Frequently asked questions Enterprise SOA and Business Process ...

Enterprise SOA
ENTERPRISE SOA AND
BUSINESS PROCESS
PLATFORM FAQS
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CONTENTS
What is a business process platform? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Does SAP deliver a business process platform? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
What is enterprise SOA? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Where do I start my enterprise SOA journey? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Isn’t the move to enterprise SOA a threat to SAP since it allows customers and
smaller vendors to easily replace SAP functionality? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
How are enterprise services delivered? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Can you provide an example of a service-enabled scenario? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
How does SAP decide what enterprise services to build? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
How and when can I start using enterprise services? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Where can I find more information about service-enabled scenarios? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
How are enterprise services priced? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
What is the ES Workplace site? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
How does ES Workplace help during the design phase of an enterprise service? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Do I have to pay for the enterprise services made available through ES Workplace? . . . . . . . . . . . .6
What is the ES Community program?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
How does the community protect intellectual property? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
What is the Business Process Expert Community site? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
What can members access via the Business Process Expert Community site? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
What are industry value networks? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
What is the SAP Discovery System for enterprise SOA? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
When will SAP Discovery System be available? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
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How can I service-enable existing applications? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
What is the enterprise services repository? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
How can I manage a business process? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
What are enterprise processes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
What are automated processes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
What are interactive processes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
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WHAT IS A BUSINESS
PROCESS PLATFORM?
WHAT IS ENTERPRISE SOA?
A business process platform is the prerequisite for the controlled
Enterprise SOA is a business-driven software architecture that
and cost-effective deployment of enterprise service-oriented
increases adaptability, flexibility, openness, and cost-efficiency.
architecture (enterprise SOA). It provides an extensible reposi-
With enterprise SOA, organizations can compose applications
tory of enterprise services definitions, application logic that
and enable business processes rapidly using enterprise services.
implements those services in a robust and reusable fashion, and
With enterprise SOA, organizations can improve their reuse of
a technology platform to integrate, compose, and deploy
software and become more agile in responding to change.
enterprise services for flexible business processes. A business
process platform enables organizations to respond rapidly to
Where do I start my enterprise SOA journey?
change and to drive business process innovation.
Large enterprise customers can start their journey toward
enterprise SOA by adopting the current release of the mySAP
Does SAP deliver a business process platform?
ERP application. Midsize customers can start with an SAP®
Yes. SAP delivers business process platform offerings for specific
All-in-One solution. Both mySAP ERP and SAP All-in-One
market segments and industries, all of which take advantage of
solutions are powered by the SAP NetWeaver platform.
the SAP NetWeaver® platform. SAP NetWeaver enables the
provisioning, composition, and management of service-enabled
Isn’t the move to enterprise SOA a threat to SAP
applications.
since it allows customers and smaller vendors to
easily replace SAP functionality?
SAP delivered the first business process platform for large
An enterprise SOA enables customers to extend their business
enterprises by offering the latest release of the mySAP™ ERP
solutions quickly and easily to meet their unique needs. Custom-
application (mySAP ERP 2005), which includes more than 1,000
ers will still rely on the stable, well-designed functionality
enterprise services on the SAP NetWeaver platform.
provided by SAP solutions. To fulfill a specific industry require-

ment or business need, they can now take advantage of enter-
With this business process platform, SAP is the first and only
prise services provided by SAP or strategic business partners.
enterprise software provider to leverage enterprise SOA to
With these enterprise services, customers can rapidly enhance
transform the way new features and functionality are delivered
their existing business processes or develop and deploy new
to and consumed by customers. In addition, customers can take
applications to handle specific business processes. This extends
advantage of enterprise services delivered by strategic business
and increases the value of SAP solutions.
partners to enhance or extend their business solutions.

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HOW ARE ENTERPRISE SERVICES DELIVERED?
Enterprise services are grouped together to support a particular
How and when can I start using enterprise
business capability. Each group includes the following:
services?
• Enterprise services
Customers can review detailed information about enterprise
• Definitions of these enterprise services in the enterprise
services on the SAP Developer Network (SDN) site today at
services repository
www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/wiki. The first use cases support the
• Consuming applications or links to applications that use the
following processes and requirements:
enterprise services
• Integration of manufacturing execution systems
• Sample code and best practices
• Manufacturing work instructions
• Interactive content and advice provided by SAP, its partners,
• Electronic bill presentment and payment
and other customers, delivered in a Wiki format
• Customer fact sheet creation
• Integration of quality management systems
Each group illustrates a real-life, service-enabled scenario and
• Document management connectivity
offers detailed educational guidance on how customers can
adapt and create new composite applications that address
These enterprise services are scheduled for delivery through the
innovative business strategies. In other words, these enterprise
following channels:
services provide a head start for faster deployment of innovative
• The Enterprise Services Workplace (ES Workplace) site;
business processes using SAP NetWeaver.
scheduled for December 2006 delivery through
www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/developerareas/esa/esapreview
Can you provide an example of a service-enabled
• SAP enhancement package for mySAP ERP 2005; first package
scenario?
delivered in December 2006
An example is the one for electronic bill presentment and
• SAP Discovery System software version 3; scheduled for early
pay ment. It bundles enterprise services that support authoriza-
2007 delivery
tion and settlement processes that are used to communicate

with credit card processors. Any company that handles business-
Where can I find more information about service-
to-consumer interactions that require credit card authorization
enabled scenarios?
and payments can take advantage of these enterprise services.
Customers can find information about service-enabled scenarios
on the ES Workplace and on an interactive Wiki, which are both
How does SAP decide what enterprise services to
hosted on SDN (www.sdn.sap.com). For more information on
build?
ES Workplace, see “What is ES Workplace?”.
SAP determines which enterprise services to build according to
the highest customer demand. The first enterprise services were
General information about service-enabled scenarios is available
prioritized based on interviews with industry executives and
on the enterprise services Wiki, along with detailed documenta-
experts in sales and development.
tion of the services offered for specific scenarios. Because the
enterprise services Wiki allows users to add and edit content
Future prioritization of enterprise services will be based on
collectively, it promotes content sharing among a community
requirements requested by members of the SAP ecosystem, such
of SAP developers, customers, and partners using enterprise
as definition groups of the Enterprise Services Community (ES
services to integrate, compose, and deploy innovate applications.
Community) program.
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WHAT IS THE ES WORKPLACE
SITE?
How are enterprise services priced?
ES Workplace provides a place for enterprise architects and
Enterprise services are not priced or sold separately. They help
developers to browse and test new enterprise services made
users take advantage of SAP functionality, including composition
available by SAP as part of the mySAP Business Suite family of
tools provided by SAP NetWeaver 2004s, as well as enhanced
applications. Depending on the granularity of the information
features delivered with mySAP ERP 2005. Customers can also use
demand, a user can search for enterprise services in a variety of
the enterprise services to develop composite applications that
ways: alphabetically, or by general business context, industry, or
help improve business processes.
solution map. For more information on ES Workplace, visit SDN at
www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/developerareas/esa/esapreview.
How does ES Workplace help during the design
phase of an enterprise service?
Using ES Workplace, enterprise architects can start browsing
solution maps to see which main processes are supported and
then view the various associated process development models.
This information can help them design enterprise services that
solve a particular business solution because enterprise services,
interfaces, and process components are assigned to such pre-
defined processes.
Do I have to pay for the enterprise services made
available through ES Workplace?
Productized enterprise services are delivered as add-ons to an
application license, for example, with mySAP ERP 2005.
Customers need to have mySAP Business Suite 2005 or parts of it
running to fully utilize the power of enterprise services.
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WHAT IS THE BUSINESS
WHAT IS THE ES COMMUNITY
PROCESS EXPERT
PROGRAM?
COMMUNITY SITE?
ES Community is an SAP program for engaging with customers
The Business Process Expert Community site provides a resource
and partners to define enterprise service interfaces for the SAP
for business process experts – including business analysts, process
NetWeaver platform and applications, including the definition
consultants, and application consultants – who bridge business
of enterprise services. Customers and partners can participate
and IT to make business process innovation happen. When you
in this program to submit requests for new service interfaces and
join this free community, you become a member of a vibrant
provide feedback and input on SAP’s broader enterprise SOA
community that provides the context for using best practices,
strategy.
software, and technologies needed to drive business agility via
enterprise SOA. For more information, visit bpx.sap.com.
How does the community protect intellectual
property?
What can members access via the Business Process
The community is built on a clear legal framework, which
Expert Community site?
ensures that the intellectual property of all participants as well
Members of this community have access to the following:
as SAP is protected and that all participants are treated equally.
• A technical library of articles, white papers, and documentation
More information can be found at esc.sap.com or by sending
• Software downloads and code samples
e-mail to esc@sap.com.
• An e-learning catalog
• Active, moderated forums and Web logs
• Relevant SAP portals and systems via single sign-on
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WHAT ARE INDUSTRY VALUE
WHAT IS THE SAP DISCOVERY
NETWORKS?
SYSTEM FOR ENTERPRISE SOA?
Industry value networks (IVNs) help customers solve business
The SAP Discovery System for enterprise SOA is a complete
problems by driving industry collaboration to deliver new
turnkey offering for enterprise SOA learning and exploration
solutions that support business innovation and productivity.
targeted at developers. It includes educational and informational
IVNs bring together industry-leading independent software
materials for SAP NetWeaver 2004s and mySAP ERP 2005. SAP
vendors, systems integrators, technology vendors, customers,
Discovery System is a preconfigured, preinstalled environment
and SAP experts to provide innovative, high-impact business
offered through SAP hardware partners (such as HP). In addition
solutions as well as end-to-end industry software, services, and
to documentation and sample composite applications, customers
support.
receive information about best practices to help them enable
enterprise SOA in their own environment.
The collaboration among IVN members goes beyond the
technical integration of components to span joint business
When will SAP Discovery System be available?
planning, solution definition and delivery, implementation,
The first release of SAP Discovery System for enterprise SOA was
and support. IVNs capitalize on the know-how, products, and
announced at SAPPHIRE® ’06 Paris and will be made available
services of all its members. They enable customers to function
through various SAP technology partners. Initially, SAP Discov-
as coinnovators of new solutions by enabling them to provide
ery System is available from HP, preinstalled on an HP ProLiant
guidance on solution prioritization, requirements, and support
DL380. Customer and partners can visit HP’s online store for
for the rollout process.
ordering information at www.hp.com/go/server/sap. Additional

availability from other SAP technology partners will come.
As a result of this collaboration, customers can accelerate
business innovation with new composite applications, enhance
productivity with extended integration scenarios, and reduce
total cost of ownership by using solutions based on an integrated
platform. For more information, visit
www.sap.com/usa/platform/ecosystem/ivn/index.epx.
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HOW CAN I SERVICE-ENABLE
WHAT IS THE ENTERPRISE
EXISTING APPLICATIONS?
SERVICES REPOSITORY?
Customers can use tools provided in SAP NetWeaver to expose
The enterprise services repository is the central place where
existing business functionality in software applications as
enterprise service definitions are stored and maintained for
enterprise services or to create new enterprise services. In
the life-cycle management of all enterprise services used at a
particular, customers can use the SAP NetWeaver Developer
customer’s organization. To create enterprise services, you must
Studio tool to create custom enterprise services and the process
have design-time and runtime management of enterprise
integration functionality of SAP NetWeaver to service-enable
services metadata maintained in a central repository, as this
existing applications. This is achieved through adapters that
facilitates their reusability and governance.
convert the interface technology of existing applications to the
Web services format used by enterprise services.
The integration repository available with SAP NetWeaver 2004s
already supplies the basic functionality required. Enhanced
modeling functionalities for associated business processes and
objects are scheduled to be added in the next major release,
together with a Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration
(UDDI) 3.0–compliant services registry for runtime access.
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HOW CAN I MANAGE A BUSINESS PROCESS?
A business process is a set of logically related activities performed
What are automated processes?
within an organization to complete a defined business task.
Business processes can be automated using software whenever
Within the SAP NetWeaver platform, customers can define,
predefined data flows are required in business scenarios, for
model, automate, and manage business process definitions as
example, to orchestrate the interaction of multiple enterprise
follows:
services in order to perform a higher-level service. Another time
• Enterprise processes can be modeled and managed using the
that a business process can be automated is when a business
ARIS for SAP NetWeaver joint application and the SAP Solu-
partner’s RosettaNet purchase-order request can only be
tion Manager application management solution.
answered by interrogating multiple enterprise services (material
• Automated processes can leverage the business process
availability, cost, discounts, and delivery times) in business
execution language (BPEL) and workflow functionality in
applications to determine the correct response.
SAP NetWeaver.
• Interactive processes can be modeled and managed using
The technology of choice for automated processes is the BPEL,
guided procedures in SAP NetWeaver and the SAP Composite
which is implemented using the graphical modeling tools and
Application Framework (SAP CAF) tool.
an execution engine provided by the SAP NetWeaver platform.
• All layers can use enterprise services to describe activities
performed in software applications.
Workflow is similar in nature to automated processes, but it
involves human interaction to perform steps in the process.
What are enterprise processes?
Regularly automated processes are interwoven with workflow
Examples of enterprise processes are order-to-cash management
steps, such as exception handling or manual approval. Therefore
and make-to-order manufacturing. SAP delivers a set of enter-
it is important that automated process execution and workflow
prise process models that have been generated with ARIS for SAP
use the same process engine to share process state, data, and
NetWeaver and populated with SAP models for SAP business
documents and allow for central monitoring of all instances.
applications. These enterprise process models identify the
Workflow is implemented by the business workflow set of
process steps required to perform each business process. They
graphical tools and an execution engine provided by SAP
also identify which process steps are implemented using enter-
NetWeaver.
prise services in SAP business applications. Customers can use
these enterprise business process models as the basis for blue-
printing and configuring applications using SAP Solution
Manager.
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