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SAP has announced its Enterprise Services Architecture (ESA), which it calls the blueprint for complete, services-based business solutions and enterprise-scale use of Web services. The company reports that by combining SAP's business process software with Web services and other technology standards, it offers companies a template for the creation of fully integrated IT environments.

It adds that all future SAP solutions will be developed using the ESA blueprint. The company also launched SAP NetWeaver, the next evolution of mySAP technology, the company’s integration and application platform, which provides the technology foundation to enable an ESA.

SAP explains that an ESA outlines how an integration and application platform is used to orchestrate business processes by means of packaged composite applications across existing systems leveraging Web services. It adds that ESA introduces a new layer of flexibility to manage all aspects of a given business process, including people (all roles participating across the value chain), systems (be they SAP or non-SAP) and information (structured or unstructured).

SAP NetWeaver provides tools, frameworks, patterns, rules and methodologies that allow SAP and partners to efficiently develop cross-functional business processes.