Web Programming with SAP's Internet Communication Framework

Terms like "Web Services", "Internet Programming" and "Resource Orientation" can be mentioned in the same sentence as SAP NetWeaver now without anyone so much as raising an eyebrow. With web-scale integration becoming increasingly important in the SAP and enterprise software world, understanding the framework that underpins SAP's offerings in this area is crucial, whether you want to extend your end-to-end integration process knowledge, embrace and adopt existing web offerings from SAP, or roll your own HTTP services. SAP's Internet Communication Framework (ICF) is the platform that underpins the majority of SAP's offerings in this space, even SAP NetWeaver Gateway. This 2-day course will help you gain a detailed understanding of the framework, harness its power, and unleash your own resource orientated web service masterpieces!

Get that Competitive Edge

Why is this course important? Well, if you've already read this far, you probably have an inkling that the web is where it's at, and more specifically, in the SAP universe, HTTP is where it's at from an interfacing and platform extension perspective. Want to get involved in building mobile apps and be the backend SAP guru for all forms of modern web-based integration? Do you have a desire to upskill to the next level of SAP integration? Sharpen your competitive edge in an increasingly commoditised industry.

What you need to be familiar with

To benefit from this course, you need to have a basic understanding of SAP and web services, basic knowledge of HTTP, and some ABAP programming experience.

What we won’t cover

This is a course about the ICF; as such, we won't be covering the layers on top of the ICF such as SOAP or SOA. We won't be teaching you how to program in ABAP. We won't be covering any specific details of SAP NetWeaver Gateway; you will be able to develop skills in this technology at some of our other upcoming courses.

Software

We will be using an SAP NetWeaver 7 system, which has all the components we need for the course. We'll be using SAPGUI to connect, which can be downloaded from the SAP Service Marketplace or from the SAP Developer Network (SDN). We highly recommend that you become a member of the SAP Community Network (of which SDN is a part) if you aren't already.

Equipment you’ll need

You'll need to bring your own wifi-capable laptop, with SAPGUI installed. If you are members of SDN we can make the SAPGUI Windows and Java versions available to you on the day too, but we recommend you bring your laptop with SAPGUI pre-installed.

Suggested preparatory work

Familiarise yourself with the SAP Help topics on the ICF, and keep an eye on the SDN weblog posts pertaining to web services, Gateway and the ICF.

Learning Outcomes

You will gain a detailed understanding of SAP's underlying mechanisms for HTTP communications. You'll have the knowledge and confidence to build, debug and deploy HTTP orientated interfaces into and out of SAP enterprise systems. You'll also have some exposure to tips, tricks and tools outside of SAP to help in debugging and testing.

Course Syllabus

Day 1

10:00 - 10:30 Background and pre-ICF history

History and details of SAP's communication with the outside world

related to web and the 'net, looking at how we made it to where we

are today

10:30 - 11:00 Architecture for the ICF

Looking at the Internet Communication Manager and its plugin

architecture

11:00 - 11:15 Break

11:15 - 12:15 The ICF as a framework

What the ICF looks like in terms of classes, interfaces and tools

12:15 - 13:15 Lunch

13:15 - 14:15 Diving deeper

The ICF node hierarchy, authentication, stacked handlers, flow control

14:15 - 15:15 Our first handler

"Hello, SAP HTTP World" - implementing IF_HTTP_EXTENSION;

examining the server, request and response objects

15:15 - 15:45 More handler features

MIME-types and HTTP status codes

15:45 - 16:00 Break

16:00 - 17:30 A better authorisation handler

Improve on SAP's default mechanism, use SAP Auth Concept

and stacked handler flow

Day 2

09:30 - 10:00 Review & recap of day 1

A chance to ask the questions you slept on!

10:00 - 11:00 Debugging, tracing & recording

A tour of the different ICF tools for the wily SAP web programmer

11:00 - 11:15 Break

11:15 - 12:15 ICF node maintenance

The structure, maintenance, management and transport of ICF nodes

12:15 - 13:15 Lunch

13:15 - 14:45 Alternative dispatcher layer

Alternative approaches to web programming, and a look at

an alternative dispatcher layer in the ICF informed by those approaches

14:45 - 15:00 Break

15:00 - 15:30 Making client calls

A look at the ICF facilities for making HTTP requests

15:30 - 16:00 "This is not a toy!"

A look at different web programming approaches, and an examination

of a 'guaranteed delivery' pattern used in a Resource Orientated

Architecture (ROA) approach

16:00 - 17:00 Representations & Consumption

Resources can have different representations, some are easier to

consume and produce than others. A brief tour of the main players

(JSON, XML and oData) and an example of how easy JSON is consumed

by a 3rd party mobile app.

Course Delivery

20 places are available on this course. It will be lead in-person by the tutor. You are encouraged to confer with other participants during the course for support and to develop your learning. There is no coursework or assessment on this programme.

Price & Payment

£300 for the full two days, payable in advance via PayPal only (note, we cannot provide VAT receipts). Included in this price are hot buffet lunches, with vegetarian options (please notify us if you have other dietary requirements). You will receive a link to all the teaching materials and code examples at the end of the course.

Dates & Times

This is a 2-day course:

10:00 - 17:30 Wed 9th May 2012

09:30 - 17:00 Thur 10th May 2012

There is a 1 hour lunch break on each day 12:15 - 13:15

Tutor Biography

DJ Adams is an O'Reilly author, SAP Mentor and a 24-year veteran of SAP technologies. He started out extending SAP R/2 modules in S/370 assembler and after integrating SAP and non-SAP systems with web programming since the mid 1990's is now recognised as a thought leader in this space.

About the MadLab

Location

The MadLab is on Edge Street, in the Northern Quarter of Manchester, a ten minute walk from Piccadilly or Victoria train stations.

It is easy to walk to from the main transport hub around Piccadilly Gardens, and there are plenty of independent coffee shops in the area for early birds.

Our address is 36-40 Edge Street, Manchester, M4 1HN

(view on Google maps at http://bit.ly/MadLab )

Aims

Established in late 2008, the MadLab is a not-for-profit organisation providing space, infrastructure and and outlet for the region’s digital and creative communities. We bring in some of the most interesting people are projects from around the world, run workshops and themed technology and arts days, and host exhibitions with our partners. A “youth club for adults” where you can learn and share with likeminded individuals.

omniversity.madlab.org.uk

MADLAB005 - 001 Last uplated 01/11/2011