SAP's Internet Business Framework (IBF) attempts to address business collaboration issues by enabling integration with Internet technologies at the user, component, and business-process levels:

• User integration is achieved by providing a single point of Web-based access to the workplace (that is, local and company wide systems) and the marketplace (that is, systems across a number of companies).
• Component integration consists of the integration of Internet technologies at the front-end and application-server levels with the aid of HTML, HTTP, and XML messages.
• Business process integration across company boundaries is accomplished through the exchange of transactions between companies based on open Internet standards.

SAP BC provides an add-on XML layer with R/3 functions to ensure compatibility of non-SAP applications with R/3 internal data structures or protocols. SAP Business Connector can help achieve seamless B2B integration between businesses through the integration framework.

For example, there can be a real-time integration between supplier inventories and an enterprise’s SAP system; or a multi-vendor product, price and availability information and a customer’s purchasing application. The SAP proprietary RFC format is converted to XML (or HTML) so that no SAP software is needed on the other end of the communication line and developing applications does not require SAP R/3 knowledge. SAP BC has built in support for SAP's specification of IDoc-XML and RFC-XML. Whenever you deal with messages conforming to these standards, integration is supported out of the box. For cases where other XML formats are required you can create maps with a graphical tool or insert your own mapping logic.

XML Based communication over the Internet is achieved through SAP's Business Connector (as shown in figure 1).

Mapping of SAP business documents and the XML-based business documents can be easily done with SAP Business Connector. The flexible architecture of the SAP Business Connector makes it easy to add specific schemas and interfaces To comply with business documents standards, the Business Connector provides for automated generation of server and client side codes thus solving the interconnectivity problem by enabling uniform transactions among customers.

A business model based on these standards allows companies to move towards becoming make-to-order businesses replete with all the marketing, sales, distribution, manufacturing, and other logistic-driven operational cost savings.

The effectiveness of E-commerce is premised on a secure exchange of information. The SAP business connector provides security essential to an online business transaction. Business partners can be authenticated and business documents can be securely exchanged. The SAP Business Connector supports the well-established standard encryption technology Secure Socket Layer (SSL) for secure document exchange. Digital signature will ensure authentication of crucial data.

SAP communication is achieved through Idocs, BAPIs, and RFCs. These documents must be made compliant with Internet. This conversion is achieved using the Business Connector. Business Connector converts SAP documents into XML so that they can be exchanged using Internet protocols.

The SAP Business Connector allows businesses to effectively use intra and inter-enterprise information. For example-companies can use the SAP Business Connector to retrieve catalog information from a suppliers’ Web site and to integrate the information with internal processes - in real time.

A business connector constitutes a Server and an Integrator. The Integrator can be used to add any additional functionality to the Server.

SAP Business connector in association with a third party XML enabled software product can only be used for collaborative business-to-business scenarios such as transmitting catalog information, managing purchase orders and availability to promise checks, acknowledging purchase orders, and handling invoices.

The requirements for XML interface certification for SAP's complementary software include:

• Use of HTTP and HTTPS protocols with the SAP Business Connector
• Customization for a specific Business Application
• Sending and receiving the communication objects (i.e. Idocs, BAPIs or RFCs)