ALE:BAPI

ALE / BAPI Messaging
Cay Rademann
SAP AG
SAP AG 1998
<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 1
Topics
Communication
Synchronous BAPIs
Asynchronous BAPIs
Replication
Summary
SAP AG 1998
Page 1
There are 2 Ways of Communication

Asynchronous
Synchronous
Hello Jane, I want to
order 50 piece of xxxx,
20 piece of yyyyy and
100 piece of zz. Can
you deliver this?
FAX
Order
xxxx
yyy
Order:
xxxx 50
yyyyy 20
zz 100
SAP AG 1998
Synchronous Communication
z
z
Client calls Server

Server can return information directly
How many
do you want?
I want to
order ...
SAP AG 1998
Page 2
Server Availability
Client cant finish transaction if server is not available
SAP AG 1998
Transaction Handling: Database LUW
State of data changes insert, update, delete
Intermediate state
Consistent
state 1
Consistent
state 2
A
COMMIT
ROLLBACK
SAP AG 1998
Page 3
Distributed LUWs
System A
A
synchronous
2-Phase-Commit
required
System B
B
SAP AG 1998
Synchronous Links
Only for uncritical transactions

T Unsuitable synchronous link:
Posting a goods receipt in a logistics system should not

depend on the financial system being available
T Suitable links:
Checking existence of objects in an infrequently used

transaction;
Displaying data on follow-on documents created in the other
system
Exception: tightly coupled systems

T If two systems are to be so tightly coupled that they can be
treated as a single system, then synchronous links are OK
SAP AG 1998
Page 4
Asynchronous Communication
z
z
z
Decoupling of transactions on client and server

No direct feedback from server
Special mechanisms for monitoring / error handling
FAX
Order
xxxx
yyy
FAX
Order:
xxxx 50
yyyyy 20
zz 100
SAP AG 1998
Message Queuing
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
Automatic retry if the client is not available

Guaranteed once-only delivery
Serialization (delivery in the correct order)
Parallel processing (for enhanced throughput)
Monitoring tools
Data logging for auditing and/or recovery
Timing control: when to send data, when to process
data at receiver
SAP AG 1998
Page 5
Error Handling
z
z
z
Client does not automatically notice errors on server

For high volume traffic, can only afford a very low
error rate
If an error occurs at server, manual intervention in the
server system is typically needed
T the transaction has already been posted by the client, and
typically cannot be easily undone.
User(s) in the server system should be automatically

notified of errors
SAP AG 1998
Data Replication
z
z
z
Replicas of data objects are available to local systems

T Local access ensures high performance
T Communication failure not critical
Which information is replicated and which information

is maintained locally?
Ownership of data needs to be clearly defined
Copy
Copy
SAP AG 1998
Page 6
System Coupling
z
z
A system must continue to operate when others are

not available
This means:
T Critical data needs to be replicated
T Asynchronous communication:
Message Queuing
Error handling
T Synchronous links only for non-critical transactions
SAP AG 1998
Topics
Communication
Synchronous BAPIs
Asynchronous BAPIs
Replication
Summary
SAP AG 1998
Page 7
BAPIs - Stable, Standardized

Access to SAPs Business Objects
SAP Business Objects (BO) cover
a broad range of R/3 business data
and processes. They can be accessed
at the business process level using
BAPIs
Business Application
Programming Interface
Application n
BAPI
BAPI
Invoice
BAPI
BAPI
SAP AG 1998
Synchronous BAPIs
BAPI invocation by ALE
Query distribution model
local?
no
yes
BAPI
BAPI
Business Component n
Business Component 1
SAP AG 1998
Page 8
Customer Distribution Model

New York
Chicago
Chicago
Inventory
Inventory
control
control
Inventory
Inventory
control
control
01
01
20
20
Division
Division
Dallas
Dallas
Mat. Group
Mat. Group
INVCON
Inventory
Inventory
management
management
Seattle
INVCON
Inventory
Inventory
management
management
London
London
INVCON
Inventory
Inventory
management
management
SAP AG 1998
The Application Queries the Model
z
z
z
z
The application queries the ALE distribution model

T Has the BAPI to be called on a different system?
T Which system is the server?
T Standard function modules / BAPIs available
Depending on the result:

T The BAPI is called on a different system
T The function is processed locally
The model directly controls distribution

BAPI: DistributionModel.GetInfo
SAP AG 1998
Page 9
R/3 Middleware Connectivity

SAP@Web
SAP@Web
Studio
Studio
te
In
ABAP
ABAP
Workbench
Workbench
et
rn
Business
Connector
CO
M
Messaging
Visual
Visual
Studio, VB
Studio, VB
BAPI
BAPI
BAPI
SAPGUI
DIAG
DCOM
Component
Connector
Delphi
Delphi
Connect
Connect
for SAP
for SAP
SAP
Component
BAPI
Ja
va
Access
Builder
BOR
BA
OR
C
BAPI
CB
Connector
Visual Age
Visual Age
for Java
for Java
SAP AG 1998
Object
Bridge
BAPI
BAPI Proxies in Non-SAP Environments
Invoke BAPIs from

outside R/3
z Process control outside
z Export BAPIs into
development
environments
z Leverage skills in Java,
VB, C++, ...
z Extend R/3, e.g. by new
front-end
Non-SAP Environment
Non-SAP Environment
Process
Control
Obj.
Proxy
BAPIProxies
BAPI
Obj.
Proxy
Obj.
Other
Objects
BAPI
Business Object
Repository
R/3 Business Backbone

R/3 Business Backbone
SAP AG 1998
Page 10
BAPIs in Visual Basic 98
SAP AG 1998
BAPIs in IBM VisualAge for Java
z
z
z
z
z
Access Builder for SAP R/3

is shipping
Based on SAPs Java-enabled
BAPIs
No difference between native
JavaBeans and Java BAPIs
Applications can be used in
any Java VM
100%-pure Java
SAP AG 1998
Page 11
BAPIs in Inprise Delphi/Connect
z
z
SAP AG 1998
Delphi/Connect for SAP

is shipping
JBuilder/Connect for SAP
will also be BAPI powered
SAP Business Connector
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
SAP`s open 2-way interface to business partners in

the internet on application level (R/3 to R/3, R/3 to
non R/3)
Communication in the internet via transmission of
BAPI-XML-documents
Build upon SAP`s BAPI- and ALE technology
Adds special business services to BAPI and ALE
Integration with SAPs Internet Transaction Server (ITS)
Access from within R/3 via ABAP, ABAP-OO, workflow
Build in authorization, security and encryption services
Available for R/3 version 3.1 and higher
SAP AG 1998
Page 12
BAPIs in R/3
z
z
z
SAP AG 1998
BAPI Information in
BAPI Browser (Transaction
BAPI)
Receiver Determination
BAPI Call via RFC
Receiver Determination for Synchronous BAPIs

in R/3
Function ale_sync_bapi_get_receiver
T Importing
OBJECT
METHOD
T Tables
RECEIVER_INPUT (optional)
RECEIVERS
FILTEROBJECT_VALUES
T Exceptions
Output: RECEIVERS
T Logical System
T RFC destination
SAP AG 1998
Page 13
Determination of Filter Objects in R/3
A function module exist which tells the application

which filters are relevant for a BAPI
T ale_bapi_get_filterobjects
IMPORTING
z OBJECT
z METHOD
TABLES
z RECEIVER_INPUT
z FILTEROBJECTS
EXCEPTIONS ...
(OPTIONAL)
SAP AG 1998
Receiver Determination for Synchronous

BAPIs / Unique Receiver
Function ale_sync_bapi_get_unique_receiver
T Importing
OBJECT
METHOD
T Exporting
Receiver
T Tables
FILTEROBJECTS_VALUES
T Exceptions
Output: RECEIVER
T Logical System
T RFC destination
SAP AG 1998
Page 14
BAPI Call via RFC
z
z
z
Call Function <name of function module>

destination <RFC-destination>
<name of function module> : see BAPI Browser
(transaction BAPI) to get information from
Business Object Repository
<RFC-destination> : return parameter of receiver
determination
SAP AG 1998
Topics
Communication
Synchronous BAPIs
Asynchronous BAPIs
Replication
Summary
SAP AG 1998
Page 15
Asynchronous BAPIs
BAPI invocation by ALE
Query distribution model

ALE Error Handling
ALE Error Handling
ALE
ALE
no BAPI to IDoc
BAPI to IDoc outlocal?
outconversion
conversion bound
bound
IDoc
ALE
ALE IDoc to BAPI
IDoc to BAPI
inbound conversion
inbound conversion
yes
yes
BAPI
error?
BAPI
no
ALE Links
Business Component 1
Business Component n
generated coding
SAP AG 1998
ALE Async. Output Processing

Application
ALE layer
Need to send
a message?
BAPI to IDoc
conversion
Comm. layer
Customer
Distribution Model
Receiver determination
Segment filter
Field value conversion
Version change
Database
Links
Dispatch
control
SAP AG 1998
Page 16
Communication
Comm. layer
sender
Comm. layer
receiver
tRFC
Middleware
TCP/IP
File-Transfer
....
SAP AG 1998
ALE Async. Input Processing

Comm. layer
ALE layer
Application
C
Version change
Segment filter
Field value conversion
Input
control
A
IDoc to BAPI
conversion
Simultaneously update
IDoc's status
Database
BAPI
SAP AG 1998
Page 17
Receiver Determination for Asynchronous

BAPIs
Function ale_async_bapi_get_receiver
T Importing
OBJECT
METHOD
T Tables
RECEIVER_INPUT (optional)
RECEIVERS
FILTEROBJECT_VALUES
T Exceptions
Output: RECEIVERS
T Logical System
SAP AG 1998
Integration BAPI/IDoc
z
z
Asynchronous BAPIs use IDoc technology

There are special requirements for asynchronous
BAPIs
T A COMMIT WORK must not be executed in the BAPI
T The RETURN parameter of the BAPI must use the reference
z
z
structure BAPIRETURN1 or BAPIRET2

T All other EXPORT parameters of the BAPI are ignored
The required objects can be generated

This can also be used for the communication with
non-R/3-systems
SAP AG 1998
Page 18
Generating IDoc Interface for Asynchronous

BAPIs
For an asynchronous BAPI, specified by business

object and method, the following objects can be
generated:
T
T
T
T
Segments of the IDoc

IDoc structure
Message type
Function module that writes the BAPI parameters into an IDoc
on the outbound side and distributes the IDoc
T Function module that reads the BAPI parameters out of the IDoc
on the inbound side and calls the BAPI
SAP AG 1998
Using the Generated Objects in R/3
z
z
z
z
The application only has to call the generated

outbound function module
This function module has the same interface as the
BAPI plus an additional parameter for the receivers of
the IDoc
After the call of the generated function module the
application has to do a COMMIT WORK. Otherwise the
IDoc would be created but not sent
Everything else runs automatically in the background
SAP AG 1998
Page 19
Topics
Communication
Synchronous BAPIs
Asynchronous BAPIs
Replication
Summary
SAP AG 1998
ALE Master Data Replication
z
z
z
z
Replicas of master data records must be available to

local systems
In a distributed environment, not all views of a master
data object (e.g. material) need to be maintained
centrally
You can specify which fields of a data object will be
replicated
A special ALE service is used for the replication
SAP AG 1998
Page 20
DBMS-Replication vs. R/3-ALE

Replication
DBMS
ALE
Pull/Push
Yes
Yes
Log-based
Yes
Yes
Horizontal/vertical data partitioning
Yes
Yes
Synchronous
Yes
No
Asynchronous
Yes
Yes
Filtering (rule-based)
Yes
Yes
Field conversions
No
Yes
Version conversion
No
Yes
Administration Tools
Yes
Yes
Automatic
Yes
Yes
Manual
Yes
Yes
DBMS dependend
Yes
No
ALE is an application-driven data replication independend on

the underlaying DBMS !
DB-Replication is a proprietary database technology
of the DBMS vendor !
SAP AG 1998
ALE Master Data Replication: Change pointers

Application
posting
Change document
service
ALE layer
Distribution
Model
Create/change
master data
Create change
document
Standard ALE
output
ALE relevant?
Write pointers
Batch job / manual
Create IDOCs
Master data
Change docs.
Change pointers
SAP AG 1998
Page 21
ALE Configuration Data Replication
Distribution of customizing objects can be modeled in

the distribution model
T This defines the reference system for a given object
T Maintenance of these objects is automatically disabled in other
z
z
systems
Distribution between R/3 systems is effected via CTS

(Correction and Transport System)
Information about configuration data changes can be
distributed to non SAP systems
SAP AG 1998
Topics
Communication
Synchronous BAPIs
Asynchronous BAPIs
Replication
Summary
SAP AG 1998
Page 22
Summary
z
z
z
Communication can be synchronous or asynchronous

There are different processes for synchronous and
asynchronous communication available in R/3
ALE provides special services for data replication
SAP AG 1998
Page 23

ALE:BAPI

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ALE / BAPI Messaging

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 1

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 2

There are 2 Ways of Communication

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 3

Client calls Server

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 4

Client cant finish transaction if server is not available

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 5

Transaction Handling: Database LUW

State of data changes insert, update, delete

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 6

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 7

Only for uncritical transactions

Posting a goods receipt in a logistics system should not

Checking existence of objects in an infrequently used

Displaying data on follow-on documents created in the other

Exception: tightly coupled systems

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 8

Decoupling of transactions on client and server

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 9

Automatic retry if the client is not available

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 10

Client does not automatically notice errors on server

typically cannot be easily undone.

User(s) in the server system should be automatically

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 11

Replicas of data objects are available to local systems

Which information is replicated and which information

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 12

A system must continue to operate when others are

T Synchronous links only for non-critical transactions

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 13

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 14

BAPIs - Stable, Standardized

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 15

Query distribution model

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 16

Customer Distribution Model

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 17

The Application Queries the Model

The application queries the ALE distribution model

Depending on the result:

The model directly controls distribution

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 18

R/3 Middleware Connectivity

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 19

BAPI Proxies in Non-SAP Environments

Invoke BAPIs from

R/3 Business Backbone

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 20

BAPIs in Visual Basic 98

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 21

BAPIs in IBM VisualAge for Java

Access Builder for SAP R/3

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 22

BAPIs in Inprise Delphi/Connect

Delphi/Connect for SAP

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 23

SAP Business Connector

SAP`s open 2-way interface to business partners in

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 24

<J7> SAPTechEd 98, Karlsruhe (Rademann) / 25

Receiver Determination for Synchronous BAPIs