SAP Online Help 07.09.2004
SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer: User Guide 47
Defining Data Services
Purpose
Visual Composer provides tools that let you connect via the portal to back-end applications
defined in the portal system landscape. This connection enables you to import into your
model the relevant function modules on which you want to base your iViews. The imported
function modules are referred to as data services.
Normally, you can connect to any installation of a back-end application to import a data
service, and then deploy the content to any portal that enables access to an instance of the
same back-end application. However, if the customer installation of the back-end application
includes customized function modules, you will need to import the data services in the
customer environment, in order to retrieve the customized functions.
Most connections to back-end systems are accomplished using the SAP and JDBC
connectors deployed automatically as part of the connector framework installed with the
portal. The SAP connector provides access to R/3 and BW systems, while the JDBC
connector provides access to a range of databases run on the J2EE platform, including
Microsoft SQL, Oracle, DB2 and others.
BI connectors, installed separately in the portal, can be used to access a range of different
data, including multidimensional cubes, relational tables and queries. Connectivity is based
on defining a system in the portal landscape. You may define systems for the following
connections:
• BI XMLA
• BI ODBO
• BI JDBC
• BI SAP Query
In addition, you can configure the BW system, installed automatically with the SAP
connector, for accessing predefined queries.
BI connectivity in SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer is available only with SAP
NetWeaver 2004 SP Stack 05 and above.
For complete information about defining BI data services, see Creating BI Queries [Page
52].
To define data services based on Siebel business components, you must install the iWay
connector with the portal and define the appropriate system in the portal landscape.
Instructions for installation are available on SAP Service Marketplace.
Siebel connectivity in SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer is available only with
SAP Enterprise Portal 6.0 SP2.
For information about importing Siebel business components, see Adding Siebel Data
Services [Page 136].
