Application Link Enabling (ALE)

Last Updated: August 18, 2011

Definition - What does Application Link Enabling (ALE) mean?

Application link enabling (ALE) is the technical basis for integrating business processes in a distributed system environment. It handles the exchange of messages across independent R/3 systems - a comprehensive set of business applications by SAP - or between external systems and R/3.

ALE allows SAP customers to interconnect programs across a number of platforms and systems, thus providing a program distribution framework.

Techopedia explains Application Link Enabling (ALE)

The primary purpose of ALE is to ensure a distributed but integrated R/3 installation. It involves business-controlled message exchange using data across loosely linked SAP applications. These applications are integrated using synchronous and asynchronous communication instead of using a central database.

Application link enabling is made up of three layers:

  1. Application services
  2. Distribution services
  3. Communication services
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