Netweaver Business Client (NWBC)

NWBC is a new (first delivered since March 2007 as version 1.0) platform for GUI based on business user approach to SAP applications. NWBC is one of deliverables of project Muse. It does integrates classics SAP’s transactions as so far can be accessible via classic SAP GUI and new web dynpro applications. It runs over HTTP(s) protocol (instead of SAP DIAG protocol which is used by SAP GUI). Main aim is to cross a gap between current SAP GUI (thick client) and web browser (thin client). In principle NWBC is still reach client which is able to run all set of SAP applications: classics transactions and dynpros, BSP pages, BI analytics dashboards, portals pages, iviews, web dynpros and Visual Composer applications.

NWBS does reflect user’s experience (UX) paradigm and SAP design strategy with combining technologies like: User Interface (UI) building blocks (web dynpro and patterns), self services (ESS & MSS), analytics tool (BI), NetWeaver Portal and Collaboration; Duet; SAP Interactive Form by Adobe; blogs, wikis, instant messaging and in future maybe with voice capability (e.g. Text to Speach), UI adoption and personalization, RSS, RFID.

Basically we can access SAP systems based on ABAP Stack of NetWeaver Application Server or (NWBC with ABAP) and JAVA or Enterprise Portal based SAP systems (NWBC with Portal).

How it looks like? Here we go…

To setup access of NWBC to ABAP system (apart of server settings) do following: in menu System -> Preferences; Add new SAP system to be connected via NWBC, specify:

• Name of the system
• Type of system: PORTAL (SAP Enterprise Portal) or ERP (ABAP)
• Protocol: HTTP/HTTPs; Check transaction SMICM -> Goto -> Services in system which is to be connected.
• Host name. Check transaction SMICM ->Goto -> Services.
• Port number. Check transaction SMICM -> Goto -> Services.
• Path specification in the ICF services. Check transaction SICF for node /sap/bc/nwbc/
• System client
• System language
• User name in system

Few more setting of NWBC can be setup in file "X:\Program Files\SAP\FrontEnd\SAPgui\NWBCClient.ini". SAP NetWeaver Business Client is currently only available for Windows platforms. For more details see note “900000 Netweaver Business Client – FAQ”, online documentationand SDN section.