SAP NetWeaver Branding Simplification

[HaraldNehring]

More than ten years ago SAP launched its first integrated technology platform, SAP NetWeaver. It was a major success, powering tens of thousands of mission-critical SAP installations worldwide today. Built around a core set of platform components and hub products for data and process management, application development and presentation, integration, security and systems management, SAP NetWeaver ensures technological consistency for most major SAP installations.

Many SAP NetWeaver hub products now also play an important role in SAPs new platforms for mobile, cloud and in-memory computing. The SAP (NetWeaver) Business Warehouse for example works closely together with SAP HANA, becoming an essential part of the SAP HANA platform. To reflect this evolution of SAP NetWeaver hub products, SAP decided to remove the “NetWeaver” prefix from their official product names with immediate effect. This reflects their ability to support platforms and deployments beyond core SAP NetWeaver.

The name change does not change any of the communicated road maps and release plans of these products. They remain an integral part of the SAP NetWeaver platform, with the ability to play an important role in the SAP HANA platform and the cloud as well. See the table below for the products changing their names.

[Former Member]

Is there any chance that the term "SAP Basis" could be reinstated again and given some recognition? It is widely used out here in the wild and will IMO never die. It is an institution with a coined label and not a name

Kind regards,

Julius

[john_studdert]

I see we're back to Enterprise Portal again. The SAP naming merry go round continues...

Julius von dem Bussche wrote:

Is there any chance that the term "SAP Basis" could be reinstated again and given some recognition? It is widely used out here in the wild and will IMO never die. It is an institution with a coined label and not a name

Agreed, but to be fair I think that Basis has at this point come to be a generic term referring more to a skill type than any specific technology, so it'd be hard for SAP to attempt to formally define it in some way again. In any case, given their tendency to name change, I'd sooner they just as well left it alone rather than confuse the issue further!

[petr_solberg]

Hi John,

at every organisation where I have worked, the term SAP Basis has been been the collective name for the Team who are responsible for the underlying SAP infrastructure.

When I say underlying SAP infrastructure, I mean everything SAP related sandwiched between the Operating System and the SAP Business Application Functional Customising  Layer.

As a generalisation, we can say there is a general pattern to the SAP Basis layer across SAP ABAP stacks and SAP Java stacks. There are some areas which inherit the underlying SAP Basis layer and extend it, for example, FSCM-BD on ABAP, PI, BI-Java, Portal, NWDI etc where there can be extended SAP Basis activities when compared to the foundation.

SAP Basis layer scope across flavours, ABAP and Java as previously described, everything SAP related sandwiched between the Operating System and the SAP Business Application Functional Customising  Layer includes amongst other things:

Installations

Upgrades

Migrations

Operations

Projects Support

Performance and Tuning

Consolidation

Integrations

Backups

Recoveries

Clones, System Copies, Refreshes

Sizing

Architecture

Developer Support

etc

(this implicitly means the SAP Basis Team are their own DBA)

I therefore agree with Julius' comment that Basis is a technology layer and consequently a skill type as you put it representing that technology layer and as SAP Basis is a standard pretty much everywhere then it would be nice if SAP gave it the crown it deserves.

Best regards,

Andy.

[naseemvp007]

Hi Harald,

Since there is already a component called 'SAP Gateway',

SAP Gateway - SAP Library

What will happen if SAP Netweaver Gateway is renamed to SAP Gateway.

Thanks & regards,

Naseem

[HaraldNehring]

Hi Naseem,

it will be changed, as this gateway process isn't a SAP branded product, but a component of the base application server.

Best, Harald

[john_studdert]

Hi Andy, thanks for the detailed reply and I pretty much agree with everything you've just said - apart from your conclusion that SAP give it the crown it deserves.

That's because I don't think it answers my implicit question: how does SAP define exactly what "Basis" is in terms of technology? The very length of your answer shows how hard it is to precisely define. You've outlined a technological layer, a set of skills, activities and role responsibilities, and a general pattern of what core technology within the ABAP and Java stacks can be described as Basis.

If SAP are to re-institute Basis as a useful label, it would need to be:

• precisely defined
• concise
• both clear and clearly differentiated from the "old" Basis to avoid confusion (this is less and less of an issue as time goes on of course but there would still need to be a clear line drawn)

I believe this would be very hard to nail down (maybe you could volunteer a description or meaning for the label?), and based on their history with naming and brands, would be likely to change again anyway within a couple of years.

The current status quo around Basis being more of a loosely-defined skill type ("I'm a Basis guy") much like your excellent breakdown above is fine by me. If SAP wanted to more rigorously define it as a skill type and e.g. label relevant training courses, books, SCN forum spaces, certifications etc. as being appropriate for "a Basis guy", then I'd be all for it (it could be quite useful to have a clearer common understanding of a minimum standard of what a Basis guy should know - particularly as this minimum evolves with the pivot to the cloud). But it's not the same thing as defining it as a specific technology or even technological layer.

[ChandraMahajan]

I saw SAP NetWeaver Gateway SCN Space renamed to SAP Gateway. There is one more space SAP NetWeaver Gateway Developer Center

Wondering if this will get changed to SAP Gateway Developer Center !

Regards,

Chandra

[petr_solberg]

Hi John,

fair points, so what about, the long list I gave describes what the Basis subject covers.

Basis Technology on the other hand, is the provision of the foundation SAP components which enable the Functional Users and End Users to complete their tasks encapsulating specifically anything between the Operating System and Functional Customising Layer.

How's that ?

Somebody must be able to do better.

Andy.

[Matt_Fraser]

I do like your list.  Next time someone asks "what do you do?" I'm just going to rattle that off.  It's especially important to have the "etc" part, as many times I've been asked to do or stepped up to do "etc!".  Though John is right, this rebranding is, I think, more about the products and technologies than about the skillsets.

[Former Member]

Hi Harald,

Thank you for the update. I'm just wondering what this change means for the NetWeaver platform itself. Could you please clarify if the platform name remains the same?

Best,

Marina

[Former Member]

If at least the SAP Netweaver Administrator forum could be renamed back to SAP Basis (which is what it is) then I think a lot of confusion will dissolve itself.

That is what I actually have wanted for some time.

Cheers,

Julius

[Former Member]

I can only offer a black market definition:

SAP Basis is the recipient organization and technology platform for all this which must actually work. Other things which do not involve SAP Basis are optional and mostly not used even if installed or partially configured correctly.

SAP Basis organizational units can typically be recognized as being men with moustaches in the age group between 35 and 65, but this is a wild generalization as there are also very good Basis admins without moustaches or the inclination to shave.

A "shadow" SAP Basis organization also typically exists in the realm of PFCG roles and some ancient SU02 profiles as well as people with access to Basis Functions (which can also be quite creatively created in Z-programs and OS / DB access).

Some folks dont use SAPGui anymore... nor SAP NW BC Client.

Cheers,

Julius

[Jelena]

Wait, are we back to Business Warehouse? I thought it was already Business Intelligence (BI)... (Not so intelligent after all, eh?)

[john_studdert]

I believe "BI" was co-opted by the BOBJ platform a while back, hence we've been back to Business Warehouse for a while now to avoid confusion between them (or at least that was the theory...).

[stephenjohannes]

I have one question, how has SAP renaming products, ever helped a customer in solving their most pressing business issues?  Does anyone really think that by renaming the products you actually solved a business issue of your customers?  I really don't care about what they are named.  In fact you could call some of them "SAP Magic Pixie Dust" and it would have still the same amount of so called "simplifcation" and I wouldn't mind.

Thanks however for sharing this update, as I know many people will sleep much bettter having branding changed to support the future.

Take care,

Stephen

[petr_solberg]

Hi Stephen,

Since Vishal Sikka's recent departure from SAP,

new brooms have moved in,

and are dismantling the last visible elements of Shai Agassi's legacy.

After ten years of NetWeaver, it's time to move on.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens with the Business Suite and where the focus and attention will be. Vishal sacrified the cohesive evolution of the Business Suite and presentation layer in return for putting everything into Hana. As Hana matures, let's see where the new management's attention will be - hopefully towards a cohesive strategy for the Business Suite and presentation layer.

Maybe a sign should be hung up...

                                           Under New Management

Andy.

[stephenjohannes]

Andy,

You are right, but once again has the constant renaming of products by SAP ever provided any benefit to the customers or solve the business problems of the customers.  I don't care what the actual names are, but I do question whether this "simple SAP' truly has any customer focus, when the first thing they tackle is product naming.  I mean how many customers are going around saying that if only SAP named that product better it would solve all my business issues.

It's also like calling a new solution based on a 10+ year old approach/software, "modern". Then again perhaps I'm wrong and all of worlds problems can just be solved by "branding".

Take care,

Stephen

[petr_solberg]

Hi Stephen,

I don't care what the actual names are,

but I do question whether this "simple SAP'

truly has any customer focus, when the first

thing they tackle is product naming.  I mean

how many customers are going around saying

that if only SAP  named that product better it

would solve all my business issues.

we have to cut them a little slack, Bill only announced this on Monday, Rome wasn't built in a day,  they gotta start somewhere.

Andy.

[Jelena]

Did Rome start with renaming itself? I don't think so... Not to mention it eneded up getting raided by the barbarians, but it's another story.

[Matt_Fraser]

Actually, didn't ancient Rome have a secret name that carried a punishment of death for being uttered aloud?  So, in effect, it did rename itself for public consumption.

[petr_solberg]

Hi Jelena,

ok, you got me there 🙂

Andy.

[petr_solberg]

Thanks Matt,

yeah you see Jelena I was right. Do I get the I was right badge for that 🙂

Andy.

[former_member182465]

Thanks Harald for letting us know about this change....

[Jelena]

That's not re-branding, that's just a marketing trick (and might as well be urban legend).

Well, I hope that mentioning "the one we don't speak of" (AKA Netweaver) at least is not punishable as harshly.

[Jelena]

I agree, maybe we should actually put this on Idea Place. Many times we're sending folks from ABAP and functional forums to the "Basis forum" and keep forgetting there is no such forum per se.

[Former Member]

It already is in there, or whatever it is that one calls it what things do when they are in Idea Place.

Cheers,

Julius

[Matt_Fraser]

Urban legend, likely, but one that is 2000 years old.    Pliny the Elder and Plutarch both claimed that Quintus Valerius Soranus was executed in Rome in 82 BC for violating the religious prohibition against speaking the 'arcane' name of Rome aloud.  They each lived only a matter of a few decades after the event.  Historians today think Servius was actually executed for political reasons, but still, the story has been around for a while, and it is true that there was such a religious prohibition.  It's just not clear whether anyone was ever actually executed for violating it.

But, you're right, it's not really rebranding, it is a marketing trick, probably one by the Dictator of the time, Sulla, in an effort to keep his reputation cleaner.  And indeed, let us hope the punishments today are not so severe. 

[Former Member]

I also have some good news: I scanned through the DDIC and TADIR and message objects and did not find any technical references to the character string *netweaver*. So this first step in direction of simplification might have organizational and psychological impacts, but I suspect that the same code will still be running for some time to come under the new labels. Hopefully there will be less code going forward to simplify things.

Disclaimer: I did not scan screen texts, regular expressions and comments.

Cheers,

Julius

[Steffi_Warnecke]

Strange... every name was stripped of "NetWeaver". But for the portal it was important to add the "Enterprise"? Just to let us know it's for business, not for fun? Or did they think it would be too short? What's so wrong about "SAP Portal"?

I guess this means I need to check my documentation to see if there are some "NetWeaver"s to be cut away.

[Former Member]

SAP Note 587410 declared the test frame environment of SE37 as an illegal call, so SAP also has unspeakable authorization objects.

Cheers,

Julius

[john_studdert]

It used to be called Enterprise Portal before they rebranded it to NetWeaver Portal.. so it's just back where it started! I think the name Portal on its own is probably too generic to be fair - there is the SAP help portal, the support portal, SAP HANA Cloud Portal etc..

[Former Member]

All my customers in the past have always called it SAP Portal, regardless what it's official name at the time was...

[Steffi_Warnecke]

Yes, maybe, but I thought we talked about the technology. And there is only one portal for SAP in that department. I mean, when you talk about SAP SSO or the SAP Gateway, it's the same thing for me. Those are everywhere, too.

But I get, where you are coming from. It makes no difference to me either way, since it's "Portal" for me anyway.

[john_studdert]

Fair point, but even just talking about technology there is the HANA Cloud Portal as well...

Actually though for me and the clients I've worked with, it's just "Portal" as well

[Steffi_Warnecke]

@Samuli & John: No wonder, since it's the part that stays the same through all the re-naming. Who could keep up with the names? I would only confuse my users and myself.

Ah, I forgot about the hip new cloud HANA thingy. ^^

[Benny]

Want to hear something funny? SAP NetWeaver Administrator is a tool in the Java server. When the space (forum at the time) was set up the intention was this tool. It was invaded by ABAP folks as they where missing something like that...

So renaming really would make sense.

Regards,

Benny

[Matt_Fraser]

Yeah, that confused me for a long time.  I thought that forum was about the tool, and so I didn't care much about it, as I rarely look at that tool (it does nearly nothing in 7.01).  Then I realized that most of the questions being asked in there had nothing to do with the tool, and I thought "These people are in the wrong forum."  Then I realized I just didn't understand the nature of the forum.

[aust]

Do not you think should have changed, for example:

SAP NetWeaver Process Integration => SAP HANA Process Integration

For me it seems to make more sense.

regards,

Aust

[karl_kessler]

Hi Aust,

SAP Process Integration refers to our classical on premise integration offering

based on the SAP NetWeaver stack while SAP HANA Cloud Integration

refers to our cloud Integration offerings powered by SAP HANA.

Of course, in many on premise based deployments of SAP HANA the SAP NetWeaver Application Server and Technology stack plays an important role, most notably

in SAP Business Suite on SAP HANA.

Best,

Karl

[Astrid_Gambill]

Having Netweaver DSM (Decision Service Management) and just DSM (Demand Supply Management) meant you could somewhat differentiate between the 2 products.

Going to be harder now

[boghyon]

"SAP NetWeaver Business Client" → "SAP Business Client" since version 6.0 according to the document Evolution of SAP Business Client.