RFC Communication Scenarios

The RFC interface can be used in various constellations, depending on the type of the partner system. Basically, there are four different scenarios:

AS ABAP - AS ABAP
AS ABAP – External system
AS ABAP - SAP Java (SAP NetWeaver Application Server)
AS ABAP – External Java system

Scenario 1: ABAP – ABAP

In this scenario, two SAP systems – actually two AS ABAP systems - communicate with each other. Here, the data exchange between the two partner systems is made via the RFC interface. An additional conversion of the data format is not necessary.

Scenario 1: ABAP-ABAP

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text.

Scenario 2: ABAP – External System

In this scenario, the partner system is not an SAP system: Here, the RFC API is used to implement an interface that converts the ABAP date format.

Scenario 2: ABAP – External System

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text.

Scenario 3: ABAP – Java (SAP)

In this scenario, the communication does not have to be between two separate systems. However, the RFC interface is also required for communication between AS ABAP and AS Java within the SAP NetWeaver Application Server. At the AS Java end, SAP Java Connector performs the interface function and is responsible for mapping the ABAP-Java data types. SAP JCo is lagged by SAP Java Resource Adapter, which is based on the Java EE standard architecture.

This scenario can also be used for communication with an external AS Java.

Scenario 3: ABAP – Java (SAP)

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text.

Scenario 4: ABAP – Java (Non-SAP)

Here, AS ABAP communicates with a Java system that is not based on SAP AS Java. In this scenario too, SAP JCo performs the interface function and data mapping for the non-SAP Java system.

Scenario 4: ABAP – Java (external system)

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text.

More Information

You can find more detailed information about the various scenarios under: