The following graphic shows the components that make up the SAP Exchange
Infrastructure as well as some applications that are integrated through the exchange. The applications
comprise SAP applications as well as 3 rd
party
applications. The integration is achieved by exchanging XML
based message objects through the Integration Server. To adopt different application Systems the
Integration Server does comprehensive routing and mapping using specific integration data out of the
Integration Directory and Integration
Repository as well as system specific data of the System
Landscape Directory.
The SAP Exchange Infrastructure consists of the following
components:
System Landscape Directory
Integration Repository
Integration Directory
Integration Server
Integration Adapters
Integration Clients
Applications need the following proxy components to use
the SAP Exchange
Infrastructure directly and without adapters.
Proxy Framework
Proxy Generator
Proxy
Runtime
Integration Server (IS)
The Integration Server is the central part of the SAP Exchange
Infrastructure. It receives messages from
the sender applications and then applies routing and mapping
rules to these messages and finally sends them to the receiving application.
Each SAP Web Application Server has the
Integration Server Software built in but it is the specific configuration that activates its role
as a central Integration Server.
Integration Adapters
(IA)
Adapters are used to
convert various protocols and data formats into the Integration
Servers
XML based message
objects and vice versa. The Integration Server comes with some built in
adapters but most
adapters are additional components.
Integration Repository (IR)
The Integration Repository provides collaboration knowledge
available at design time, for example, mappings, interfaces, and components. It
is built in Java and follows
(J2EE) standards. The information in the Integration Repository is used by the
Integration Directory, which adds configuration-specific information that is
needed for execution
Integration Directory (ID)
The Integration Directory contains detailed collaboration knowledge about the current system landscape around the SAP Integration Server. It is a description of routing rules,
active services, executable mappings and the specific system landscape. The Integration Directory details the information from the Integration Repository that is specific to the configuration
System Landscape Directory (SLD)
The System Landscape Directory is composed of the Component
Repository and the Landscape Directory. The Component Repository includes a description of all SAP
Components whereas the Landscape Directory includes a complete description of the actually
installed SAP system landscape.
Clients
Integration Server
The Integration Server can be accessed using the standard SAP Gui
frontend.
Integration Repository and Directory
The Integration Repository and Directory require specific Java
client software which is stored on the Integration Server and will be automatically installed on the
client side using Java Web Start. This client software can be used during design time to
develop new interfaces and mappings and to configure services, routings and
mappings.
System Landscape Directory
The System Landscape Directory can be accessed using a standard
internet browser.
Proxy Framework
The Proxy Framework consists of the Proxy Generator and the Proxy
Runtime. The Proxy
Framework for ABAP (generator and runtime) is part of the SAP Web Application
Server and no specific
installation is needed.
Proxy Generator for Java
The Proxy Generator for Java is used to generate proxies (Java
Classes) for application programming. It makes use of the Integration Repository which contains all
interface definitions.
Java Proxy Runtime
The Proxy Runtime for Java is mandatory for all Java programs to
exchange messages with the SAP Integration Server. In doing so the proxy runtime converts the used java
classes into XML messages. These XML messages are sent to the Integration Server using http
protocol.
