Introducing Cloud Integration

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to describe the complete Integration Flow process which we will implement in the next exercises

Introduction to Cloud Integration

In this lesson, the following topics are discussed:

  • What is Cloud Integration?
  • Key Features
  • Explore predefined Integration Content in SAP Business Accelerator Hub

What is SAP Cloud Integration?

The following statements try to answer the question:

  • It is one of the core capabilities of the SAP Integration Suite
  • It is based on the open source framework Camel from the Apache Software Foundation
  • SAP Cloud Integration supports end-to-end process integration through the exchange of messages
  • The development, deployment, and monitoring takes place in the browser with graphical tools
  • It is one of the Low Code/No Code tools

Key Features

The graphic shows the key features of cloud integration. Information on the integration flow is provided in the next paragraph.

An integration flow has a 0-1 sender adapter. The message is delivered via an endpoint if an adapter is configured. Various sender adapters are available on the sender side. (No. 1) After receipt of the message, the process is started via a startup event Start. This is followed by predefined processing steps. (No. 2) There is a wide range of integration capabilities that define different ways that messages can be processed on the integration platform. Ultimately, receiver adapters can be configured to complete the business process. Message processing can be carried out synchronously or asynchronously. With this concept, a lot of well-known enterprise integration patterns can be mapped.

Connectivity

The sender and receiver adapters are different. You are able to build your own adapter. To do this, you can use the provided Software Development Kit.

To determine which adapters are available depending on your license, you can display the adapters after creating an empty project template, as described in the following exercise. Perform the following steps:

  1. Start with an editable empty project template:The graphic shows an editable empty project template.
  2. Draw a line from the channel to the Start event. The available adapters are displayed:Draw a line from the channel to the Start event.
  3. Proceed with the same procedure on the recipient's side:Proceed with the same procedure on the recipient's side.

Integration Capabilities

All integration capabilities are categorized. Among them are the predefined processing steps. An integration flow now combines the individual capabilities to, for example, map a technical process. There are almost no limits to the possibilities of combination. To examine all available integration capabilities with the assigned individual steps, you can again start with the empty process template. You will find the tool palette on top of your screen. Every icon describes a functionality in the cloud integration user interface.

In the following case, this becomes visible at the transformation capability.

The graphic shows a palette of the transformation capability.

Predefined Integration Content

As previously indicated, the art of combining the integration capabilities in such a way is that it becomes a professional process. The integration flows can be complex. SAP offers over 400 predefined integration flows that can be consumed.

There are two ways to investigate the predefined integration content. A path directly via the Integration Suite is shown at the end of the course. The other variant is described in the following paragraph.

Explore Predefined Integration Content in SAP Business Accelerator Hub

All available predefined integration content is listed in the SAP Business Accelerator Hub, depending on the products to be integrated.

Procedure

The following steps must be carried out in order:

  • Open the SAP Business Accelerator Hub at: API.SAP.com
  • Navigate to the Discover Integrations tab
  • Choose the first product
  • Choose the second product which will be integrated with the first one
  • Find all available predefined integration content as an integration package, based on your selection
  • Navigate deeper in an integration package and find all available integration flows
  • Navigate deeper in an integration flow to find out the complete configuration

Further details about the steps:

  1. Discover the Integrations tab:Choose the Integrations tab.
  2. Choose the first product, for example, SAP S/4HANA:Choose SAP S/4HANA.
  3. Choose the second product, for example, SAP SuccessFactors:Choose SuccessFactors.
  4. Navigate to an integration package, for example, SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Integration with SAP ERP or SAP S/4HANA, Employee Data:Screenshot of SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Integration with SAP ERP or SAP S/4HANA, Employee Data.
  5. There is only one integration flow available. Navigate to this integration flow:Screenshot of the integration flow. Information about the integration flow is provided in the next paragraph.

Here, you will find all the information to understand this integration flow:

  • The configurations of all steps
  • The business documentations
  • And more

To consume this integration package or integration flow, you have to use the Discover menu within the Integration Suite. This is shown by the example of the Examples at the end of the exercises.

Sources

Read more:

Summary

Individual integration flows are compiled via predefined functional steps. They are divided into categories such as mapping, routing, and others, and provided as a palette. The process is started via exactly one incoming message. The contents of this message can then be manipulated in various ways in the process itself. The connectivity and flexibility comes from many sender and receiver adapters. In addition to creating the individual integration flow, SAP offers over 400 predefined integration flows, as they are often needed in the SAP environment.

Describe the iFlow Process Created in the Next Exercises

Business Scenario

An external consultant has presented an integration concept to your department manager, who wishes for you to implement it to identify a list of affected customers to be immediately informed. You will have access to the SAP system via an application interface to process the data. Management expects a prompt solution. The basic concept is presented in the next steps.

The diagram shows the whole exercise.

The consultant's integration concept is divided into seven key steps, which will be presented to you.

Task Flow

In this exercise, you will perform the following steps in one task:

  1. Send a List with ProductIDs as a SOAP message to the integration flow
  2. Iterate over the Product List
  3. Check each ProductID to see if it is available in the database
  4. Decide whether the ProductID exists in the database or not
  5. Get the SalesOrderLineItems (SalesOrderID, ItemPosition) as a feed for each ProductID
  6. Select the entry SalesHeader (CustomerID) for every SalesOrderLineItems (SalesOrderID, ItemPosition)
  7. In every SalesHeader, select the Customer Name and write it to a datastore

What do you learn within this exercise?

We discuss the integration process theoretically, highlighting all technical points.

Task 1: Prepare the Next Exercises

Steps

  1. Send a list with ProductIDs as a SOAP message to the integration flow.

    1. Send an XML message list via HTTPS and SOAP message to the deployed integration flow. The Message Exchange Pattern is One-Way (asynchron, fire, and forget).

      The graphic shows the SOAP adapter.
    2. The XML message contains the ProductIDs, for example HT-1000.

      Code Snippet
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      <soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"> <soapenv:Header/> <soapenv:Body> <List> <Product> <ProductID>HT-2001</ProductID> </Product> <Product> <ProductID>HT-1020</ProductID> </Product> <Product> <ProductID>HT-1035</ProductID> </Product> <Product> <ProductID>HT-6101</ProductID> </Product> <Product> <ProductID>HT-7000</ProductID> </Product> <Product> <ProductID>HT-2026</ProductID> </Product> <Product> <ProductID>HT-6100</ProductID> </Product> <Product> <ProductID>HT-9994</ProductID> </Product> <Product> <ProductID>HT-1254</ProductID> </Product> <Product> <ProductID>HT-1031</ProductID> </Product> <Product> <ProductID>HT-1036</ProductID> </Product> </List> </soapenv:Body> </soapenv:Envelope>
  2. Iterate over the Product List.

    1. Each ProductID from the list is processed individually, one by one.

      The graphic shows the splitter.
    2. For example, if the list has five ProductIDs, the following processing steps are executed five times (loop five times).

  3. Check each ProductID to see if it is available in the database.

    1. Call the following URL:

      Code Snippet
      1
      https:// < your host >/v1/GWSAMPLE_BASIC/ProductSet('< ProductID >')
      Code Snippet
      123
      for example: https://group00-xxxxxxxx-yyyyyy.prod.apimanagement.eu10.hana.ondemand.com/v1/GWSAMPLE_BASIC/ProductSet('HT-1000')
    2. The ProductID comes from the product list.

      The graphic shows the receiver.
    3. If a ProductID, for example, HT-1000 exists in the database, the following response is returned.

      Code Snippet
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      <ProductSet> <Product> <Category>Notebooks</Category> <ProductID>HT-1000</ProductID> <Name>Notebook Basic 15</Name> </Product> </ProductSet>
  4. Decide whether the ProductID exists in the database or not.

    1. If the response is empty, the current loop will be terminated and the next one will be started.

      The graphic shows the router.
    2. If the ProductID is available, then the response will be further processed.

  5. Get the SalesOrderLineItems (SalesOrderID, ItemPosition) as a feed for each ProductID.

    1. Get the SalesOrderLineItems (SalesOrderID, ItemPosition) as a feed for each ProductID.

      The graphic shows receiver two.

      If the ProductID is available, then the response is further processed.

    2. Check that the following feed for each ProductID with the following URL displays:

      Code Snippet
      1234
      https://< host >/v1/GWSAMPLE_BASIC/ProductSet('< ProductId >')/ToSalesOrderLineItems?$select=SalesOrderID,ItemPosition,DeliveryDate for example: https://group00-cld900-d052537.prod.apimanagement.eu10.hana.ondemand.com/v1/GWSAMPLE_BASIC/ProductSet('HT-1035')/ToSalesOrderLineItems?$select=SalesOrderID,ItemPosition,DeliveryDate
    3. Check that the feed is provided as a response. Below is an example with one entry:

      Screenshot of the XML.

      There can well be several thousand entries.

    4. Check that the important properties are SalesOrderId and ItemPosition.

      Screenshot of a short XML.
    5. Determine the number in advance with the following URL:

      Code Snippet
      1234
      https://< your host >/v1/GWSAMPLE_BASIC/ProductSet('< ProductID >')/ToSalesOrderLineItems/$count for example: https://group00-cld900-d052537.prod.apimanagement.eu10.hana.ondemand.com/v1/GWSAMPLE_BASIC/ProductSet('HT-1035')/ToSalesOrderLineItems/$count
  6. Enter the SalesHeader (CustomerID) for every SalesOrderLineItems (SalesOrderID, ItemPosition).

    1. Call the following URL. The SalesOrderID and ItemPosition came from the last API call.

      Code Snippet
      1234
      https://< host >v1/GWSAMPLE_BASIC/SalesOrderLineItemSet(SalesOrderID='< SalesOrderId >',ItemPosition='< ItemPositoion >')/ToHeader?$select=CustomerID,CustomerName,DeliveryStatus e.g: https://group00-cld900-d052537.prod.apimanagement.eu10.hana.ondemand.com/v1/GWSAMPLE_BASIC/SalesOrderLineItemSet(SalesOrderID='0500000001',ItemPosition='0000000040')/ToHeader?$select=CustomerID,CustomerName,DeliveryStatus
      The graphic shows the third receiver.
    2. An XML is provided as a response. Below is an example with one entry.

      Screenshot of the XML message.
    3. The important response property is CustomerName of the orderer.

      Screenshot of a short XML.
  7. In every SalesHeader, select the CustomerName, and write it to a datastore.

    1. Select the CustomerName and write it to the database.

      The graphic shows the Data Store with the end event.
    2. As a result, a Data Store is created in cloud integration that links the Customer Names to the list of delivered ProductIds.

    3. Below is the Data Store with the customer IDs matching the list.

      Screenshot of the Data Store overview.
    4. The generated list can now undergo further processing, with the API used to identify the products and communication data associated with each CustomerID and CustomerName, allowing the customers to be promptly informed of any potential delays.

Explore the Cloud Integration

Business Scenario

You are interested in learning how to construct an integration flow using the cloud integration.

Task Flow

In this exercise, you will perform the following tasks:

  1. Log on to the Cloud Integration
  2. Explore the Cloud Integration

Prerequisites

  • You have a working Integration Suite.
  • You have a working Cloud Integration.

Outcome after this exercise

You have acquired some preliminary experience with Cloud Integration.

What do you learn within this exercise?

Get familiar with the key navigation elements in cloud integration and their functions.

Task 1: Log on to the Cloud Integration

Steps

  1. Log on to the Integration Suite.

    1. Navigate to your subaccount to Instances and SubscriptionsIntegration Suite.

      Screenshot of the Integration Suite overview.
    2. Now, navigate to the individual areas.

Task 2: Explore the Cloud Integration

Steps

  1. Explore the Discover area.

    1. Navigate to DiscoverIntegrations.

    2. You will find all available predefined integration scenarios here, just as you do in the SAP Business Accelerator Hub.

      Screenshot of all available predefined integration scenarios in Discover.
  2. Explore the Design area.

    1. Navigate to DesignIntegrations and APIs.

      Choose Design > Integrations and APIs from the menu.
    2. This is the most important development area, where you can create, deploy, and manage integration flows and other artifacts.

      Screenshot of the integration flow overview.
  3. Explore the Monitor area.

    1. Navigate to MonitorIntegrations and APIs.

      Choose Monitor > Integrations and APIs from the menu.
    2. Here, you can:

      • Monitor Message Processing
      • Manage Integration Content
      • Manage Security
      • Manage Stores
      • Access Logs
      • Manage Locks
      • View Usage Details
      Screenshot of the Monitoring overview.
  4. Explore the Settings area.

    1. Navigate to SettingsIntegrations.

      Choose Settings > Integrations.
    2. Here, you can manage:

      • Runtime Profiles
      • Transport
      • System
      • Custom Tags
      • Malware Scanner
      • Software Updates
      • Design Guidelines
      Screenshot of the settings in the Integration Suite.
  5. Find more information within the online guide.

    1. Access the online guide via user symbolOnline Guide.

      Choose Online Guide from the top right corner.
    2. You can navigate through every area here to access further information.

      Screenshot of the SAP Help Portal.

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