Enterprise Services and Persistence

[Former Member]

Hi All,

One of the useful things about IDocs is that their processing involves 2 steps: 1) persisting the IDoc to a database 2) processing the document. Persisting IDocs is very useful since it allows you to edit and resend them.

I would like to know if SAP asynchronous Enterprise Services can/do provide persistence as well. Knowing this would help us decide between using IDocs or Enterprise Services in future developments.

Your help is very much appreciated.

Cheers

Gerard

[engswee · Accepted solution]

Dear Gerard

SAP's asynchronous Enterprise Services uses proxy technology which provides persistence in the local integration engine. It is similar to IDocs, whereby the message data is persisted prior to processing by the application logic.

Additionally, SAP-delivered Enterprise Services uses Forward Error Handling (FEH) framework to enable error handling capabilities like editing and resending. Together with Error Conflict Handler (ECH) and Post-Processing Office (PPO), this enables capabilities similar to IDoc error handling.

For more info on FEH/ECH/PPO, you can check the below wiki and blog post

Error and Conflict Handler (ECH) - ABAP Connectivity - SCN Wiki

I've also blogged about development of custom asynchronous proxies utilizing FEH/ECH/PPO. You can check the blog below for an example of how persistence in the integration engine is, as well as the editing and reprocessing features.

Rgds

Eng Swee

[Former Member]

Hi Eng Swee,

Thanks very much for your reply. I will certainly follow up on your links.

I have another question which you may be able to help me with.

Currently we have 2 ESBs (Electronic Service Buses) : SAP PI and Oracle Fusion Middleware. We often need to review which one to use. Currently the preference is using Oracle Fusion Middleware.

So I need to check : Are their any issues using Enterprise Services with a non-SAP ESB?

My interpretation is that when you say SAP Enterprise Services uses the "local integration engine" that is the local integration engine in the ABAP stack of the SAP ECC stack. So this should have no PI dependence and I should be able to use the Enterprise Service from a non-SAP ESB.

I wasn't sure what you meant by "SAP-delivered Enterprise Services". This sounds like it may require SAP PI or its successor.

Is my interpretation correct?

Thanks again for your help.

Cheers

Gerard

[engswee]

Hi Gerard,

Yes, "local integration engine" refers to the engine in the ECC ABAP stack. When using Enterprise Services with PI, you have the option of using either the XI3.0 proxy protocol (which uses the local integration engine) or SOAP (which uses the Web Service runtime in ECC ABAP stack).

If your non-SAP ESB has capability to transmit over SOAP, it should be fine. The ESB just needs to consume the WSDL definition of the interface (can be retrieved via SOAMANAGER) and generate the SOAP message accordingly.

What I meant by "SAP-delivered Enterprise Services" are those interfaces that are developed by SAP and delivered as standard content on the ECC/SRM/CRM/etc system. It is also possible to develop custom interfaces (but maybe this might not be called Enterprise Services)

You can look through the Enterprise Services Workplace at the link below to explore more about what is readily available by SAP.

http://esworkplace.sap.com/

Rgds

Eng Swee

[Former Member]

Hi Eng Swee,

Thanks a million for your information.

Your obviously have very great insight into SAP and SAP Enterprise Services.

Best regards,

Gerard

[Former Member]

Consider AIF (SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0 – SAP Help Portal Page ) in addition to ES option. It's a very sophisticate SOA approach that could put IDOC as obsolete. It will go beyond what the ALE layer offer for systems integration.

Cheers,

F

[Former Member]

Hi F,

Thanks very much for your reply. I will certainly follow up on your link.

Cheers

Gerard