New SAP Press Book – Content Integration with NetWeaver Portal – by Marty McCormick and Matt Stratford

Overview

The first half of a two-series blog that introduces a new SAP Press book titled "Content Integration with SAP NetWeaver Portal". In this book, we provide detailed insight into various impacts and considerations relevant for several popular portal content integration scenarios such as Business Intelligence (BI), SAP Manager and Employee Self Service (XSS), Supplier Relationship Management (SRM), and SAP Composite Application Resource and Portfolio Management (RPM). For each portal content area, we discuss architecture and development impacts, configuration overview, and project management considerations. In addition, we discuss the wide ranging impacts of Federated Portal Networks (FPNs) as well as several overlapping areas relevant in portal implementations today, such as Adobe Document Services, System Landscape Directory, and NetWeaver Development Infrastructure. This book is unique because it covers several skill sets, such as systems and development, and as such allows SAP professionals to greatly broaden their knowledge on the NetWeaver Portal.

The book is divided into three sections. In the first section, we introduce critical concepts that provide a solid foundation for SAP professionals, such as FPN technology. In addition, we provide an overview of the fundamentals of portal content. In the second section, each chapter is dedicated to a specific portal content area, such as NetWeaver BI, XSS, CRM, SRM, and RPM. Within each chapter in Section II, we provide detailed analysis of architecture and development impacts, such as FPN implications and where to place various software components in your SAP landscape. In the third section, we address the overlapping areas that must also be accounted for in NetWeaver architectures, such as ADS, SLD, and NWDI.
Section I - Introduction
Chapter 1 - Introduction

After a quick "refresher" of SAP NetWeaver and the SAP NetWeaver Portal, Chapter 1 will provide readers with an overview of business content integration with the SAP NetWeaver Portal. Readers will learn how portal content integration options have evolved from early Portal releases. In addition, they will gain an understanding of the benefits of the latest Portal technology and be introduced to the challenges project teams face when integrating portal content.
Chapter 2 - Federated Portal Networks

In Chapter 2, readers will learn the importance of Federated Portals and its impact on Portal content integration. After this chapter, readers will possess an understanding of the intricacies of Federated Portals and be able to discuss the impact of FPN technology on various Portal usage scenarios. Users will apply their knowledge of FPN concepts to specific content integration topics in subsequent chapters.