An Overview of OData Services SAP

It was Microsoft that first launched the Open Data Protocol (OData) as an optimized means to exchange data over the Internet. OData is built on the Representational State Transfer (REST) architecture and is based on the HTTP protocol. OData supports the functions of Create, Tread, Update, and Delete (CRUD). OData services SAP operates on the SAP NetWeaver Gateway. 

Before going into the details of OData services SAP, a better understanding of the OData protocol is necessary.

The OData protocol is an application-level protocol. It is primarily used to interact with data through REST interfaces. Its main function is to support the description of data models, editing, and querying of data based on those models. REST APIs based on OData can easily be discovered and consumed due to the OData metadata. The benefit here is that the data model that is in machine-readable format may be seen in a human readable structure. This helps in the generation and creation of robust generic tools and proxies.

The OData Protocol differs from other REST-based web service approaches. In this instance, the OData Protocol provides a uniform method to describe both the data model and its data. This leads to semantic interoperability between systems and allows the emergence of a unique ecosystem.

Now, let us turn our attention to OData services SAP that is a very important part of the SAP NetWeaver. It implements, deploys, and tests all forms of OData services. Moreover, OData services SAP generates services that exposes Business Warehouse info cubes and CDS views. 

In today’s modern business ecosystem, running on updated database management systems, organizations tend to move to cloud-based applications. However, this is possible only when there is open and uniform connectivity to SAP systems. Hence, in today’s businesses, the most popular and common way to access SAP systems via the Internet is through OData services SAP. Here, it must be ensured that that SAP OData is operable only when the OData services SAP act as a service or data provider.    

There are several ways that OData services SAP can be deployed depending on the specific components where SAP OData is operated. Here are a few of them.

ü Multiple backend SAP systems link up with a single central SAP Gateway System. This leads to improved database performance and implementation of stringent security measures as OData Runtime and data are located in the same system.

ü A single instance of the OData Runtime runs on the (only) central SAP Gateway System that in turn links to several backend SAP systems. The SAP Gateway System can be located inside a demilitarized zone (DMZ), leading to high security and low operating costs.

ü All components are implemented on the backend SAP system. In this process, there is a very low TCO as a gateway system is not required. Still, users might face issues in cases of security and scalability.