SAP Integration: Best Practices | MuleSoft

Integrating with SAP

Presenters:Mariano Capurro, Technical Engineering Manager, MuleSoftKira Patel, Moderator, MuleSoft

Housekeeping Items

Recording: Will be made available and sent via email

Slides: Will be made available and also sent via email

Questions: Submit questions via the text box on the bottom right; Q&A will be

at the end of the presentation.

All contents Copyright © 2010, MuleSoft Inc. 2

Presenter

Mariano Capurro, Technical Engineering Manager, MuleSoft Argentina Office

10+ years of experience designing, building and using enterprise software

Native Spanish speaker, Advanced English speaker and Fluent Java speaker

Main areas of interest:

– Application integration

– Identity Management

– Scuba Diving


Integrating with SAP

Presenters:Mariano Capurro, Technical Engineering Manager, MuleSoftKira Patel, Moderator, MuleSoft

Agenda

Overview of SAP integration challenges

Introduction to SAP integration interfaces

SAP – MuleSoft relationship

Using Mule ESB for SAP integration

Mule and SAP use case examples

Demo

Q & A


SAP Integration Challenges

SAP to Non-SAP applications

– SAP to/from other application (LAN)

– SAP to/from external application (Internet / VPN)

– SAP to/from cloud application (Internet)

Challenges

– Understand SAP integration options

– Develop the integration application

• Train developers on SAP integration technologies

– Reduce time to develop new use cases

– Build an architecture tolerant to new integration scenarios


Introduction to SAP interfaces - BAPI

RFC interface

– RFC-enabled Function Modules

– A Business Application Programming Interface (BAPI) is a precisely defined

interface that can be used by SAP and non-SAP(external) applications.

– Works both master data and transactional data

– BAPI are synchronous in nature


Introduction to SAP interfaces - IDoc

IDoc (ALE Interface)

– IDoc(Intermediate Document), is a SAP document format for transferring

data within SAP and non-SAP applications.

– Works both master data and transactional data

– IDoc are asynchronous in nature

– XML representation


Other SAP interfaces

Files

– Programs to import/export files handle a specific file format

– Challenge of moving files in a network

SAP Netweaver XI/PI

– Middleware component to centralize all integration through a hub and spoke

approach

– Expensive

– Lack of support for many applications (SalesForce.com, QuickBooks, ...)

SOA / Web Services

– SAP NetWeaver AS ABAP

– Harder to manage transactions


Introduction to SAP concepts - JCo

JCo

– SAP Java Connector (SAP JCo) is a middleware component that enables

the development of SAP-compatible components and applications in Java.

– SAP JCo supports communication with the SAP Server in both directions:

• inbound calls (Java calls ABAP)

• outbound calls (ABAP calls Java)

– SAP JCo can be implemented with Desktop applications and with Web

server applications

– SAP JCo can also be implemented as a standalone component, for

example to establish communication with the SAP system for individual

online (web) applications.


Mule ESB

Lightweight standalone Enterprise Service Bus

– can operate without outside app servers or other infrastructure components

– allow organizations to service-enable SAP without a massive upfront

investment, developer-training program or multi-year rollout

Mule ESB

– Connectors

– Modules / Scopes / Flow Control

– Transformation / Filtering

– Connection Management

– Exception / Error Management

– Security / Logging / Alerting


SAP – MuleSoft Relationship

SAP Ventures is a major investor in MuleSoft

MuleSoft Enterprise Java Connector for SAP is certified by SAP

– Solution Manager ready → System Landscape Directory


MuleSoft Enterprise Java Connector for SAP

Mule ESB calls BAPIs and RFC-enabled Function Modules (RFM) on the ABAP

side and acts as a client.

ABAP calls functions on the Mule ESB side that acts as a server.

Mule ESB sends and receives IDocs

For easier usage and integration, all SAP objects can be treated as XML

documents


Why use Mule for SAP integration?

Take advantage of Mule ESB capabilities in your SAP integration

– Orchestation

– Plenty of connectors (Cloud Applications, Databases, JMS, ...)

– Support

– Need more? Visit http://www.mulesoft.org/what-mule-esb

Connector abstracts complicated interfaces (JCo)

Increases ability to quickly build new applications

Any Mule/Java developer can interact with SAP apps

Lower costs, faster time to market, less developer training


http://www.mulesoft.org/what-mule-esb

What's Next?

Mule Studio Support

– Reduce development time (browse functions, IDocs and manage their

metadata)

– Reduce the SAP knowledge required to create IDocs and BAPI calls

– Improve the way testing can be done

Multi Transaction Support

– JCo is not XA compliant, so this will allow implementing mixed transactions

from Mule


Use Case 1: SAP to 3rd Party Application


Use Case 2: SAP to Supplier Applications


Use Case 3: Salesforce.com to SAP


Demo


Questions & Answers

How to Submit Questions

– Submit using the chat box located on the lower part of your screen.

Additional Questions: Ask an Expert

– tinyurl.com/AskMuleSoft

Recording

– A link to this presentation will be sent to you

Presentation

– A link to the recording of this presentation will also be sent to you

Thank you for your time and participation!


SAP Integration: Best Practices | MuleSoft

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