2/8/2019 SAP e-book

Unit 1
Lesson 1
Describing the Processing of ABAP Programs

LESSON OVERVIEW
This lesson explains how a simple dialog program is executed by SAP NetWeaver Application
Server (AS).

Business Example
Your task is to explain the SAP NetWeaver AS architecture and the execution of ABAP
programs. For this reason, you require the following knowledge:
● An understanding of the SAP NetWeaver AS architecture
● An understanding of how a simple dialog program is executed by the ABAP runtime
system

LESSON OBJECTIVES
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
● Describe the SAP NetWeaver Application Server architecture
● Describe the execution of a dialog program by the ABAP runtime system

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Lesson: Describing the Processing of ABAP Programs

ABAP System Architecture

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Figure 1: Client/Server Architecture of SAP NetWeaver AS

SAP NetWeaver AS has a modular architecture that follows the software-oriented client/
server principle.
In SAP NetWeaver AS, presentations, application logic, and data storage can be assigned to
different systems. This serves as the basis for the scalability of the system.

Architecture of SAP NetWeaver Application Server

Architecture Layers
● The various layers in the architecture of SAP NetWeaver AS are as follows:
- Database layer is the lowest layer . At this layer, data is managed with the help of a
Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). In addition to application data, it
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includes programs and the metadata that the SAP system requires for operation.
- Application Server layer is the intermediate layer. At this layer, ABAP programs, such
as applications that SAP provides and any custom-developed applications, run on the
application server. ABAP programs read data from the database, process it, and, if
necessary, store new data in the database.
- Presentation Server layer is the highest layer. This layer contains the user interface
where each user can access the program, enter new data, and receive the results of a
work process.

The technical distribution of software is independent of its physical location on the hardware.
Vertically, all layers can be installed on top of each other on the same computer or each layer
on a separate computer. Horizontally, you can divide the presentation and application server

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