Structuring of Services in the Registry 

It is possible to store a huge number of entities in a productive registry. You need a system with which you can structure these datasets. Categorization provides one such option for structuring data. Categories are entities that are characterized through a set of features that are common to all their elements.

For example, different services are registered in a registry. They all serve the same function but are available in different languages. The distinguishing feature in this case would be the language. Other categories, in relation to the SAP environment, would be the Deployment Unit, Process Component, and so on.

By categorizing data, you make it possible to search in the respective datasets in the same way as you would in a catalog – provided an appropriate user interface is available.

You can also combine categories and implement them as categorization groups. This option is used in the Services Registry. In this way, you can speed up the search for services and simplify it through the combination of different categories. 

SAP uses the value set concept to technically implement categories. Value sets are part of the UDDI standard and are used to model categories, categorization groups, and their relationships.

This concept is explained in detail in Providing a Value Set for Use in UDDI Version 3  (OASIS - Committees - OASIS UDDI Specifications TC).

Classification Service

To support classification and browsing in the user interfaces, the Services Registry requires an additional classification service, which is not part of the UDDI standard. This service provides to the UI the meta data on different classification systems, and the content of each classification system. This includes the possible values, with descriptive text and hierarchical structural information, where applicable. The classification service supports the dynamic addition of values to a classification system.

The Classification Service APIs are part of the Services Registry APIs. You can use them for the following tasks:

●      Retrieve the list of supported classification systems, and their related metadata  

●      Retrieve the entire content of a classification system

●      Publish classification systems and classification system values

●      Delete classification systems and classification system values

The Classification Service recognizes three different types of classification systems:

Type	Meaning
Flat list	A flat classification system is simply a flat list of codes. If you select a flat classification system in the SR, you get a result list with all valid values. If you select a value, you get a list of all matching services.
Hierarchy	A hierarchy classification system is a tree. If you choose a hierarchy classification system, you get a list of all child classifications as well. You can continue navigating from this list.
Group	A group classification system is a way to combine values from other flat or hierarchy classification systems.

SAP delivers the following classification systems as part of a preloaded Services Registry in the first version.

Name	Description
Deployment unit	Deployment units were formerly known as logical systems. They are part of the enterprise service-oriented architecture meta-model. A deployment unit contains a set of process components – for example, SP_HR.
Process component	Process components implement business processes and allow their functions to be used as services. A process component contains one or more related business objects. A business object belongs to exactly one process component. Process components can be used in different integration scenarios for example, HR Compensation Management
Business object	A set of entities with common characteristics and common behavior representing well-defined business semantics. The set of entities is generally accepted in the business world - for example, HR Salary Adjustment
Lifecycle status	Informs customers of the development status of objects. The release state determines whether the customer can or cannot use a service and whether restrictions apply.
Service Operation	Service operations are part of the Enterprise Service Architecture meta-model. Operations are sets of messages related to a single service action.
Service Interface	Group of operations in the Enterprise Services Repository. A service interface specifies functions that are either provided (inbound service interface) or used (outbound service interface).
Software Component Version	Smallest shipment unit for design objects in the Enterprise Services Repository and for development objects in the relevant application system. Software components (or versions) are part of the software catalogue in the System Landscape Directory.