Microsoft, SAP to Collaborate Closely on Windows DNA, COM+ And Business Framework for Internet, Business Applications

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 23, 1997 — Today at the Microsoft® Professional Developers Conference, SAP AG, the world’s leading provider of enterprise business applications, and Microsoft Corp. announced close collaboration between the new Microsoft Windows® Distributed interNet Applications (DNA) architecture, COM+, an evloving extension to COM, and Business Framework
™
from SAP. This move is the latest demonstration of the ongoing relationship between SAP and Microsoft to jointly develop common interfaces for conducting business transactions over the Internet.

Microsoft and SAP have taken consistent and compatible approaches with their respective architectures. Windows DNA along with COM+ is a new architectural framework for building modern, scalable, multitier distributed computing solutions that can be delivered over any network. This architecture complements Business Framework from SAP, which provides an open, standards-based architecture for integrating both R/3
™
Business Components (such as financials or human resources) and non-SAP-provided components.

SAP also announced the DCOM Component Connector, which provides seamless integration between DCOM and business application programming interfaces (BAPIs). SAP is working with Microsoft, the Open Applications Group and other appropriate standards bodies to create standard BAPI specifications. BAPIs provide a stable mechanism for integrating business systems at the application content (rather than technical) level.

Windows DNA, Business Framework Enhance Developer Productivity

One of the key advantages of Windows DNA is that developers can now use the same infrastructure and tools for projects large and small. Because of the seamless integration between Windows DNA and BAPIs, this advantage will be extended to developers creating applications that interoperate with R/3 through BAPIs. This ensures that customers will have all the benefits of R/3 application integration plus the flexibility to easily incorporate best-of-breed and custom-developed applications from the Windows DNA environment.

“Our embrace of Microsoft Windows DNA as a framework will enable the more than 12,000 R/3 installations worldwide to integrate the benefits of R/3 and Windows for extremely powerful, flexible solutions,” said Karl-Heinz Hess, executive vice president of R/3 platform development at SAP AG. “COM is an open, well-known object model and as such greatly reduces developer training requirements and lowers maintenance costs.”

“SAP’s selection of COM as a preferred object model is the latest and most decisive evidence that the market has found the technology it needs to build highly scalable, enterprisewide solutions that deliver tremendous business benefits,” said Paul Maritz, group vice president, platforms and applications at Microsoft. “We’re also pleased with this latest example of the synergy between SAP and Microsoft to serve our common customers and the industry at large.”

SAP Unveils DCOM Component Connector; New Component Is Based on COM

As part of today’s announcement, SAP also introduced the DCOM Component Connector, which will be available in early 1998. The DCOM Component Connector provides seamless, high-performance integration between BAPIs and DCOM. SAP currently is shipping a COM-based bridge to R/3.

An example of the SAP commitment to COM is revealed in the recently announced SAP Sales Configuration Engine
™
(SCE) Business Component, due to be available later this year. SCE is the first SAP-developed Business Component to directly use COM as its platform. Communication between COM clients and SCE is handled through the SCE’s native COM interface while the DCOM Component Connector handles communication with the back-end R/3 System.

Latest Step in Ongoing SAP, Microsoft Collaboration

SAP and Microsoft have collaborated since 1993, when R/3 became available for the Windows NT® Server network operating system and SAP opened its Microsoft competence center. Currently, about 45 percent of all new R/3 installations are on Windows NT Server, and customers have already deployed more than 3,000 such systems. Microsoft opened an SAP and Microsoft competence center in Redmond, Wash., in 1996, and SAP recently announced that significant new R/3 Business Components such as the Business Information Warehouse
™
and the Advanced Planner and Optimizer will initially be based on Windows NT Server.

About SAP

SAP is a market and technology leader in client/server enterprise application software, providing comprehensive solutions for companies of all sizes and all industry sectors. Cultivating innovative technologies on a solid foundation of business experience, SAP delivers scalable solutions that enable its customers to continually improve upon best business practices. SAP products empower people to respond quickly and decisively to dynamic market conditions, helping businesses achieve and maintain a competitive advantage.

Founded in 1972, SAP is based in Walldorf, Germany, and employs more than 12,500 people at offices in more than 40 countries who are dedicated to providing a high level of support and service for the more than 12,000 installations of R/3 worldwide. SAP’s World Wide Web site can be found at (http://www.sap.com/) .

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft, Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

SAP, Business Framework, R/3, Sales Configuration Engine, Business Information Warehouse and all SAP product and service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG.

Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to editors : If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. For a complete list of Microsoft’s developer offerings, visit http://www.microsoft.com/msdn/ .

Related Posts