4).SAP XI -----System Landscape Directory

System landscapes consist of multiple distributed software components, on different platforms, and supporting unique interfaces. The SLD provides a central repository where comprehensive information about all the systems that can be and are connected with the XI system landscape. The SLD is the first step in setting up the XI landscape and is used as input into the Integration Builder.
The SLD is made of the following main components:

1. Component Repository
2. Landscape Directory

The component repository describes the building blocks of solutions and their possible combinations and dependencies. As seen in the Roadmap, the primary building blocks are
Products (such as SAP R/3), Software (such as MDM, or SD), and their respective versions (such as 1.2, etc). The creation and relationship between these building blocks gives a central overview of the items that exist in the network environment along with their respective versions (for upgrade or connectivity purposes). These blocks are then associated to logical / physical systems to build the network environment within XI.
SAP products / software are readily available and only require association with the proper technical systems. 3rd party systems require creating the products / software as well as the system association.

Product
Products are a unit that can be delivered, is visible to the customer, and that is installable and renewable. As mentioned before, the SAP Products are readily available (i.e., SAP APO, SAP Automotive, etc). To create a 3rd Party Product, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Component Registry (a.k.a. ‘Software Catalog’) within the SLD
2. Choose ‘Products’ from the Software Type drop down to view available Products
3. Choose the ‘New Product’ option to create a new Product
4. Enter the Vendor, Product Name and Version and ‘Create’
5. If prompted, the Software Component name and version can be added here or in the next step

Software
Software Components represent the reusable modules of a product. As mentioned before, SAP Software is readily available (i.e., Adobe Document, CRM Mobile Client, etc).

To create a 3rd Party Software, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Component Registry (a.k.a. ‘Software Catalog’) within the SLD
2. Choose ‘Software Components’ from the Software Type drop down to view available Software Components
3. Choose the ‘New Component’ option to create a new Software Component
4. Select the Product from the previous step and ‘Create’
Associating Software Components to a Product does not mean these are installed or active for this product, rather that they are simply available as part of the product suite. For example, this could be a SAP Product but only SD and MM are actually active / installed.

Landscape Directory
The landscape directory provides an exact picture of the elements installed in the system landscape as well as the connections between the systems. These elements are built on top of the products and components defined in the Component Repository of the SLD. As seen in the Roadmap, the primary building blocks are Technical Systems (can normally be thought of as a physical system, such as a SAP server) and Business Systems (derived from the related technical system, such as a specific SAP client used for a particular business purpose). The combination of these two provides the landscape to which XI will have connectivity with.

Technical System
Technical Systems in XI are the conceptual representation of a physical system, such as a physical SAP server with a number of Software Components installed.

To create a Technical System, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Technical Landscape within the SLD
2. Choose the ‘New Technical System’ option to create a new Technical System
3. Choose the system type (Web Application Server ABAP, Third Party, etc.) then ‘Next’
4. Enter the Details for the system. For a SAP Web AS this would be the SID, Installation Number, DB Hostname, or associated Web AS ABAP, etc. For a 3rd party this may be the System and Host Name
5. Associate the system to the correct Product(s) that are installed on that system and

Business System

Business Systems in XI are the conceptual representation of a logical system, such as a specific client on a SAP server or a 3rd Party payroll application. Business Systems in the Integration Builder become the partners that exchange message information.

To create a Business System, follow these steps:
1. Navigate to the Business Landscape within the SLD
2. Choose the ‘New Business System’ option to create a new Business System
3. Choose the system type (Web Application Server ABAP, Third Party, etc.) as was done for the Technical System then choose ‘Next’
4. Select the related Technical System
5. Associate the system to the installed Product and ‘Finish’
The field ‘Logical System Name’ is MANDATORY for a system that will either send or receive IDocs. It must match the logical system name as defined in the SAP sending / receiving client for the proper resolution with the IDoc control record.