Unit 1

Lesson 1
Explaining the Basic Architecture of SAP
NetWeaver AS

LESSON OVERVIEW
This lesson introduces the basic architecture of SAP systems. It introduces the individual
processes of SAP NetWeaver application server, based on simple client/server
configurations. This lesson also introduces the terms instance and application server, and
explains different types of SAP NetWeaver Application Server.

Business Example
In the course of implementing an SAP system, you need to establish the architecture of SAP
systems and how you are going to distribute the required SAP system processes among the
available hardware.

LESSON OBJECTIVES
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
● Describe the basic architecture of SAP NetWeaver AS
● Name the processes of the SAP NetWeaver Application Server
● Explain SAP instances and application servers

Instance or Application Server and SAP System

Hint:
Hardware manufacturers often use the term application server to describe a
piece of hardware. Software vendors, such as SAP, use it to describe a software
solution. This can be confusing. For example, the prompt Please restart the
application server can have two entirely different meanings.

An (SAP) instance or (SAP) application server is an administrative unit that combines SAP
system components providing one or more services. The services provided by an application
server are started or stopped together. You set parameters for all the components of an
application server using a common instance profile.Each application server has its own buffer
areas in RAM.
An application server runs on a host. Multiple application servers can run on a single host. An
application server is identified by its SAP system ID (SID) and a (two-digit) instance number.

Hint:
The terms (SAP) instance and application server are often used synonymously.

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 Lesson: Explaining the Basic Architecture of SAP NetWeaver AS

Examples of SAP systems include SAP ECC, SAP CRM, SAP BW, and SAP Portal.

Figure 1: Instances/Application Servers of an SAP System (Example)

As the figure Instances/Application Servers of an SAP System (Example) shows, when you
install an SAP system, you have the option of separating the processes at application level
from those at database level. You can install the database for an SAP system on a separate
host, away from the application servers of the SAP system. Each SAP system has exactly one
database, except in special circumstances. The database usually has the same SAP system ID
(DB SID) as the SAP system (SAP SID).
The following factors have an influence on the application server design of an SAP system:
● Release of the SAP system (due to architecture changes throughout the releases)
● Installed usage type of the SAP system (AS ABAP or AS Java, and in exceptional cases AS
ABAP+Java)
● Decision of the SAP customer (scalability, high availability)

Since the applications delivered by SAP do not always require both ABAP and Java runtime
environments, there are different installation options for SAP NetWeaver AS.
● AS ABAP-based SAP system: Complete infrastructure in which ABAP-based applications
can be developed and used.
● AS Java-based SAP system: Complete infrastructure for developing and using Java EE-
based applications.

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Unit 1: Fundamentals of AS ABAP

● AS ABAP+AS Java-based SAP system (dual stack): Complete infrastructure in which

ABAP- and Java EE-based applications can be developed and used. Such a system should
only be installed if the application, such as SAP Solution Manager 7.1, explicitly requires it.

The figure Architecture of SAP NetWeaver AS (from Release 7.10 to 7.40) shows the instance
architecture of SAP systems with SAP NetWeaver AS from Release 7.10 *:

Figure 2: Architecture of SAP NetWeaver AS (from Release 7.10 to 7.40)

Caution:
* This means: Numeric from Release 7.10. Although 7.20 is older than 7.03, for
example, it is numerically newer.

The primary application server (PAS) is the first application server installed on the SAP
system. If an AS ABAP-based SAP system does not have a central service instance, then the
PAS also includes the enqueue work process and the message server.
The PAS is located in the file system under \usr\sap\<SID>\D<instance_number> under AS
ABAP-based and AS ABAP+Java-based SAP systems. On AS Java-based SAP systems, the
PAS is located under \usr\sap\<SID>\J<instance_number> .

Note:
Before AS ABAP 7.50, the PAS file system was located at \usr\sap\<SID>
\DVEBMGS<instance_number> .

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 Lesson: Explaining the Basic Architecture of SAP NetWeaver AS

The central services instance provides the central services of AS ABAP or AS Java, namely
the message service and the enqueue service. The central services instance is optional on AS
ABAP-based SAP systems from AS ABAP 7.00 and is the default installation option in AS
ABAP 7.31 and later. In AS ABAP-based SAP systems, the central services instance is used for
high availability. On AS Java-based SAP systems, as of AS Java 7.10, the central services
instance also includes a gateway process. You cannot log on to the central services instance
as a dialog user. The central services instance is not called an application server.
On AS ABAP-based SAP systems, the central services instance is located in the file system
under \usr\sap\<SID>\ASCS<instance_number> . On AS Java-based SAP systems, it is
located under \usr\sap\<SID>\SCS<instance_number> .

All other application servers of an SAP system are called additional application servers (AAS).
On AS ABAP-based and AS ABAP+Java-based SAP systems, an AAS is located in the file
system under \usr\sap\<SID>\D<instance_number> . On AS Java-based SAP systems, it is
located under \usr\sap\<SID>\J<instance_number> .

In a central system, the PAS and database (and the central services instance, if any) are
installed on the same host. .

Hint:
In AS ABAP 7.0 and later, the enqueue work process and message server can
optionally be installed as the central services instance. This is the default
installation option in AS ABAP 7.31 and later.

The following changes to architecture and terminology were introduced with SAP NetWeaver
AS 7.10*:
● The central instance was renamed PAS.
● The dialog instance was renamed AAS.
● The Java dispatcher was replaced by the ICM process.
● The SDM process was eliminated.
● The (Java) central services instance became a gateway process.

SAP NetWeaver AS Processes

The SAP runtime system consists of a large number of parallel processes that work together.
In the system, you can distinguish between the runtime environment for ABAP (AS ABAP)
and the runtime environment for Java (AS Java) .

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Unit 1: Fundamentals of AS ABAP

AS ABAP Processes

Figure 3: AS ABAP Processes

As shown in the figure AS ABAP Processes, the dispatcher of an AS ABAP system manages
different types of work processes, which take on different tasks when executing the business
workflows of the SAP system:
● The ABAP dispatcher distributes the requests to the work processes.
● Dialog work processes fulfill all requests for the execution of dialog steps triggered by an
active user. Every dispatcher requires at least two dialog work processes.
● Spool work processes pass sequential data flows on to output devices (printers). At least
one spool work process is required for each SAP system. You can configure more than one
spool work process per dispatcher.
● Update work processes execute update requests. Similarly to spool work processes, you
need at least one update work process per SAP system, and you can configure more than
one per dispatcher.
● Background work processes execute programs that run without user interaction. You need
at least two background work processes for each SAP system. You can configure more
than one background work process for each dispatcher.
● The enqueue work process administers the lock table in the host’s working memory. The
lock table contains the logical database locks of the SAP system’s ABAP runtime
environment. Each SAP system needs only one enqueue work process. If a central services
instance is used, then the enqueue is a process of the central services instance, not a
dispatcher work process.

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 Lesson: Explaining the Basic Architecture of SAP NetWeaver AS

As the administrator of an SAP system, you use profile parameters to configure the number
of different work processes.

Figure 4: AS ABAP Architecture

As the figure AS ABAP Architecture shows, the AS ABAP runtime system provides separate
services in addition to the work processes. These services are for internal and external
communication:
● By handling communication between the distributed dispatchers within the AS ABAP, the
ABAP Message Server (MS) enables scalability of several parallel application servers. The
message server is configured only once per SAP system.
● The gateway reader (GW) enables communication between SAP systems, or between SAP
systems and external application systems. One GW exists per dispatcher.
● The Internet Communication Manager (ICM) enables communication with the SAP system
using web protocols such as HTTP. The ICM receives requests from the client and
forwards them to the SAP system for processing. In an AS ABAP+Java system (see this
lesson), the ICM recognizes whether the request is a call for the AS ABAP or the AS Java
and forwards the request accordingly. It can also direct HTTP requests from an SAP
system to a web server and send the response back to the SAP system. You can configure
a maximum of one ICM process per dispatcher.

The services that an application server can provide are determined by the type of work
processes it has. An application server can take on several roles, such as dialog server or
simultaneously as an update server, if it provides several dialog work processes and at least
one update work process.

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