Its basic function is to allow web development based on SAP standard solutions (usually developed under the ABAP programming language, but in the newer versions also in Java programming language). With Web AS, it is possible - for example - to publish queries, programs and ABAP applications in a web environment but linked to and based in a SAP solution infrastructure. Since 2003 the newer versions of the (WAS or WEB AS) also support open standards like Java programming language. From the versions 6.20 and higher it is possible to create ABAP only, Java Platform, Standard Edition only or mixed environments.
Web AS 6.20, Web AS 6.40, Web AS 7.00
The architecture of SAP Web Application Server can be separated into five areas:
- Presentation layer
- In the presentation layer, the user interface can be developed with Java Server Pages (JSP), Business Server Pages (BSP), or with Web Dynpro technology. The underlying business layer provides the business content in Java or ABAP.
- Business layer
- The business layer consists of a J2EE certified run-time environment that processes the requests passed from the ICM and dynamically generates the responses. The business logic can be written either in ABAP or in Java based on the J2EE standard. Developers can implement business logic and persistence with Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) using the J2EE environment. Developers can also access the business objects of applications running in the ABAP environment to benefit from their business logic and persistence.
- Integration layer
- The local integration engine is an integral part of SAP Web AS and allows instant connection to SAP XI. The local integration engine provides messaging services that exchange messages between the components that are connected in SAP XI.
- Connectivity layer
- The Internet Communication Manager (ICM) dispatches user interface requests to the presentation layer and provides a single framewo rk for connectivity using various communication protocols. Currently, modules are available for Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), HTTPS (extension of HTTP running under the Secure Socket Layer (SSL)), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), and Fast Common Gateway Interface (FastCGI).Persistence layer
- The persistence layer supports database independence and scalable transaction handling. Business logic can be developed completely independent of the underlying database and operating system. Database independence is also made possible by support for open standards. The database interface ensures optimized data access from within the ABAP environment through Open SQL. SAP propagates the outstanding capabilities of Open SQL for ABAP to Open SQL for Java and offers a variety of standard Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to application programmers, such as SQLJ. Other technologies, such as Java Data Objects (JDO) and container managed persistence (CMP) for EJB, or the direct use of the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) API, are also supported.