SAP yesterday unveiled SAP NetWeaver, an integration and portal platform designed to be "fully interoperable" with both Microsoft's .Net and J2EE (via WebSphere). The product also includes an application server, an enterprise portal, collaboration software and an integration broker, competing directly with similar product stacks from the major J2EE vendors.

Read SAP Unveils Language-Agnostic Integration/Application Platform and SAP's press release.

Hello,

I can see the point that SAP want to support both their Java- and their .Net-oriented customers. It makes sense to cater for the wishes of both groups. However, given the complexity I've experienced in building J2EE applications, (which I expect to be similar in .Net-apps), what kind of convoluted beast must a new abstraction layer on top of these two be? For example, what kind of persistence framework would work in both worlds?

Maybe they pulled off a miracle, but the concepts sounds like a nightmare to work with. And given the quality problems e.g. in the SAP portal server up to this day, I don't believe they will be able to truly deliver a unified architecture on top of these complex technologies.

But we'll see :-)!

Cheers,
    Henrik Klagges
    TNGtech

Hi,
   I believe SAP has delivered a good integration platform which enable them to integrate with other 3rd party vendors, along with reducing the complex integration they use to have a couple of years ago.I believe along with the name change they have given to SAP Exchange Infrastucture, they must have given new features also along with NetWeaver.Those who have experienced the power of SAP's multi pillar technology platform will surely enjoy this new integration platform.

Sunil Lal

The NetWeaver "platform" is not available for download yet!
With NetWeaver, SAP has introduced two enhanced capabilities -- composite application framework and master data management -- that extend the technology stack beyond the initial capabilities of mySAP Technology. It will be mostly used by SAP shops that are an SI and an xApps providers for SAP.

There is currently SAP press release states that SAP, IBM, and Microsoft have recently established a joint collaborative technology support centers which will staff and support the companies focus on customer projects around the usage of SAP NetWeaver and it's integration with IBM WebSphere and Microsoft .Net.

Given the popularity of WebSphere in non-IBM shops, it going to be interesting to see what WebLogic users like us do ;-)

Regards,
/Ravi