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Understanding SystemsLocate this document in the navigation structure

Definition

A description of data source, such as a back-end application or Web service, used by iViews to connect to the data source and retrieve information from it during runtime.

Caution

Any iView based on a system defined in your system landscape requires that you assign end user permission to that system for the relevant user, group, or role. Without end user permission to the system, the iView does not permit data retrieval from the respective back-end application at runtime. For more information, see Permission Levels .

Structure

A system is based on a system template located in the PCD. The system template consists of a set of properties which vary according to the nature of the system, for example, different types of connection parameters to an external application.

Each type of system has its own template with its own set of properties. There is no set number of properties; nor are all properties common to all systems.

The exceptions are:

  • Two properties, com.sap.portal.pcm.Title , and ComponentType , demanded by the System Landscape service. The first is the name of the system as it appears in the portal catalog, while the second is the type of the object.

    For more information, see JDBC System Properties .

  • The property, connectionFactoryClass , is mandatory when you are working with connectors.

    For more information, see SAP System Properties .

All other properties are subject to:

  • How the template is implemented

  • The operations of the Portal Runtime (PRT) and the Portal Content Directory (PCD).

    • The PRT adds properties when importing the system template from the application repository.

    • The PCD adds properties when creating the context.

Integration

  • Once created and properly edited in the System Landscape Editor, a system becomes part of the portal system landscape. For more information, see Creating Systems and Editing System Properties .

  • Access to a system is through a system alias, a name by which portal components can reference a specific system. For more information, see System Aliases .

  • In the portal, you can store all systems in one folder or place them anywhere within the Portal Catalog.

  • System aliases are not displayed in the Portal Catalog; you can view them in the Alias Editor and in the System Landscape Overview iView.