1 SAP Interface Management in the Age of Digitalization

23

1.1 What Is Integration?

23

1.2 Evolution of Interface Technologies from SAP R/3 to SAP S/4HANA

26

1.2.1 SAP R/3

26

1.2.2 The SAP New Dimension Product Line

29

1.2.3 Connectors

30

1.2.4 SAP NetWeaver

31

1.2.5 SAP Cloud Solutions

33

1.2.6 SAP S/4HANA and SAP S/4HANA Cloud

34

1.3 SAP Interface Libraries

36

1.3.1 SAP API Business Hub

36

1.3.2 SAP Graph

39

1.3.3 SAP Best Practices Explorer

40

1.3.4 Other Libraries

41

1.4 Challenges for Interface Management

43

1.4.1 Handling Integration Tools

44

1.4.2 Integration Governance

45

1.4.3 Operating the Integration Platform

45

1.4.4 Organization

47

1.5 Summary

48

2 Integration Concepts and Technologies in the SAP Environment

51

2.1 Integration Architectures

51

2.1.1 Point-to-Point Topologies

52

2.1.2 Hub-and-Spoke Topologies

54

2.1.3 Enterprise Service Bus

57

2.1.4 Service-Oriented Architectures

62

2.1.5 Microservices

66

2.2 Integration Styles

71

2.2.1 Process-Oriented Integration

72

2.2.2 Data-Oriented Integration

74

2.2.3 Integration of User Interfaces

76

2.2.4 Integration of Things

78

2.2.5 Cross-Style Integration

80

2.3 Integration Technologies, Standards, and Protocols

82

2.3.1 Web Services

82

2.3.2 RESTful Services

86

2.3.3 OData Services

88

2.3.4 Remote Function Calls

93

2.3.5 Message Queues

96

2.3.6 File Transfers and Databases

98

2.4 Summary

102

3 Methods and Frameworks

103

3.1 Integration Solution Advisory Methodology

103

3.1.1 Overview

105

3.1.2 Integration Domains

106

3.1.3 Integration Styles and Use Cases

108

3.1.4 Technology Mapping

110

3.1.5 Interface Assessment

113

3.1.6 Architecture Blueprints

115

3.1.7 Roles and Responsibilities

118

3.1.8 Approach and Practical Use

119

3.2 Maturity Model

122

3.2.1 Basics

122

3.2.2 Maturity Model for Integration within the Integration Solution Advisory Methodology

123

3.2.3 Approach and Practical Use

126

3.3 Integration Competency Center

127

3.3.1 The Concept of Integration Competency Centers

128

3.3.2 Approach and Practical Use

134

3.4 Hybrid Integration Platform

139

3.4.1 What Is a Hybrid Integration Platform?

140

3.4.2 Why Do You Need a Hybrid Integration Platform?

143

3.4.3 Approach and Practical Use

146

3.5 Summary

152

4 SAP’s Hybrid Integration Platform

155

4.1 Vision

155

4.2 Components

165

4.3 Summary

169

5 SAP Process Orchestration

173

5.1 Overview of SAP Process Orchestration

174

5.2 Functions for Interface Management

177

5.2.1 Supported Integration Domains

177

5.2.2 Integration Capabilities

179

5.2.3 Connectors

181

5.2.4 Implementation of Interfaces

183

5.2.5 Monitoring Interfaces

184

5.2.6 Implementation of Cloud Content

187

5.3 Possible Use Cases

188

5.4 Summary

191

6 SAP Cloud Integration

193

6.1 Overview

193

6.2 Functions for Interface Management

195

6.2.1 Supported Integration Domains

196

6.2.2 Integration Capabilities

200

6.2.3 Connectors

201

6.2.4 OData Provisioning

203

6.3 Possible Use Cases

204

6.3.1 Using Standard iFlows

205

6.3.2 Creation of Individual Integration Scenarios

206

6.3.3 Aligned Application Programming Interfaces

209

6.4 Summary

210

7 SAP API Management

211

7.1 Overview

212

7.2 Functions for Interface Management

216

7.2.1 API Designer

216

7.2.2 API Portal

217

7.2.3 Developer Portal

223

7.2.4 Other Functions

224

7.3 Possible Use Cases

225

7.3.1 Creating an ERP Facade with SAP API Management

225

7.3.2 Logging API Calls in Elasticsearch

226

7.4 Summary

227

8 SAP Event Mesh

229

8.1 Overview of SAP Event Mesh

230

8.2 Functions for Interface Management

231

8.2.1 Message Clients

232

8.2.2 Message Concepts

233

8.2.3 Consumption of Messages

236

8.2.4 Supported Protocols

238

8.3 Possible Use Cases

239

8.3.1 Event Hubs

239

8.3.2 Without a Message Broker

240

8.3.3 With Multiple Receivers

242

8.4 Summary

243

9 Open Connectors

245

9.1 Overview of Open Connectors

245

9.2 Functions for Interface Management

247

9.2.1 Standardized Adapters

247

9.2.2 Shared Resources

252

9.2.3 Formulas

255

9.3 Possible Use Cases

257

9.4 Summary

260

10 SAP Data Intelligence

261

10.1 Overview

262

10.2 Functions for Interface Management

264

10.2.1 Data Governance

265

10.2.2 Intelligent Functions

267

10.2.3 Data Orchestration and Monitoring

269

10.2.4 Data Processing

269

10.2.5 ABAP Integration

271

10.2.6 Integration with SAP Business Technology Platform

273

10.3 Possible Use Cases

274

10.4 Summary

277

11 Data Integration Tools

279

11.1 Overview

280

11.1.1 SAP Data Services

280

11.1.2 SAP Landscape Transformation Replication Server

282

11.1.3 SAP HANA Smart Data Integration

283

11.1.4 SAP Cloud Integration for Data Services

285

11.1.5 SAP Replication Server

286

11.2 Functions for Interface Management

287

11.3 Possible Use Cases

291

11.4 Summary

294

12 SAP Application Interface Framework

295

12.1 Overview

295

12.2 Functions for Interface Management

297

12.2.1 Technologies

297

12.2.2 Monitoring

299

12.2.3 Error Handling

302

12.2.4 Checks, Mappings, and Actions

304

12.2.5 Events

306

12.2.6 Tests

307

12.3 Possible Use Cases

307

12.4 Summary

308

13 Digital Integration Hub

309

13.1 Overview of the Digital Integration Hub

310

13.1.1 Definition

310

13.1.2 Description and Concept

312

13.2 Digital Integration Hub from SAP

312

13.3 Possible Use Cases and Recommendations

317

13.3.1 Use Case 1: Publishing Product Data Application Programming Interfaces

317

13.3.2 Use Case 2: From Reactivity to Real Time

319

13.4 Summary

320

14 Governance

325

14.1 Principles and Policies

325

14.1.1 Guidelines for IT Usage

325

14.1.2 Build Architecture and Integration Principles

327

14.1.3 Monitoring and Review of Integration Principles

334

14.2 Development Guidelines

336

14.2.1 Technology Guidelines

336

14.2.2 Standardization

337

14.2.3 Centralization

341

14.2.4 Integration Logic

342

14.2.5 Loose Coupling

344

14.2.6 Modern Transmission Technologies

345

14.2.7 Naming Conventions and Documentation

346

14.3 Cataloging

348

14.3.1 Use Case Examples for Interface Catalogs

348

14.3.2 Creating Interface Catalogs

350

14.3.3 Component-Specific Catalogs

353

14.4 Reporting

356

14.4.1 SAP EarlyWatch Alert

356

14.4.2 Cost Allocation

358

14.4.3 Quality and Performance

359

14.4.4 Component-Specific Reporting

360

14.5 Summary

366

15 Operations

367

15.1 Monitoring and Alerting

367

15.1.1 Aspects of Interface Monitoring

368

15.1.2 Separation of Tasks in Interface Monitoring

369

15.1.3 Synchronous versus Asynchronous Interfaces

373

15.1.4 Error Notifications

376

15.1.5 Cross-System Monitoring

379

15.2 Test Management

380

15.2.1 Areas of Application of Tests

381

15.2.2 Organization and Management of Tests

384

15.2.3 Component-Specific Tests

386

15.2.4 Test Tools

389

15.3 Change and Transport Management

390

15.3.1 New Development of an Interface

391

15.3.2 Change of an Interface

394

15.3.3 Versioning and Management

395

15.3.4 Component-Specific Transport Methods

399

15.3.5 Interface Landscape Comparison

402

15.4 Summary

403

16 Organization

405

16.1 Product-Oriented Organizational Models

406

16.1.1 Basics about DevOps

406

16.1.2 Culture Change in IT Organizations

407

16.1.3 Product Orientation

409

16.1.4 Impact and Realignment of Integration Management

410

16.2 Roles

413

16.2.1 Capabilities of a Modern Integration Team

413

16.2.2 Roles of a Modern Integration Team

415

16.3 Responsibilities

424

16.3.1 Use Case 1: Project Context

424

16.3.2 Use Case 2: Request for Change

426

16.3.3 Use Case 3: Backend Integration

429

16.4 Summary

430

17 Platform Tools

433

17.1 SAP Solution Manager

433

17.1.1 Overview

434

17.1.2 Process Management for Interface Documentation

436

17.1.3 Landscape Management for Monitoring

439

17.1.4 Change Management within the Framework of Interface Management

443

17.2 SAP Partner Solutions

446

17.2.1 Figaf DevOps Tool

446

17.2.2 Int4 IFTT

450

17.2.3 UDO

452

17.2.4 WHINT Solutions

454

17.2.5 ITARICON Tools

456

17.2.6 Other Useful Tools

458

17.3 Summary

460

18 Summary and Outlook

463

18.1 Summary

463

18.2 Outlook

464

18.3 Closing Words

466

Appendices

467

A Bibliography

467

B The Authors

469