Section 15.7. What steps are involved with web services brokering using SAP NetWeaver XI?

15.7. What steps are involved with web services brokering using SAP NetWeaver XI?

Because of the services offered by the SAP NetWeaver XI runtime, client applications can accept inputs in whatever format partners can provide, and they can enable easy and flexible integration with business partners. When a message is received at the SAP NetWeaver XI server, the message header is examined, and all valid configurations for that message are executed.

The main steps in this process are logical routing, mapping, and technical routing, as shown in Figure 15-19.

In logical routing, SAP NetWeaver XI determines the business system and interface that are to receive the message, examining all possible valid receiver messages and interfaces. Messages may be split into multiple messages and routed to multiple receivers. Receiver determination and interface determination may be done separately.

As a simple example, perhaps a partner sends a purchase order in an arbitrary format. In logical routing, SAP NetWeaver XI might determine that the recipient of the message should be our production R/3 system and that the purchase order should be processed by an ORDERS05 IDOC.

In the mapping step, SAP NetWeaver XI determines the target message format or formats and executes the appropriate transformation logic to create a message in the appropriate format or formats for the receiver. For example, we use SAP NetWeaver XI to transform the arbitrary PO format of the sender to the IDOC structure. The mapping is designed in advance using one of several mapping design technologies and is executed at runtime.

Figure 15-19. Web services brokering with SAP NetWeaver XI

In the technical routing step, we determine how to physically pass the message to the receiver, including the appropriate technical sending channel and any security and encryption desired. For example, using an IDOC, we would specify TRFC as the transmission protocol and the specific RFC destination that should be used. Essentially, this service enables the IDOC interface without having to do any coding in R/3.