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Keyword: BASIS
Title : Commonly used Tcodes in SAP Business Warehousing (BW)

SAP Business One is a software that was bought over by SAP and it has been greatly enhanced over time, however, not much has been done to its architecture. SAP R/3 is indigenous to SAP and it has also undergone various re-engineering over time, especially as it relates to its architecture. A fantastic testimony to this position is in the architecture of its successor, SAP ECC.

Both SAP Business One and SAP R/3 are built on the concept of client/server architecture. So how do they differ? Let's first understand the relationship in a client server setup. A client server is a computer system design standard in which the client machines requests and gets back information from a distribution machine called the server.

SAP Business One as said earlier is based on client/server architecture, howbeit a "2 tier": strictly, clients and server. This technology is often referred to as a fat client. This is because all processing and business logic are carried out on the client. The result therefore is a system where logon and load balancing is a mirage.SAP Business One is a client-server application that utilizes the fat client technology.

A fat client is a typical two-tier, client-server system in which the application code sits on the client. The implication therefore is that virtually all processing is done on the client while the server merely serves as a data repository. This is in contrast to a "fat server" in which data handling and manipulation is carried out on the server.

In a fat client set up like SAP Business One, the client is explicitly installed on all client PC's separately from the server. This might be by remotely accessing the client system from the server or installing it independent of the server. A typical example of the former is a client installation done from the B1_XYZ folder (D:\Program Files\SAP\SAP Business One\B1_XYZ\Clients) in SAP Business One. The application code and the business logic typically sits on the client in a fat client architecture, hence the client does virtually everything. The performance of the client PC's are grossly independent of the performance of the server. The work method is to utilize the processing power available on the clients as opposed to the server. Despite these benefits and many more, this technology has its downsides.

Have you ever wondered why SAP Business One targets companies with 250 employees or there about? Aside the perception that the number (of users) is relatively typical of an SMB, the performance of systems in a fat client/thin server system diminishes when consistent client connection approaches 120 as a result of the server maintaining these connections as at when and when not needed. Also, more worrisome is the mutual alliance of the internet and fat clients. Third party systems like citrix server are used in SAP Business One to cushion this challenge. The benefits of load balancing cannot be optimized in a fat client set up. This is because individual client's idle time cannot be redistributed.

SAP R/3 is based on a three tier client/server technology. Typically, it is made up of three functionally distinct layers namely: the user interface, business logic and database.
The user interface, which is otherwise known as the presentation server displays the interface for users' communication with the SAP system. It is often referred to as the SAP GUI. As a matter of fact, it is a program called sapgui.exe. The application server is where the business logic and data manipulation takes place. Data processing, SAP administration tasks and client request/feedback management are handled within the business layer. The database layer is synonymous to the database server and it typically acts as a data repository for tables and other database objects and structures.

Ideally, an R/3 system is composed of one database server, one or more application servers and one or more presentation servers. SAP Business One on the other hand is composed of a database server and one or more presentation servers.
Source Kehinde Eseyin

Evaluation Based on Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute

PALO ALTO, Calif. and WALLDORF, Germany - December 22, 2008 - Business Objects, an SAP company (NYSE: SAP) and the world's leading provider of solutions that optimize business performance, today announced it has been positioned by Gartner, Inc. in the leaders quadrant of the "Magic Quadrant for Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Suites"1 report.

According to Gartner, "Leaders' performances excel in the CPM suite market segment. They can deliver breadth and depth of CPM suite functionality, as well as provide enterprisewide implementations to support a broad CPM strategy. Leaders successfully articulate a business proposition that resonates with buyers, and are supported by the viability and operational capability to deliver on a global basis."

Given the current economic climate, Business Objects believes that it is critical for organizations to have a comprehensive enterprise performance management (EPM) strategy that goes beyond finance and optimizes operational performance in all areas of the business. With its portfolio of EPM solutions, Business Objects provides customers with performance management capabilities that span the entire organization, giving them a holistic view of their business performance and the ability to quickly identify and address financial and operational challenges. The EPM portfolio from SAP and Business Objects enables profitable and compliant business performance.

In addition, Business Objects has an integrated solution that allows companies to define their business strategy while taking into account both external and internal risk factors. By combining the SAP® Strategy Management application with the SAP® GRC Risk Management application, Business Objects gives customers a way to enact a risk-adjusted approach to strategy. Particularly important given the current economy, companies can create their business plans while proactively addressing any risks that might inhibit their success, all as part of their daily business operations.

"We believe our leadership position in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for CPM Suites is a result of the synergies being achieved between SAP and Business Objects," said Anthony Reynolds, general manager, Enterprise Performance Management Solutions, Business Objects. "Since 2007, we have grown tremendously-growing more quickly than other EPM vendors. One of the cornerstones of our success, as well as a key differentiator, has been our vision for the convergence of EPM, GRC and BI. We understand that in order to respond quickly and effectively to changing business conditions, customers need a unified approach that includes all three business disciplines. Business Objects sees this report as a strong validation of our enterprise performance management vision and strategy, which has been developed in alignment with our customers."

Business Objects offers a broad and deep set of EPM solutions that cover the following areas: strategy management, business planning and consolidation, profitability and cost management, financial consolidation and spend analytics

1Gartner "Magic Quadrant for Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Suites" by Neil Chandler, Nigel Rayner, John E. Van Decker, Dec. 19, 2008.

About the Magic Quadrant
The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted December 2008 by Gartner, Inc. and is reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner's analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the "Leaders" quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Business Objects
Business Objects, an SAP company, transforms the way the world works by connecting people, information and businesses. With open, heterogeneous applications in the areas of governance, risk and compliance; enterprise performance management; and business intelligence, Business Objects enables organizations of all sizes worldwide to close the gap between business strategy and execution. Together with a strong and diverse partner network, Business Objects allows customers to optimize business performance across all major industries including banking, retail, consumer-packaged goods and public sector. Business Objects is committed to helping customers turn raw data into actionable decisions, regardless of their underlying database, operating system, applications or IT system.

For more information about Business Objects, visit: www.businessobjects.com.
For more information about SAP, visit: www.sap.com.

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SAP, R/3, mySAP, mySAP.com, xApps, xApp, SAP NetWeaver and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries all over the world. Business Objects and the Business Objects logo, BusinessObjects, Crystal Reports, Crystal Decisions, Web Intelligence, Xcelsius and other Business Objects products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Business Objects S.A. in the United States and in several other countries. All other names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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