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Use

Internet Communication Framework (ICF) allows you to communicate with the SAP system using Internet standard protocols (HTTP, HTTPS and SMTP).

ICF is an integrated component of the Application Server.

Communication using the ICF offers the following benefits:

  • Flexibility: Using the ICF, the user can open a connection to an SAP system across the Internet from any location.

  • Technical effort: The effort required for installation and configuration is relatively small.

  • Security: The HTTPS protocol guarantees secure data transfer. The level of security is the same as with RFC/SNC communication.

    Note

    For detailed information about ICF communication security, see the RFC/ICF Implementation Guide.

Prerequisites

Your system platform is Internet-capable.

Implementation Considerations

ICF provides the infrastructure for handling HTTP requests in work processes in an SAP system (server and client). An HTTP request calls a service in the ICF server. This service contains one or more HTTP request handlers that are responsible for running the ABAP functionality.

SAP provides corresponding ICF services and request handlers for many standard functions.

By defining your own HTTP request handlers and services, you can use the ICF flexibly in applications of your choosing.

Features

  • Internet Communication Framework receives and processes HTTP calls (requests) from a client (a web browser, for example).

  • ICF forwards the request to the relevant application, where one or more ABAP programs (evaluation reports, for example) are run, in order to compile the requested data.

  • The data is sent back to the client through the ICF and can be displayed there, in the browser for example.

More Information

For detailed information about ICF's architecture, administration and development, see: