SAP Business Client is a versatile desktop application that provides a unified, seamless access point to SAP GUI transactions, web-based SAP Fiori apps, and other SAP services. In today’s cloud and hybrid environments, supporting multi-tenant architectures—where multiple clients or business units share the same system infrastructure—is increasingly important.
This article explains how to configure SAP Business Client for multi-tenant support, enabling users from different tenants to efficiently access their dedicated SAP resources within a consolidated client environment.
¶ Understanding Multi-Tenancy in SAP Business Client
Multi-tenancy refers to a single software instance serving multiple independent tenants (clients), with data and configuration isolated per tenant. For SAP Business Client, this means:
- Users can connect to different SAP systems or clients depending on their role or tenant.
- Configurations and favorites are tenant-specific.
- Seamless switching between tenants without compromising security or usability.
- Multiple System Connections: Define connections for each tenant’s SAP system or client.
- User Profiles and Role-Based Access: Manage user credentials and authorizations per tenant.
- Configurable Launchpad and Navigation: Customize navigation to show tenant-specific apps and transactions.
- Session Isolation: Maintain independent sessions to avoid cross-tenant data exposure.
Ensure you have the latest SAP Business Client version installed that supports modern Fiori and SAP GUI integration.
- Use the Connection Configuration Tool in SAP Business Client.
- Add system connections specifying hostname, system number, client number, and logon details for each tenant system.
- You can also configure connections via
sapshcut.ini files for centralized management.
- For tenants using SAP Fiori Launchpad, specify different launchpad URLs per tenant.
- Use the SAP Business Client Configuration to assign URLs dynamically or per connection.
¶ Step 4: Set Up User Profiles and Single Sign-On (SSO)
- Configure SAP Logon Tickets or SAML-based SSO to enable seamless authentication across tenants.
- Use SAP Identity Provider to manage user access centrally.
¶ Step 5: Customize Navigation and Favorites
- Use SAP Business Client’s navigation profiles to define tenant-specific menu structures.
- Allow users to save favorites per tenant environment.
- Configure SAP Business Client to open separate windows or tabs for different tenants to prevent session mix-ups.
- Ensure cookies and cache are managed per tenant session.
- Centralized Configuration Management: Use shared configuration repositories to maintain tenant connection details.
- Role-Based Access Control: Integrate with SAP Identity Management to restrict tenant access based on roles.
- User Training: Educate users on how to switch tenants safely within SAP Business Client.
- Regular Updates: Keep SAP Business Client and underlying SAP systems up to date for security and compatibility.
- Improved user productivity by consolidating access in one client.
- Enhanced security and compliance through strict tenant isolation.
- Simplified IT management with centralized configurations.
- Flexible deployment supporting hybrid cloud and on-premise scenarios.
Configuring SAP Business Client for multi-tenant support is essential for organizations managing multiple SAP clients or business units on shared infrastructure. With careful setup of connections, authentication, and navigation, SAP Business Client becomes a powerful unified access point tailored to multi-tenant environments.
Leveraging these configurations ensures that users experience seamless, secure, and efficient interaction with their tenant-specific SAP resources, driving better business outcomes.