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SridharRaju
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert

Introduction

What is Ariba Network (AN)  and what is its basic Functionality?

The Ariba Network (AN) is a global network that provides connectivity and online services to organizations engaged in business-to-business e-commerce. Ariba Network enables buyers and suppliers to do business with each other worldwide over the Internet and to access multiple network-delivered services to enhance interaction and collaboration. It is a multi-protocol commerce hub that translates, validates, and routes business documents. It contains additional services such as directory services, reporting tools, supplier tools, payment, and sourcing.

Ariba Network provides you with a single point of integration to thousands of suppliers. Similarly, it provides each supplier with a single point of integration to multiple large buying organizations. You use Ariba Network to find suppliers to purchase products or services from and to invite suppliers to form trading relationships. After suppliers accept the invitations, you can send purchase orders to them through Ariba Network.

Suppliers receive the purchase orders and return invoices, etc. Each supplier has an Ariba Network account and can specify how it wants to receive orders and generate order confirmations, ship notices, and invoices, etc.

The following figure illustrates how Ariba Network routes purchase orders through multiple channels to suppliers.

How do Process Orchestration/Integration fits in the above B2B scenario?

If your business application does not generate and receive cXML documents natively, and you do not want to enhance it yourself, you can implement using a network adapter, a translator for communicating with Ariba Network on SAP NetWeaver Process Integration 7.10+, Process Orchestration 7.31+ and SAP R/3 4.7+, ECC5.0, 6.0 +.

The Ariba Network Adapter for SAP NetWeaver implements round-trip communication between your SAP ERP system and Ariba Network. Ariba provides an “Ariba Network Adapter for SAP Netweaver” for SAP Netweaver Process Orchestration/Integration, is an add-on module for SAP business applications that allows them to send and receive commerce eXtensible Markup Language (cXML) documents to and from Ariba Network. You can develop your own network adapter also instead of buying a commercial one based on Ariba Supplier Network cXML open standards.

· Secure connectivity between SAP NetWeaver Process Integration or (Process Orchestration) software and the Ariba Network through Adapter framework

· SAP-Supported best practices Data mappings, Templates and tools for purchase order and invoice automation to the cXML format required for the Ariba Network

Receiver Communication channel in Process Integration/Orchestration.

Sender Communication channel in Process Integration/Orchestration.

SAP Pre-Delivered Integration Content for Ariba Network in ESR of Process Integration/Orchestration.

Ariba provides PI standard delivery content of Data Mappings between Business application and Ariba Network for Purchase Order and Invoice business scenarios.

Download and Installation

Ariba Network Adapter for SAP NetWeaver PI can be downloaded from Ariba DSC or marketplace. http://connect.ariba.com 

Login to Ariba Connect and, Navigate to Software Online > Download Software > Ariba Adapter for SAP Netweaver.

1.  Extract the archive file called “AribaNetworkAdapterSAPNetweaver_<versionNumber>.zip”.

2.  Import the “AribaNetworkAdapterSAPNetweaver.Design.tpz” into ESR, which has the design packages and data mappings for all the transactions.

3.  Deploy the adapter file called “AribaNetworkAdapterSAPNetweaver.sca” on PI J2EE engine using JSPM or SUM tool.

4.  Extract the cXML configuration files for Adapter called “AribaNetworkAdapterSAPNetweaver.FileStruct.zip* “  into folder  <Root>/etc/catalog/.

          Note: * The <Root> mentioned in this blog corresponds to the folder where you extracted the "AribaNetworkAdapterSAPNetweaver.FileStruct.zip" files on PI server.

     In addition, the validation engine uses the following files to resolve and identify the location of the DTDs related to the exchanged cXML documents: so copy the following files into <Root>/etc/catalog/.

          • CacheCatalog.xml

          • CanonicalCatalog.xml

5. Import Ariba Network Product and software component Definitions called “AribaNetworkAdapterSAPNetweaver.SoftwareCatalog.zip” into SLD. So that, SAP NetWeaver will now be recognized by the Enterprise Services Repository and Integration Directory.

6. Setup Technical and Business system as third Party in SLD for Ariba Network, and obtain Buyer or supplier registration account details from Ariba Network for enabling communication between SAP ERP and Ariba Network.

In addition, For quick Integration and enablement of this B2B business scenario, SAP provides a rapid deployment solution. http://service.sap.com/rds-ariba?

Limitations apply for higher or latest releases of PO or PI. Check coming SAP Notes.

Important Note:  This Ariba Network Adapter communicate with Ariba Network over the Internet using cXML (commerce eXtensible Markup Language) to enable the communication between Ariba Buyer system and Ariba supplier with regards to Ariba Buyer BUT not for Ariba Supplier.

In simple terms, Ariba Network uses the cXML Profile transaction to check the Adapter capabilities of Ariba Buyer Only. As of today, we do not have any Ariba Seller adapter capability apart from functionality of Buyer Integation adapters.

That's All. Easy... :razz:

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