadmap. So what BI tool will stay as originally developed by SAP and what will be replaced by „better“ BOBJ products?

According this strategy there are several areas of both companies products integration. In case of reporting basically BEx suite of application will become less and less important in future and will be removed by BOBJ’s Crystal Reports / Crystal Reports Light. Within dash boarding tools SAP’s Web Application Designer will be replaced by BOBJ’s Xcelsius combined with Dashboard Builder. For OLAP Analyses SAP’s Bex Web/Excel Analyzer will be combined with BOBJ’s Voyager and it will become a tool called Pioneer. In area of data quality and master data services; SAP MDM and BOBJ DQ will join in Master Data Management+.

See whole strategy here. For regular updates of BOBJ integration check SDN BOBJ section; keep an eye on SDN BOBJ Forum plus some sites with overall information: sap.com/businessobjects businessobjects.com/solutions/sap

- update 10/25/2008 –

Version of 08/2008

Version as of August 2008 of BI roadmap was published on SDN. Mostly discussing BOBJ components of SAP BI strategy. Evolution of BI is depicted as well: BI Tools => BI Suite => Process-Centric BI. Plus further strategies within SAP BI products portfolio.

- update 02/23/2009 –

Version of 02/2009

Is available at SDN’s link.

- update 09/13/2009 –

As SDN site is being changed quite often most of link provided above is not working.Therefore I decided to put all the road maps available over time in this blog. So see how road map has evolved:

Version 1.2007 as of May 31, 2007

Version Feb 2008

SAP NW BI Roadmap March 2008

NW BI Roadmap August 2008 NW BI Roadmap Feb 2009

- update 01/15/2010 –

Road map as of autumn 2009.

- update 07/19/2011 –
Roadmap - SAP NetWEaver BW 7.3

SAP NW BW 73 Overview and Roadmap April2011

Funniest SAP notes ever

Here are my top forty funniest SAP notes I’ve ever gone through:

1. A lot of notes saying: “No documentation”.
2. 67739 - Priorities of problem messages – Yes, always better to prioritize your work.
3. Note saying: “Obsolete!” – Everybody gets older.
4. 397871 - Solution only possible via customer project – self explanatory
5. Some note saying: “unfortunately” – You mean fortunately?
6. 987267 - SAP Expert Forums - link to OSS refers to SDN.
7. A lot of notes saying: “EN Caution: Translation Not Current!” or “This note is in the selected version / language not up to date” – OK, switch to German.

        For details on this message see here.

8. 7 - Error caused by customer modification/development – Big brother is watching you
9. A note saying: “There is no error.” – Is there/was there an error? Let me think about it.
10. 197504 - We will close your message - SAP AG – do not  mess with mammy
11. A lot of notes saying: “You must refer to the following notes: Note ” – Let’s implement everything!
12. 1 - Customer reports that problem is resolved – What’s up then?
13. A note saying: “recommended with restriction” – Who wants be restricted?
14. 46962 - More information required – Everybody needs information.
15. Some note saying: “It is not clear which” – I have a doubts about myself either, so what?
16. 2 - Customer action not performed -> Message closed – Need something?
17. Note saying: “various problems” – Life’s so different.
18. 1006335 - Priority 'Very High' for messages for SAP Best Practices – Always be best.
19. Note saying: “If you find a relevant note” – Who? Me???
20. 9 - Error cannot be reproduced -> No solution – It so simple, why worried about?
21. A note saying: “try to deimplement this note or another note” – Let’s dig in thousands notes.
22. Note saying: “cannot be solved” – Really???
23. 11 - Requested function not contained in standard system – Do you really need it?
24. Note saying: “may cause major problems” – Help! My problem can be bigger?
25. 13 - Functionality present in a newer release – Hurry up to upgrade…
26. 15 - Problem not related to SAP (hardware, operating system, ... – Think twice please…
27. 418347 - RHDOCCPL: The entry object type is always 'O' – there’s a phrase “shit planning” used text of message (sorry about that) J
28. 18 - Functionality planned for a future release – Why are you so in hurry?
29. 20 - Inquiry implemented without development request – We are masters of disasters!
30. 19 - Inquiry has been converted into development request – Just be patient!
31. 61 - Possible side effect for an SAP note – Be aware of side kicks.
32. 62 - SAP suspects that an SAP note version has to be corrected – It is up to you!
33. 978089 - LIS/BW-BCT: Reproducible example requested – C’m!
34. 403191 - Prompt message processing – Pay monkeys get peanuts.
35. 170272 - What to consider when applying advance developments – Be careful!
36. 736045 - Complaints concerning SAP AG service & support - who is to be blamed?
37. 732082 - Wrong Query Result or No Data found when using Pre Query – “probably valid”? Do you really mean that?
38. 1026749 - Hierarchies: Consistency check for duplicate nodes – “there is uncertainty” – What a nice.
39. 370928 - Good OSS messages for BW-BCT
40. 375631 - Extract of BW Support Strategy – Strategy is very important. Does somebody have it?

P.S. to all SAP Active Global Support (AGS) people: This doesn’t mean that I have something against a job you are everyday doing. Just to be sure; at the end everybody depends on you: partners, consultants and customers. Good job, we rely on you.

IFR vs. ESW

For long time ago InterFace Repository (IFR) was a place where developer could find any BAPI for business scenarios that he/she was working on. It was based on XML schemas directly available for you integration scenarios where several software components communicate between each other using inter/intranet. IFR was available online and it was published on CD be obtained via SAP Shop.

Since SAP has changed it integration strategy to SOA oriented; to call it in SAP terminology we say SAP's Enterprise Service Oriented Architecture (enterprise SOA or ESA) or we can say that in case of SAP’s strategy: Enterprise Services Architecture (ESA) is enhanced version of SOA. Under this terms IFR is replaced by so called Enterprise Service Workplace (ESW). The purpose is the same. Here you can browse enterprise services SAP delivers in the latest solutions of SAP Business Suite. ESW is trying to keep enterprise SOA more accessible. To see how enterprise services are working; enterprise services index is available; business context within the appropriate Solution Map is available as well. There is a detailed documentation on enterprise services to the detail of technical WSDL file definition.

So forget about IFR there’s just ESW.

SAP virus scene alive?

It is been quite a long time now; since first SAP virus appeared in year of 2002. It was the first and most likely the famous one till now; very last virus for enterprise application environment – SAP. It seems to be written earlier in 2000 as a proof-of-concept virus. Concept is proofing that not business application platform as SAP is not resistant from viruses. The Virus is also known as SAP.VSoft.A, SAP.Willi.A, ABAP/Rivpas was probably coded by some Spanish speaking guy as can be observed in its code. It is written in ABAP and its purpose is to spread itself without monitoring of its activity. Of course virus will not replicate in its form and it is needed to be installed manually for first time in SAP system and therefore is kind of intended virus. To be setup such a virus there always must be somebody with user’s authorization for accessing developer’s transaction like SE38/SE80. For detail analyses of this virus see here.

SAP AG published a consulting SAP note 512595 related to this virus describing its behavior and how to prevent it.

Until this “first occurrence” of SAP virus no other viruses for SAP business application platform has been reported. SAP AG is paying a lot of attention to secure its products. E.g. refer to its security guide, security portal on OSS, security notes in OSS components: BC-SEC or BC-SEC-VIR, etc. Within the NetWeaver platform there is a broad focus on security aspect. A brand new Virus Scan Interface (VSI) is available to be used for integrating external virus scanner programs into SAP system to for scanning files or documents that are processed by SAP applications for viruses. In case of ABAP Application server stack check following transactions: VSCAN, VSCANGROUP, VSCANPROFILE, VSCANTEST, VSCANTRACE. For overview of SAP’s data security products check out note 786179.

I don’t believe that there are no and will not be other viruses or similar malicious type of software “dedicated” to SAP platform. Now we are quite safe but time is passing by so fast and new, more sophisticated techniques in creating such a “software” are in development and they will come to reality very soon.

Deletion of data row from PSA

Is it possible to delete whole single or multiple rows from PSA storage? This was an issue I faced recently and since I was too lazy to get back to my source system to adjust data there I simply wanted to delete some records which were erroneous in PSA and then re-uploaded PSA request furthermore to InfoProvider above PSA. My intention was simple; to go to PSA screen of RSA1; find my PSA request; choose “Edit data” from right-context menu on request and delete records on maintenance screen. Then I wonder why there is no Delete item in the menu of this screen enabled. I probably guess that I have forgotten to delete data request from InfoProvider above PSA but I haven’t. Request was deleted from InfoProvider. They I tried to do the same with additional authorization. I got SAP super user with SAP_ALL and SAP_NEW authorization. And you guess it right: it still didn’t work for me: Delete item in menu was disabled. OK; I was thinking; it is the highest time to search for some SAP note on service.sap.com/notes. Another bad news for me was that I wasn’t successful while searching for notes. The only official information I got was an online help at this page saying: “If you change the number of records for a request in the PSA, meaning adding or deleting records, a correct record count in the BW monitor is no longer guaranteed when posting or processing a request.Therefore, we recommend not changing the number of records for a request in the PSA.” This was my guideline. I finally realized that this is possible. I went through PSA-API in order to create custom ABAP program to delete the lines in PSA I wanted. Soon I comprehended that I have no time to play with PSA-API function modules so I made quick and dirty solution and I got rid of unwanted records in PSA in transaction SE11 while I debugged it and deleted it by changing of sy-subrc value.

Conclusion is: You can change records in the PSA or you can delete complete data from PSA but not single record even changing is only allowed if the request is not posted yet to InfoProvider above.

A consultant’s joke

During the team building event of one of former Big 5 consultancies consultants were asked to tell three things about them and one would be a lie. One of participants says:

• I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.
• I pitched the first ball at a Padres game.
• I oversaw the smooth implementation of SAP software.
  

Everybody with consulting background but even our customers surely recognize which one is not true. Am I right? :-)

Another Duet for IBM Lotus Notes?

During the LOTUSPHERE conference SAP and IBM has announced joint venture effort to develop software with code name Atlantic which is suppose to be a tool within IBM’s Lotus Notes and Domino software used for: reporting data from SAP applications, its workflows, user scenarios etc. The aim is to bring SAP business processes to Lotus desktops. When you reading this you will recognize that purpose of Atlantic is the same as previous joint venture SAP initiative with another email giant provider – Microsoft which is called Duet. Just information browsers are different in case of Duet it is Microsoft Outlook and in case of Atlantic it is Lotus Notes. Since it took quite a long time to develop Duet and which is still not matured enough I assume same story will follow with Atlantic. On other hand there are more benefit on IBM side – Lotus Notes are not so competitive in today’s email/collaborating tools and this will help it to get right on track a bit. When this application will be ramped up stays unclear.

- update 27-01-2009 -

During Lotusphere 2009 conference (01/2009) a new name was announced for Atlantic, it will be Alloy. Product availability will be in March this year.

ABAP Report Wizard

It looks like another great tool has been developed based on SDN initiative of community projects. It is called ABAP Report Wizard and it serves for rapid development of not just simple ABAP reports based on table joins. Tools was born by programming contribution of Leonardo De Araujo, Rich Heilman and Alexandre Giguère. See history of this tool here, installation instruction here and you can download it here. Install package can be installed to your SAP system by SAPlink. What to say furthermore? Thank you guys, thank you SDN :-)

librfc32.dll troubles

Once you are working with SAP BW BEx tool and accessing different version of SAP BW you might encounter an error in BEx Query Designer says: “"Run-time error '-2147417848 (800010108)': Automation error The object invoked has disconnected from its clients".” 

BEx Query Designer crashes afterwards.

Solution is to replace the RFC library librfc32.dll stored in your \WINDOWS\system32 on the client PC with a proper version depends on you SAP GUI version:

620: Version >= 6206.6.1938.4727 (620x.x.x.4727).
640: Version >= 6400.3.79.4740 (640x.x.x.4740).
710: check the newest patch of SAP GUI on SAP FTP server.

See  this post to find out where to download librfc32.dll library.

"Custom Code over my dead body"

Custom code is a nightmare of every upgrade project. It is a pain to maintain and upgrade it but on other hands sometimes there was no other way to avoid implementing custom specific functionality without it. SAP enables customers to adapt SAP business programs according their specifics processes. Nevertheless it is not possible to satisfy all customers for individual adjustment or enhancement of SAP solutions to meet specific needs. In these cases, customer can enhance or change the SAP standard. SAP is advising to do not modify standard code by custom code within its software and topics like: simplifying complexity, customizing vs. extending … were discussed in detail during SAP’s analyst summit (so called SAP Industry Influencer summit) in December 2007. According a blog one of participants of this event Michael Krigsman new SAP paradigm in this area is “Customizing is out; extending is in”. Michael interviewed Peter Zencke (member of the SAP Executive Board; responsible for the development of SAP's new application platform based on enterprise SOA) and he described three types of customization:

1. Setting configuration "switches" - which continues to be an accepted and approved method to make packaged SAP software work in varied customer environments.

2. Directly modifying code - "which SAP will not support, so customers can maintain the ability to perform in-flight maintenance."

3. Extending the software - using a "composition layer" that gives access to SAP’s SOA services, has become the approved way for adapting SAP software to meet specific requirements, such as those posed by “micro-verticals”.

So forget about options 2 and 1st and 2nd in terms of ESA (SAP’s Enterprise Service Oriented Architecture - SOA) means that SAP provides a base, on top of which third parties (customers, partners, etc.) can write new applications and which prevents the core SAP standard code from being changed. There are new concepts of Enhancement Framework, Switch Framework, new BAdIs introduced to secure clean and free future upgrades without reprogramming of customer code.

Wants to retain your skills with NW 7?

Thomas Jung is writing about new technologies in ABAP area on regular basis. In one of his recent posts you can obtain or extent skills needed in SAP NW 7.x area. You can install the miniSAP version of SAP NetWeaver and practice new ABAP technologies according Thomas’s blog. Blog is paying attention to following topics (follow direct link to download learning session):

• Persistent Objects
• Class Based Exceptions
• Advanced ABAP
• Enterprise Services
• Web Dynpro ABAP

Training stuff contained in there is official training material from SAP TechEd 2007.

- update on 25-03-2008

Another great blog series of ABAP programming language available! Dedicated to ABAP beginners starting with topics like to install miniSAP, introduction to SAP architecture, coding first ABAPs, a basic MaxDB maintenance and finally Web Dynpro for ABAP.