Introduction to SAP NetWeaver Gateway

 In this blog, we will get a high level overview of the SAP NetWeaver Gateway. First let us look at SAP NetWeaver Application Server.

What is SAP NetWeaver Application Server?

The SAP NetWeaver Application Server is just like the nervous system of our body. It provides the runtime environment to the SAP applications. All of the SAP Business Suite e.g. ERP, CRM runs on SAP NetWeaver Application Server. Following layers will make it clearer:

Presentation layer 

UI5, Web Dynpro

Business layer (Application Layer)

ABAP/ Java

Integration layer 

SAP PI (Product Integration)

Connectivity layer 

HTTP/HTTPS/SOAP/REST

Persistence layer (Database Layer)

Open SQL

 

What is SAP NetWeaver Gateway?

SAP NetWeaver Gateway helps Application tier to communicate with Presentation Layer. In three-tier architecture, the Presentation layer is GUI (UI5 nowadays) and Database Layer is HANA Database (nowadays).

SAP Gateways is the middle or Application tier. This Application layer is essential for communication between the UI and the backend.

The main motto to use multi-tier architecture was to implement a data processing system that will add a valuable level of modularity and flexibility to the system by developing and maintaining each tier individually. OData is used to exchange data.

What is an OData?

OData which stands for Open Data Protocol is an open source to exchange data over the Internet. It was built by Microsoft.

OData protocol is HTTP based, due to which any programming language with HTTP stack can consume OData services. The output is in the form of JSON or ATOM (i.e. XML).

Why SAP NetWeaver?

Increases Efficiency of business processes by providing role based access

Provides dynamic and cost effective communication between different teams

Multichannel Enterprise access via different devices

Provides development environment using both ABAP and non ABAP languages and connects them all using REST & SOAP APIs.

In this and the previous blog, we had got the high level introduction to OData. From the next blog onwards, we will focus on OData in SAP fiori applications and the use cases.


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