Providing Uniform Content Access
With this scenario variant, organizations can develop, configure, and operate a knowledge-based, Web-like front end-SAP SAP NetWeaver Portal-that gives users a single point of access to all types of enterprise information, including SAP applications, third-party applications, databases, data warehouses, desktop documents, and Web content and services.
Organizations can provide their employees, supply chain partners, customers, and other communities with immediate, secure, and role-based access to key information and applications across the extended enterprise. The consistent and unified display of information and applications in the portal allow users to identify and address business issues faster, more effectively, and at lower cost, resulting in measurable benefits and strategic advantages.
This scenario variant is a prerequisite for implementing a federated portal network. See Implementing a Federated Portal Network .
The following graphic provides an overview of this scenario variant's architecture.
The Web-based environment of the portal provides the business users in your organization secure access to a wide array of applications, information, and services, such as ERP, analytics, business intelligence, and document repositories. The single sign-on (SSO) capabilities of the portal, its unified environment, and its role-based content delivery, provide users with the tools they need to perform their daily tasks. The collaborative capabilities of SAPNetWeaver enable portal users to work with one another in real-time, sharing applications, working in virtual rooms, and communicating through instant messaging.
Required or Optional Installable Units
To use this scenario variant, you require the installable units described in Running an Enterprise Portal .
IT Processes of the Scenario Variant
Information about implementing this scenario variant is divided into the following Information Technology (IT) processes. Each one provides the necessary information for administering and managing an aspect of the process flow:
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Process |
Description |
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You perform all necessary setup and configuration steps in the portal before creating content and assigning it to users. Examples of these tasks include configuring which user management service the portal connects for managing user and group data stored in the user persistence store, delegating administrative tasks to content-, user-, and system administrators, creating content templates for administrators, and configuring connections from the portal to back-end systems. |
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You create content in the portal. Portal content refers to entities displayed in the portal desktop that bring information from back-end applications directly to portal business users at runtime. You can create portal content by importing and adjusting Business Packages supplied by SAP, adapting customer-specific applications, and creating your own iViews from templates shipped with the portal or self-developed applications. You then set up role-based structures populating them with task-specific content. In addition, you finalize portal navigation and display settings for business users. |
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You make the content available for business users by assigning users to portal roles and configuring permission settings. You also monitor both the portal and activities of users. |
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(4) Using the Portal |
Business users in your organization work in the portal to perform their daily business-related tasks. The portal runtime environment offers business users a single point of access, in a fully customizable portal desktop, to internal and external information, applications, and services that are relevant to their role in the organization. |
Related Information
The following role-specific guides contain further information about this IT scenario:
| Task | Documentation Reference |
|---|---|
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Installation and Upgrade |
Technology Consultant's Guide |
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Configuration |
SAP Solution Manager or Providing Uniform Content Access (in SAP NetWeaver Technology Consultant's Guide) |
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Getting Started |
Getting Started - Using SAP Software: Portal |
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Administration |
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Security |
SAP NetWeaver Security Guide: Providing Uniform Content Access |
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Development |
SAP NetWeaver Developer's Guide: Running an Enterprise Portal |