SAP XI/PI vs IBM Websphere

[Former Member]

Hi there,

Is there any real benefit to using SAP XI/PI over using something like IBM Websphere for your middleware solutions? Both appear to do the same, with the exception that Websphere has more adapters than XI/PI.

Even for SAP to SAP integration can this not be done effectively with Websphere?

http://www-306.ibm.com/software/integration/wbiadapters/apps/

http://www-306.ibm.com/software/integration/wbiadapters/tech/

I see a lot of articles about interoperability between XI/PI and Websphere, but I don't see much about using Websphere itself solely as your integration platform instead of XI/PI.

Any information from you guys here would be appreciated!

Thanks,

L

[agasthuri_doss · Accepted solution]

Hi,

This will help you

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/sg246354.html

Some advantages of SAP XI

• Easy Integration with SAP products & components (RFC, IDOC, Proxy).

• Data security as expected from any SAP product.

• Standards based - XML, XSD, Xpath etc

• Ability to communicate with other messaging systems/products.

• Business Process Management

• Synchronous & Asynchronous communication possible.

• Complex processes for communication possible instead of only sending and receiving (business process management) (connect e.g. asynchronous and synchronous steps, define complex communication scenarios)

• Mapping etc possible to accomplish in Java. Platform independent Java components.

• Java & .Net support.

• Big range of adapters for different technologies / tools (SOAP, Mail, JDBC, CDIX...)available in standard or offered by other companies (EDI e.g. by Seeburger).

• Process functionalities inside XI to modify content in the communication channel on own defined rules fpr business purposes.

• Central monitoring for data communication for all your communication between different systems.

• And the marketing issue: SAP and its partners provide high volume of development capabilities to make XI always up-to-date for new requirements

Regards

Agasthuri Doss

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Those are nice highlights of XI/PI, but it I still don't see the clearcut advantage in using SAP XI over IBM WebSphere??? WebSphere has all those same features, but then includes more adapters than XI.

It's actually a pretty tough question since you really need to have evaluated or worked with both software pieces to answer. My point is that at first glance of the information I've found over the web, IBM WebSphere appears to be the superior middleware option.

The one valid reason I've seen so far for XI is that going forward it will be likely be more and more integrated and required by other SAP products. I'd love to know some other reasons though why you would want to choose SAP XI for your middleware over WebSphere.

[former_member192798 · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Yes, you are right. The points highlighted by Agasturi are those available in WebSphere too. But to show the value of XI, here are the points:-

1. One common Integration Platform to support A2A, B2B and eSOA Integration requirements. This will help save operational costs by enabling process transparency and reducing number of skill sets required to support one common platform.

2. Leverage capabilities of newer integration technologies i.e., Proxies enabling speed and scalability. SAP will deliver any new integration as proxies and will not develop new RFCs/BAPIs or IDocs.

3. Cut down the interface development and maintenance time by using native integration capabilities of XI with SAP backend systems and leveraging pre-delivered integration content from SAP. In other words, Out-of-the-box XI content delivered for all SAP modules eliminates the need for creating Data Type, Message Type and Message Interfaces from the scratch.

4. XI is a required component for certain SAP application’s i.e., SRM, ICH, MDM, etc.

5. Lays down the foundation for eSOA roadmap as XI’s Integration Repository evolves into ESR with next release of NW.

6. Leverage SAP’s integrated workflow capabilities. XI integrates with the UWL of SAP application landscape and provides capability to orchestrate business process by integrating with SAP backend workflows (ccBPM).

7. XI provides Partner Connectivity Kit (PCK) to enable small business partners not using SAP XI to exchange XML documents in SOAP format

8. SAP customers replace their existing integration broker with SAP XI as it is more appropriate to decommission immediately or later, which would result in lower maintenance cost, less failure points etc.

9. Through regional SAP Integration and Certification Centers (SAP ICCs), SAP provides a rich set of integration technologies that enable third-party vendors to integrate their software with SAP solutions seamlessly for more customer satisfaction.

These are the highlights which makes SAP XI a success and a differentiator over other integration brokers available in the market.

I hope this helps you.

Regards.

Praveen

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the reply Praveen. I think going-forward it sounds like XI would be a competitive option for SAP rich organizations who do not have a middleware solution as of now. If I already had a middleware solution implemented throughout my organization I still don't see XI as a reason to decommission and rebuild / re-integrate all my systems though.

This is enough information for me though. Thanks.

L

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi L,

Hope you're still out there...

I might have a similar theme comming up and am interested whether you have gained new insights since the email trails of 2007?

All feedback welcome.

Kind regards,

R

[sbuttler77 · Accepted solution]

Hi Ronald,

when we rolled out XI in 2008 it replaced our Websphere MQ installation (version 6.* iirc).

Granted, we didn't have many MQ projects implemented at that time, however IT staff

back than found MQ lacking in terms of reliability and visibility but tbh in my view that

was more likely due to lack of training rather than inherent shortcomings of the platform.

XI is ok to work with if you use it for software logistics, i.e. data distribution, moving

around files, IDocs etc however if you do a lot of mapping/data conversion, and

you already have a number of projects running under MQ I recommend you stay

away from XI. In my view the mapping tools are poor (especially the graphical

mapping). Its ironic coming from SAP you'd expect XI to excel in working with IDocs

but that couldn't be further from the truth. Context management is a major PITA and

missing child/parent node information borders on insanity (what were they thinking??).

My assesment is based on version 7.0 so some of the shortcomings may have been

remedied in later versions, ymmv.

Good luck & br

Sven