DMZ Architecture Questions

[Former Member]

Hello,

In our production landscape, we are going to have One Portal Central Instance + DB Server along with a Portal Dialog Instance Application Server. These servers are going to be inside the corporate network.

Unfortunately, we do not have enough knowledge and experience with Load balancing, Reverse Proxy & SSL. We are in a big dilemma on whether we should go with software based applications (SAP Web Dispatcher/ APACHE) or the hardware based devices (BIG IP).

I really appreciate if you can share your experience in any of the above solution. Also, please let me know which one is the cheapest

Thank you,

Nikee

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello All,

Thank you all for your valuable inputs.

I have the following quick questions:

1> How about the Reverse Proxy?

2> Do we have to have a database for SAP Web Dispatcher?

3> How big server are we talking here (for example: a total of 500 concurrent users)

Thank you,

Nikee

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

1. The architecture is the same as the Internet Communication Manager. The Web dispatcher uses the same HTTP framework and is likewise structured modularly from subhandlers. But unlike the ICM, the SAP Web Dispatcher does not directly pass incoming requests to a work process (or to the Java Dispatcher), – it passes them to the ICM of the application server. The response of the application server to a request returns to the client using the same network connection via the Web dispatcher.

If the application server acting as the client opens connections to external HTTP servers, these connections go direct to the server (or possibly via a configured proxy) and not via the Web dispatcher.

The Web dispatcher has the function of a "reverse proxy", and not that of a proxy.

======================================================

So in summary, YES the SAP Web Dispatcher acts as a reverse proxy.

======================================================

2. There is no database for the SAP Web Dispatcher (all config file stuff)

3. Believe it or not, the load that the SAP Web Dispatcher generates is pretty small. I would start with a "smallish" machine and work my way up from there.

Cheers

Shaun

[Former Member]

Hi Nikee,

You should find that the SAP Web Dispatcher (sitting on your DMZ) will meet your requirements for load balancing across the servers (central instance + dialog instance).

The SAP Web Dispatcher has the following features:

a. Acts as a software web switch between the internet and your SAP systems

b. Provides a single point of access for HTTP(S) requests

c. Load balance requests to the server with the lowest load (highest capacity)

d. Can act as a URL filter (accept or reject specific URLs)

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Shaun

[Former Member]

Hi,

Please take a look at https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/weblogs?blog=/pub/wlg/1214. [original link is broken] [original link is broken] [original link is broken] [original link is broken] Moreover, you can search SDN for DMZ and you will see a lot of content especially in the form of weblogs and articles.

Regards

[Former Member]

Also, check out <a href="https://www.sdn.sap.comhttp://www.sdn.sap.comhttp://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/9a71c790-0201-0010-1989-ba8660c08c91">this presentation</a>

[Former Member]

Hi Nikee

If you are using SAP try to use SAP products only as far as possible.This will create a good impression infront of your cllient.

I would suggestyou go for SAP Web Dispatcher.Because firstly its free,you dont have to pay anything for it and secondly its rather easy to handle.

Sending you few links about sap web dispatcher.

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw2004s/helpdata/en/42/5cfd3b0e59774ee10000000a114084/frameset.htm

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw2004s/helpdata/en/f5/51c7d170bc4a98b1b5a0339213af57/frameset.htm

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw2004s/helpdata/en/94/384b8e308b934f8b51cf2b5fb762b5/frameset.htm

Please award points: