Process Integration and Orchestration Course

Course Overview

• Introduction to process integration and orchestration
• Objectives:
  • Understand what is process integration (PI)
  • Understand what is process orchestration (PO)
  • Differentiate between PI and PO
  • Hands-on exercises on various scenarios

Course Structure

• Initial theory through slides
• Individual components of PI will be covered
• Hands-on exercises after the theory
• Architecture options of PI will be discussed

Key Concepts of Process Integration

What is Process Integration?

• Part of SAP NetWeaver Suite
• An Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) platform
• Integrates SAP and non-SAP applications
• Also known as Enterprise Service Bus (ESB)

Importance of Process Integration

• Governed and sophisticated means of integrating applications
• Avoids chaos of point-to-point connections (Spaghetti Model)
• Enables change management and impact analysis

Components of Process Integration

1. System Landscape Directory (SLD)

   • Acts like a phonebook for all systems in the landscape
   • Registers all systems (SAP and non-SAP)

2. Enterprise Services Repository (ESR)

   • Design time for PI
   • Defines data formats and mappings
   • Previous name: Integration Repository

3. Integration Directory (ID)

   • Configuration time for PI
   • Where interfaces are configured using objects from ESR

4. Integration Server

   • Runtime of PI
   • Contains three essential components:
     • Central Adapter Engine: Connectivity layer
     • Integration Engine: Main pipeline for processing
     • Business Process Engine: For managing business processes (CCBPM)

A to A and B to B Integration

• A to A Integration: Application to Application integration within the same corporate landscape
• B to B Integration: Business to Business integration across different corporate entities

Architecture Options

• Dual Stack Installation: Combination of ABAP and Java stacks
• Single Stack Installation: Java-only installation, also known as Advanced Adapter Engine (AEX)

Process Orchestration

• Combination of three SAP products:
  • AEX (Java-only PI)
  • NetWeaver Business Process Management (BPM)
  • NetWeaver Business Rules Management (BRM)
• Separate licensing from Process Integration

Summary of Key Components

• SLD: Directory of all systems in the landscape
• ESR: Design time; interfaces are designed
• ID: Configuration time; interfaces are configured
• Integration Server: Runtime; processes messages through various engines

Next Steps

• Start hands-on exercises
• Building first integration using the System Landscape Directory (SLD)

Session Wrap Up

• Covered key concepts and architecture of PI and PO
• Next session will focus on SLD and building first interface together.