It is known fact that the latest release of SAP PO isn’t stable at its first release when it is so called XI and for instance any tool to be more stable and cognitive it needs sometime or apprehend releases. Same goes with CI too, if comparison is done with CI version today and first release of HCI Cloud Integration turning out to be at “second to none” place considering the flexibility or other integration capabilities into a cohesive and simplified toolkit for enterprise integration.
There are too many updates planned on CI integral with Integration Suite as per the roadmap. Some of the features which were in previous releases or good to have in the upcoming releases if not already considered are mentioned in this blog.
Feature 1: Template based creation of IFLOWs.
One of the feature back in HCI using eclipse while creating a new Integration Flow there were options of selecting the standard patterns/templates like below.
There are templates again in the migration tooling to bring most of the PO interfaces into CI. These templates will be automatically reflected as per the existing interface whereas in the to be feature with a set of standard or more enhanced possible templates should be given with the developers choice.
These templates have the SYNC or ASYNC and other perspectives of instant developments which can also be used at the time of normal IFLOW creation.
Hope to see this kind of template features in upcoming releases of CI in the WEB UI itself as a out of box feature for instant development kickoff. Needless to say from the two examples this kind of feature which is more or less already available can be enhanced more and accommodated in the tool.
Feature 2: Template based creation of Exception Subprocess.
Templates as mentioned in the blog here all those possible exception subprocess if provided for both new development and migrations then it will be a boon for developers.
For Development:
As mentioned in the Feature 1 above along with the templates provision for standard IFLOW creations if there are templates for exception subprocess also with further customizations will be most useful for the instant developments.
For Migration:
All are standard templates provided for migration tooling only has a simple block of exception subprocess in the integration process as below
If there is option which can be embedded with the interface template itself which is auto selected or a separate option of selecting the desired template for exception subprocess will be much more feasible tool provisioning in terms of exceptional handling.
Feature 3: Arrangement of Exception Subprocess horizontally/vertically.
The arrange horizontally or arrange vertically option for the integration subprocess makes the IFLOW more feel good and understandable for the complex ones. Currently even if we align the Integration Process Horizontally still the Exception Subprocess to be aligned manually only.
Similarly if there are complex exception subprocess in any integration process or local integration process which are very clumsy and to align it manually takes more time than usual. In order to overcome this the same feature of arrange horizontally/vertically should be implemented onto exception subprocess also.
Feature 4: Arrangement of field mapping in Message Mapping.
The Interface of any complexity can be designed technically following the functionality effortlessly. The most time taking process in the entire integration comes up when there are some complex message mapping or groovy scripts. For groovy scripts however there are multiple editor in and out but for Message Mapping we need to do all the context handling of the fields and their functional conditions inside the same console as it’s the standard and recommended one.
While working with the Message Mapping multiple conditions can be implemented on single target field as per the requirement making the overall mapping layout very clumsy for further editing. If the feature of layout alignment is provided even in the CI WebUI it will be really helpful.
Feature 5: Automatic deployment of Integration Adapter.
By this time most of the adapters are already available on the tenant with out of box features. Few are provided as part of the “SAP CP IS ADAPTER BASE or ADVANCE PACK” which needs the administration access to download first and then deploy on to the tenant successfully.
Whereas few adapters like RABBITMQ adapter though its not standard out of the box and still when its selected for the first time in any IFLOW its gets automatically deployed instead of manually going to software center download and deploy the .esa file.
So the hope is first of all the new standard adapters which are on the roadmap should be by default available on tenant or else the very first time when its selected in any IFLOW it should be automatically deployed on the tenant rather going to software center and downloading for manual deployment.
Feature 6: Test Tool.
Similar to PI/PO where we have the Test Tool to send the actual payload which is xml message after sender adapter processing it is good to have a test message for all the IFLOWs deployed on the tenant with timer based or without. Understand that we already have a simulation where we can check the messages at different level but that will not post the message to the target system.
For example in PROD where we have somehow retrieved the input payload for the failed message using MPL logging and this message to be resent. This cannot be done with the as-is because it needs IFLOW changes putting the content modifier or some HTTPs sender channel which are not at all recommended. Instead if there is a test tool to send the input payload once again that way atleast we can some resend functionality in a way.
Marking the Culmination:
If the vision is forecasted on CI with some important features like 1 and 2 as mentioned above with the power of Generative AI that can be a boon to the developers if made out of box feature.
This is an attempt to provide the feedback on the CI which was already done through the designated medium and also to bring to the notice of SAP Product Experts in more fast and concise way.
Agree that the list is short. If there are more features to be added to the list mark your presence here.
Disclaimer:
This article is only for informational purpose listing all the possible good to have features in CI
Few features are highlighted but no limitations in any perspective.
There are too many updates planned on CI integral with Integration Suite as per the roadmap. Some of the features which were in previous releases or good to have in the upcoming releases if not already considered are mentioned in this blog.
Feature 1: Template based creation of IFLOWs.
One of the feature back in HCI using eclipse while creating a new Integration Flow there were options of selecting the standard patterns/templates like below.
There are templates again in the migration tooling to bring most of the PO interfaces into CI. These templates will be automatically reflected as per the existing interface whereas in the to be feature with a set of standard or more enhanced possible templates should be given with the developers choice.
These templates have the SYNC or ASYNC and other perspectives of instant developments which can also be used at the time of normal IFLOW creation.
Hope to see this kind of template features in upcoming releases of CI in the WEB UI itself as a out of box feature for instant development kickoff. Needless to say from the two examples this kind of feature which is more or less already available can be enhanced more and accommodated in the tool.
Feature 2: Template based creation of Exception Subprocess.
Templates as mentioned in the blog here all those possible exception subprocess if provided for both new development and migrations then it will be a boon for developers.
For Development:
As mentioned in the Feature 1 above along with the templates provision for standard IFLOW creations if there are templates for exception subprocess also with further customizations will be most useful for the instant developments.
For Migration:
All are standard templates provided for migration tooling only has a simple block of exception subprocess in the integration process as below
If there is option which can be embedded with the interface template itself which is auto selected or a separate option of selecting the desired template for exception subprocess will be much more feasible tool provisioning in terms of exceptional handling.
Feature 3: Arrangement of Exception Subprocess horizontally/vertically.
The arrange horizontally or arrange vertically option for the integration subprocess makes the IFLOW more feel good and understandable for the complex ones. Currently even if we align the Integration Process Horizontally still the Exception Subprocess to be aligned manually only.
Similarly if there are complex exception subprocess in any integration process or local integration process which are very clumsy and to align it manually takes more time than usual. In order to overcome this the same feature of arrange horizontally/vertically should be implemented onto exception subprocess also.
Feature 4: Arrangement of field mapping in Message Mapping.
The Interface of any complexity can be designed technically following the functionality effortlessly. The most time taking process in the entire integration comes up when there are some complex message mapping or groovy scripts. For groovy scripts however there are multiple editor in and out but for Message Mapping we need to do all the context handling of the fields and their functional conditions inside the same console as it’s the standard and recommended one.
While working with the Message Mapping multiple conditions can be implemented on single target field as per the requirement making the overall mapping layout very clumsy for further editing. If the feature of layout alignment is provided even in the CI WebUI it will be really helpful.
Feature 5: Automatic deployment of Integration Adapter.
By this time most of the adapters are already available on the tenant with out of box features. Few are provided as part of the “SAP CP IS ADAPTER BASE or ADVANCE PACK” which needs the administration access to download first and then deploy on to the tenant successfully.
Whereas few adapters like RABBITMQ adapter though its not standard out of the box and still when its selected for the first time in any IFLOW its gets automatically deployed instead of manually going to software center download and deploy the .esa file.
So the hope is first of all the new standard adapters which are on the roadmap should be by default available on tenant or else the very first time when its selected in any IFLOW it should be automatically deployed on the tenant rather going to software center and downloading for manual deployment.
Feature 6: Test Tool.
Similar to PI/PO where we have the Test Tool to send the actual payload which is xml message after sender adapter processing it is good to have a test message for all the IFLOWs deployed on the tenant with timer based or without. Understand that we already have a simulation where we can check the messages at different level but that will not post the message to the target system.
For example in PROD where we have somehow retrieved the input payload for the failed message using MPL logging and this message to be resent. This cannot be done with the as-is because it needs IFLOW changes putting the content modifier or some HTTPs sender channel which are not at all recommended. Instead if there is a test tool to send the input payload once again that way atleast we can some resend functionality in a way.
Marking the Culmination:
If the vision is forecasted on CI with some important features like 1 and 2 as mentioned above with the power of Generative AI that can be a boon to the developers if made out of box feature.
This is an attempt to provide the feedback on the CI which was already done through the designated medium and also to bring to the notice of SAP Product Experts in more fast and concise way.
Agree that the list is short. If there are more features to be added to the list mark your presence here.
Disclaimer:
This article is only for informational purpose listing all the possible good to have features in CI
Few features are highlighted but no limitations in any perspective.
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