[229] in sapr3-soft
Re: The Internet and SAP
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (SAP Moderator)
Fri Jun 6 08:57:15 1997
To: sapr3-soft@MIT.EDU
Date: 6 Jun 1997 08:34:45 -0400
From: SAP Moderator <sap-request@realtimeusa.com> (by way of SAP Moderator <sap-request@realtimeusa.com>)
>Date: Fri, 6 Jun 1997 09:20:27 +0100
>To: SAP Moderator <sap-request@realtimeusa.com>
>From: Peter McHugh <pmchugh@rubic.demon.co.uk>
>Subject: Re: The Internet and SAP
>
>In article <5n769r$mdn@nexus.netconcepts.com>, SAP Moderator <sap-
>request@realtimeusa.com> writes
>>I understand that version 3.1 is suppose to have a start to
>>the functionality with the internet. I haven't heard much further. Is there
>>someone who would like to share some insight on the internet and how SAP
will work with it?
Pasted in below is an extract from RUBIC's SAP Dossier which provides an
outline of SAP's approach to the Internet - more details on this are
contained within the Dossier if of interest to you.
1.3 SAPs Internet strategy
SAP was initially slow to ready its applications for the Internet, a
fact partly responsible for the loss of Klaus Besier, former president
of SAP America, to Internet specialist OneWave. However now SAP is very
serious about the Internet, and has put forward a prototype design which
will enable almost all R/3 to be accessed from standard Internet browser
software. R/3 will also be equipped with a new light-weight graphical
user interface written using Java.
In September 1996 SAP announced plans for more than 25 R/3 Internet
Application Components (IACs) so R/3 users can extend their secure, high
volume business transactions across the Internet and intranets directly
to customers, suppliers and partners. The R/3 IACs are based on the
BAPIs; in addition, customers can create their own Internet applications
using Java, C++ or ABAP/4 and interface them with R/3 using the standard
BAPIs.
The IACs offered by SAP include:
Shopping basket based on product catalogues
Service calls
Stock inquiries
Bank data transfer
Internet Kanban
Interactive requests.
In December 1996 SAP announced the shipment of the R/3 System 3.1, its
Internet release. In addition to Internet-enabling the entire R/3
System, SAP provides new Internet functionality "out of the box" and
unprecedented openness to R/3.
R/3 3.1 is priced according to SAP's current user-based pricing model.
Identifiable users, such as employees and supply chain third parties,
who just require access to the Internet and intranet application
components will also receive prices on a per-user basis below SAP's
current per-user prices. Access to the Internet and intranet application
components by parties that are unidentifiable a priori - consumers, for
instance - will be priced based on the number of sessions that can be
simultaneously executed on the Internet server.
SAP is now making R3s Internet capabilities a key part of its
competitive positioning messages.
Other Internet developments
l September 1996 - SAP announced it will release, in conjunction with
Internet specialist OneWave, Web-based clients for the human resources,
service management, procurement and financial reporting applications of
its R/3 suite. OneWave is also working with Baan and PeopleSoft to
develop Web front ends for their products. SAP has said it wont
entirely rebuild R/3 into components because of the difficulty of
rewriting such a large suite of applications into Java, but it has
already released 170 components which represent part of the suite. Some
believe that SAP will undergo a rebirth and commit to Java completely in
the next 18 months.
l September 1996 - SAP announced a joint technology and marketing deal
with Haht Software under which SAP customers will be able to use the
Hahtsite Internet development environment to create World Wide Web-based
applications that interface directly with their existing R/3 application
logic. SAP is to resell Hahtsite.
l Microsoft Merchant Systems - in September 96 SAP concluded a deal with
Microsoft to integrate R/3 with MS Merchant System, to create what both
parties call a complete Internet retailing system. This is the first
deliverable from the announcement in March, where Microsoft and SAP
stated their commitment to develop standard business application
programming interfaces (BAPIs) to seamlessly integrate their products.
Merchant System will sit between Microsofts Windows NT-based Internet
Information Web Server and R/3. It will allow customers to buy products
and services over the Net, and R/3 will handle the recording of such
purchases. R/3s order processing, tracking and purchasing features will
be integrated with Merchant system via APIs.
l The Microsoft Merchant System, slated for delivery by the end 1996,
will be integrated with the 3.1 release of R/3. It includes secure
payment technology from VeriFone, as well as software inherited from
Microsofts acquisition of US Web retailing software supplier eShop. But
SAP will continue support for competing products, including Netscapes
servers and browsers.
Peter McHugh:
RUBIC Consulting___ Marketing Consultancy for the Software Business
-------------------------------------------
pmchugh@rubic.demon.co.uk
www.rubic.demon.co.uk
TEL: +44-1730-2 333 45 FAX: +44-1730-231 315
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