SAP NetWeaver and its Components

SAP NetWeaver

SAP NetWeaver is the latest development in the SAP technologies. SAP (Systems, Applications and Products) founded in the year 1972 in Germany is the trend of today’s enterprise world. When SAP started its journey, it was focused to inventory management. However, over the years various enterprise resource planning solutions on different areas has been adopted towards better data management in enterprises. SAP was confined to larger companies initially but gradually small and medium sized companies too adopted the technology solutions for better work management. SAP delivers software solutions that allow organizations to store data and records of different processes in a single unified system. Different ERP solutions based on diverse work areas such as human resource, financial accounting, payroll, time management and so on are developed by SAP. SAP NetWeaver as mentioned earlier is the latest developed SAP module. Every organization aims at managing well-structured data at an enterprise level. The major challenge here is to integrate the heterogeneous environment of an organization within a unified system and at the same time managing it at a lower cost. NetWeaver results as a solution to this challenge. SAP NetWeaver is developed as an Artificial Intelligence Shell. The primary aspect of AI shell is that it adopts standard comments literally as they are delivered by the users. Let’s have a complete overview of SAP NetWeaver in this post.

What is SAP NetWeaver?

SAP NetWeaver, launched in the year 2004, can be defined as a system that is a compilation of different properties that helps in managing different applications through a single system at a much lower cost. This unified system runs different data management processes through a single system and thereby cutting down costs to a significant extent. It can also be referred to as the consolidation of diverse data and processes. SAP NetWeaver has like modules in both SAP such as Business Intelligence (BI), Enterprise Portal (EP), Exchange Infrastructure (EI) and more. The sole aim of SAP NetWeaver is to deliver a unified tracking system for different processes. It is best for organizations who wish to merge their processes and manage it through a system. It allows users to create new applications along with migrating data from existing systems. SAP NetWeaver intake both regular and verbal instructions from users and thus is more user-friendly. Also this brings down the cost of investment on enterprise’s part as the entire package of SAP NetWeaver comes in a lower cost of ownership. SAP NetWeaver makes businesses reliable along with building efficiency in processes. The implementation cost for SAP NetWeaver business client is significantly low because all the different processes are integrated and delivered by a single system developed by SAP.

Multiple Components of SAP NetWeaver

• SAP Business Information Warehouse (BIW)
• SAP Enterprise Portal
• SAP Business Intelligence
• SAP XI Exchanging Infrastructure
• SAP Knowledge Warehouse (KW)
• SAP Master Data Management (MDM)

SAP Business Information Warehouse: As the term suggests, SAP BIW provides data warehouse functionality for businesses. Several layers such as extraction layer, staging layer, transformation layer, loading layer and reporting and analysis layer integrate together in this component of SAP NetWeaver.

SAP Enterprise Portal: This component unifies and aligns the details, information and processes of different departments in a single space.

SAP Business Intelligence: This analytical, reporting and data warehousing solution enables better decisions in enterprises. SAP BI simplifies data manipulation and allows users to analyze and share information with stakeholders.

SAP XI Exchanging Infrastructure: SAP XI enables enterprises to connect systems from different vendors. These vendors might and might not use SAP warehouses or applications. This component extensively supports at cross-company scenarios.

SAP Knowledge Warehouse: SAP KW helps an organization to set up and manage both industry-specific and enterprise-specific knowledge in a unified system. It is the main element that manages the knowledge processes of an enterprise.

SAP Master Data Management: SAP MDM provides a single; integrate software solution that helps in creating, distribution and managing the entire master data at an enterprise level. This also provides the accurate data of an enterprise giving real-life status.

Advantages of SAP NetWeaver

• Enhanced Adaptability: SAP NetWeaver business clients can avail a heterogonous environment where various applications implemented in different languages and used by different vendors can be shared and managed through a unified database.
• Lower Total Cost of Ownership: Instead of replacing the entire database, SAP NetWeaver allows enterprises to interweave various resources of an organization thus bringing down the cost of implementation and ownership.
• Better Return on Investment: SAP NetWeaver increases ROI in shorter period of time leading to better assessment of services towards ensuring financial benefits for enterprises.

Hence, SAP NetWeaver is a reliable investment that enterprise can implement and manage a single data base for several processes towards better work, time and data management.