Pro's and Con's of XI..

[Former Member]

Hi,

I would like to know what are the key capabilities and limitations of SAP XI.

Thanks...

[Former Member]

thnx

[former_member193376]

Hi

Hi,

XI is a middleware like many others. It is well suited for connecting SAP systems with each other and with non-SAP.If your focus is not on SAP systems, other solutions might be a better choice today. SAP XI provides an integrated workflow engine that allows to define adapters to non-XML-protocols and mappings to convert data content from source to target.

Any fully mature middleware should provide these three layers.

1. An independent Message Queue

2. A data consolidator and mapping engine

3. Workflow processor.

Advantages

There are lots of advantages. To list a few :

1 Integration with SAP products & components.

2 Iron clad data security as expected from any SAP product.

3 Standards based - XML, XSD, Xpath etc

4 Ability to communicate with other messaging systems/products.

5 Business Process Management

6 Synchronous & Asynchronous communication

7 Leverage existing SAP & ABAP skillset.

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

9 Java & .Net support.

Disadvantages

XI is lacking full-fledged Message Queue compared to other established Middleware products.

Currently, SAP XI does not have the features like IBM Websphere, Seeburger or TIBCO.

XI is not stable....

costly

Other cost effective middleware are there like TIBCO...

Check the XI Wiki Page for advantages and disadvantages:

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/wiki?path=/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=16263

XI Advantages over other Middleware Tools

• Pre-Delivered integration content

(Def:-SAP solutions bring their integration Meta data like CRM, SRM,SCM, xRPM, etc.) As delivered with the integration repository of XI

Benefit:-

A) Out-of-the-box of integration solution

B) Simplified upgrade of SAP solutions

C) Versioning and modification management of integration of Meta data.

• Openness and interoperability

(Def:-Connect to existing integration solutions) like

Through JMS messaging (e.g MQ series) and SOAP.

Use open, XML standards for integration

Incorporate existing functionality in to new process (Adapters (JCA), web services (WSDL)).

Hope this is usefull

Thanks

Saiyog

[Former Member]

HI

XI is well suited for connecting SAP systems with each other and with non-SAP. SAP XI provides an integrated workflow engine that allows defining adapters to non-XML protocols and mappings to convert data content from source to target format.

XI comes handy particularly incase of SAP - Non SAP interfaces where you can import standard integration content. Also XI has got sophisticated open standard adapter framework which is very easy to implement and custom logic can be implemented using Adapter module programming.

Advantages

u2022Monitoring is better than any other middleware product. It offers exhaustive monitoring features like message, performance, component monitoring etc, all of which can be used to track and rectify the errors. It follows a hub and spoke model.

u2022When you need to integrate with an SAP system XI has an advantage in supporting various SAP components and so on.

u2022Process functionalities inside XI to modify content in the communication channel on own defined rules for business purposes.

u2022Mappings and adapters are good as comparable with any other middleware product.

u2022Synchronous & Asynchronous communication is possible.

Dis-Advantages

u2022Web methods are particularly good if u have B2B kind of communication with their Trading Partners product.

u2022XI is lacking full-fledged Message Queue compared to other established Middleware products.

u2022It lacks in ability to process huge messages but SAP is working on that.

u2022It does not have a messaging layer exposed by APIs like IBM MQ-Series.

u2022It is not comparable to Tibco in terms of speed.

u2022SAP relies on other vendors except for a few adapters.

Advantages of XI over other EAI tools:

1) Reduced maintenance costs: As the client replaced multiple integration technologies with SAP XI, it gained immediate cost savings by reducing associated maintenance costs. Additionally, the client gained the capability to utilize its manpower more effectively.

2) Enhanced message monitoring functionality: As SAP XI provides auto handling of persistence of messages, it has enabled the client to monitor and restart failed messages. This has also eliminated the possibility of redundant/duplicate data into the system along with related efforts to identify the same. As all messaging is routed through one system, the client needs to monitor only SAP XI instead of having to monitor four systems: (Web Application system, XML parser application, VB based application) in the existing set up

3) Enhanced flexibility: The ability to modify applications and add new functionalities without impacting other systems and businesses gave the client tremendous flexibility in reacting to dynamic changes in the market.

4) Standardizes on the technology integration layer that would be used for connectivity between all systems

5) Eliminate the need for u201Cpoint-to-pointu201D connectivity between systems

6) Achieve a central monitoring of message flow, instead of having to monitor several systems

cheers

[Former Member]

Disadvantages:

1. With SAP XI PubSUb sceanrios can not be handled whereas you can hadle the same with some other vendors EAI tools

2. With SAP XI one does not have access to previous or next record processed by an XI interface.

[Former Member]

Hi,

Advantages of XI

There are lots of advantages. To list a few :

1 Integration with SAP products & components.

2 Iron clad data security as expected from any SAP product.

3 Standards based - XML, XSD, Xpath etc

4 Ability to communicate with other messaging systems/products.

5 Business Process Management

6 Synchronous & Asynchronous communication

7 Leverage existing SAP & ABAP skillset.

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

9 Java & .Net support.

10. It supports all Database drivers

11. Adapters are good as comparable with any other middlewares.

12.Main advantage of XI over other middleware tool is central monitoring and central development.

13.XI is better suited for IDOC and RFC scenario that other middleware tools.

14.XI has the great monitoring facility than other middlewares

Disadvantages of XI

1. XI is lacking full-fledged Message Queue compared to other established Middleware products.

2. Its not an open source

3. It does not support Mac OS and IBM OS/390

You want to check the XI with other middlewares then

Check this link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_business_integration_software

[Former Member]

SAP XI:

Advantages

u2022 Monitoring is better than any other middleware product. It offers exhaustive monitoring features like message, performance, component monitoring etc, all of which can be used to track and rectify the errors. It follows a hub and spoke model.

u2022 When you need to integrate with an SAP system XI has an advantage in supporting various SAP components and so on.

u2022 Process functionalities inside XI to modify content in the communication channel on own defined rules for business purposes.

u2022 Mappings and adapters are good as comparable with any other middleware product.

u2022 Synchronous & Asynchronous communication is possible.

Dis-Advantages

u2022 Web methods are particularly good if u have B2B kind of communication with their Trading Partners product.

u2022 XI is lacking full-fledged Message Queue compared to other established Middleware products.

u2022 It lacks in ability to process huge messages but SAP is working on that.

u2022 It does not have a messaging layer exposed by APIs like IBM MQ-Series.

u2022 It is not comparable to Tibco in terms of speed.

u2022 SAP relies on other vendors except for a few adapters

[Former Member]

Hi,

SAP XI is a middleware tool. Its main purpose is to integrate the different moduls and functions within SAP and outside SAP into one single umbrella. That is, it works as a messaging backbone to SAP and thirt party systems. XI is working a middleware which connects with SAP system to take data from SAP and send it to third party.

XI is a replacement/competitor of older EAI tools like Tibco, webmethod, mercator etc. But, all tools have their own benefits and disadvantages.

Some of the urls where you can get some info about the middleware products XI, Biztalk, Webmethods etc are:

Regards,

Bharath.

[former_member335553]

Lot many threads are there in the forum discussing these

gist of some

Edited by: Anusha Ramsiva on Jul 31, 2008 6:28 AM