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Are you looking for benefits of SAP CPI over SAP PI/PO to migrate or adapt? Here is a comparison between SAP CPI and SAP PI/PO to help you choose the right option that’ll be suitable for you. Let’s begin. 

Introduction

In the current business landscape, there are multiple systems that need to talk to each other seamlessly and in real time. The complexity increases multifold when there is a mix of on-premise systems and cloud based systems.  

And, when it comes to choosing an integration software from SAP or migrating to cloud integration, many of us often have challenges in arriving at the decision with right information in hand – SAP CPI or SAP PI/PO. 

So, if you are currently reading this blog, we think you are in the same dilemma as well. 

Well, there’s no need to worry. Here, we’ve offered a comparison between SAP CPI and SAP PI/PO in this blog series to help you decide.

Note: Before you proceed ahead please take note that SAP PI/PO is reaching End-of-Life (EOL) by Dec 2027. So, keep the long term plan in mind and make the right choice. 

What is SAP PI and SAP PO?

SAP PO (Process Orchestration) is the on-premise licence solution from SAP that contains the following solutions:

SAP PO is a tool that makes it easier for you to synchronise data between different types of systems. It simplifies the automation or optimisation of any sort of business process you are dealing with.

On the other hand, SAP PI (Process Integration) is an on-premise enterprise grade integration platform that offers seamless integration between a non-SAP and a SAP system. 

With a bit of heavy technical loading, You can also use it to integrate between – 

• Application to Application (A2A), 

• Business to Business (B2B)

• Business to Consumer (B2C) platforms or applications

So, basically, using SAP PI/PO might end up being a killer combination for your business, if you know what you’re doing. However, with this solution reaching EOL, the investment is at risk providing only short term benefits. If you are still unsure about how you should approach it, we’d ask you to opt for an expert, like vVolve. It’ll be much, much better.

SAP BTP and What is SAP CPI? 

SAP BTP, or SAP Business Technology Platform, is a cloud-based platform offered by SAP that provides a range of services and tools for – 

• Building, 

• Deploying,

• Integrating, and 

• Managing data, applications and business processes. 

It’s a one-stop shop for everything you need to run your applications and services in the cloud.

SAP Cloud Platform Integration (SAP CPI) is a sub-component of SAP BTP. It’s essentially an integration service that helps connect different applications and systems, allowing them to share data and work together seamlessly. In SAP BTP, this is termed as SAP BTP Integration Suite (SAP IS). For the sake of easier understanding in this blog, we are going to use the term SAP CPI and SAP IS interchangeably. 

So, here’s the key point: If you have already subscribed for SAP BTP, you have the option to additionally subscribe for SAP CPI capabilities. SAP BTP IS offers additional capabilities apart from SAP CPI, that includes pre-built connectors, API management tools, Migration assessment tools, advisory tools, monitoring tools etc. 

In summary, SAP CPI comes with a lot more functions and capabilities to integrate anything to anything seamlessly and with rapid development / monitoring capabilities.

With this solution available on the cloud, it helps in rapid onboarding to get started with the integration activities (less than 24hrs). This solution also comes with 99.7% SLA making it mandatory for any business critical applications.

When Should You Use SAP CPI?

While running your a business, and you’re dealing with tons of data and applications. You’ve got customer information in one system, sales information in another, and maybe some third-party apps you use for various purposes. 

It’s like a digital puzzle, and you need a way to make all these pieces fit together seamlessly. That’s where SAP CPI comes in handy.

1. When You Need to Connect Apps and Data

You should use SAP CPI when you want to connect different applications and data sources. It’s like the universal translator for your digital tools. Whether it’s your CRM, ERP, or a custom app, SAP CPI can help them all communicate with each other.

2. For Streamlining Business Processes

If you find yourself doing a lot of manual data entry or copying information from one system to another, it’s time to consider SAP CPI. It automates these processes, reducing errors and saving you time and effort.

3. Handling Real-Time Data

SAP CPI is great when you need real-time data synchronisation. For instance, in e-commerce, when a customer places an order, you want that order information to instantly update your inventory and trigger the shipping process. SAP CPI can make this happen seamlessly.

4. When You’re Expanding or Migrating

If your business is growing or you’re migrating to new systems, SAP CPI is your friend. It makes the transition smoother by ensuring your old and new systems can talk to each other during the change along with tools for data migration

5. Integrating with Partners or Customers

When you need to integrate with external partners or provide access to your systems for customers, SAP CPI’s secure and scalable architecture can help you achieve that without compromising data security.

SAP CPI: What Makes It Better than SAP PI/PO

SAP PI/PO is reaching the end of life,  and, naturally, SAP CPI is the successor to adopt. Here’s why SAP CPI is better:

1. Simplified Integration

SAP CPI simplifies integration by providing a unified platform to connect various applications, both within and outside of the SAP ecosystem. 

With pre-built adapters and templates for popular software solutions, businesses can reduce development time and effort, accelerating the integration process.

2. Flexibility and Scalability

As businesses grow, their integration needs evolve. SAP CPI offers flexibility and scalability, allowing organisations to adapt to changing requirements. 

Whether it’s connecting on-premises systems, cloud applications, or mobile devices, CPI offers the versatility needed to scale integrations as the business expands.

3. Reduced TCO (Total Cost of Ownership)

CPI’s cloud-based nature eliminates the need for extensive on-premises infrastructure, resulting in cost savings. 

Organisations can also benefit from pay-as-you-go pricing models, ensuring that they only pay for the resources they use, further reducing the TCO associated with integration efforts.

4. Real-time Data Exchange

Timely access to data is critical in today’s business environment. SAP CPI enables real-time data exchange between applications, ensuring that information is always up to date. This capability enhances decision-making processes and improves customer responsiveness.

5. Enhanced Visibility and Monitoring

CPI provides comprehensive monitoring and analytics tools that offer insights into integration processes. 

This transparency enables organisations to identify bottlenecks, errors, or performance issues quickly, allowing for proactive troubleshooting and optimization.

6. Improved Customer Experiences

Efficient integration empowers organisations to provide superior customer experiences. With SAP CPI, businesses can connect CRM systems, e-commerce platforms, and other customer-facing applications seamlessly. It can result in a unified view of customer data and interactions.

7. Compliance and Security

SAP CPI adheres to stringent security and compliance standards. It offers features such as data encryption, role-based access control, and audit trails to safeguard sensitive information and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Key Features of SAP CPI

SAP CPI  is a critical component of the SAP Integration Suite. It is designed to simplify and streamline the integration of applications, data, and processes within your organisation. Here are some key features of CPI, along with additional tools available as part of the SAP Integration Suite:

• Pre-Built Adapters: SAP CPI offers a wide range of pre-built adapters for connecting to popular third-party applications, databases, and protocols. These adapters simplify the integration process by providing out-of-the-box connectivity.

• Integration Flow Designer: CPI includes a web-based integration flow designer that allows developers to create integration flows using a visual, drag-and-drop interface. This makes it easier to design, configure, and test integration scenarios.

• Message Transformation: CPI provides tools for transforming and mapping data between different formats, such as JSON, XML, and flat files. This ensures that data is correctly structured and compatible between systems.

• Monitoring and Analytics: The platform offers comprehensive monitoring and analytics capabilities, allowing users to track the performance of integration flows in real-time. It also provides error handling and alerting features to ensure smooth operations.

• Security and Compliance: CPI follows strict security and compliance standards, including data encryption, authentication, and access control. It helps organisations maintain data security and adhere to regulatory requirements.

• Cloud-Native: As a cloud-native solution, CPI eliminates the need for on-premises infrastructure, reducing operational complexity and costs. It also scales easily to accommodate changing integration needs.

• Lifecycle Management: CPI offers features for managing the entire lifecycle of integration flows, from development and testing to deployment and monitoring. This ensures that integrations remain efficient and reliable over time.

• REST and SOAP Support: CPI supports both REST and SOAP protocols, making it versatile in connecting to a wide range of web services and APIs.

Summary

SAP CPI is a powerful integration platform-as-a-service (iPaaS) solution that can be used to connect a wide range of applications, data sources, and devices.

SAP CPI is a good choice for organisations that are already  invested in the SAP ecosystem. 

It is tightly integrated with other SAP products and services, and it offers a wide range of pre-built connectors for SAP applications and third parties. 

SAP CPI is also a good choice for organisations that need to process large volumes of data or that have complex integration requirements. 

So, as you can see, both SAP PI/PO and SAP CPI can, indeed, be used to meet your business needs. However, it will require deep expertise and technical knowledge to analyse, recommend and implement. 

In the next blog, we will explore the additional tools available as part of the SAP Integration Suite and bring to you a side by side comparrision. 

It may not be easy for you as an IT user or business user to make this detailed evaluation and recommendation. So, this is where vVolve swoops in. 

vVolve will also recommend to you the optimised pricing model that reduces your TCO. So, if you are really interested in working this out, vVolve is only one mail away from you.

For getting an effectiveness report of your systems, reach out to info@vvolve.com or submit your Interest here.