SAP enhances support for SOA with Netweaver tools

SAP is building on its Netweaver service oriented architecture (SOA) software with functionality designed to help users create composite applications and ease manageability.

SAP plans to offer support for Web 2.0, Ajax, rich-clients and Java Enterprise Edition 5, which allows developers to build composition applications.

A product called SAP Netweaver Process Integration will support the infrastructure required for an SOA, which enables systems to be adapted to changing business needs more quickly by reusing computing resources.

SAP Netweaver Process Integration includes a standards-based service bus for connecting composite applications with enterprise services. It supports the UDDI 3.0 standard and works with SAP's UDDI 3.0 Netweaver Enterprise Services Repository. The product offers business activity monitoring capabilities to manage business events and resolve alerts in real time, said SAP.

Another addition is SAP Netweaver Composition Environment, a set of integrated tools for developing and deploying standards-based composite applications.

SAP is also beginning to address supplier relationship management with a subscription-based sourcing service called SAP E-Sourcing On-Demand. Currently available only in the US, for £5,000 users can buy a 90-day subscription to the service, which has been preconfigured to provide RFP (request for purchase) and auction functionality.

Mickey Rizza, research director at AMR Research, said that SAP E-Sourcing was a good fit for companies looking to enhance the value of the procurement organisation, but best-of-breed suppliers of sourcing software offered better functionality, process enhancements and supply management expertise.

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