SAP connector for Microsoft .NET Licensing queries

[Former Member]

Hi there!

We have a client who intend to develop the following connection between SAP R/3 IS-Retail to a locally developed Retail Management System. The idea was to have PDA's in local stores to retrieve, send and post transaction via a local retail server to SAP server using MS .NET.

However, the licencing issue pops up.

Reading through the FAQ for SAP Connector for Microsoft .NET Licensing. We came across the statement:

'.......4. Do I need a runtime license for running an application that uses the SAP connector for Microsoft .NET?

The runtime does not require any immediate license fees. However, please note that each user accessing application functionality through the SAP connector for Microsoft .NET is required to be licensed under a respective solution or component license..........'

We need help to clarify the following questions:

1. What is 'runtime license'? Is it similar to SAP user id that is licenced to perform transaction in SAP?

2. As the statement implies, does it means we have to acquire user licence for

- every user id that is logged on via the PDA,

- or is it limited to per .NET connection line to SAP

- or limited to the RFC user id that is created in SM59?

3. Since the client is concern on the licensing audit, they requested to have documentation to back-up any claim on licence matters, is there anywhere we could find these documents?

Thanks in advance!

Sam Lee

[reiner_hille-doering · Accepted solution]

I'm not a license expert, but I try to answer the question as good as I can:

> 1. What is 'runtime license'? Is it similar to SAP

> user id that is licenced to perform transaction in

> SAP?

Yes, exactly.

>

> 2. As the statement implies, does it means we have to

> acquire user licence for

> - every user id that is logged on via the PDA,

Yes, I think so. SAP has the term of "named users" and "concurrent users". Usually the license fees are based on the named users - thus the number of different persons that use some SAP functionality - regardless which channel they use (portal / SAPGUI / PDA / ...)

> - or is it limited to per .NET connection line to SAP

This would be "concurrent users". If your licenses model is based on this (which is AFAIK less typical), this would be the case.

> - or limited to the RFC user id that is created in

> SM59?

No. Any kind of "technical one-to-many-user-mapping-trick is not allowed.

> 3. Since the client is concern on the licensing

> audit, they requested to have documentation to

> back-up any claim on licence matters, is there

> anywhere we could find these documents?

Please contact you local SAP sales office. I'm sure they can give you all details.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Reiner, thanks for the help!