SAP PO (Process Orchestration) and SAP CPI (Cloud Platform Integration, now part of SAP Integration Suite) are SAP's two primary middleware integration platforms. Understanding the differences between them is essential for any organization planning or optimizing their SAP integration architecture.
Back in the day, connecting SAP to other systems used to be complicated and expensive. But now, with so many types of software on the market that need to be connected with each other, integration services are crucial and widely sought out by all modern businesses. SAP provides us with two middleware integration options: SAP PI/PO and SAP CPI.
SAP PI (SAP Process Integration) and SAP PO (SAP Process Orchestration) are widely used by companies as on-premise integration platforms. However, with the widespread use of cloud-based solutions, SAP designed SAP Cloud Platform Integration (SAP CPI) as a cloud-based solution. Both offer similar functions as middleware, but they have significant differences between them.
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Middleware is software used for different applications and systems to communicate with each other. It acts as a bridge between different tools, databases and technologies and creates seamless integration. In the simplest sense, SAP middleware enables applications to exchange and integrate with other applications, operating systems, or networks.
SAP's first middleware product was SAP Exchange Infrastructure (SAP XI): an on-premises solution for integrating SAP systems to other SAP or non-SAP systems. XI then evolved into Process Integration (PI) and later Process Orchestration (PO). With the world's swift transition to the Cloud, SAP provides us with Cloud Platform Integration (CPI), a middleware for integrating SAP systems with third-party applications.
SAP PO has been around the block. From XI to PI and now to PO, this middleware has been widely adopted for its seamless integration with SAP, comprehensive set of adapters, and user-friendly graphical interface. With SAP PO you can:
SAP PO is a solid, reliable platform with over 15 years' worth of updates and a large developer community. For now, its road map extends to 2030. SAP PO is the go-to software for organizations that handle a large amount of internal integration traffic.
Migration from SAP PO to SAP Integration Suite
SAP PI is an enterprise integration platform that provides seamless integration between SAP and non-SAP systems. SAP PI enables the creation of the following integrations: B2B Integration, A2A Integration, SAP and non-SAP systems, Asynchronous and synchronous communication, and Business process management between components.
Cloud Platform Integration (CPI) is SAP's cloud-based middleware that integrates cloud and on-premise applications with third-party SAP and non-SAP products. SAP includes a set of prebuilt adapters with its Cloud Platform Integration, which allow you to easily leverage integration for A2A/B2B processes, SAP and non-SAP systems, on-premise and cloud-based applications, and synchronous/asynchronous scenarios.
SAP Cloud Integration payment plan comes in two options: consumption-based pricing and subscription-based pricing. For the latest pricing and service plan comparison, see our article on SAP Integration Suite Service Plans.
Whether you're considering migration or just getting started with SAP, we're here to help! We offer consultancy services for SAP PI/PO and SAP CPI. Talk to us about your business needs to make the most out of your IT use.
For new integration projects, SAP strongly recommends SAP Integration Suite (which includes SAP CPI) as the strategic platform going forward. SAP PO roadmap extends to 2030, but no major new functionality is being added. If your organization is already cloud-forward or integrating with cloud applications like SuccessFactors, Ariba or Salesforce, SAP CPI is clearly the better choice. SAP PO remains a valid choice if your architecture is primarily on-premise with complex BPM requirements that are already heavily configured.
SAP CPI (Cloud Platform Integration) is the integration component within the broader SAP Integration Suite platform. SAP Integration Suite bundles SAP CPI with additional capabilities including API Management, Open Connectors, Integration Advisor, Event Mesh and Trading Partner Management. For most enterprise customers, SAP Integration Suite is the recommended subscription as it provides access to all integration capabilities on a single platform.
Yes. Many organizations operate a hybrid model where SAP PO handles legacy on-premise integrations while SAP CPI manages cloud-to-cloud or new SAP-to-cloud scenarios. This is a common transitional architecture during gradual migration from PO to CPI. MDP Group specializes in designing and operating hybrid integration landscapes that minimize disruption during migration periods.
SAP Integration Suite — Official SAP Product Page SAP PI/PO Consultancy — MDP Group SAP CPI Consultancy — MDP Group
Head of Integration | SAP PI/PO/Integration Suite Hasan Basri Çelebi is an integration specialist with experience in SAP PI/PO/CPI. As the Integration Team Lead at MDP Group, Çelebi leads projects involving the integration of SAP and non-SAP systems, as well as third-party system integration initiatives.
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