How to Configure and Test RFC

8/13/2019 How to Configure and Test RFC

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Introduction to RFC (Remote Function Call)

What is RFC?

For business applications, it is necessary to communicate and exchange

information (in pre-defined formats) with other systems.Hence, there are well

defined mechanisms to enable this communication. SA has also pro!ided us

with such mechanism called RFC, which stands for "Remote Function Call".

#F$ is a SA protocol to handle communications between systems to simplify

the related programming. %t is the process of calling a function module which is

residing in a different machine from the caller program. #F$s can be used to

call a different program in the same machine as well, but usually it is used when"calling" and "called" function modules& programs are running on separate

machines.


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%n SA, #F$ %nterface system is used for setting-up #F$ connections between

different SA systems, and also between an SA and an external (non-SA)

system.

Must Know Details About RFC

SA 'ses $%$ ($ommon rogramming %nterface for $ommunication)

rotocol totransfer data between Systems. %t is SA Specific protocol. #emoteFunction $all (#F$) is a communications interface based on $%-$, but with

more functions and easier forapplication programmers to use

he #F$ library functions support the $ programming language and isual

*asic (on +indows platforms)

#F$ connections can always be used across the entire system.his means

that an #F$ connection you ha!e defined in client can also be used from

client (without any difference).

#F$ is the protocol for calling special subroutines (function modules) o!er

the networ. Function modules are comparable with $ functions or AS$A/procedures. hey ha!e a defined interface through which data, tables and

return codes can be exchanged. Function modules are managed in the #&0

System in their own function library, called the Function *uilder.

he Function *uilder (transaction S102) pro!ides application

programmers with a useful en!ironment for programming, documenting and


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testing function modules that can be called locally as well as remotely. he

#&0 System automatically generates the additional code (#F$ stub) needed

for remote calls.

3ou maintain the parameters for #F$ connections using transaction

S145. he #&0 System is also deli!ered with an #F$-S67 (Software6e!elopment 7it) that uses extensi!e $ libraries to allow external programs

to be connected to the #&0 System.

he only difference between a remote call of a function module to

another ser!er and a local call is a special parameter (destination) that

specifies the target ser!er on which the program is to be executed.

The RFC Advantaes!

#F$ helps to reduce the efforts of programmers, by letting them a!oid the re-

de!elopment of modules and methods at remote systems. %t is capable enough

to8

$on!ert the data into the format understandable by the remote (target)

system.

$on!ert the data into the format understandable by the remote (target)

system.

$all up certain routines which are necessary to start communication with

remote system.

Handle errors that might occur in the process of communication.

T"#es o$ RFC!


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%"nchronous

re9uires both the systems (client and ser!er) to be a!ailable at the time of

communication or data transfer. %t is the most common type and is re9uired

when result is re9uired immediately after the execution of s#F$.

s#F$ is a means of communication between systems where acnowledgements

are re9uired. he resources of the Source System wait at the target system and

ensure that they deli!er the message&data with A$76. he 6ata is consistentand reliable for communication.

he issue is if the target system is not a!ailable, the source system resources

wait until target system is a!ailable. his may lead to the rocesses of source

system to go into SleepF$&$%$ 1ode at target systems and hence blocs

these resources.

&sed $or

For communication between systems

For communication between SA +eb Application Ser!er to SA :'%


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As"nchronous

%t is communication between systems where acnowledgements are not

re9uired (it is similar to post card deli!ery).%t doesn"t re9uire both the systems

to be a!ailable at the time of execution and the result is not immediatelyre9uired to be sent bac to calling system.

he Source System resource does not waitfor the target system as they deli!er

the message&data without waiting for any acnowledgement. %t is not reliable

for communication sincedata may be lost if the target system is not

a!ailable. &sed $or '

For communication between systems

For parallel processing

Transactional

%t is a special form of a#F$. ransactional #F$ ensures transaction-lie handling

of processing steps that were originally autonomous.

ransactional #F$ is an asynchronous communication method that executes the

called function module in the #F$ ser!er only once, e!en if the data is sent

multiple times due to some networ issue. he remote system need not be

a!ailable at the time when the #F$ client program is executing a t#F$. he t#F$

component stores the called #F$ function, together with the corresponding

data, in the SA database under a uni9ue transaction %6 (%6). t#F$ is similar to

a#F$ as it does not wait at the target system (Similar to a registered post). %f the

system is not a!ailable, it will write the 6ata into a#F$ ables with a transaction

%6 (S14;) which is piced by the scheduler #SA#F$S< (which runs for e!ery =

seconds). &sed For'


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>ueued #F$ is an extension of t#F$. %t also ensures that indi!idual steps are

processed in se9uence.

o guarantee that multiple /'+s (/ogical 'nit of +or& ransaction) are

processed in the order specified by the application. t#F$ can be seriali?ed using9ueues (inbound and outbound 9ueues). Hence the name 9ueued #F$ (9#F$).

'sed For-


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%n the S145 screen, you can na!igate through already created #F$s connection

with the help of option tree, which is a menu based method to organi?e all the

connections on the basis of categories.

$lic the "$#


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After you,%A-.,the connection, the system will tae you to "echnical Settings"

tab, where we pro!ide the following information8

Taret /ostB Here we pro!ide the complete hostname or % address ofthe target system.

%"stem 0umber 1 his is the system number of the target SA system.

$lic Sa!e

%n the ,2oon and %ecurit", ab,


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constantly changing end-user %6s or passwords. 1ostly, a user of type

"System" or "$ommunication" is used here.lease note that this is the 'ser %6

for the target system and not the source system where we are creating this

connection.

$lic Sa!e. #F$ connection is ready for use

0ote8 *y default a connection is defined as a#F$. o define a connection as

t#F$ or 9#F$ go to 1enu *ar -D 6estination a#F$ options & t#F$ options E

pro!ide inputs as per re9uirements. o define 9#F$ , use the special options

tab.

Trusted RFC connection

here is an option to mae the #F$ connection as ,Trusted,3 nce selected, the

calling (trusted) system doesn"t re9uire a password to connect with target

(trusting) system.


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Following are the ad!antages for using trusted channels8

$ross-system Single-Sign-n facility

assword does not need to be sent across the networ

imeout mechanism for the logon data pre!ents misuse.

re!ents the mishandling of logon data because of the time-out

mechanism.

'ser-specific logon details of the calling& trusted system is checed.

he #F$ users must ha!e the re9uired authori?ations in the trusting system

(authori?ation obGect %4RFCAC2).rusted connections are mostly used to

connect SA Solution 1anager Systems with other SA systems (satellites)

Testin the RFC Connection

After the #F$s are created (or sometimes in case of already existing #F$s) we

need to test, whether the connection is established successfully or not.


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As shown abo!e we go to S145 to choose the #F$ connection to be tested and

then we expand drop down menu - &tilities'5Test'56. +e ha!e three

options8

Connection test '5 his attempts to mae a connection with remote system

and hence !alidates % address & Hostname and other connection details. %f

both systems are not able to connect, it throws an error. n success it displays

the table with response times. his test is Gust to chec if the calling system is

able to reach the remote system.

Authori7ation Test '5%t is used to !alidate the 'ser %6 and assword (pro!ided

under "logon and security" tab for the target system) and also the authori?ations


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that are pro!ided. %f test is successful, then same screen will appear as shown

abo!e for the connection test.

&nicode Test '5%t is to chec if the arget system is a 'nicode or not.

Remote 2oon 15his is also a ind of connection test, in which a new session

of the target system is opened, and we need to specify a login %6 and assword

(if not already mentioned under "/ogon and Security" tab). %f the user is of type

"6ialog" then a dialog session is created. o Gustify the successful connection

test, output will be the response times for the communication pacets, else

error message will appear.


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