{"id":54322,"date":"2018-10-17T08:00:13","date_gmt":"2018-10-17T06:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/e3mag.com\/?p=54322"},"modified":"2024-01-19T14:51:24","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T13:51:24","slug":"sap-systems-and-their-unknown-interfaces-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/sap-systeme-und-ihre-unbekannten-schnittstellen\/","title":{"rendered":"SAP systems and their (unknown) interfaces"},"content":{"rendered":"

Due to the unclear legal assessment of current SAP licensing practice and the continuous adaptation of SAP licensing policy, it is relatively complicated to find out whether an interface gives rise to a further license obligation.<\/p>\n

Just how important it is for companies to know and understand their interfaces was demonstrated by the ruling in the case of SAP UK Limited v Diageo Great Britain Limited in the UK.<\/p>

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SAP had sued for back payment of license and maintenance fees amounting to over 54 million pounds sterling (over 62 million euros), referring to users who access Diageo's SAP system via interfaces using other applications. The court agreed with SAP's view that indirect access also gives rise to a right to user fees.<\/p>\n

This shows that SAP customers need to know all the variables that can cause costs in terms of the SAP license agreement when integrating third-party products into their SAP landscape.<\/p>\n

\"Westermann\"<\/p>\n

In order to determine the potential liability and possible additional fees under an SAP license agreement, the interface environment in a customer's SAP installation must be determined quickly and accurately.<\/p>\n

Interfaces are the \"gateways\" for the flow of data in and out of the SAP system. At the same time, they are the mechanisms that can justify fees for indirect users according to the SAP license agreements.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, many companies lack accurate information about their interface landscape - a significant risk in terms of licensing, security and compliance.<\/p>\n

Customers should analyze their systems thoroughly to get an accurate picture of all existing interfaces. There are various methods for this. The most commonly used is a manual check combined with a system check.<\/p>\n

However, a manual process is not recommended, as it is a labor-intensive, time-consuming and generally inefficient procedure that is highly prone to errors.<\/p>\n

Common problems when determining the interface environment include<\/p>\n