O Paradigma "Code Push-Down"

A SAP é um dos maiores e mais bem-conceituados fornecedores de sistemas ERP. Tal como a maioria dos sistemas ERP, estes também têm estado em constante evolução. Desde a disponibilização da sua base de dados SAP High-Speed Analytical Appliance (HANA), a SAP tem tentado persuadir os seus clientes a adotar esta base de dados. Em 2018, a SAP anunciou que iria acabar o suporte do seu ERP, SAP ECC, favorecendo a adoção do seu novo ERP, SAP S/4 HANA, que apenas suporta o uso de bases de dados SAP HANA. O suporte estava previsto acabar em 2025, no entanto foi adiado para 2027 a pedido dos seus clientes. O fim deste suporte significa que uma porção significativa dos clientes da SAP irão migrar para o ERP SAP S/4 HANA (+ SAP HANA) e, como recomendado pela SAP, provavelmente também irão adotar o paradigma de desenvolvimento “Code Push-Down”, que se foca em empurrar lógica aplicacional para a camada/nível da base de dados. Apesar desta mudança no paradigma de desenvolvimento poder, supostamente, trazer benefícios significativos de desempenho, também pode ter consequências no que toca às outras qualidades do software desenvolvido. Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o paradigma de desenvolvimento “Code PushDown”, descobrir possíveis desvantagens/limitações e tentar elaborar um guião geral de como aplicar o paradigma de forma a tentar mitigá-las. E talvez, ao suceder nos seus objetivos, também incentivar a realização de mais trabalhos sobre o tema.SAP is one of the biggest and most well-established ERP system providers. Like most ERP systems, their ERP systems and surrounding ecosystems have been in constant evolution. Since the introduction of their SAP High-Speed Analytical Appliance (HANA) database, they have been pushing their clients towards its adoption. In 2018, they announced the end of support for their SAP ECC ERP in favor of the new SAP S/4 HANA ERP, which only supports SAP HANA. This end of support was to take place in 2025 but, due to requests by their customers, it has since been extended to 2027. This end of support means a significant portion of SAP’s clients are migrating to SAP S/4 HANA (+ SAP HANA) and, as recommended by SAP, will most likely also adopt their “Code PushDown” development paradigm, which is based around pushing application logic down to the database tier/layer. Although this shift in development paradigms can, supposedly, bring significant gains in performance, it may also have consequences when it comes to other qualities of the developed software. This work aims to analyze the “Code Push-Down” development paradigm, discover possible downsides/tradeoffs and try to provide general guidelines on how to apply it in order to possibly mitigate them. And perhaps, by succeeding in meeting the objectives, to incentivize further work about this topic

An Innovative Framework of Integrating ERP into IS 2010 Model Curriculum

The wide spread of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) technology has made information systems (IS) education shift the focus from functional applications development to enterprise software implementation and configuration. The latest model curriculum for undergraduate IS programs, the IS 2010, has made teaching the large and complex ERP software system an important issue. This paper presents a framework of innovatively integrating ERP into four core and three elective courses proposed in IS 2010. The paper illustrates the integrated ERP curriculum by discussing the design, content, and teaching methods for the seven courses using SAP as the software tool. The purpose of the paper is to provide a useful guideline for those who seek to teach ERP technology in the undergraduate IS curriculum

ADVANCED ADVISORY SYSTEM

In five years of study in Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), a student will finish numerous of assignments, projects and thesis for all courses taken. Unfortunately, all the documentation of their works will be left disorganized when they graduate. This situation is called "brain drain'' and students come and go hence leaving this situation continuing happen. Knowledge Sharing through Forum Session of Advance Advisory System (AAS) is the solution to the problem of disorganized sources of knowledge among (UTP) students. With the function of forum discussion, file sharing and message conversation, AAS will suit well with the university style of having a campus community with large database. In addition, students will benefit a lot from lesson learn and experience gained that are shared in the forum. With the LAN application among the campus and the academic building, AAS will be utilized efficiently. AAS hopefully will enable students and UTP management to advance a step ahead with SAP approach which will give benefit in term of database, security and learning improvement in the global world

Extraktion statischer SAP-Strukturinformationen in FAMIX als Grundlage für die Softwarevisualisierung

Softwarevisualisierung stellt als Teil der Informationsvisualisierung Struktur, Verhalten und Evolution einer Software dar. In der Softwareentwicklung bietet sie für jeden Akteur ein nützliches Werkzeug. So können neben Entwicklern auch Berater und Kunden Eigenschaften einer Software beurteilen, ohne höhere Programmierkenntnisse zu besitzen. Die Professur für Softwareentwicklung für Wirtschaft und Verwaltung der Universität Leipzig forscht im Bereich der Softwarevisualisierung. Neben einem Softwarevisualisierungsgenerator existieren bisher Extraktoren für C#, Java und Ruby. Für die SAP-eigene Programmiersprache ABAP und weitere SAP-Strukturinformationen sind in der Literatur und im kommerziellen Bereich wenige Konzepte veröffentlicht worden. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Entwicklung eines Prototypen zur Extraktion von SAP- Strukturinformationen in das Metamodell FAMIX als Grundlage für die Softwarevisualisierung. Als Werkzeug kommt dabei der SAP Code Inspector zum Einsatz, um Informationen über Quelltextelemente zu sammeln. Die zu extrahierenden Informationen werden durch eine Analyse der Recursive Disk Metaphor ermittelt, bei der SAP-Elemente in die bestehende Version integriert werden.:1. Einleitung 1.1. Motivation 1.2. Zielstellung 1.3. Methodisches Vorgehen 1.4. Aufbau dieser Arbeit 2. SAP-Grundlagen 2.1. SAP-System 2.2. ABAP 2.2.1. Report 2.2.2. Funktionsgruppe 2.2.3. Klasse 2.2.4. Datentyp 2.2.5. Tabelle 2.3. SAP Code Inspector 2.3.1. Anwendung des SAP Code Inspectors 2.3.2. Aufbau eigener Prüfklassen 3. Softwarevisualisierung 3.1. Grundlagen der Softwarevisualisierung 3.2. Visualisierungsprozess 3.3. FAMIX-Grammatik 3.4. Recursive Disc Metaphor 4. Analyse der zu extrahierenden Strukturinformationen 4.1. Auswahl der ABAP-Objekte 4.2. Anforderungsanalyse für ABAP 4.3. Visualisierung in der Recursive Disc Metaphor 5. Prototyp zur Extraktion von Strukturinformationen 5.1. Konzeption 5.2. Funktionsbeschreibung 5.3. Architektur 5.4. Datenhaltung 5.5. Evaluation 6. Ausblic

Extraktion statischer SAP-Strukturinformationen in FAMIX als Grundlage für die Softwarevisualisierung

Softwarevisualisierung stellt als Teil der Informationsvisualisierung Struktur, Verhalten und Evolution einer Software dar. In der Softwareentwicklung bietet sie für jeden Akteur ein nützliches Werkzeug. So können neben Entwicklern auch Berater und Kunden Eigenschaften einer Software beurteilen, ohne höhere Programmierkenntnisse zu besitzen. Die Professur für Softwareentwicklung für Wirtschaft und Verwaltung der Universität Leipzig forscht im Bereich der Softwarevisualisierung. Neben einem Softwarevisualisierungsgenerator existieren bisher Extraktoren für C#, Java und Ruby. Für die SAP-eigene Programmiersprache ABAP und weitere SAP-Strukturinformationen sind in der Literatur und im kommerziellen Bereich wenige Konzepte veröffentlicht worden. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Entwicklung eines Prototypen zur Extraktion von SAP- Strukturinformationen in das Metamodell FAMIX als Grundlage für die Softwarevisualisierung. Als Werkzeug kommt dabei der SAP Code Inspector zum Einsatz, um Informationen über Quelltextelemente zu sammeln. Die zu extrahierenden Informationen werden durch eine Analyse der Recursive Disk Metaphor ermittelt, bei der SAP-Elemente in die bestehende Version integriert werden.:1. Einleitung 1.1. Motivation 1.2. Zielstellung 1.3. Methodisches Vorgehen 1.4. Aufbau dieser Arbeit 2. SAP-Grundlagen 2.1. SAP-System 2.2. ABAP 2.2.1. Report 2.2.2. Funktionsgruppe 2.2.3. Klasse 2.2.4. Datentyp 2.2.5. Tabelle 2.3. SAP Code Inspector 2.3.1. Anwendung des SAP Code Inspectors 2.3.2. Aufbau eigener Prüfklassen 3. Softwarevisualisierung 3.1. Grundlagen der Softwarevisualisierung 3.2. Visualisierungsprozess 3.3. FAMIX-Grammatik 3.4. Recursive Disc Metaphor 4. Analyse der zu extrahierenden Strukturinformationen 4.1. Auswahl der ABAP-Objekte 4.2. Anforderungsanalyse für ABAP 4.3. Visualisierung in der Recursive Disc Metaphor 5. Prototyp zur Extraktion von Strukturinformationen 5.1. Konzeption 5.2. Funktionsbeschreibung 5.3. Architektur 5.4. Datenhaltung 5.5. Evaluation 6. Ausblic

Visualisierung der Struktur von ABAP-Software mittels generativer Softwareentwicklung

Der Forschungsbereich der generativen Softwarevisualisierung beschäftigt sich mit dem Problem, automatisch individuell konfigurierte Visualisierungen von Software zu erzeugen, um deren Struktur und Funktionsweise durch visuelle Mittel einfacher verständlich zu machen. Für die Darstellung werden sogenannte Metaphern verwen- det, die es, anhand bekannter Anhaltspunkte, ermöglichen sich in der entsprechend visualisierten Software zurechtzufinden. Dies ist bereits für verschiedene objektorientierte Programmiersprachen möglich, jedoch nicht für solche, die einige Spezialfälle beinhalten, wie beispielsweise ABAP. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, in einer methodischen Vorgehensweise einen prototy- pischen Generator, der eine entsprechend angepasste City-Metapher einer ABAP- Software erzeugen kann, zu entwickeln. Dabei wurde die Programmiersprache an sich, aber auch die typische Arbeitsumgebung des ABAP-Entwicklers analysiert, um den praktischen Nutzen der entstandenen Metapher zu optimieren

Beginning SAP R/3 Implementation at Geneva Pharmaceuticals

Faced with intense competition in the generics drugs industry, eroding margins, and continuous price pressures, Geneva Pharmaceuticals, the North American subsidiary of Novartis International AG, made a bold, multi-million dollar decision to reengineer all its demand and supply processes using the SAP R/3 system. This case describes Geneva\u27s journey through the first two of three phases of R/3 implementation from mid-1997 to mid-2000, and the company\u27s plans for Phase III (scheduled for completion by late-2000). It highlights initial mistakes during this journey, strategies that helped overcome those mistakes, and how R/3 delivered operational efficiencies and competitive advantage under difficult business circumstances. As the case illustrates, ERP implementation is much more than technology change, it also incorporates substantive process and people changes; and without appropriate change management strategies and experienced leadership, ERP projects are likely to fail

Automatic generation of software applications: a platform-based MDA approach

The Model Driven Architecture (MDA) allows moving the software development from the time consuming and error-prone level of writing program code to the next higher level of modeling. In order to gain benefit from this innovative technology, it is necessary to satisfy two requirements. These are first, the creation of compact, complete and correct platform independent models (PIM) and second, the development of a flexible and extensible model transformation framework taking into account frequent changes of the target platform. In this thesis a platform-based methodology is developed to create PIM by abstracting common modeling elements into a platform independent modeling library called Design Platform Model (DPM). The DPM contains OCL-based types for modeling primitive and collection types, a platform independent GUI toolkit as well as other common modeling elements, such as those for IO-operations. Furthermore, a DPM profile containing diverse domain specific and design pattern-based stereotypes is also developed to create PIM with high-level semantics. The behavior in PIM is specified using an OCL-like action language called eXecutable OCL (XOCL), which is also developed in this thesis. For model transformation, the model compiler MOCCA is developed based on a flexible and extensible architecture. The model mapper components in the current version of MOCCA are able to map desktop applications onto JSE platform; the both business object layer and persistence layer of a three-layered enterprise applications onto JEE platform and SAP ABAP platform. The entire model transformation process is finished with complete code generation

Execution Management System implementation in international retail company

Project Work presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Information Systems and Technologies ManagementIn nowadays the penetration of new technologies and changing business environment are pushing companies to compete and focus on efficiency of its processes. One of company’s competitive advantage is its operational processes and its efficiency. In order to save money and increase competitive advantage a company should continuously improve its processes and today the company could use not only dedicated business improvement frameworks and technics, but also specific software which can explore existing processes of the company by searching and analysing program logs and process trails in the company’s systems. Process mining software could help companies to understand different variants of existing processes, compare them to reference models, see actual efficiency and automation rate, understand the root cause of the inefficiency and take necessary actions to improve the existing processes. But Process mining software is not yet so popular in CIS retail market and many companies are looking sceptically towards using this type of software. So far not every retail business in CIS countries is using Process Mining software to understand its processes and even more rare is implementation of RPA software to substitute human work with robots and AI. The aim of planned work is to design and implement EMS system and present case study of the implementation

Environment analysis: ferramentas de geração de documentação a partir de um sistema SAP

Com o crescimento dos projetos de software, em tamanho, a importância da documentação do código fonte tornou-se por demais evidente. Todavia, esta atividade por diversos fatores, como o cumprimento de prazos de entrega e o tempo gasto com o desviar da atenção dos programadores, vai sendo descurada, daí que a procura de ferramentas para tornarem este processo autónomo seja da maior relevância. Efetivamente, um sistema bem documentado, será de fácil interpretação para qualquer um, tanto para aquele que entra em contacto pela primeira vez com o sistema, como para aquele que terá de realizar a sua manutenção. A documentação de projetos de software é bastante abrangente pois inclui documentos referentes a requisitos, arquitetura, design, código fonte do software, testes, manutenção, e todos estes com informação essencial. Para este trabalho iremos nos focar apenas nas ferramentas para gerar documentação a partir do código fonte. Este trabalho propõe-se a criar uma ferramenta de geração de documentação a partir de um sistema SAPi , em linguagem de programação ABAPii , de forma a que se consiga produzir com pouco esforço documentação com qualidade, autonomamente. Na solução apresentada foi implementado estruturas de suporte para a recolha da informação desejada, seguindo o paradigma da SAP e da linguagem ABAP. Para posteriormente, produzir a documentação, foi utilizado o Word, ferramenta de processamento de texto, tendo sido alcançados resultados bastante interessantes e aplicáveis. Assim, como resultado final obtivemos um documento Word com conteúdo pré-definido, pelo próprio utilizador da nossa ferramenta, discriminando todos os artefactos utilizados num dado programa tornando assim o código fonte mais percetível.With the growth of software projects, in size, the importance of source code has become all too evident. However, this activity due to several factors, such as meeting delivery deadlines and the time spent deviating the programmers' attention, is being neglected, which is why the search for tools to make this process autonomous is great. In fact, a well-documented system will be easy to interpret for anyone, both for those who come into contact with the system for the first time and for those who must carry out its maintenance. The software design documents is quite comprehensive as it includes documents related to requirements, architecture, design, software source code, tests, maintenance, and all these with essential information. For this work, we will focus only on the tools to generate documents from source code. This work proposes to create a document generation tool from an SAP system, in ABAP programming language, so that it is possible to produce with little effort with quality, independently. In the solution presented, support structures were implemented to obtain the desired information, following the paradigm of SAP and the ABAP language. To study and produce documents, Word, a word processing tool, was used, and very applicable and applicable results were achieved. Thus, as a final result we obtained a Word document with pre-defined content, by the user of our tool, discriminating all the artifacts used in a given program, thus making the source code more noticeable