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Process documentation Integrating the Spool System into an External Output Management System  Locate the document in its SAP Library structure

Purpose

External output management systems control printing operating in large, complex IT environments. You can integrate the SAP spool system into an external output management system (OMS) of this type so that you can use the functions of the OMS from your SAP system.

Example

An example of a function of an external OMS: The OMS distributes a print request to 20 different printers. You only need to define one output device in the SAP system that points to this OMS. If you print using this output device, the request goes to the OMS, which then redirects it to the 20 printers. Without the OMS, you would have to print 20 times in the SAP system.

 

Prerequisites

·        XOM Interface

You require the XOM application programming interface to be able to use your OMS for printing from an SAP system.

·        Compatible OMS:

Your OMS must be compatible with the SAP system or you must implement the OMS interface yourself.

If you already have an OMS installed, then you must upgrade it so that it supports the XOM interface.

If you are buying an OMS, it should be one certified for the XOM interface.

·        Local Access

An OMS and all of the devices it serves must be "local" to all SAP spool servers. This means that the OMS commands issued by SAP spool servers must be executable on the host system on which the corresponding SAP spool server is running.

Explanation: An SAP spool server stores output data for an OMS device in a file on the host where the server is running. This file is referenced in the OMS Submit command issued by the server, and the file must be accessible to the OMS.

For more information about certified OMS products and implementing and certifying the OMS interface, see http://www.sap.com/partners/software/.

 

Process Flow

Follow this procedure for each OMS you want to integrate into SAP output (if you have more than one OMS):

...

       1.      Define the OMS as a real OMS (ROMS).

The ROMS is the definition of the external OMS in your SAP system and specifies the properties of the external OMS, such as whether the OMS is started using a command line or an RFC, or whether the status of the print request is determined using polling (the SAP system queries the status) or callback (OMS informs the SAP system about the status).

See: Defining a Real OMS (ROMS) in the SAP System

       2.      Optional: You can take an “inventory” of the output devices and if necessary assign your output devices to different logical OMSs (LOMSs). In this way, you can categorize output devices that use the external OMS in the same way and assign each category to a different group (LOMS).

Example

Production printers should be traced using RFC callback, non-critical printers only using polling. You should allow a LOM for each group. After you have defined this LOM (see step 3), you must assign the devices to this LOM using the device definition.

Although classification into different LOMSs is optional, you must however create at least one LOMS. This is because when you want to create an output device that forwards its print requests to an OMS (access method E), you must assign it to an LOMS. It is not possible to assign devices directly to the real OMS.

See: Assigning Output Devices to Logical OMS (LOMS)

       3.      Define one or more logical OMSs (LOMS) in the SAP system. Only one is required. 

See: Creating a Logical OMS

       4.      Define one or more sets of operating system specific commands. 

You need at least one command set for each operating system on which your SAP servers are running.

See: Defining OMS Command Sets for LOMS

       5.      Make one or more of the OMS output devices available for use in SAP printing and faxing. 

To do this, you must create the corresponding device definitions in the SAP system.

See: Defining an Output Device for Printing with Output Management Systems.

       6.      If you are working in a test system, replicate your OMS definitions in other SAP systems.

See: Transporting OMS Definitions Between Systems.

       7.      During the production use of your OMS: If you are using RFC callback for reporting OMS job and device status, you can force reconfiguration of the callback client.

This is an optional step. Usually the OMS callback client reconfigures itself.

See: Triggering OMS Reconfiguration

 

Result

You can now use OMS devices for printing and faxing SAP documents.

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text SAP Printing Guide Start Page

 

 

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