Nodes 

Use

A node represents a logical view of an external communication system in the R/3 System, for example an e-mail system, a fax system or an additional R/3 System. It has all the information necessary for sending from the R/3 System via the external communication system. A node must be created for every external communication system that is used to send documents from your R/3 System. Indeed, nodes are not necessarily required for receiving messages. Despite this, it is recommended for the communication environment administration that a node is also created for receiving.

Prerequisites

Outgoing messages are transferred from SAPconnect via RFC to the external communication system. For calling the communication system, the SAPconnect node must recognize the RFC destination. RFC destinations are maintained via the transaction SM59. When creating a SAPconnect node, you can use an existing RFC destination or you can create a new one.

Activities

You must allocate each node information for access to the external communication system and to the attributes.

The attributes that you allocate to the node must correspond to those of the external communication system that the node represents. For more information see the communication system documentation.

Specify the communication types that can process the node. For each communication type enter the formats and address areas which should process the node. You can also restrict the send times. If necessary, you can specify rules for recipient number adjustment for the communication method Fax.

In addition, specify the following attributes:

Attribute

Description

Maximum waiting time for repeat send attempt procedure

Specify how long the send attempts are to be repeated for until the send process is cancelled in the event of an RFC error occurring when connecting to the external communication system.

Node in use

Select this if you activate the node.

Node can expand path references

Specify whether the external communication system supports this attribute. In R/3 Systems, the SAP Internet Mail Gateway and the SAP Exchange Connector, for example, do not support this attribute.

Node is to be monitored by the alert monitor

You can only use the functions of the alert monitor for SAPconnect and SAPphone for these nodes if you select this attribute.

Node supports connection test, status, trace

You can only use the functions for querying the operating status and setting the external traces for these nodes if you select this attribute. If you select this attribute, you have to perform a connection test. The connection test checks the version of the external software. As a result, the upward compatibility of the SAPconnect interface can be guaranteed in the future. When you call a function, the system then checks whether the external communication system supports this function by using the version.

If the external communication system does not support the connection test and, despite this, you start the connection test, this can cause the external software to crash.

It is recommended that you carry out node maintenance in SAPconnect administration under View ® Node.

Function

Icon

Description

Create node

A wizard leads you through the creation process.

Display/ change node

An overview of the node attributes is displayed. In order to display or change the settings for the address areas, formats and transmission control, choose Set next to one of the selected communication types.

Delete node

The node is deleted with all the attributes.