Architecture overview
Quick answer
Around the core sit the gateway and mechanisms (RFC, BAPI, IDoc, ALE) for talking to other systems, and the landscape (DEV/QAS/PRD with transports) for safe change.
Key takeaways
- The application tier is where SAP’s logic runs, as ABAP (and some Java) in work processes coordinated by a dispatcher.
- A system is made of one or more instances (units of work processes and memory) sharing a database, and is divided into clients…
- Presentation: SAP GUI or Fiori in the browser.
- Watch out: Blurring the three tiers.
The three tiers
- Presentation: SAP GUI or Fiori in the browser.
- Application: app servers running work processes that execute business logic.
- Database: one database (HANA for S/4HANA) holding all data.
The application server up close
The application tier is where SAP’s logic runs, as ABAP (and some Java) in work processes coordinated by a dispatcher. Different work-process types handle interactive dialog steps, background jobs, database updates, locking and printing, so one system serves users and batch work together.
Systems, instances and clients
A system is made of one or more instances (units of work processes and memory) sharing a database, and is divided into clients (isolated data tenants). This structure supports scaling (add instances) and isolation (separate clients for config, test and data).
Integration and the landscape
Around the core sit the gateway and mechanisms (RFC, BAPI, IDoc, ALE) for talking to other systems, and the landscape (DEV/QAS/PRD with transports) for safe change. Together these define how SAP runs, scales and connects.
Common pitfalls
- Blurring the three tiers.
- Confusing system, instance and client.
- Ignoring the integration layer that connects SAP to everything else.
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Check your understanding
Which statement is true of Architecture overview?
- A. The company code is the legal entity for financial accounting.
- B. Background job administration manages the scheduled and batch work of an SAP system, month-end programs…
- C. The application tier is where SAP’s logic runs, as ABAP (and some Java) in work processes coordinated by a…
Show answer
C. The application tier is where SAP’s logic runs, as ABAP (and some Java) in work processes coordinated by a…
Covered in the “The application server up close” section of this lesson.
Which of these also applies to Architecture overview?
- A. Inactive OData service, Fiori/integration fails.
- B. Different work-process types handle interactive dialog steps, background jobs, database updates, locking and…
- C. Ignoring account determination behind automatic postings.
Show answer
B. Different work-process types handle interactive dialog steps, background jobs, database updates, locking and…
Covered in the “The application server up close” section of this lesson.
Which part of the Learn SAP curriculum covers Architecture overview?
- A. SAP architecture
- B. SAP administration
- C. SAP APIs
Show answer
A. SAP architecture
This lesson sits in the SAP architecture section of the Learn SAP course.