Maintain an SAPconnect RFC node in NetWeaver release >730

[ciaran_heffron]

Hello All,

I am writing this blog to discuss the use of RFC nodes for sending messages with SAPconnect (e.g. Fax, Internet Mail, etc.) from the SAP system in Netweaver Release >730.

Since SAP NetWeaver release 7.0, the SAPconnect RFC interface was no longer supported for e-mail however it was still supported for the transmission of different send methods (e.g. Fax). Since SAP release Netweaver 7.3, you can maintain only SMTP nodes in transaction SCOT, it is no longer possible to maintain RFC nodes in SCOT.

Before I go any further I will quickly discuss the differences in functionality between SMTP and RFC nodes. In my opinion SMTP is much superior, this is due to the features provided by using a SMTP node. Faxes, SMS, etc. can also be sent/received in the SAP system using SMTP since release 6.20, see note 455140. I do not know why anyone would choose RFC over SMTP. Read on for my reasons!

The administration of SMTP requires less effort than RFC due to the direct communication with the SMTP Plug-in and the mail server, an additional connector, setting-up and maintaining an RFC connection is no longer required. SMTP offers much better monitoring and analysis options, e.g. storing MIME documents, monitoring outgoing/incoming messages and an improved trace. Another advantageous feature is the creation and processing of SMTP status notifications (DSN, MDN).

Security is a hot topic at present, the SMTP interface has much more security than RFC can offer. SMTP supports transmission through a secure connection (TLS, Transport Layer Security). It also supports mechanisms for authentication on the SMTP server (SMTP AUTH). None of these are available when using the RFC interface. Also certain application scenarios can only be carried out for incoming e-mails using the SMTP interface, for example Inbound distribution.

On a side note the 'look' of SCOT has changed in the newer release as you can see in screenshot below, please review this wiki for an more in-depth description of the new layout.

However it is still possible to maintain RFC nodes in the SAP system, this must now be done through transaction SCON which has the look of the 'old' transaction SCOT as you can see below:

The steps to create the RFC node are the same as in earlier release's using the Wizard, that is in the menu follow path Node -> Create -> RFC node, then you choose the Name of the node, the RFC Destination, Address type and the general configuration.

More details on configuring the RFC node can be found in SAP Help.

The following note offers more information related to the end of support for RFC interface: Support for SAPconnect RFC interface

Thanks for reading!!