 |
|
DAILY NEWS AND INFORMATION
FOR THE GLOBAL GRID COMMUNITY / JUNE 16, 2003: VOL. 2 NO. 24
|
Breaking News - Operating Systems
& Middleware:
SAP Unleashes Cross-Enterprise
Collaboration
SAP AG announced industry-specific enhancements for the SAP NetWeaver
integration and application platform that will help companies in diverse
vertical industries accelerate cross-enterprise business processes and lower
total cost of ownership (TCO). SAP is expanding the integration capabilities
of SAP NetWeaver with add-on packages comprising pre-configured, industry-
specific business content and out-of-the-box support for XML-based data
exchange standards of diverse industries. Beginning with offerings for the
high tech and chemicals industries -- providing native support for RosettaNet
and Chem eStandards, as well as pre-configured mappings for the most common
EDI standards -- the pre-packaged business content in SAP NetWeaver will allow
companies to avoid costly, time-consuming integration projects, and quickly
and easily enable their IT systems to exchange information in the lingua
franca of their respective industries.
As companies extend their business processes to better collaborate with
customers, partners, and suppliers, the exchange of business information
across enterprises and applications becomes increasingly complex, compelling
trade organizations in many industries to set standards for electronic
communication. SAP is playing an active role in standards developments to
support interoperability between business applications, and is now leveraging
the integration strengths of SAP NetWeaver to deepen its commitment to meeting
industry-specific business needs. SAP NetWeaver will provide native support
for technical- and business-related standards for various industries, enabling
customers to benefit from rapid standards adoption in one platform.
"The new industry-specific capabilities of SAP NetWeaver are a result of
SAP's
extensive industry expertise and years of working with leading companies and
standards organizations to address the current and future business challenges
in their markets," said Nils Herzberg, senior vice president, Manufacturing &
Distribution, SAP. "Helping companies create highly integrated business
networks at lower TCO is part of SAP's market-leading commitment to industry-
specific solutions. Since the new business content for SAP NetWeaver is
delivered as industry-specific standards support, SAP is helping customers
accelerate deployments and increase the return on their IT investments."
The industry-specific business content extends SAP Exchange Infrastructure
(SAP XI), a software component of SAP NetWeaver. SAP XI provides an open
business process integration technology platform that supports process-centric
collaboration between SAP and non-SAP systems and applications, both within
and beyond the enterprise. SAP XI defines the interfaces and XML mappings
required for specific business scenarios to manage message exchange, and
transform message contents between sender and receiver systems for efficient
cross-system collaborative processes. SAP XI offers the capability to deliver
industry standard compliant business scenarios as well as the ability to
orchestrate industry standard adherent business processes. The technology
foundation for all SAP solutions, SAP NetWeaver unifies and aligns people,
information, and processes across organizational and technological boundaries.
Designed to be completely open, SAP NetWeaver easily integrates information
and applications from virtually any source and interoperates with Microsoft
.NET, Sun's J2EE, and IBM WebSphere.
RosettaNet
The RosettaNet standard helps high tech companies such as leading
semiconductor supplier STMicroelectronics conduct business more efficiently
with greater visibility and exchange of information along the supply chain.
Based on XML, the RosettaNet e-business process standards automate tasks such
as collaborative demand forecasting, order management, shipping and receiving,
and invoicing and payments. SAP's support for RosettaNet in SAP NetWeaver will
include an RNIF (RosettaNet Implementation Framework) 2.0 adapter, mappings
from SAP R/3 and other SAP applications to the RosettaNet Partner Interface
Processes (PIPs), RosettaNet message choreography as pre- delivered business
scenarios, the ability to maintain trading partner information as well as
business process management and error handling capabilities.
"Implementing RosettaNet has helped STMicroelectronics to automate and
streamline its e-business processes by enabling real-time information access
and more efficient collaboration across our global supply chain," said Jean-
Claude Monney, vice president of IT Strategies and e-Business at
STMicroelectronics and ST's representative on the RosettaNet Electronics
Components Board of Directors.
"As a founding member of RosettaNet's Information Technology (IT) and
Solution
Provider (SP) Boards, SAP has supported RosettaNet's development with its
resources and industry expertise," said Jennifer Hamilton, CEO of RosettaNet.
"We acknowledge SAP's continuing commitment to RosettaNet and are pleased with
the delivery of solutions to the marketplace that will help improve business
processes, resulting in greater efficiencies across the global trading
network."
CIDX
The Chem eStandards were established by the trade association and standards
body CIDX (Chemical Industry Data Exchange) to accelerate collaborative
processes in areas such as logistics, order management, and invoicing. Top ten
global chemicals companies such as The Dow Chemical Company and DuPont plan to
implement SAP solutions to support the Chem eStandards.
"The technology advances by SAP in their integration and application
platform
are setting the pace in the industry," said Bob Ridout, vice president of IT
and CIO, of the DuPont Company. "This, along with their strong commitment to
cybersecurity, makes me feel good about our selection of SAP."
"Support of Chem eStandards is essential to our industry, where the
'enterprise' in ERP now means the 'total supply chain,'" said Dave Kepler,
corporate vice president and CIO of The Dow Chemical Company. "SAP's support
for Chem eStandards addresses our IT needs for enhanced collaboration through
faster information exchange and will allow us to connect better with
customers, suppliers, and partners in our extended supply chain. SAP's
technology vision provides critical building blocks for implementing our
business strategy."
To more fully support improved ease, speed and cost of transacting business
electronically, CIDX is beginning to develop business process guidelines for
use in conjunction with the transactional message standards. SAP will
participate on CIDX project teams developing business process guidelines for
the order-to-cash and collaborative replenishment planning (CRP) processes, as
well as a cross-industry project with the paper industry to develop common
logistics business process guidelines and transactional messages between paper
and chemical producers. SAP is also a founding member of CIDX's recently
launched Cybersecurity Practices, Standards and Technology Initiative.
"SAP continues to be a proactive and valued contributor to the Chem
eStandards
Initiative," said Patricia Simmons, executive director of CIDX. "Their out-of-
the-box mapping and support for Chem eStandards directly addresses a critical
industry need."
First deliveries of the high tech and chemical industry packages in SAP
NetWeaver, supporting RosettaNet and Chem eStandards, are planned for the end
of 2003.
|