Defining Integration Best Practices

Objectives

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Define integration best practices.
  • Perform the procedures to create integration best practices.

Steps for Integration Best Practices

When it comes to defining integration best practices, we could look at multiple different examples. However, as mentioned in Unit 2, SAP Integration Solution Advisory Methodology focuses on the following three steps to define integration best practices:

Procedures to Create Integration Best Practices

Definition of Integration Dos and Don’ts

Integration dos and don’ts are simple principles and aspects that can be applied or considered when implementing integration scenarios. Integration dos and don’ts can also help you to avoid certain things by implementing an integration scenario. It is advisable to limit the definition to the most important rules. Otherwise, you run the risk of the integration developers being unable to take into account all the rules.

The SAP Integration Solution Advisory Methodology tries to define integration rules for integration styles. For specifying integration dos and don’ts, there is no tool-based approach available. You have to use the provided template:

After downloading the Integration Dos and Don’ts Template, you have to fill it out as follows:

  • Header row: Enter the integration style for which you want to define integration dos and don’ts.
  • Left column: Enter the integration dos.
  • Right column: Enter the integration don’ts.

Create Architecture Blueprints

In general, architecture blueprints describe the scope of integration technologies. By using architecture diagrams, they include relationships and characteristics.

Architecture blueprints offer a template solution for an architecture in a certain area. When looking at the area "enterprise integration", an architecture blueprint is a visual description that demonstrates the components of an integration architecture, including their relationship and integration touchpoints with business application. Further details, for example, interface technologies, can be added if needed by your IT architects. It is possible that more than one architectural option is available, for example, because of a business-specific solution design.

In addition to that, you can add specific characteristics for each architecture blueprint. This helps your integration developers to identify the most suitable architecture for an integration requirement.

Creating architecture blueprints is easily possible by using the template-based approach from Integration Solution Advisory Methodology. The Integration Assessment capability does not support this part. To use the template effectively, you have to perform the following steps:

  1. Download the SAP Business Technology Platform Solution Diagrams & Icons Guideline and Download the SAP Business Technology Platform icons collection ZIP file.
  2. Follow the Terms Of Use for the SAP Business Technology Platform Solution Diagrams, Design Elements & Icon and find the icon, diagram design elements, and sample diagrams that you need.
  3. Create your own architecture blueprints for enterprise integration.
  4. Download the Architecture Blueprint Description Template and do the following:
    • First slide: Add the architecture blueprint diagram you have created before and supply it with a set of characteristics/selection criteria.
    • Second slide (info sheet): Add information about the purpose of the architecture blueprint, the Involved technologies and mention when and how to apply.

Implementation of Guidelines

Guidelines are always important because they guide you through all processes. Integration guidelines are often written down in so called integration handbooks or integration best practices (there are also many more options to document them) and can be easily shared with the whole company. The goal of such integration guidelines is to make sure that integration processes (integration flows) are designed to protect your organization's mission-critical processes.

The following topics should be covered by an implementation guideline:

  1. How to design integration scenarios (for example, naming conventions)?
  2. What are the integration qualities (for example, design of reliable integration scenarios)?
  3. How is the back-end configured (for example, communication arrangements)?
  4. Information about the Lifecycle Management (for example, release date or planned update cycle).

This step is only supported by the template-based approach via Integration Solution Advisory Methodology. The Integration Assessment capability does not support this part. So, keep in mind that if you don’t have any integration development guidelines available, you can use the "Integration Development Guideline Template" from SAP:

After downloading the template (to find the template, choose this link: Download the Integration Development Guideline Template), you have to perform the following steps:

  1. Check the scope of sections and/or remove sections.
  2. Specify each of the sections by looking at the customer-specific integration context.

For more information and the corresponding templates, see the SAP Help Portal: SAP Integration Solution Advisory Methodology Overview.

You have learned a lot about the Integration Solution Advisory Methodology, which is a template-based approach to assess your integration strategy, design your hybrid integration platform, define integration best practices, and which, in the end, enables a practice of empowerment. Now, let's have a deeper look at the next exercises by working with the Integration Assessment capability within SAP Integration Suite. With this, as mentioned before, you have a tool-based approach with which you can also perform most of the steps (but not all) of the Integration Solution Advisory Methodology.

Configure the Integration Assessment Tool

Business Scenario

As an Integration Architect, your role involves configuring the landscape for your organization. The following steps guide you in setting up the landscape for your organization.

Task Flow

In this exercise, you perform the following steps:

  1. Log on to the Integration Assessment Tool.
  2. Configure the Integration Assessment Tool.

Prerequisites

  • You have access to the SAP Integration Suite.
  • You have access to the Integration Assessment tool.

Outcome of This Exercise

Get familiar with configuring the Integration Assessment tool.

What Do You Learn Within This Exercise

You are enabled in configuring the Integration Assessment tool as an Integration Architect.

Exercise Options

You can perform this exercise in two ways:

  1. Live Environment: choose Start Exercise, and from the entry page choose Open PDF Document. Follow the steps described in this pdf in your own system landscape.
  2. Simulation: choose Start Exercise, and from the entry page choose Start Tutorial. Watch the step-by-step instructions within the simulation.

Note

We recommend running the simulation first.
ExerciseStart Exercise

Task 1: Configure the Integration Assessment Tool

Steps

  1. Log on to the Integration Assessment tool.

    1. In the Integration Suite, choose the Manage and Provide Integration technology Guidance – Create Request tile.

    2. Check that you see the following screen:

  2. Configure the Integration Assessment tool.

    Use the following data:

    FieldValue
    Vendor 1Barilla
    Vendor 2Gemelli

    1. To open the submenu, choose the Configure tile on the left side.

    2. Choose Vendors to start the configuration.

      This allows you to configure all vendors in your organization that will be used for an application or an integration technology.

    3. Select Create to define a new vendor.

    4. In the Vendor field, enter Barilla. Choose Create.

    5. Create a second vendor with the name Gemelli.

  3. Create an Integration Technology Profile.

    Use the following data:

    FieldValue
    NameSmartvision
    Vendor<select your created Vendor> Barilla

    1. In the submenu of Configure, select Integration Technologies, and create an Integration Technology Profile.

    2. To create a new Integration Technology profile, enter the data from the table above.

    3. Choose the Create button to finish this step.

    4. In the newly created Technology Profile, choose Edit on the top-right corner.

    5. Select the Domains and Styles tab to add a Integration Domain and Integration Style to the profile.

    6. Choose Add.

    7. Select the domains Cloud2Cloud and Cloud2OnPremise. Choose the Add button.

    8. Select the Styles and choose the Add button.

    9. Select the styles Process Integration and Data Integration.

      Note

      These values come from the Settings section.

    10. Choose the Add button.

    11. Choose the Done button in the upper-right corner to finish the configuration.

  4. Create additional Technology Instances.

    Use the following data:

    FieldValue
    Technology ProfileSAP Application Interface
    Instance NameAIF
    Deployment ModelOn-premise

    1. Select the Technology Instance tab.

    2. Choose Create to create a new instance for applications from the Technology Profile.

      The Deployment Model can have one of the settings: Private Cloud, Public Cloud, or On-Premise.

    3. Enter the data from the table above and choose Create.

  5. Create additional Technology Instances.

    Use the following details:

    Technology ProfileInstance NameDeployment Model
    SAP Integration Suite, APIAPIMPublic Cloud
    SmartvisionSellOn-premise
    SAP Integration Suite, Cloud IntegrationCIPublic Cloud
    SAP Integration Suite, Integration AdvisorIAPublic Cloud
    SAP Integration Suite, Open ConnectorsOCPublic Cloud
    SAP Process OrchestrationPOOn-premise

    1. Perform the steps as described above.

    2. Check the result:

  6. Create Applications.

    1. Select Applications from the left menu.

      Note

      Applications are the representative software solutions independent of deployment models. Integration assessment differentiates between application profile, which indicates the software group and application instance, which is the actual runtime component.

    2. Choose Create and search for any non-SAP application. In the screenshot provided, we have selected Amazon.

    3. Select Create.

    4. Check the result:

    5. Go back to Application and choose Create.

    6. Switch to the Application Profile, which you need to select by yourself.

      Use the following data:

      FieldValue
      Application ProfileAddress
      VendorBarilla

    7. Check the result:

    8. Select the newly created Application Profile, in our example, Amazon.

    9. Select the Edit button.

    10. From the dropdown menu, choose Amazon as vendor.

    11. Choose Done and Application Profile to return to the landing page.

    12. Select the Application Instance tab and choose Create.

    13. Enter the following data:

      FieldValue
      Application ProfileSAP ERP
      Instance NameECC_OP
      Deployment ModelOn-Premise

    14. Choose Create.

  7. Create additional Application Instances.

    Use the following details:

    Application ProfileInstance NameDeployment
    SAP S/4HANAS4_HANAOn-Premise
    AddressCustomer_AdressOn-Premise
    SAP HANASAP_HANAPublic Cloud
    SAP ERPSAP_ERPOn-Premise
    SAP Marketing CloudMarketing_CloudPublic Cloud

    1. Perform the required steps as described previously.

Create a Business Solution and Interface Requests

Business Scenario

As a Business User, your task is to create a Business Request for the development of a new interface. To accomplish this, you use the Integration Assessment tool and complete the standard default questionnaire provided by SAP. This tool assists you in capturing the necessary information and requirements for the interface development process.

Task Flow

In this exercise, you perform the following tasks:

  1. Log on to the Integration Assessment Tool.
  2. Create a Business Solution and Interface Request.

Prerequisites

  • You have access to the SAP Integration Suite.
  • You have access to the Integration Assessment tool.

Outcome of This Exercise

Get familiar in creating a Business Solution Request in the Integration Assessment tool as a Business User.

What Do You Learn Within This Exercise

You are enabled in creating a Business Solution request in the Integration Assessment tool.

Exercise Options

You can perform this exercise in two ways:

  1. Live Environment: choose Start Exercise, and from the entry page choose Open PDF Document. Follow the steps described in this pdf in your own system landscape.
  2. Simulation: choose Start Exercise, and from the entry page choose Start Tutorial. Watch the step-by-step instructions within the simulation.

Note

We recommend running the simulation first.
ExerciseStart Exercise

Task 1: Create a Business Solution and Interface Requests

Steps

  1. Create a Business Solution Request.

    Use the following data:

    FieldValue
    NameOrder2Cash
    Details
    Which master and/or transactional data will be exchanged?Customer and Order2Cash Process
    To which business process does your integration scenario belongs ?Order2Cash
    What is the planned business go-live date?Nov, 11, 2023
    What is the business criticality of this integration scenario?Medium
    Interface Request
    NameOrder2Cash
    Source Application InstanceS4_HANA
    Target Application InstanceMarketing_Cloud
    StyleProcess Integration

    1. In the Integration Suite, choose the Manage and Provide Integration technology Guidance: Create Request tile.

    2. Check that you see the following screen:

    3. Select Request and then choose Business Solution Request.

    4. Select Create to create a new Business Solution Request.

    5. Enter the following Name for the Business Solution Request Order2Cash.

    6. Choose Create.

    7. Enter the details from the table above.

    8. Choose Create.

    9. Enter the data from the table above for the Interface Request.

    10. Choose Create.

    11. Choose on Next Step to proceed.

    12. If you need to add/upload some business-related documents, you can do this here.

    13. Choose the Done button to finish your Business Solution Request.

    14. As the Business Solution Request is now ready to be submitted, choose Submit.

      After submitting, the Business Solution Request goes into the Requirement Analysis.

  2. Configure the Transformation step.

    Use the following data:

    FieldValue
    Transformation step
    • a. Yes
    • b. Simple Transformation
    • c. No (B2B)

    1. Check that the status changed to Requirement Analysis. Choose Request to go back on the landing page.

    2. Check that you see a new Interface Request on the Request landing page:

    3. Choose Request on the Integration Assessment landing page.

    4. Choose Interface Request to see your last created Order2Cash request.

    5. Choose Requirement Analysis.

    6. Choose A2A Integration. Choose Next Step.

    7. In the Transformation step, enter the data from the table above. Choose Next Step.

    8. Choose Create in the Integration Content step.

    9. Choose, via the SAP Business Accelerator Hub content, your created Order2Cash scenario.

    10. The system connects to SAP Business Accelerator Hub to receive content.

    11. Search for Account Overview and Account Search. Select both.

    12. Check that you see the following screen. Choose Next Step.

  3. Configure the Connectivity and the Monitoring and Operations steps.

    Use the following data:

    FieldValue
    This question is about protocol conversion from source system to target system.Choose "Yes"
    This question is for managing Trading Partner Management.Choose "No"
    Choose "Application Connectors"
    Choose "Technology Connectors"
    Monitoring and Operations
    This question is to provide monitoring ability to Business Users or nor.Choose "Yes"
    This question is to provide monitoring ability forward technical errors or no.Choose "Yes"
    Selected entries
    For SAP Application Interface FrameworkSelect "AIF"
    For SAP Integration Suite, Cloud IntegrationSelect "CI"

    1. Set the configuration, as described in the table above.

    2. Choose Next Step.

    3. In the Monitoring and Operations step, enter the data from the table above.

      A summary of all chosen topics displays.

    4. Choose Go to Technology Selection.

    5. Choose Select Technology.

      Now, you can see the request of your requirements.

      Each technology covers a subset of requirements (which you can view on the key characteristic's tab). When using both technologies together, you can achieve a full coverage of the requirements.

      The selected technologies are highlighted.

    6. Choose the relevant instance from the dropdown menu and choose Select.

    7. Enter the data from the table above.

    8. Choose Submit to complete this Interface Request.

      The landing page of the Interface Request displays.

    9. Prove the status of the Interface Requests.

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