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The SAP Business Connector is an open interface for the integration with SAP systems using the Internet and XML.
The SAP Business Connector (SBC) uses RFC to communicate with SAP systems and converts the RFC format into XML, HTML or other formats. As the protocol for the communication with third systems, HTTP/HTTPS, FTP or SMTP is used. The SBC can receive synchronous calls (BAPI calls) and asynchronous calls (tRFC) and can forward them to a certain target. Calls to an ABAP system are also supported: Furthermore, you can convert IDocs into structured XML documents. The SBC contains mapping services and target determination services to enable the communication with many partners in various formats. In addition to the delivered functions, you can add you own services using the BC-specific flow language in the form of Java modules or C modules.
Since October 1999, the SBC has been available in a generally released version. You can download its most current version from the SAP Service Marketplace under the alias “sbc-download”.
SAP Business Connector is available to new customers in two versions; 4.6 and since June 2003, 4.7. The SAP ‘end-of-maintenance’ dates for the two versions are as follows...
Business Connector 4.6: December 31st 2008
Business Connector 4.7: December 31st 2009
For customers wishing to use Business Connector after the end-of-maintenance dates, SAP makes version 4.8 available. This version has the end-of-maintenance date of March 31st 2016. The supported operation systems for version 4.8 are:
- Windows XP & Windows Vista on x86 (32 bit)
- Windows Server 2003 & Windows Server 2008 on x64 (64 bit)
- Linux (SuSE SLES 10 & RedHat RHEL5) on x86 (32 bit)
- Linux (SuSE SLES 10 & RedHat RHEL5) on x86_64 (64 bit)
Business Connector is the standard middleware product for SAP Versions ECC 4.6C though to ECC 5.0. For ECC 6.0 customers must use PI. BC is not compatible with ECC 6.0 for technical reasons - SAP has developed the structures for e-filing to be compatible with PI software.
In terms of development for ECC 6.0 and SBC, this has been suggested to SAP development and they are reviewing this request. It should be noted however that nothing has been agreed or confirmed as yet and therefore SAP are unable to give any guarantees or assurances at this time.
N.B. Customers looking for a quick implementation of a point-to-point scenario in the short term can use SAP BC but must consider that it is not a strategic, long term solution. Also, the SAP BC is based on old technology that won’t be developed further and is supported on limited platforms.
SAP’s strategic solution for the integration of business processes is SAP Exchange Infrastructure (SAP XI, now referred to as SAP Process Integration or SAP PI) as part of SAP NetWeaver. New or updated SAP solutions will make use of SAP XI for process-centric, message-based integration, i.e. in future all AP solutions will be based on SAP NetWeaver. The SAP XI is the evolution of the Business Connector, providing the same functionality and options, such as conversion of the RFC format into XML/HTML and the processing of BADI calls as per above.
The latest SAP XI/PI version is 7.1 with 7.2 coming sometime in 2009. Compatibility is as follows...
- Windows XP & Windows Vista on x86 (32 bit)
- Windows Server 2003 & Windows Server 2008 on x64 (64 bit)
- Linux (SuSE SLES 10 & RedHat RHEL5) on x86 (32 bit)
- Linux (SuSE SLES 10 & RedHat RHEL5) on x86_64 (64 bit)
The PI engine is not free for use with e-filing and users will be charged a nominal license fee of £1000 for use for e-filing. This is done as customers have to buy a base engine license for PI and it would be unfair for SAP to charge other customers for external use yet let e-filing customers have it for nothing. Facts to consider:
- PI is part of the Netweaver stack and cannot run on a laptop
- PI is not free
- Once configured, you do not need to configure eFiling again. Install the patches
- Network and Firewall expertise is needed to setup eFiling
N.B. Customers looking for a strategic integration solution for the complete application landscape should consider SAP XI/PI.
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