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What is SAP Cloud Integration?

Today, technological developments enable cloud computing to become widespread. The use of cloud-based services is used quite naturally in parallel with established on-premises systems. Due to security, cost and management needs, the rate of companies moving their applications to the cloud is increasing day by day. The increase in applications and systems that organizations use both in the cloud based and on-premise has made it difficult to work and manage them together. Among the platforms that promise to realize various integration scenarios in real-time and make services equally available in the cloud, the best known and most used is SAP Cloud Integration (Formerly SAP Cloud Platform Integration (SAP CPI)).

What is SAP Cloud Integration?  (Formerly SAP Cloud Platform Integration (CPI))

SAP Cloud Integration (Formerly SAP CPI) is a cloud integration solution developed by SAP that offers organizations various options in the field of system integration. There are options to integrate on-premise and cloud applications with other SAP and non-SAP on-premise and cloud applications. 

The most important features of SAP Cloud Integration are low initial investment cost and offering various integration scenarios. SAP Cloud Integration provides a development platform, a runtime environment, and a large number of ready-made function modules that enable the development cycles of new features and functionality to be significantly reduced.

SAP Cloud Integration delivers a robust platform for data exchange between onshore and offshore applications by automating the process of extracting data from one system, transforming it into a standard format, and then loading it into another system. 

SAP Cloud Integration is SAP cloud middleware available in both Neo and Cloud Dump environments. Cloud-based SAP products such as SAP C/4HANA, SAP Concur, SAP SuccessFactors, Business Technology Platform,  SAP Integration Suite, SAP Ariba, and SAP HANA Cloud and ready-made integration packages powered by SAP are available. The software also enables you to create connectors to integrate with other third-party applications, as well as automate repetitive tasks with just a few clicks.

Core Components of SAP Cloud Integration (SAP CPI)

Integration Flows

Integration flows define the paths data takes from one system to another. These flows are designed using a graphical interface, making it easy to visualize and manage data movement.

Adapters

Adapters are the connectors that facilitate communication between different systems. SAP Cloud Integration supports a wide range of adapters for various protocols and applications.

Monitoring Tools

To ensure integrations run smoothly, SAP Cloud Integration includes monitoring tools that allow users to track data flows, identify issues, and optimize performance.

How SAP Cloud Integration Works

Architecture Overview

SAP Cloud Integration operates on a multi-tenant architecture, where multiple users share the same infrastructure but have isolated data and processes. This setup ensures efficiency and security.

Data Flow

Data flow in SAP Cloud Integration involves several stages:

  • Data Extraction: Data is extracted from the source system.
  • Transformation: The extracted data is transformed to match the target system's format.
  • Load: Transformed data is loaded into the target system.

Integration Patterns

SAP Cloud Integration supports various integration patterns, including point-to-point, hub-and-spoke, and publish-subscribe, allowing businesses to choose the model that best fits their needs.

For Which Industries Is SAP Cloud Integration Suitable?

SAP Cloud Integration platform offers various integration options, and with it, SAP contains many standard prebuilt integration packages. Therefore, the SAP Cloud Integration platform is suitable not only for existing customers but also for any company that has a large IT environment and therefore has to maintain and monitor a large number of different interfaces.

SAP Cloud Integration supports various integration techniques such as RESTful API 's, SOAP web services or file transfers over FTP/FTPS/SFTP protocols. It also supports different types of connectors such as file transfer protocol (FTP) connector, secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) connector or simple object access protocol (SOAP) web service connector.

SAP Cloud Integration is used by companies serving in many sectors. Areas that the SAP Cloud Integration module can use:

  • Cloud to Cloud
  • On-Premise to On-Premise
  • Cloud to On-Premise
  • Business to Business (B2B)
  • Business to Government (B2G)

Why Should Companies Use SAP Cloud Integration?

Leveraging the power of the SAP Cloud Platform, organizations can customize integration designs to meet their needs and quickly start cloud projects with prebuilt integration solutions. SAP Cloud Integration is easy to use and with the integration solution, SAP and non-SAP systems can be integrated very quickly and easily, whether both in the cloud or one in the cloud and one on-premise.

SAP Cloud Integration provides features and functions for both business users and developers. It facilitates information exchange between systems, regardless of their location, their structure or their technology. The central component of SAP Cloud Integration is the Integration Engine, which is based on the open-source Eclipse BIRT architecture that allows you to integrate all kinds of data sources into one common model representation.

SAP Cloud Integration also includes a browser-based user interface that supports drag-and-drop functionality for mapping data elements and processes to each other.

SAP Cloud Integration solution, powered by machine learning, optimizes the integration needs of organizations and gives the organization the time it needs to manage business processes seamlessly.

Use Cases of SAP Cloud Integration

Integration with On-premise Systems

Many businesses still rely on on-premise systems. SAP Cloud Integration facilitates seamless integration between on-premise and cloud applications.

Integrating with Third-party Applications

Businesses often use third-party applications for various functions. SAP Cloud Integration supports integration with numerous third-party apps, enhancing overall functionality.

Real-time Data Processing

For businesses that require real-time data processing, such as financial services, SAP Cloud Integration ensures data is always up-to-date and accessible.

SAP Cloud Integration Features

  1. Connectivity: SAP Cloud Integration provides secure, reliable, and high-performance connectivity to all on-premise and cloud-based applications. It also provides support for multiple protocols, including EDI, AS2, SFTP, and HTTP/S, and various integration and data formats, including XML, JSON, EDI, and flat files.
  2. Business Process Orchestration: SAP Cloud Integration provides the ability to orchestrate complex processes that span multiple applications, services, and platforms. This includes the ability to create and monitor process flows and to configure integration rules and settings.
  3. Data Transformation: SAP Cloud Integration provides the ability to transform data from one format to another, including the ability to map data from one type of system to another, to convert data formats, and to apply data-cleansing rules.
  4. Data Quality and Governance: SAP Cloud Integration provides the ability to ensure that data is accurate, compliant, and secure. This includes the ability to monitor data quality, define data policies, and enforce data governance rules.
  5. Analytics and Monitoring: SAP Cloud Integration provides the ability to monitor performance, set alerts, and gain insight into the data flow. This includes the ability to track the flow of data across applications, services, and platforms.

SAP Cloud Integration is a powerful tool that enables businesses to connect disparate systems and streamline operations. By understanding how it works and following best practices, organizations can leverage its full potential to drive efficiency and innovation.

What are the benefits of SAP Cloud Integration?

Efficient Data Flow

CPI provides real-time information flow and uninterrupted data synchronisation between external systems such as CRM, HR, ERP. In this way, it improves the decision-making capabilities of teams and increases productivity.

Compatibility with Non-SAP Systems

CPI facilitates integration with Non-SAP applications. It provides data flow between different applications with API capabilities.

Flexibility and Scalability

SAP Cloud Integration offers the opportunity to scale the changing integration needs of businesses. It supports different integration scenarios such as cloud to cloud, cloud to on-premises integration. It ensures harmonious operation even in hybrid environments. 

Business Agility

CPI enables seamless integration between existing systems while enabling the adoption of new applications, cloud services or technologies. With this flexibility, businesses can respond quickly to changing business needs and stay one step ahead of the competition.

Fast Integration

Prebuilt integration packages within Cloud Integration Platform greatly reduce integration development time. In this way, businesses can create and start using their integrations in a short time.

SAP Cloud Integration Consultancy

MDP Group provides end-to-end  SAP Cloud Integration consultancy services to the integration processes of enterprises with its 10-person certified SAP Cloud Integration consultants. In addition, MDP Group saves time and workload with prebuilt cloud integration packages.

Feel free to get information about our prebuilt cloud integration packages.

Alternative Solution for SAP Integration

MIP, as an iPaaS (integration platform as a service) solution, provides robust cloud and on-premise integration solutions tailored for SAP users. By leveraging MIP, organizations can seamlessly connect and synchronize their SAP systems with various applications and data sources, ensuring efficient and streamlined operations. This solution supports comprehensive integration needs, enhancing data accessibility and process automation while maintaining high security and reliability standards.

SAP Cloud Integration is a part of SAP Integration Suite that offers open connectors, non-SAP connection extension, event mesh, API management and many more integration capabilities.

SAP Cloud Platform Integration allows minimising manual tasks, increasing efficiency and streamlining operational processes.

Yes, it can be integrated. SAP CPI is a solution designed to integrate SAP systems with third-party systems. It provides integration with non-SAP systems because it supports various communication protocols and standards.

SAP CPI has error handling mechanisms. These mechanisms are automatic error alerts, error logging, and retry mechanisms to quickly correct errors in integration processes and restart the integration.

SAP Cloud Platform Integration offers strong security features such as encrypted data storage, authentication and authorisation, secure network communications to protect integration processes and data.


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