Knowledge Provider (BC-SRV-KPR)

The Knowledge Provider ( KPro) is a cross-application and cross-media technical information infrastructure within the framework of SAP Web Application Server. The modularity and openness which is at the heart of Knowledge Provider is demonstrated in its modular services and its clearly defined interfaces. Thanks to its considerable flexibility, Knowledge Provider can handle widely differing information types relating to documents and document-like objects, such as administration data, index data, and pure content.

The applications that use KPro have different end users, each with their own different requirements. This means that there is no universal interface to the following KPro services:

• End-user-specific knowledge management functions

• Application-specific terminology for describing document-like objects

• Specific work process design

• Specific user interface design

Different applications use KPro services by implementing their own user interface. In this way, KPro provides the fundamental infrastructure for application-independent information exchange.

KPro is intended for use in the application areas listed below (For a list of the SAP applications into which KPro is integrated, see the section 'KPro Client Applications').

• Context-specific development and distribution of documentation, online help, and training materials, of both SAP and SAP customers, within SAP Knowledge Warehouse

• Management of multimedia information objects for companies primarily active in the media industry, for example, collation and distribution of information using any media and distribution channel, such as print media, internet, television, and radio

• Development, management, and distribution of software and software components

• Administration of report lists in the Business Information Warehouse environment

• Integration of business transactions with static information objects for e-commerce solutions

• In the framework of SAP Business Workflow, extensive support for document-oriented business processes

• Publishing solutions for both the Internet and intranet. For example, international companies can use KPro to obtain up-to-date information at any time about important issues within the company, for example, quality management.

Although end users' requirements overlap to a certain extent, there are nonetheless significant differences in the general goals and requirements of the applications that use KPro. For example, one customer may use KPro as a tool for designing a corporate intranet, while another may use KPro for publishing a magazine or administrating software components. Despite this exterior difference, the requirements for the underlying infrastructure are the same: Versioning, context resolution, integration of different content servers etc are required. To fulfill these requirements the Knowledge Provider provides a standard infrastructure that is media and application-independent.

Some customizing steps can be very useful when using the Knowledge Provider in connection with the relevant SAP application: For this choose  SAP Web Application Server  Basis Services  Knowledge Provider  in the SAP reference guide (IMG). The IMG modules contain details on the individual Customizing activities.

Within its information technology infrastructure, SAP Knowledge Provider provides the following services:

• Integration of KPro client applications

• Integration of KPro services: Document Management Framework (DMF), Document Management Service (DMS) and Content Management Service (CMS)

• Integration of content and cache servers