Deployment Options

The SAP Gateway Foundation OData version 4 (V4) exposure is only available as part of SAP NetWeaver 7.50 SP04 or higher. This includes SAP NetWeaver 7.51.

The different options listed below allow an installation in nearly every setup or infrastructure. That said, the choice for a deployment largely depends on the requirements of the infrastructure in which SAP Gateway Foundation is installed.

Software Components

SAP Gateway Foundation contains several ABAP software components. In the context of this documentation only the component SAP_GWFND is relevant. It contains the SAP Gateway Foundation framework hub and backend components.

Hub Components

The hub components can run on a different ABAP server than the corresponding backend components. A server with the hub components can even be connected to several backend systems (containing the SAP Gateway Foundation backend components) and will then, for example, handle the routing (which backend system to connect to for a certain request) and data federation (retrieving data from several backend systems to compose it to one response).

Other hub components are, for example, tools like the OData service publishing and the OData test tool called Gateway Client. We will call this component the SAP Gateway Foundation hub component irrespective of the deployment scenario, that is, also if it is not used as a hub.

Backend Components

The backend contains the SAP Gateway Foundation framework backend components. These are, for example, the interfaces a provider application implements, the service registration, and the design time tool Service Builder (transaction SEGW).

Embedded Versus Hub Deployment

Two main deployment options are available for SAP Gateway Framework: hub deployment and embedded deployment. However, hub deployment can be subsequently split into two different deployment scenarios: deployment on the backend system and deployment on a frontend server.

Embedded Deployment

Embedded deployment means that the services are registered and published in the SAP Business Suite backend system.

Hub Deployment: Development on the Backend System

The first option of hub deployment is used in situations where the services are deployed on the backend systems and only registered on the server. The hub functionality of SAP Gateway Foundation is used on the frontend server and the backend functionality is used on or several backend systems.

The benefit of this hub deployment is that the system works as a single point of access to the backend systems. In this system, routing is supported. Using this kind of hub system allows the system to be on a newer release, which enables the use of up-to-date functionality, for example, the latest authentication options or SAPUI5. In this scenario, security is improved because there is no direct access to the backend system. At the same time, the deployment allows direct access to local metadata (ABAP Dictionary) and business data, which reduces runtime overhead.

Hub Deployment: Development on the Hub

The second option of hub deployment should be used in situations where either access to the backend system is restricted (that is, the backend system may not be touched) and development on the backend is not possible. It should also be used on releases prior to SAP NetWeaver 7.50 SP04 where the SAP Gateway Foundation OData V4 components are not available. In this form of hub deployment, server functionalities are only used on the SAP Gateway Foundation hub system and— in contrast to the first option—service deployment takes place on the hub.

The benefits of this hub deployment are that the backend systems do not have to be touched; that is, there is no need to install or upgrade SAP Gateway Foundation add-ons in the backend. In addition, services developed by third-party developers do not need a deployment on the backend system.