SAP applications and systems form a software solution that visualizes and operates all business processes across enterprises.

 

In addition to well-known core applications like FI/CO, SD and HR this includes APO (Advanced Planer and Optimizer), BW (Business Warehouse), CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and specific industry modules and solutions.

Basically, all of these applicatons employ the SAP Application Server (SAP AS).

SAP NetWeaver provides the technological base for next generation applications and opens new integration possibilites through SAP Enterprise Portal and SAP Exchange Infrastructure.

SAP solutions used by the customers are complex composite solutions on the basis of miscellaneous technologies.

The SAP R/3 Web Application Server (named SAP Basis up to and including SAP R/3 4.6) represents the technological base for a wide variety of SAP business solutions. Starting with SAP 6.30, it includes a J2EE server in addition to the classic SAP Application Server and is the key element inside the SAP NetWeaver technology.

A SAP system is, at the least, made up from a central instance and a database and scales through the integration of additional application instances that respectively offer various services and perform various tasks.

 

These include:

 

• dialogue user management
• dialogue transaction processing
• updates
• background processing (jobs)
• enqueues
• queues
• message processing (e.g. IDOC)
• connections (RFC)
• print processing (spool)
• process control (dialogue, update, enqueue, batch, spool, etc.)
• buffer control (chart, program and CUA buffer, etc.)
• program control (loading, generating, processing)
• change management (correction and transport system, patch management)
• Internet Communication Manager (IMC)
• System Landscape Directory (SLD)
  

 

mySAP applications like APO, BW, CRM and KW feature new technologies and additional modules:

 

• LiveCache
• asynchronous loading
• qRFC
• TREX (Text Retrieval and Information Extraction)
• IPC (Internet Pricing Configurator)

 

Several additional components for linking Internet applications and browser technologies were introduced before the introduction of SAP NetWeaver:

 

• SAP Business Connector (mapping and processing of protocols and data)
• SAP ITS (Internet Transaction Server, browser connection)

In addition to the technologies mentioned above, SAP NetWeaver also employs the SAP Web Application Server’s J2EE server.

 

All of these modules, services, and the underlying operating systems, databases and networks require permanent monitoring in order to guarantee functionality of the entire system. The monitoring of mission-critical networked systems through theGuard! ApplicationManager is supplemented by topological views of networks and applications in the form of business maps. These become available through the combination with theGuard! NetworkManager and theGuard! ServiceCenter. 

The following attributes are monitored and analyzed in detail:

 

• dialogue user with different parameters
• dialogue transaction processing (analysis on the basis of transaction and user groups and of different parameters like total response time or db time)
• update processes (V1, V2, V3)
• background processing (job errors, job performance according to specific attributes)
• blocks
• IDOC processing
• connection status
• print processing
• processes (dialogue, update, enqueue, batch, spool, etc.) according to different parameters such as average response time
• buffer (fill level, etc.)
• program aborts (with indication of the program name)
• faulty transports
• LiveCache
• processes, logos, databases with the respective data collectors

In addition, various realtime values and settings like users or configuration parameters can be directly displayed in lists.

theGuard!ApplicationManager includes preconfigured thresholds for SAP monitoring. Detailled configuration of system checks (e.g. client-based) allow for elimination of unneccessary notifications.

This also permits full automation of manual checks as required by SAP in the SAP Adminisration Guide.

The entire SAP NetWeaver architecture is monitored in combination with the data collectors for XI and SAP Web AS.

The solution is configured in two steps:

 

• Through the user interface of theGuard! ApplicationManager
• Within SAP systems through REALTECH's ABAP Suite

 

The local Data Collector (DC) interfaces with SAP's Global Monitoring Infrastructure (CCMS).

 

This ensures the highest diversity of information and a comparatively small configuration effort. The distribution of configurations within SAP landscapes follows the SAP recommondations (SAP Change Management).

 

Configuration effort for the centralized provision of information is reduced while deploying a stable and robust solution for the monitoring of SAP landscapes.

• availability, performance and configuration data from all SAP services and transactions
• extended information beyond the standard for all SAP systems
• specific information for SAP APO, BW, CRM
• utilization measurement according to user groups or transaction groups -  also client-based
• utilization measurement according to job groups
• preconfigured thresholds and checks

• easy configuration and secure configuration distribution through SAP standards (integration with SAP Change Management)  
  

• automation of all mandatory checks in the SAP Administration Guide

• extensive coverage of all relevant releases

• 100% SAP NetWeaver-compatible