The original message was the following:

Dear Mr. Caldas,

Since I believe you are running SAP ERP 6.0, I thought you would be interested in this new SAP Support Package Stack 17 Fact Sheet.
This Fact Sheet contains important facts and impact estimates that could help you prepare for implementation.

You can download the fact sheet here: http://go.panayainc.com/rs/panayainc/images/SAP_Support_Package_Stack_17_Fact_Sheet.pdf

Please let me know if you need any more information.

Regards,

Bruce Zivan
Business Development Executive
Panaya Inc. – Cut 50% of your SAP upgrade cost with automation software.
Tel US: + 1 415 329 0200
E-mail: bruce.zivan@panayainc.com
Web: www.panayainc.com

Even though this e-mail might have some commercial purpose, nevertheless I considered this fact sheet useful to share it here in SAPLAB.

In this post I include some links to external sources like SDN, as well as some links to some of my own posts, hoping to help anyone who’s trying to accomplish an SAP product installation end to end.

1. Netweaver Sneak Preview (NSP) installation – Part 1

Gingle starts his series of posts by explaining which components are necessary, how and where to download them and how to unzip them, etc. The post includes a series of comprehensive screenshots and step-by-step approach to guide you into success.

2. Logical System & Virtual Machine – Part 2

Continuing his previous post as described in point 1., Gingle explains how to setup the Logical System and Virtual Machine. Again, Gingle was thorough in his explanation, including step by step details and lots of screenshots to help us progress.

3. License & Profiles – Part 3

In this post, the whole License and Profiles procedure is well explained and documented. Well done Gingle!

4. Transport System – Part 4

Probably as a SAP Consultant, you never had to deal with this kind of configuration. Just in case you need it.

5. HTTPS & Sapcrypto – Part 5

What is HTTPS & Sapcrypto? Learn about and also why and how you should configure it.

6. SPAM & Kernel – Part 6

Gingle intended on importing some transports and performing some upgrades, SAP always recommends the Support Package Manager – SPAM, to be the latest. Learn how.

7. Upgrade to SP6 – Part 7

This post explains which component versions to consider, how to download them and how to install them. Again, step by step approach and lots of screenshots.

8. BI Content – Part 8

According to the author (Gingle), after a successful upgrade to SP6, it seemed only natural to attempt to install BI Content.

9. The CE2 Installation- Part 9

In this post, Gingle explains how to install the Netweaver Composite Environment 7.2 Trial Version.

10. Install a Local SAP Netweaver Developer Workplace

A detailed explanation on how to successfully install your own local SAP Netweaver Developer Workplace. Please be sure to go through the necessary prerequisites.

11. How To Do a Support Package Stack Upgrade – Part 1

Learn how to apply a Support Package upgrade on your system.

12. How to Tune the Performance of KM

This SAP How-to guide provides recommendations for improving the performance of Knowledge Management (KM) in SAP NetWeaver 2004.

13. TREX Installation on EP7

This how-to tutorial explains the TREX Basis Installation as well as the some post configuration activities, needed for the TREX to work.

14. How to Use Portal Session Notification with Your Own Custom Applications

The SAP Enterprise Portal offers a mechanism called Session Release Notification. This feature is used by SAP applications running inside the portal to close their sessions in case the user closes the browser window, navigates away from the application or logs-off from the SAP Portal.

15. How to Install a SAP (Max)DB Instance

Learn how to easily install a SAP MaxDB Instance.

16. Configure Single Sign-On (SSO) on the Portal and the ERP

Learn how to easily configure Single Sign-On (SSO) on the Portal and the ERP.

17. How Many Lines of ABAP Code In Your System?

This is just a fun and easy way to benchmark how many lines of ABAP code exist in your system.

18. How to do a System Trace?

When you work with SAP Enterprise Portal, sometimes it’s useful to use the System Trace tool, enabled by the ERP system.

19. Single Sign-On with your SAP OSS User

If you have a company issued SAP OSS user and use it all the time (like myself), this post is for you.

20. Configuring SAP Connect (SCOT)

From SAP WAS 6.10, SAP directly supports SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). This means that the emails can be exchanged directly between SAP system and any SMTP compliant mail server. Learn how to configure it.

21. Configuring UWL for Guided Procedures on C.E.

This tutorial covers the configuration of the Universal Worklist (UWL) for Guided Procedures actions. It shows how to configure the UWL in the SAP NetWeaver Composition Environment when the Guided Procedures are executed locally.

22. Configuring UWL for Guided Procedures on C.E.

This tutorial covers the configuration of the Universal Worklist (UWL) for Guided Procedures actions. It shows how to configure the UWL in the SAP NetWeaver Composition Environment when the Guided Procedures are executed locally.

Please comment if you found this post useful! Many thanks in advance.

The Best of SAP Sites Directory is a SAP topics aggregator since it displays headlines from the most popular SAP sites on the internet.

Eddai leaves his welcome message:

This site is the dashboard for the latest web-buzz, a single page that encapsulates up-to-the-minute headlines from the most popular SAP sites on the internet with a purpose of getting a quick glance on updates over various categories. The lists will be enhanced in each categories by day. Hope you find this site useful.

Click here to enter Best of SAP Sites Directory

This collection of documents are really useful, not only allowing us to gain insights from industry experts, but by also explaining how to get more out of SAP solutions and services. The papers also discuss best practices, lessons learned, and the subjects that matter most to the businesses. Topics include:

• Making faster and better decisions and sustaining growth through IT
• Business agility and organizational readiness
• Supply chain, sales and marketing, and human capital management strategies
• Operational excellence and end-user performance
• Improving customer relationships and creating superior client experience
• And much more.

Beginning today, all of these valuable resources are available at the Best SAP Content of 2009 resource page. But you can also download them directly from SAP’s website here in SAPLAB.org. Please look at the descriptions and links below:

Forrester evaluates four methods you can use to measure the business value of IT. Learn how you can account for more than simple financial metrics like ROI, IRR, or NPV. See how you can capture valuable, intangible benefits like revenue potential, strategic fit, and improved customer satisfaction.

Source: SAP6VX4QNQPY67F

Now I mentioned it – generic iView. What is that? A generic iView is a service that allows you  to display data that has been compiled by a SAP query on the SAP Netweaver Portal. The vehicle for the data generation is the  SAP Query tool. Application champions in SAP HR are probably already familiar with this powerful tool that is already available in the SAP R3 box. You don’t need to buy it. The same applies to the generic iView. It’s for free, you just need to use it.

Now we arrived at the point were you are probably raising the question – how can I use it, what do I need to get it done? In the following section I will try to provide you with a proper answer and a clear how-to guide.

First of all you need to know the basic components of this tool.  Basically you need to take care about three essential steps:

1. Create a custom variant for the generic iView service
2. Create or define SAP queries that suit your business need
3. Prepare the portal content and attach it to MSS

Before we start we need to check the pre-requisites – basically the authorizations you have on your SAP system. In order to perform the steps mentioned above you need at least the following authorizations:

ERP System (or Backend): Adequate profile to work with SAP query and read HR data.

Portal: Content Administrator and Self-Service Administrator roles.

Now you are well prepared to continue.  Please follow the instructions below:

• Log in to your SAP portal.
• Go to Self-Service Administrator > Portal Content > Content provided by SAP > srvconfig
• Go to folder com.sap.pct.erp.srvconfig.mss > Generic iView > FPM Applications

• Right mouse click on Generic iView Test Application and press Copy




• Go to your customer name space on the portal content directory and Paste as Deltalink (very important)
• Right mouse click on the pasted application and select Change ID
• Enter a new name, ID and prefix for the application (very important)
• Save your changes
• Go to folder com.sap.pct.erp.srvconfig.mss > Generic iView > FPM Views




• Repeat steps 4. and 5. for all view objects
• Go to folder com.sap.pct.erp.srvconfig.mss > Team Viewer > FPM Views
• Repeat steps 4. and 5. for all view objects

Now the first Part of the endeavor “generic iView” has been accomplished. More to come in the near future. I hope you will come back and follow up on this hopefully interesting article.

About the author

Christian Popa (cristego) is a SAP HCM, Self-Services (XSS) and Netweaver Portal Expert, having several years of experience in Global IT and SAP Projects. Click here to view Christian’s full profile.

Downloadable Tools for SAP Business Intelligence

Now by utilizing the UI API provided as part of the SAP Business One SDK and the Crystal Reports .Net Winform viewer, any user of SAP Business One can access and run the reports published securely on to the SAP Business One menus.

BI widgets on AIR is a prototype of an Adobe Air Rich Internet Application that delivers personalized business intelligence (BI) information for everyone. With BI widgets users can quickly and easily search and access BI content, create personal dashboards on their desktop, and integrate BI content into other Windows applications using drag and drop.

With the SAP BI Java SDK you can build analytical applications that access, manipulate, and display both multidimensional (OLAP) and tabular (relational) data. The BI Java SDK consists of a Java application programming interface in Java class libraries, documentation, and examples. The applications you create can access, manipulate, and display OLAP and relational data from diverse data sources. (BW 3.5 SPS19, 20.8 MB).

XML for Analysis (XMLA) is an open Web service interface designed specifically for OLAP and data mining functions. SAP Business Information Warehouse supports this emerging industry standard as of its 3.0 release. The download provides a simple XMLA client that is written in JavaScript and embedded into an HTML file (based on Business Information Warehouse 3.0, 1 MB).

This download package offers a simple Wizard to create and maintain User Interface Patterns based on SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence Web templates. Currently, the Wizard for the “Information Consumer Pattern” (delivered with BI Content 3.5.2 Add-On) is available. (SAP NetWeaver BI 3.5 SP3, app. 6.8 MB).

Downloadable Tools for SAP Mobile

Develop, model, and design mobile applications with the mobile development tools of SAP NetWeaver Mobile 7.1. Install the tools on top of SAP NetWeaver CE SR3; deploy and run applications on Windows Mobile™ devices.

The Mobile Application Modeler (MOAM) is an SDN evaluation software allowing the rapid prototyping of mobile applications by business experts. The applications are assembled from task and screen templates. Direct preview of the final application is supported. MOAM integrates smoothly with SAP NetWeaver Mobile 7.1 in that applications modeled with MOAM can be deployed directly to SAP NetWeaver Mobile client for handhelds. Additionally, applications modeled with MOAM can be converted into standard SAP NetWeaver Mobile 7.1 applications and be then edited with SAP NetWeaver Mobile 7.1 development tools.

Mobile Retail is shown here in a scenario of “quick-shopping”, i.e., exploring how you as a consumer can cut down your shopping time or get desired services from a store –directly on your mobile phone. This demo is an example application based on a lightweight mobile architecture designed by SAP Research. Please note, this is a prototype. (423 KB).

Downloadable Tools for SAP Application Server

The SAP NetWeaver specific enhancements are add-ons to the Eclipse Memory Analyzer. The Eclipse Memory Analyzer is a fast and feature-rich Java heap analyzer that helps you find memory leaks and reduce memory consumption.

The SAP JVM Profiler helps you analyze the memory & CPU consumption of your Java application. It is easy to integrate into your daily development cycle, since it can be used on demand and comes without any setup efforts if you use a SAP JVM or a current version of the NetWeaver Composition Environment 7.1. This is a preview version of the product, which is still under development. Nevertheless it can already provide you very helpful information about the runtime behavior and optimization potential of your application.

SAP presents applications to users in the SAP Enterprise Portal (SAP EP). You can change user interface themes with the “Portal Theme Editor” that is part of the Enterprise System Administration role. This version of the Theme Editor is offered as an unsupported, standalone tool. The Eclipse Theme Editor can be used to brand Web Dynpro applications. (NW 7.0 SPS7- SPS12, 25 MB)

These patch files contain the help files and the sample files you need for the Adobe LiveCycle Designer 7.1.

Using SAP Memory Analyzer users can look into the Java heap, find big chunks of memory and identify who is keeping this memory alive.

The Migration Plug-in is an Eclipse-based tool for the SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio. It supports the migration of J2EE 1.3 and J2EE 1.4-compliant applications, as well as JBoss and BEA Weblogic applications, to SAP NetWeaver Composition Environment. (NW 7.1 SR1, 101 KB).

The following prerequisites must be met in order to install and use this integration Kit:

• SAP NetWeaver or BW or R/3 and Business Objects XI 3
• Type of license: Evaluation/Not for Resale License
• Keycode: 90 day eval: CEN0Y-JV4RSS6-00UV84P-VC63 (updated – July 21, 2008)
• Platform: Windows only (contact Diamond Admin if interested in others)

To download, there is one component required for this evaluation. You have the option of also downloading the software with our Download Manager.  The Download Manager provides a robust method of downloading the software and is available as an ActiveX component or Java applet that is quickly installed when you click on the link to download. Upon a file request, if you don’t already have Download Manager installed, this page will automatically start it and download it to your computer.

• Download using the Download Manager
  
• Download the file directly
  

Addtional links and resources:

• Installation guide
• Business Objects for SAP Integration Forum

SAP Netweaver Composition Environment Downloads

Develop, model, and design Java EE and composite applications with the powerful, Eclipse 3.3-based SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio and the composition tools of SAP NetWeaver CE. (SAP NetWeaver CE 7.1 SR5, 1.50 GB, SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio, 0.72 GB).

This optional Eclipse plug-in lets you integrate the online documentation of the Enterprise Services Repository for SAP NetWeaver Composition Environment 7.1 SP3 into SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio. (appr. 1.6 MB).

Develop, model, and design mobile applications with the mobile development tools of SAP NetWeaver Mobile 7.1. Install the tools on top of SAP NetWeaver CE SR3; deploy and run applications on Windows Mobile™ devices.

Downloadable Tools for SAP Portal

SAP Portal Development Kit for Microsoft.NET (PDK for .NET) is a self-contained set of tools that enables developing, running and administrating portal applications for SAP NetWeaver Portal on the Microsoft .NET platform. Using PDK for .NET allows organizations to leverage their existing investments in the Microsoft .NET technology and developers’ skills, as well as take advantage of the SAP NetWeaver technology.

Use the BusinessObjects XI 3.0 Java Portal Integration Kit to integrate content directly with your Java based corporate portal. It provides business users with a personalized, single, secure view of corporate information while reducing training and education costs.

You can use the features of the Business Intelligence Documents portlet to browse your list of documents, navigate to folders and categories, and access the content directly from your system. If you are enabled by your Web Site Creator, you can also create a personalized list that contains only the documents that you want to view.

Use the BusinessObjects XI Release 1 SharePoint 2003 Portal Integration Kit to integrate content directly with your .NET based corporate portal. It provides business users with a personalized, single, secure view of corporate information.

The BusinessObjects Enterprise XI Release 2 Portal Integration Kit – JAAS SSO Enablement Extensions let you leverage single sign-on (SSO) on your BEA WebLogic Server. The JAAS SSO Enablement Extensions let you automatically authenticate and sign-on users to the BusinessObjects Enterprise system, giving them an appropriate amount of access to the reports and objects on the BusinessObjects Enterprise system, including their Inbox and Favorites folder and their own personalized reports, without requiring them to enter their credentials again.