SAP Integration Suite allows businesses to easily share and exchange valuable data with both internal and external stakeholders.
It provides quick implementation of integration scenarios through plug-and-play content, optimization through ongoing management of the integration content, and repeatability through capabilities such as API Management and Open Connectors. Additionally, it includes technical tools to cover all the different data sources and transactions that are a part of your integration landscape.
The suite’s key ability is to unlock data access and usage within and outside of your organization. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the capabilities offered by SAP Integration Suite.
Capabilities
The major capabilities of SAP Integration Suite include Cloud Integration, API Management, Open Connectors, Integration Advisor, and SAP API Business Hub.
Cloud Integration
As companies transition to the cloud, it is necessary to consider the many elements that need to be unified. Businesses must integrate different systems and applications in hybrid landscapes that are developed and maintained on different technology stacks, following different security standards, with different business interface specifications. The Cloud Integration capability of SAP Integration Suite enables enterprises to connect these various applications quickly and seamlessly, regardless of the landscape.
API Management
The suite’s API Management capability provides a central layer to govern, manage, and meter APIs. It provides a code-free, web-based framework to design new APIs, manage existing APIs, enrich APIs with security and access policies, make logical groupings using product catalogs, and offer APIs via a developer portal to the community. You can also associate rate plans with APIs to monetize API access. An API-based integration approach focuses on providing a plug point that can be used to support the creation of applications and extensions, as well as the integration of businesses.
Open Connectors
The Open Connectors capability of SAP Integration Suite provides third-party connectors via a unified REST API layer, with normalized authentication, error handling, and connectivity mechanisms. This allows developers to focus on building business integrations rather than learning about the technology used to integrate with third-party systems.
Integration Advisor
A large part of the integration process in any implementation project is related to mapping business interfaces, which is executed by the functional consultant and technical developer. However, this can be time-consuming and costly. The Integration Advisor capability of SAP Integration Suite helps you accelerate development of your business interfaces and mappings. It includes out-of-the-box content for SAP S/4HANA and various EDI industry standards.
SAP API Business Hub
SAP provides end-to-end (E2E) process blueprints. These E2E blueprints are now published and available on SAP API Business Hub (api.sap.com). With them, SAP shares a reference architecture of which solutions are required to become an intelligent enterprise and the target state of enterprise architecture. Organizations can now explore how E2E processes can be broken down into applications, modules, business services, technologies, and integrations. All integration content is linked, such as APIs for integration. Based on this information, companies can plan their roadmaps to adopt the solution and to transition from their current solution landscapes to their target landscapes.
Four business process (see below) already exist on SAP API Business Hub, as follows:
- Lead to cash provides an end-to-end scenario that manages all aspects of your experience, from the initial interaction to order fulfillment and service delivery.
- Source to pay covers strategic and operational procurement, from finding the source of supply to procuring as well as receiving goods and services.
- Hire to retire is a subprocess of the recruit to retire scenario, covering the lifecycle of an internal employee.
- Travel to reimburse simplifies the travel process, from trip planning to reimbursement, while ensuring compliance for employers and employees in various roles.
For more information on SAP API Business Hub, see https://api.sap.com/themes/BusinessProcesses.
Looking at the details of each process, an enterprise can look to optimize its existing processes to suit its future transformation journey with SAP S/4HANA and further evaluate its extension and integration requirements.
For example, the lead to cash business process provides an end-to-end scenario from initial interaction to order fulfillment and service delivery. It provides a process template based on best practices, as well as common scenarios, and it can be adapted or extended based on your specific requirements. The process may vary depending on the industry type, the type of customers, and the sales channel used, whether e-commerce or direct sales. The next figure shows an example of the lead to cash process.
Learn about connecting SAP API Business Hub to SAP S/4HANA Cloud here.
About the SAP Integration Suite Book
Are you ready to take advantage of SAP Integration Suite, but need some guidance? We’ve published the SAP Integration Suite book to help you explore the capabilities and functionality of the suite that will set you up for a successful integration!
Start with an introduction to typical IT landscapes and the benefits of simplifying integration. Then focus on the capabilities offered by SAP Integration Suite. You’ll learn about operations, governance, security, and monitoring.
The book explains prepackaged integrations offered by SAP API Business Hub and shows readers how to search, discover, and consume integrations and APIs. After that, it will teach you how an organization can leverage API approaches to cover hybrid integration needs.
Explore a hands-on approach to integration, learning how to design, deploy, and monitor your first integration flow. You will also learn how the Cloud Integration capability helps to simplify application-to-application (A2A), business-to-business (B2B), business-to-government (B2G), cloud-to-cloud, and cloud-to-on-premise integrations in a low-code approach.
Explore the Integration Advisor and how it can help you simplify and streamline the implementation flow of your B2B integration processes. Then, get practical instructions for discovering, authenticating, and consuming prebuilt connectors with the Open Connectors capability.
Next, learn how to leverage SAP Event Mesh as an event hub and how to benefit from a decoupled architecture. Wrap up with a discussion on recent innovations that enhance integration strategies and the future potential of SAP Integration Suite, including its roadmap.
Who Is This Book For?
This book is for anyone interested in learning about SAP Integration Suite and how to take advantage of its industry-leading capabilities within their landscape. Customers, partners, consultants, technology leaders, and process owners from all business areas (sales, marketing, finance, human resources, technology, operations, and service) who are evaluating or planning to implement SAP Integration Suite solutions will find this book a great starting point.
About the Authors
Christopher Aron is vice president, go-to-market and a leading expert for SAP Business Technology Platform and has been nurturing and growing SAP Integration Suite’s market adoption for more than five years.
Piyush Gakhar is director of product management for SAP Integration Suite and leads a team of integration product managers.
Shilpa Vij is a senior product manager for SAP Integration Suite. She started her professional journey at Tata Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd as a C++ developer.
How to Purchase
If you’re interested in purchasing SAP Integration Suite, follow this link and choose the format that works best for you: e-book, print edition, or bundle (both e-book and print).
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