Application Link Enabling (ALE)

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