Oracle data lookup - Licensing query

[former_member66888]

Hi,

Not finding the right forum to post this query, so i hope the coffee shop folks can be helpful

We are running SAP R/3 4.7 Enterprise with Oracle 9.2.0 as the backend database (on Windows Server 2003 OS).

Our Oracle license is embedded with SAP i.e., not acquired separately.

For business needs we intend to make read only queries to the backend database (Oracle database lookup) programmatically through Microsoft's SharePoint portal.

For the access methods, one option is to use Business Data Catalog - BDC of sharepoint which queries the Oracle database directly (using xml).

Would appreciate comments on whether this is authorized or we need any additional component / license?

I have already noted the restrictions mentioned in note 581312, particularly point 3 which speaks about SAP provided Oracle license

Thank you

Zubair

[former_member66888]

Thanks a lot for all the comments folks. These have been extremely helpful and would enable us to avoid going in the direction of 'direct table queries'

[Former Member]

> For business needs we intend to make read only queries to the backend database

This is not scallable.

Where it gets really scary is when end user applications are rolled out to do the same. Your firewall will look like swiss cheeze, if you have one at all.

We sometimes get questions like this in the security forum, posted by vendors of "bolt on" solutions. They normally start the series of questions with "What is the table for the users and their authorizations?"

After a while you work out what they are trying to do, but sometimes it is too late and the damage is done. If someone mentions a table name, then I instinctively go looking for a BAPI. That is the correct approach, if SAP provides a complete API for the read.

Most of such solutions I have seen in the wild are themsleves a much greater hazzard than what they are a solution - but decision are unfortunately often make in PowerPoint, by PowerPoint programmers...

Cheers,

Julius

[former_member66888]

Thanks a lot folks, your comments have been very helpful.

All this does confirm that the table lookup is not the way to go.

I came across an interesting blog here : http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/junior-geek/connecting-oracle-database-to-microsoft-office-sharepoint-se...

which suggests that the only two ways to get ERP data into Sharepoint is either by building web services (which use RFC/BAPI) or the table read. Building a web-service is obviously seems more cumbersome to our developers.

Business Data Catalog provides built-in support for displaying data from databases and Web services. That is, you can use Business Data Catalog to display data from your SAP, Siebel, Oracle Database or other line-of-business (LOB) application via Web services or databases.

Any comments on this? I can't figure out why they are suggesting the database lookup when we know all the cons of this approach.

thanks

[Former Member]

> I can't figure out why they are suggesting the database lookup when we know all the cons of this approach.

Because some people are lazy and like creating dependencies on previously unknown design errors and disable all remote chances of an API becoming stable enough to be able to release it.

> Building a web-service is obviously seems more cumbersome to our developers.

No further questions, your honour..

Cheers,

Julius

[matt]

Building a webservice is easy. You create an RFC enable function module. Then you use the web service wizard to generate the service. You then go to SOAMANAGER and get the wsdl which is handed over to, in your case, the sharepoint developers. It really is that easy. I'd guess your developers simply don't know how to create webservices.

Consuming 3rd party webservices on the other hand has been one of the most frustrating tasks I've had to deal with in recent years...

matt

[jurjen_heeck]

> For business needs we intend to make read only queries to the backend database

I do not know about the legal or licensing implications but this is generally considered to be a very, very, very bad idea.

Addressing an applications' database without using the application can easily lead to misinterpreting of data sources and their structure. Even if you get it right at first you're constantly facing the risk that SAP chooses to restructure the data without prior warning. That may even go unnoticed for a while in which period business decisions may be taken based on wrong or outdated information.

Besides that you will be circumventing the built in security and that will cause problems with audits/auditors.

Just my two cents.

[matt]

If I remember correctly even read only access can muck up the db statistics and so have an adverse effect on the applications.

matt

[former_member66888]

Hi Jurjen / Hi Matt

Thanks for the responses. These have been very helpful

A couple of followup thoughts:

1. Actually, the current need i am trying to fill is to read the 'reports to' relationship from SAP so as to fill the manager field/attribute in the Sharepoint User profile. I understand that the right way to do this is through standard interfaces of SAP like RFC/BAPI with the authorization checks in place but unfortunately, my sharepoint developer is unable to use RFC with Business Data Catalog (xml based). Says only a database query is possible. Perhaps he is wrong and i am trying to confirm this. If you have any thoughts on it, please do share.

2.

>If I remember correctly even read only access can muck up the db statistics and so have an adverse effect on the applications.

So this means, database performance logs such as ST02 & ST04 may show incorrect information and it might also have an adverse impact on performance right? or anything else too.

Many thanks

Regards,

Edited by: Matt on Feb 4, 2010 1:49 PM - message restored, formatting fixed

[jurjen_heeck]

> my sharepoint developer is unable to use RFC with Business Data Catalog (xml based). Says only a database query is possible. Perhaps he is wrong and i am trying to confirm this. If you have any thoughts on it, please do share.

I would have him sit next to an ABAP developer to work this out or -if sharepoint is indeed that inflexible- have an ABAPper create a program that exports the required data to a small external database on a daily/hourly basis.

Your sharepoint guy can then query that one

I hit the abuse triangle to have a mod fix the formatting on the previous post by OP but it vanished completely. The qouted text is actually from that post. No magic here

Edited by: Jurjen Heeck on Feb 4, 2010 10:50 AM

[former_member66888]

*No magic here 

And i thought i needed coffee

[former_member66888]

have an ABAPper create a program that exports the required data to a small external database on a daily/hourly basis

This is an alternate proposed by my sharepoint developer but i would not like to create data redundancy. Plus, batch / script updates can still fail which can result in incorrect data hence decisions. Right?

[matt]

>

> I hit the abuse triangle to have a mod fix the formatting on the previous post by OP but it vanished completely. The qouted text is actually from that post. No magic here 
> 
> Edited by: Jurjen Heeck on Feb 4, 2010 10:50 AM

Continuum restored. Formatting fixed.

[matt]

For my point about db statistics. If the statistics are altered by external access, then users of the SAP application may suffer performance problems that are hard to track down.

The biggest reason I wouldn't allow direct access is security.