SAP XI in SOA

[Former Member]

HI,

We have SAP R/3 4.7, SAP SRM4.0, SAP CRM4.0 and SAP BW-SEM4.0 in system landscape. The implementation is following SOA (Service Oriented Architecture).

1. There is CRM middleware is available to integrate CRM with SAP R/3.

2. SAP BW connector to talk with SAP R/3

3. SAP SRM, SAP connector to integrate with SAP R/3.

As the above three options are not based on SOA. It is SAP proprietary adapter/connector.

Can we go ahead with SAP XI and adhere to SOA? What kind of advantages or problems could occur?

Please comment ASAP

Thanks & Regards,

Himanshu

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

You definitely can go ahead with SAP XI if you want to implement an SOA model in the enterprise.

SAP XI can expose the interfaces as webservices. As you rightly mentioned all the 3 listed methods of integrations are not based on SOA as they are proprietary adapters and they cannot expose their services to the enternal world, at least in no straight-forward ways

The advantages and disadvantages of SAP XI which I can list are

Advantages:

1. SOA based integration model.

2. The proxy technology in XI gives the advantage of SOA based integration model in SAP integration scenarios. {which is otherwise is difficult (if not impossible) to achieve}

3. Greater extensibility and all the other advantages featured in SOA

4. The integration model of the enterprise will be the SAP recommended way.

Disadvantages:

1. Deployment and maintanence of the SAP XI infrastructure

[Former Member]

Hi,

<i>1. There is CRM middleware is available to integrate CRM with SAP R/3.

<b>CRM -> XI -> R/3</b>

2. SAP BW connector to talk with SAP R/3

<b>BW -> XI -> R/3</b>

3. SAP SRM, SAP connector to integrate with SAP R/3.</i>

<b>SRM -> XI -> R/3</b>

SAP is strongly recomending its customers to use XI for integrationingheterogeneous systems, instead of using point to point proprietery software. Its one system for all intergration solutions.

<i>Can we go ahead with SAP XI and adhere to SOA? What kind of advantages or problems could occur?</i>

There are standard cook books avalible on service.sap.com for the above scenarios using XI. Its a no brainer. In terms of advantages, there are a ton, less of effort, less on maintanence, one integration solution. the list goes on.

Naveen

[Former Member]

Himanshu,

SOA is not about what technology you are using to connect. Its about whether your business processes have been exposed as services for other applications / processes to access.

So, in this case if you SAP R/3 4.7, SRM, CRM ... systems have exposed the process steps as services and you can integrate these systems by accessing these services, you have implemented SOA.

You can use XI as well to access these services.

Let me know if you have more questions.

Regards,

Ravi

Note : Please reward the posts that help you.

[Former Member]

Dear Ravi,

Thanks for your comment.Please read question again.I would like to know that SAP has provided two options to integrate:

1. Through XI (ALL SAP Landscape)

2. Through CRM middlware,SAP adapter( CRM,SRM & BW-SEM).

As we are following SOA,then we should go through option 1 i.e through XI. Here we need to look at impact to choose this option.As in SAP adapter provided for CRM,BW,SRM are based on business scenarios and take less time to configure.

regrads,

Himanshu

[Former Member]

Himanshu,

I cannot comment on CRM Middleware as I am not sure what is it capable of. However XI is capable of consuming the services. At the same time, each of the systems you have mentioned also can use the services exposed by other applications directly as well without using a middleware. However that becomes point to point integration, but with in that you have implement SOA.

So, its a strategic desicion that your organization will have take after considering the integration requirements. Will you need one system sending the same data to multiple systems at the same time, then yes you will have use the middleware.

But if it is always integration between two individual system you can as well call the services and get it over with so that you don't have the headache maintaining a middleware.

Regards,

Ravi

Note : Please make sure you reward the posts that help you.