(/)

SAP PI/PO Tutorial: Process Integration &

Orchestration
What is SAP PI?
SAP PI (Process Integration) is an integration platform which provides seamless integration
between SAP and non-SAP applications within the organization A2A (Application to
Application) or even outside the organization B2B (Business to Business).

What is SAP PO?

SAP Process Orchestration is a tool to automate and optimize business processes. It combines
features of SAP Business Process Management (BPM), SAP Process Integration(PI) and SAP
Business Rules Management(BRM). In other words, it's more advanced version of SAP PI and
has all the tools required to integrate applications.

Understanding SAP PI/PO with an Example

But this was a technical aspect of SAP PI, but to understand this better we will see the example
of implementation of SAP PI.

/
 (/images/11-2014/112814_0608_SAPPIProces1.png)

Example: To understand the concept of SAP PI more clearly, we take an example of a large-scale
Dairy Industry, which is operating in a large portion of a state and dominating the region. But
there is some small-scale dairy industries operating in the same region, parallel to the large-
scale industry which is not making a profit due to their price variation compare to large-scale
industry. So to avoid the pricing conflict and maintaining the same price all over the region,
large scale and small scale industry decide to link together, with the help of SAP PI. They
interconnect with each other with the help of SAP PI and started to work as a single unit. Now,
through SAP PI they are able to exchange all the information pertaining to dairy industry,
including pricing and share an equal amount of profit.

SAP PI connects different platforms like

SAP and Non-SAP systems

B2B and A2A Scenarios
Asynchronous and Synchronous Communications
Cross-component business process management
/
In this training, we will learn

Why SAP PI/PO?  

How SAP PI/PO works   
SAP PI/PO Architecture    
Connectivity: Proxy Framework & Adapter Framework    
Adapter Framework:    
How adaptor framework works    
SAP PI Security    
Benefits of Security in SAP PI/PO    
New Features in SAP PI/PO    
Advantages of SAP PI/PO    
SAP PI/PO vs. BizTalk    

Why SAP PI/PO?

Prior to SAP PI, business would connect with each other through point-to-point
communication. But this process is not used for multiple and complex processes. For smooth
communication between multiple businesses, Mediated communication or Integration broker
is used, and SAP PI adapts this system very well. It enables interconnection of a different
process via a central location known as Integration Broker, unlike the point to point connection
which is more like a spider web. The integration broker or server is an integral part of mediated
communication consist of Java (/java-tutorial.html)based Advanced Adapter Engine (AAE) and
an integration engine for routing. Mediated communication is based on an integration broker
which is executed by exchanging XML messages.

(/images/11-2014/112814_0608_SAPPIProces2.png)

SAP PI Overview

Let see how SAP PI handles the XML messages by the help of Integration Broker. The exchange
of data or message in SAP PI occurs in this four phases.

Message Transformation: During message exchange, it transforms the structure of the

business data
Message Routing: Forwarding a message sent by a sender system to one or more receiver
systems
Connectivity Adapters: Connecting the integration broker and receiver system, the adapter
will transform the incoming message into an inbound message and later convert it to the
/
 format of the receiving system at the other end
Integration Processes: Cross component Business Process Management (ccBPM) consists of
functions for enhanced service orchestration.

How SAP PI/PO works

 

SAP PI performs three basic functions

Connect: SAP PI has an ability to integrate with all application regardless of whether it is an
application from a 3rd party or from the SAP. It uses the adapter framework to integrate 3rd
party solutions.
Co-ordinate: It can define a path/workflow for each business transaction that is integrated.
It ensures that each message is correctly delivered from the source to the target destination
Communicate: It can translate files into any format whether an internal file format or any
business to business integration standard.

SAP PI/PO Architecture

(/images/11-2014/112814_0608_SAPPIProces3.jpg)

/
SAP PI is not a single component responsible for the integration of SAP and Non- SAP
application, but it is a cluster of components that together make SAP PI functional. This
architecture of SAP PI or components is used during design time, configuration time and at run
time. The various components of SAP PI include

1. System Landscape Directory: It is a central information provider in a system landscape. SLD

contains two types of information, "Component Information (Installable & Installed) and
Landscape description."
2. Integration Builder: It is a tool-set which contains a set of tools for accessing and editing
integration objects
3. Integration Repository: To develop, design and maintain data types, message structures,
mappings, interfaces, integration processes and integration scenarios independently of
system landscape, integration repository is used.
4. Integration Server: It is a central processing engine of the PI. All messages are processed
using this server.
5. Central Monitoring: With the help of this monitoring of PI domain is done, and "workbench"
is the tool that is used for monitoring.
6. Adapter Engine: It acts as a connector to connect the integration engine to SAP systems and
other systems.
7. Message Processing Technique by PI: To access data from SAP and Non-SAP application this
technique is used. SAP PI uses an intermediate document like IDoc to Flat files to transfer
their data.
8. Design: Process Integration (PI) uses integration repository to design message structure
9. Configuration: Integration Directory (ID) is used to configure technical parameters for
objects created in IR ( Integration Repository)
10. Message Processing: Once the IDOC is activated in SAP system, PI takes in charge and
convert messages into XML format for its internal processing
11. Message Monitoring: The messages can be monitored and traced using "Run Time
Workbench". This tool can be useful in monitoring sender and receiver adapters, Outgoing
and Incoming messages, End to End monitoring of complete scenario and error traces.

Connectivity: Proxy Framework & Adapter Framework

Adapter Framework:
 

/
SAP PI connects with any external systems (SAP or Non-SAP) using the Adapter Framework. The
adapter framework is based on the AS Java runtime environment and the connector
architecture (JCA) version. The adapter framework consists of two default module chains if
message processing is to be executed entirely within the adapter, default module chain for the
adapter can be used.

1. One for the sender direction

2. One for the receiver direction

There are four types of Adapters used in SAP PI

File adapters: It exchanges files with external systems

JMS adapters: It communicates with a messaging system
SOAP adapters: It communicates with providers and clients of web services
JDBC adapters: It is an extended pack for SAP PI

Other interfaces supported by adapter framework are

1. Configuration Services ( API and Adapter metadata xsd)

2. Administration Services
3. Various service APIs provided by Adapter framework- Thread Manager, Transaction
Manager)
4. Adapter framework includes a message audit log API. The API can be used for the technical
trace and logging to write trace statements that describes the execution of the code.

How adaptor framework works?

/
 (/images/11-

2014/112814_0608_SAPPIProces4.jpg)

1. The data is received from the wire through a receive location that is listening for messages
at certain protocol at a specified address
2. After the message is received by the receive location, a message is sent to the adapter. It
creates a new BizTalk message, attaches the data stream to the message.
3. It adds any meta-data pertaining to the end-point over which the data was received and
then the message is submitted to the message engine
4. Message engine sends the message to the receive pipeline where the data is transformed
into XML, here the message sender is authenticated, a message is decrypted and the XML is
validated
5. Next, the messaging engine published the message to the message box. The message box is
a Microsoft SQL (/sql.html)table containing messages to be processed
6. The messaging engine sends the message to either the orchestration or send port.

SAP PI/PO Security

 

/
For messages, SAP PI provides the message level security for XI message protocol, for the SOAP
adapter, for the RosettaNet protocol, for mail adapter, for the CIDX protocol and for connectivity
with WSRM (Web Service Reliable Messaging) enabled systems. In SAP PI message level security
enabled through the use of encryption, digital signature, SAML Assertion, Username token,
Certificate token, etc. Authentication methods supported by WS infrastructure for transport
level includes basic authentication (Password and Username), SAP assertion ticket, and HTTP
over SSL.

Connecting Integration Server with WSRM (Web Service Reliable Messaging) Enabled System

To connect with WSRM enabled system you use a communication channel of adapter type WS.

You use a sender agreement with an assigned WS sender adapter to connect the Integration
Server to a WS consumer
You use a receiver agreement with an assigned WS receiver adapter to connect the
integration server to a WS provider

Benefits of Security in SAP PI/PO

Permissions of the receiver application are checked against the original user
In the receiver system, a user can be audited
Dynamic configuration at the PI receiver channel

New Features in SAP PI/PO

 

The new features in SAP PI include

Centralized monitoring based on SAP solution manager.

Very large (binary) file to file transfer
IDOC ( Intermediate Document ) and HTTP adapters in AAE (Advance Adapter Engine)
User Centric perspective in the ESR
Interface and Mapping based message split on AAE
Time Out configuration per communication channel
Automated Transport for Schema Validation
Replacing Trex, user-defined message search
User Centric perspectives in the ESR
Add-on for SAP PI: Secure Connectivity add-on (SGTP Adapter, PGP module) & B2B add-ons
(OFTP adapter, AS2 adapter, EDI separator, EDI XML converter etc.) /
Advantages of SAP PI/PO

In comparison to any other middleware product monitoring in SAP PI is better. It offers

monitoring features like a message, performance, component monitoring and so on, all of
which can be used to track and rectify the errors.
SAP PI supports various SAP components which are required while integrating with SAP PI
Adapters and mappings are good as compared with any other middleware product
Asynchronous and Synchronous communication is possible

SAP PI vs. BizTalk

SAP PI BizTalk

Mostly used only by SAP customers to BizTalk is completely built on .Net, certified
enable SOAP-based integration by Microsoft and SAP to Integrate with SAP
directly without the need of any
middleware

ESB product designed and implemented More generalized product, ability to

to integrate SAP systems with Non- SAP integrate a variety of systems including
Systems SAP and other products

SAP PI has pre-delivered message Not available

monitoring system

SAP PI can do multiple data transfer Not available

In SAP PI automation can be manual as Not available

well as scheduled

SAP uses net weaver portal solution BizTalk uses MS SharePoint as a portal
solution

/
 SOA architecture paradigm for SAP is SOA is on basis of .NET and BizTalk
eSOA ( Enterprise Service Oriented
Architecture)

SAP PI Base Engine is priced based on MS BizTalk server is priced based on the
the overall processed message volume server capacity. It has four different version
expressed in Gigabytes/month. SAP PI is Enterprise, Standard, Branch, and
free to use between SAP-to-SAP Developer

When SAP PI/PO is not recommended in enterprise SOA (Service Oriented

Architecture)

SAP PI is not recommended for synchronous communication as it will put a significant load
on the infrastructure service for servicing asynchronous request
SAP PI is not recommended for UI driven scenarios if the backend is exposed as enterprise
services
SAP PI is not needed for intermediation if a non-SAP backend like J2EE or .NET platform is
exposing business services in a UI scenario

YOU MIGHT LIKE:

SAP - MM SAP-HANA SAP - BI

(/how-to-compare-price- (/sap-hana-analytic- (/sap-bw-bi-interview-

for-different- privileges.html) questions.html)
quotations.html) (/sap-hana-analytic- (/sap-bw-bi-
(/how-to-compare- privileges.html) interview-questions.html)
price-for-different- SAP HANA Analytic Privileges Top 40 SAP BW / BI Interview
quotations.html) Tutorial Questions & Answers
How to Compare Price for (/sap-hana-analytic- (/sap-bw-bi-interview-
Di erent Quotation: SAP privileges.html) questions.html)
ME49
(/how-to-compare-price-for-
different-quotations.html)

SAP - HR SAP - FI SAP - CO /

(/how-to-assign-a-job-cost- (/how-to-post-incoming- (/how-to-create-a-new-
center-to-a-positon.html) partial-payments-by- cost-center.html)
(/how-to-assign-a- residual-method.html) (/how-to-create-a-
job-cost-center-to-a- (/how-to-post-incoming- new-cost-center.html)
positon.html) partial-payments-by- How to create a new COST
How to assign a Job & Cost residual-method.html) CENTER: SAP KS01
Center to a Position in SAP Residual Method: Incoming & (/how-to-create-a-new-cost-
(/how-to-assign-a-job-cost- Outgoing Partial Payments center.html)
center-to-a-positon.html) Posting in SAP
(/how-to-post-incoming-
partial-payments-by-
residual-method.html)

(https://www.facebook.com/guru99com/)
(https://twitter.com/guru99com)
(https://www.linkedin.com/company/guru99/)

(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC19i1XD6k88KqHlET8atqFQ)

(https://forms.aweber.com/form/46/724807646.htm)

About
About Us (/about-us.html)
Advertise with Us (/advertise-us.html)
Write For Us (/become-an-instructor.html)
Contact Us (/contact-us.html)

Career Suggestion
SAP Career Suggestion Tool (/best-sap-module.html)
Software Testing as a Career (/software-testing-career-

/
complete-guide.html)

Interesting
eBook (/ebook-pdf.html)
Blog (/blog/)
Quiz (/tests.html)
SAP eBook (/sap-ebook-pdf.html)

Execute online
Execute Java Online (/try-java-editor.html)
Execute Javascript (/execute-javascript-online.html)
Execute HTML (/execute-html-online.html)
Execute Python (/execute-python-online.html)

© Copyright - Guru99 2020

        Privacy Policy (/privacy-policy.html)  |  Affiliate
Disclaimer (/affiliate-earning-disclaimer.html)  |  ToS
(/terms-of-service.html)