In today’s enterprise IT landscapes, hybrid integration scenarios—connecting cloud applications with on-premise systems—are increasingly common. SAP Cloud Platform (now part of SAP Business Technology Platform - BTP) provides robust tools and services to design, manage, and execute these hybrid integration scenarios, enabling seamless business processes across diverse environments.
This article explores key concepts, challenges, and best practices for implementing hybrid integration using SAP Cloud Platform.
¶ Understanding Hybrid Integration
Hybrid integration involves connecting cloud-based applications (such as SAP S/4HANA Cloud, SuccessFactors, or third-party SaaS) with on-premise systems (like SAP ERP, legacy databases, or custom applications). These integrations enable consistent data exchange, process automation, and unified user experiences across cloud and on-premise landscapes.
- Protect legacy investments: Leverage existing on-premise systems without costly migrations.
- Enable gradual cloud adoption: Combine the agility of the cloud with trusted on-premise processes.
- Ensure data compliance: Keep sensitive data on-premise while integrating with cloud apps.
- Support complex business processes: Orchestrate end-to-end workflows involving multiple environments.
The SAP Cloud Connector acts as a secure, bi-directional tunnel between SAP Cloud Platform and on-premise systems. It:
- Provides secure access to internal systems without opening firewall ports.
- Supports protocol translation (e.g., HTTPS, RFC, SOAP).
- Manages user authentication and access control.
A comprehensive integration platform-as-a-service (iPaaS) that supports:
- Hybrid integration flows using adapters and pre-built connectors.
- Orchestration of data and processes between cloud and on-premise.
- Monitoring and error handling across environments.
Lightweight agents installed on-premise to facilitate communication and data transfer with cloud services securely.
- Data Replication: Synchronize master data (e.g., customer, material) from on-premise ERP to cloud applications.
- Process Orchestration: Automate workflows spanning on-premise and cloud (e.g., order management).
- API Exposure: Expose on-premise services as APIs accessible by cloud applications.
- Event-Driven Integration: Trigger cloud processes based on events occurring in on-premise systems.
- Identify systems and data flows requiring integration.
- Define security, compliance, and latency needs.
- Install and configure Cloud Connector on-premise.
- Define accessible systems and resources.
- Configure user mappings and access control.
- Use SAP Integration Suite to build integration scenarios.
- Choose appropriate adapters (SOAP, OData, RFC) for communication.
- Apply data transformation and routing logic.
- Use HTTPS/TLS for secure communication.
- Manage credentials securely via SAP CPI keystore.
- Enforce role-based access and authentication.
¶ Step 5: Test and Monitor
- Validate end-to-end data flows.
- Use SAP Cloud Platform monitoring tools for error handling and performance tracking.
- Prioritize Security: Protect data with encryption and strong authentication.
- Optimize Performance: Minimize latency by localizing processing where possible.
- Leverage Pre-Built Content: Use SAP’s integration packages to accelerate development.
- Maintain Clear Documentation: Document integration points, data mappings, and security policies.
- Monitor Continuously: Implement proactive monitoring to detect and resolve issues early.
A company integrates SAP S/4HANA on-premise with SAP SuccessFactors in the cloud for employee data synchronization. Using SAP Cloud Connector, secure RFC connections to the ERP system are established. SAP Integration Suite orchestrates the flow, transforming and transferring employee master data automatically, ensuring consistency and compliance.
Hybrid integration scenarios enable enterprises to harness the power of the cloud while preserving their critical on-premise systems. SAP Cloud Platform offers a secure, scalable, and flexible foundation to implement such integrations effectively.
By following best practices and leveraging SAP’s integration tools, organizations can achieve seamless connectivity, improve business agility, and support their hybrid IT strategies with confidence.