Using PI to support multiple formats and Adapters

[ADIDAS]

Hi All,

We are planning to start using PI as our Enterprise middleware system. In order to achive the full functionality of an Enterprise middleware we are looking at adding capabilities to PI to support

1. Formats like : EDIFACT / ANSI , HL7, ebXML

2. Having Conversion Agents : PDF.

3. Connectivity Options : AS2, OFTP, SFTP.

Can someone point me to how they have attained the enterprise wide function for PI. We have started reaching out to vendors for each of these options. It would be helpful if someone can also inform on the challenges and issues they faced using PI with tehse additional tools.

Regards,

Arunava

[Former Member]

Arunava,

1. Formats like : EDIFACT / ANSI , HL7, ebXML

The SAP standard doesn't offer specific functionality for EDIFACT, ANSI X.12 etc conversion. In principal, you can have three solution for this - Custom-built EDI development based on PI standard functionality, add-on solutions from third party vendors or open source / community-driven solutions.

Conversion Agent is the best tool to handle this situation and it works pretty good.

2. Having Conversion Agents : PDF.

For handling PDF files, you don't require Conversion Agent.

3. Connectivity Options : AS2, OFTP, SFTP.

The 3rd party adapters are available and are widely used in PI centric architecture. Few prominent ones includes adapters from Seeburger and AEDAPTIVe.

Only issue and challenge in working with 3rd party tools is extra $$$ spending.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Neetesh