Secure Network Communications

Secure Network Communications (SNC)

SNC support state-of-the-art authentication, data integrity, and confidentiality services for the R/3 System by integrating an external security product via welldefined application programming interfaces.

With SNC, protection of the communication links between the distributed components of an R/3 System is achieved. In addition, SNC enables the use of cryptographic mechanisms and smartcards to securely authenticate users.

Several advantages for the customer offered by SNC are:

• Application level, end-to-end security is provided. This has certain benefits such as transport independence or transparent firewall traversal.

• The use of smartcards for authentication is supported by certain products.

• Many network security systems implement Single Sign-On, so that a user#s initial authentication permits further automatic (re-)authentications of the user to distributed services. The ability to automatically (re-)authenticate is usually limited either to a period of time or by the presence of the smartcard in the reader.

• Each user can use his favorite security product, and this can be replaced at any time without affecting the application.

• The transmission of passwords or passphrases over untrusted networks has been eliminated.

SAP Graphical User Interface (SAPgui)

The frontend SAP Graphical User Interface (SAPgui) is traditionally used to access the R/3 System from or across "open" TCP/IP networks where physical security of the data transmitted over the wire is impossible to maintain. Using the SNC interface, the user can integrate the features of an external security tool with his R/3 System.

Networks

SNC provides network communication security between the R/3 clients and application servers. The SNC-protected clients and application servers can exist in either a LAN or WAN, but to provide a higher level of security, the application servers and database servers should exist in a single secured LAN.

Additional Information

For additional information on Secure Network Communications Mechanisms, refer to the Release-Information 4.0A.