BizTalk and SAP RFC

BizTalk Utilities enables BizTalk Server to communicate directly with SAP Remote Function Calls. This form of data exchange typically requires significant programming, however, the BizTalk Connector allows for a simple and easy set-up, resulting in an integration channel capable of supporting synchronous and asynchronous communication.

How it works

Demonstrated in the diagram below is the role of the BizTalk Utilities Connector components, as they interface with the SAP RFC environment.

The connector accomplishes this by introducing a single specialized Application Integration Component. This AIC receives requests from BizTalk Server and translates them into SAP RFC-compliant parameter calls. These calls are passed to a pre-generated SAP.NET proxy client which subsequently relays them to the SAP Remote Function Call.

The AIC is then capable of receiving the results of the RFC, which are then transformed back into the XML format expected by BizTalk Server’s messaging service. In order to set up the RFC AIC, BizTalk Utilities supplies a configuration Wizard, shown below.

Two additional utilities are required to configure the connection between SAP RFCs and BizTalk Server. The first is the SAP Proxy Definition Wizard that allows you to set the proxy to be called by the AIC (and also auto-generates required request and response schemas). Secondly, the SAP Destination Wizard provides a simple user-interface for setting the connection parameters to the target SAP environment. Below are some sample screens.

Summary

When you need to extend your integrated environment in order to make BizTalk and SAP cooperate, there is no easier way of accomplishing this than by enlisting BizTalk Utilities. This proven and cost-effective SAP connector spares you from having to invest in complex development, and greatly simplifies deployment and configuration.

To learn more about these and other features, download an evaluation copy of BizTalk Utilities