Sap R/3 Architecture Tutorial

Sap R/3 Architecture Tutorial
ByScott LivingstonUpdatedApril 16, 2022
What is SAP R/3?

SAP R/3 is a 3 tier architecture consisting of 3 layers
1. Presentation
2. Application
3. Database
In simple words, it’s a client server architecture.
 R signifies Real-time system

 3 represents – 3-tier architecture.
User’s PC:- Users can access SAP system in two ways:-

1. Through SAP GUI
2. Through Web browser
It’s called front-end. Only the front-end is installed in the user’s PC not the
application/database servers.
Front-end takes the user’s requests to database server and application

servers.
Application Servers: – Application server is built to process business-

logic. This workload is distributed among multiple application servers. With
multiple application servers, the user can get the output more quickly.
Application server exists at a remote a location as compared to the location

of the user PC.
Database Server: –Database server stores and retrieves data as

per SQL queries generated by ABAP and Java applications.
Database and Application may exist on the same or different physical

location.
Understanding different SAP layers
Presentation Layer:
The Presentation Layer contains the software components that make up
the SAPgui (graphical user interface). This layer is the interface between
the R/3 System and its users. The R/3 System uses the SAPgui to provide
an intuitive graphical user interface for entering and displaying data.
The presentation layer sends the user’s input to the application server, and
receives data for display from it. While a SAPgui component is running, it
remains linked to a user’s terminal session in the R/3 System.
Application Layer:
The Application Layer consists of one or more application servers and a
message server. Each application server contains a set of services used to
run the R/3 System. Theoretically, you only need one application server to
run an R/3 System. In practice, the services are distributed across more
than one application server. The message server is responsible for
communication between the application servers. It passes requests from
one application server to another within the system. It also contains
information about application server groups and the current load balancing
within them. It uses this information to assign an appropriate server when a
user logs onto the system.
Database Layer:
The Database Layer consists of a central database system containing all
of the data in the R/3 System. The database system has two components –
the database management system (DBMS), and the database itself. SAP
has manufactured its own database named Hana but is compatible with all
major databases such as Oracle.All R/3 data is stored in the database. For
example, the database contains the control and customizing data that
determine how your R/3 System runs. It also contains the program code for
your applications. Applications consist of program code, screen definitions,
menus, function modules, and various other components. These are stored
in a special section of the database called the R/3 Repository, and are
accordingly called repository objects. R/3 repository, objects are used in
ABAP workbench.
Understanding the components of SAP R/3 3-

tier Architecture:-
ABAP+Java System Architecture
1. Message Server:It handles communication between distributed

Dispatchers in ABAP system.
2. Dispatcher Queue: Various work process types are stored in this
queue.
3. Dispatcher: It distributes requests to the work processes.
4. Gateway: It enables communication between SAP system and
between SAP system and external systems.
5. ABAP-Work processes: – It separately executes dialog steps in R/3
applications.
Types of work processes are given as below:-

6. Memory-pipes: It enables communication between ICM and ABAP
work processes.
7. Message Server: It handles java dispatchers and server processes.It
enables communication within java runtime environment.
8. Enqueue Server:It handles logical locks that are set by the executed
Java application program in a server process.
9. Central Services: Java cluster requires a special instance of the
central services for managing locks and transmitting messages and
data. Java cluster is a set of processes that work together to build the
reliable system. Instance is group of resources such as memory,
work processes and so on.
10. Java Dispatcher: It receives the client requests and forwards
to the server process.
11. SDM: Software Deployment Manager is used to install J2EE
components.
12. Java Server Processes: It can processes a large number of
requests simultaneously.
13. Threading: Multiple Processes executes separately in the
background, this concept is called threading.
14. ICM: It enables communication between SAP system and
HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP protocol. It means by entering system URL in
the browser you can access SAP from browser also.
One more component is JCO. JCO is used to handle communication

between java dispatcher and ABAP dispatcher when system is configured
as ABAP+Java.
How the SAP Logon Process works?
Step 1) Once a user clicks on the SAP system from GUI, the user request
is forwarded to Dispatcher.
Step 2) Request is stored in Request queues first. Dispatcher

follows First in First out rule. It will find free work process and if available
will be assigned.
Step 3) As per user request, particular work process is assigned to user.
For example, when user login to the system then Dialog work process is
assigned to the user. If user runs a report in background then background
work process is assigned to the user.When some modifications are done at
database level then update workprocess is assigned.So as per user’s
action workprocess is assigned.
Step 4) Once user is assigned the dialog workprocess then user

authorizations, user’s current setting are rolled in to work-process in shared
memory to access user’s data.Once dialog step is executed then user’s
data is rolled out from workprocess. Thus shared memory will be cleaned
and other user’s data can be saved in shared memory area. Dialog step
means the screen movements. In a transaction, when a users jumps from
one screen to other the process is called a dialog step.
Step 5) First work process will find the data in the buffer. If it finds data in
buffer then there is no need to retrieve data from database. Thus response
time is improved and this process is called hit.If it does not find the data in
buffer then it will find the data in database and this process is called miss.
Hit ratio should be always higher than miss ratio. It improves the
performance of system .
Step 6) Other requested data is queried from the database and once the
process is complete,the result is sent back to GUI via dispatcher.
Step 7) At the end user’s data is removed from shared memory so the
memory will be available to other users.This process is called roll-out.
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Sap R/3 Architecture Tutorial

Uploaded by

Sap R/3 Architecture Tutorial

Uploaded by

Sap R/3 Architecture Tutorial

ByScott LivingstonUpdatedApril 16, 2022

What is SAP R/3?

In simple words, it’s a client server architecture.

 R signifies Real-time system

User’s PC:- Users can access SAP system in two ways:-

Front-end takes the user’s requests to database server and application

Application Servers: – Application server is built to process business-

Application server exists at a remote a location as compared to the location

Database Server: –Database server stores and retrieves data as

Database and Application may exist on the same or different physical

Understanding different SAP layers

Understanding the components of SAP R/3 3-

1. Message Server:It handles communication between distributed

Types of work processes are given as below:-

One more component is JCO. JCO is used to handle communication

Step 2) Request is stored in Request queues first. Dispatcher

Step 4) Once user is assigned the dialog workprocess then user

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