sap_rfc

sap_rfc Ansible Role

The sap_rfc Ansible Role executes an SAP Remote Function Call (RFC) from a server-side host with connectivity to the SAP System host/s, and performs setup as necessary (PyRFC open source by SAP, and SAP NWRFC SDK).

Ansible Role Overview

The sap_rfc Ansible Role uses:

• the Ansible Module sap_pyrfc from the Ansible Collection sap_libs, which leverages the open-source PyRFC bindings for the proprietary SAP NWRFC SDK.
• the Ansible Module software_center_download from the Ansible Collection sap_launchpad, which on first-run is used to download the SAP NWRFC SDK.

Appropriate target SAP System user authorizations are required for the execution of the RFCs, and on first-run to obtain the SAP NWRFC SDK an SAP User ID with download privileges is required.

The Ansible Role does not contain any system-altering RFCs by default when executed.

The Ansible Task variables define the RFC actions to be executed. Examples are given below.

Ansible Role Requirements and Dependencies

Dependencies on other Ansible Roles

To execute successfully, this Ansible Role is dependant on the Ansible Collections:

• community.sap_launchpad on first run
• community.sap_libs for every run

The first run will setup Python altinstall, subsequent runs on the same host will re-use the Python altinstall where PyRFC enabled. This is to protect the System default Python installation from additional or altered versions of Python Packages.

Operating System

This role has been tested on target systems using RHEL 8.x, and is designed for Linux operating systems.

This role has not been tested and amended for SAP NetWeaver Application Server instantiations on IBM AIX or Windows Server.

Assumptions for executing this role include:

• The target host has access to the SAP System (i.e. the SAP NetWeaver Application Server instance)
• Registered OS License and OS Package repositories are available (from the relevant content delivery network of the OS vendor)

Examples

A sample Ansible Playbook for using the sap_rfc Ansible Role is provided, which provides:

• Ansible Vars for SAP User ID with download privileges for first-run
• Ansible Vars for SAP System connection details and user authorization

The Ansible Role is designed to provide for all different RFCs. Therefore, the RFC parameters (IMPORTING, EXPORTING, CHANGING) can accept the following data types:

• Data elements (string, integer etc.)
• ABAP Structure
• ABAP Table

These RFC parameter data elements are mapped to the equivilant Python data type (e.g. string, integer, dictionary, list). Examples of these are shown below.

Examples of Ansible Task variables for different RFC parameters

RFC parameter requires a data element:

• Commonly string or integer
• For this input type the PyRFC Python module requires a Python string or integer
• Ansible Task must declare the parameter name and use a YAML variable

Ansible Task code example for data element:

sap_rfc_target_parameters:
  VAR: 'ECHO'

RFC parameter requires an ABAP Structure:

• For this input type the PyRFC Python module requires a Python Dictionary.
• Ansible Task must declare the parameter name and use a YAML dictionary (key:value)

Ansible Task code example for ABAP Struture:

sap_rfc_target_parameters:
  IMPORTSTRUCT:
    RFCFLOAT: 1.1
    RFCCHAR1: 'A'

RFC requires an ABAP Table:

• For this input type the PyRFC Python module requires a Python List.
• The Ansible Task must declare the parameter name and use a YAML list

Ansible Task code example for ABAP Table:

sap_rfc_target_parameters:
  RFCTABLE:
    - COLUMN0: SAP
    - COLUMN1: 1.23

Supplementary information

The Supplementary information provides:

• Context of SAP NWRFC SDK and PyRFC
  • Explanation of samples from SAP NWRFC SDK
• Brief explanation of SAP RFCs
• Security concerns with RFCs and SAP Systems