SAP PI Architecture (3 or 2 Tier) ?

[Former Member]

Hi all,

at the moment I am collection (dis)advanteages for a 2 tier or 3 tier architecture.

Maybe you have some additional points

2 tier

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Pro:

Less Costs

Contra:

Quality tests can only be done with high effort

System has to be connected to several systems (at least development and quality ECC)

3 tier

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Pro:

Fits to ECC Architecture where you have normally a 3tier architecture

Development can be done in parallel to tests

Mass tests can be done easier

Possibility to use Q as backup system in case of Problems with Productive system

Contra:

Additional effort to keep system in synch (service package etc.)

Or would you already go to a 4 resp. 5 tier architecture?

Thanks for any input

cheers,

Stefan

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Stefan,

It mainly depends upon the client's IT landscape, growth plans and obviously budget (may not be in this order )

But usually we have 3 tier architecture in the landscape. This Q system sometimes helps the client to do the developments/configuration changes for global rollouts and maintain releases.

I doubt the logic of keeping Q as a backup for PRD. As there are a lot of unreleased and under testing verions in QA. Also, usually there are more then one PI server in PRD to facilitate the load sharing/client server methodology.

[KennethEriksen]

Hi,

One of the main disadvantages with 2-tier PI-landscape is that you don't have a real QA-environment, in that there is no environment exactly like the Prod-environment in which you can verify your setup/config/integrations. The Dev/Tst-environment will almost certainly differ from the Prod-environment because of both new development, but also the config and number of connections.

Your transport system can also be a bit confusing depending on your transport strategy. For Integration Directory objects you would need to separate Dev and Tst-objects into different scenarios if you want to use "Transport Entire Scenario" as your transport mechanism. This because you only want one business system (i.e. ERP Prod) to exist in PI Prod, so your transport targets in SLD must cater for this.

Except for cost (which may in turn prove not to be the case) I don't see many advantages with 2-tier landscapes if you have 3-tier ERP (or other SAP-systems) landscape.

Br,

Kenneth

Edited by: Kenneth Eriksen on Apr 4, 2011 2:25 PM

[udo_martens]

Hi,

from my experience it is often very confusing, if you connect 3 tier SAP with 2 tier SAP. To switch between development and test require a lot changes. Especially if there are serveral PI resource bussy it is gonna difficult.

Regards,

Udo