What are the meaning of XI, PI and BI?

[Former Member]

Hi all,

I am new in this world and I am trying to understand basics concept, but I cannot understand the meaning of these "XI" "BI" and "PI" (and I don't know if I am missing some of them!). I cannot understand what are these? I don't mean what they do, or their capabilities ... I mean: what is XI (PI BI)? is a component ? are they modules? are they versions? are they connected? If I have one of them can I have one more ? can I upgrade one to one other?

I know it's impossible to answer to this question in a post ... I am looking for a document that explains an overview on this concept I would like to understand.

Thanks in advance.

Gabriele

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

XI :-SAP Exchange Infrastructure (SAP XI) enables you to implement cross-system processes. It enables you to connect systems from different vendors (non-SAP and SAP) in different versions and implemented in different programming languages (Java, ABAP, and so on) to each other. SAP Exchange Infrastructure is based on an open architecture, uses open standards (in particular those from the XML and Java environments) and offers those services that are essential in a heterogeneous and complex system landscape:

● Modeling and design of messages, transformations, and cross-component integration processes

● Configuration options for managing collaborative processes and message flow

● Runtime for message and process management

● Adapter Engine for integrating heterogeneous system components

● Central monitoring for monitoring message flow and processes

SAP XI supports internal company scenarios and cross-company scenarios.

PI: SAP Process Integration (SAP PI) formerly called SAP Exchange Infrastructure (SAP XI) is an integration platform to provide a single point of integration for all systems. This is a powerful middleware by SAP to provide seamless end to end integration between SAP and Non-SAP applications inside and outside the corporate boundary.

BI :- SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence brings together powerful analysis tools, planning and simulation capabilities, and data-warehousing functionality - delivered through user-centric enterprise portal technology. Use SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence to integrate data and transform it into practical, timely business information to drive sound decision making, targeted action, and solid business results.

Karna...

[prasannakrishna_mynam]

XI - Exchange Infrastructure

Its is a integration platform for connecting SAP and NON-SAP Systems and enable them to communicate to each other. We have XI until version 3.0

Its is in the 3rd layer of NetWeaver stack.

PI - Process Integration

It is a advance version of XI with integrated J2EE engine.

Versions:

PI 7.0

PI7.1 - which enables Enterprise Service Oriented Architecture.

BI -Business Intelligence

This belong to the Information Integration layer in the NetWaver stach and delas with the analisys of data in the distributed environment.

Hope you get that..

Regards.

Krishna.

[Former Member]

thank you all

[former_member184619]

Hi Montori,

You have already got a few answers...

XI(Exchange Infrastructure) and PI (Process integration)are same things, it is an integration tool provided by SAP for Application to Application integration or Business to business

BI (Business Intellegance)

Both XI/PI are part of SAP Netweaver... and your question is answered here in this blog:

/people/imranh.khan/blog/2007/12/18/understanding-sap-netweaver-04-04s-70

and check this for Netweaver diagram..

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/EN/0f/80243b4a66ae0ce10000000a11402f/frameset.htm

Sachin

[Former Member]

hi Garbriele i am also new to the SAP XI

from the above replies i think u may understood the difference between XI ,PI & BI

i will describe a brief about XI/PI

About the SAP Exchange Infrastructure/PI

The SAPExchange Infrastructure (SAP XI/PI) is the SAP platform for process integration based on the exchange of XML messages. It enables you to connect systems from different vendors (both SAP and non-SAP), different versions, and different programming languages (Java, ABAP, etc.). SAP Exchange Infrastructure is based on an open architecture, uses open standards specifically those from the XML and Java environments), and offers services essential in a heterogeneous and complex system landscape: · Runtime infrastructure for message exchange · Configuration options for managing collaborative processes and message flow · Design and execution of cross-component business processes · B2B support · Options for transforming message contents between sender and receiver systems

these are the thing we do for the integrations in XI/PI

Terminology/Concepts

System Landscape Directory

Certain objectsu2014namespaces, software components, and productsu2014are contained in the system landscape directory. From this point of view, the System Landscape Directory is an integral part of the content development. It also contains the details of the systems within a landscape.

Integration Repository

Objects defined in the integration repository are defined during the development phase of the project and are part of the business package that can be delivered to the customer.

Integration Directory

Objects set up in the integration directory must be defined during the implementation phase for each customer. They are not part of the delivery through the business package.

Integration Server

This is the runtime environment for the SAP XI. The message transaction happens within the Integration Server. It controls the engines that are required for carrying out the message. It uses the integration knowledge built using the Integration Repository and Integration Directory

Integration

The following graphic represents the positioning of SAP XI within the SAP

NetWeaveru2122 stack, with the key XI components illustrated on the right To facilitate the integration of external systems, SAP XI is based on general standards. At the center of the infrastructure is an XML-based communication system that uses HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol). The application-specific contents are transferred from sender to receiver in messages using the Integration Server . Senders and receivers exchanging messages via the Integration Server are in different places; however, this actually makes it easier to connect systems using different technologies. Every system with the ability to exchange messages with the Integration Server also has the ability to exchange messages with all other systems connected to the Integration Server. SAP XI supports the following methods of communication with the

Integration Server:

· Direct communication using proxies, which are generated in the application systems using a description in WSDL (Web Service Description Language) · Communication using adapters u2013 in this case, interfaces are created for message exchange in the application system, or use existing interfaces Simple message processing on the Integration Server is stateless ; i.e., the IntegrationServer does not make any semantic connections between various messages. Cross- component business processes, which are executed on the Integration Server, are used to describe logical dependencies between messages and define additional conditions for the message flow. SAP XI is used to model and centrally maintain these cross-component Business Process Management processes. As with cross-component business processes, the entire integration knowledge of a collaborative process is saved centrally in SAP XI. Objects created at design time are saved in the Integration Repository and objects created at configuration time are saved in the Integration Directory . In this way, SAP XI follows the principle of shared collaboration knowledge ; that is, it is better to search for information about a collaborative process centrally rather than in each of the systems involved. This procedure considerably reduces the cost of developing and maintaining the shared applications.

[Former Member]

Hello ,

Check SAP help for more details.

XI is Exchange infrastructure and PI is process integration XI is now PI in 7.0 version

Basically PI is a middleware tool for integrating hetergenous system and homogenous systems also in(some cases) like R/3 to R/3.

Where as BI is Business intelligence BW is renamed to BI in NetWeaver.

PI BI are layers of Netweaver Component suite of SAP.

Search SDN for specific topics gets lot of stuff.

HTH

Rajesh

[Former Member]

Hi,

PI is the newer version of XI and is a EAI system for connecting different systems.

(PI is the abbreviation for Process Integration and not for People Integration).

BI is another system and stands for Business Intelligence.

This [page|http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04s/helpdata/en/30/c4461ff69d5a438f1286e344b545fa/frameset.htm] should give you a good overview.

Regards

Patrick