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Confused in understanding SAP Process Orchestration ?

SAP Process Orchestration (PO) is a comprehensive solution that brings together various components and flows to handle multiple scenarios of requests.



Advanced Adapter Engine Extended:

  1. Configuration of Integration Content:


    • Components Involved: Integration Directory, Integration Builder, Configuration Content.
    • Flow: Integration Expert connects with the Advanced Adapter Engine to set up the rules (Configuration Content) via the Integration Directory and Integration Builder.
    • Use Case: Imagine setting up rules for a game. This part defines how the game should be played, ensuring all players follow the same rules.


  3. Design of Integration Content:

    • Components Involved: Enterprise Service Repository (ERS), ERS Content, RS Builder.
    • Flow: The design is created and stored in the ERS, connecting with the Advanced Adapter Engine.
    • Use Case: Think of this as designing the game board itself, with all the paths and components in place, ready for the players.

Business Process Management Category:

  1. Process Modeling:
    • Components Involved: Process Composer, Model Service, Process Models.
    • Flow: The Process Composer connects to the Advanced Adapter Engine to create business processes (the workflows), including model services and process models.
    • Use Case: This is like planning how a project should be completed in a company, setting up the steps and guidelines.

Additional Connections:

  • Advanced Adapter Engine and Runtime Cache: Receive inputs from Integration Builder, serving as a memory to store recent actions.
  • Advanced Adapter Engine to BPM Runtime: Connects different events and automated activities.
  • ERS Content to Model Service: Shares design information.
  • Integration Builder to ES Builder: Allows cooperation between different builders.

Overall System Connections:

  • Noncentral AAE: Secondary Adapter Engine that supplements the main one.
  • Business System (with any protocol): Represents the various technologies that can be connected.
  • System Landscape Directory: Keeps track of all systems and their information.

A Simplified Analogy:

Imagine a big orchestra (your organization). The Advanced Adapter Engine acts as the conductor, coordinating all the musicians (components). Each musician has a specific role (task), and they must work together to create harmonious music (smooth integration).

  • Integration Expert: Chooses the musical pieces (Design) and sets the rules (Configuration).
  • Integration Content: The musical pieces themselves.
  • Business Process Management: The way the orchestra practices and performs.

Other connections like the Noncentral AAE, Business System, and System Landscape Directory act as support staff, ensuring the smooth operation of the whole performance.

The complexity lies in coordinating all these elements to produce the desired result, whether it's an orchestral performance or an efficiently running business system.


  2. Different Flows:

    • Integration Flow: Enables complex integration requirements.
    • Operational Process Flow: Covers daily operation tasks.
    • Administration Process Flow: Manages administrative aspects.
    • Monitoring Process Flow: Monitors all the processes.


  4. Handling Scenarios:

    • Synchronous Communication: Request and response in the same call.
    • Asynchronous Communication: Request and response as separate calls.
    • Stateless Sequence: No need to retain interaction sequence.
    • Stateful Sequence: Interaction sequence is remembered.

SAP PO accommodates various patterns and can be tailored to suit business needs.


Let's break down the components of SAP Process Orchestration (PO) into more understandable terms for someone not familiar with technical jargon:

  1. Integration Repository (IR):

    • What It Does: It's like a library where rules for handling messages are created.
    • How It Connects: Works with the Integration Directory to make the rules functional.
    • Why It's Needed: Helps businesses define how messages are processed, like a translator between different languages.

  2. Integration Directory (ID):

    • What It Does: It sets up the paths that messages follow.
    • How It Connects: Works with the Integration Server to guide messages along the right paths.
    • Why It's Needed: Ensures that messages get to the right place, like a traffic cop directing traffic.

  3. System Landscape Directory (SLD):

    • What It Does: Keeps a record of all the systems and software.
    • How It Connects: Informs other components about the available systems.
    • Why It's Needed: Helps keep track of what’s where, like a directory in a big office building.

  4. Integration Server:

    • What It Does: The central place where messages are processed.
    • How It Connects: Uses rules and paths from IR and ID and works with adapters to send messages.
    • Why It's Needed: Manages all the conversations between different systems, like an operator at a switchboard.

  5. Business Process Engine:

    • What It Does: Handles the business tasks and workflows.
    • How It Connects: Works with the Integration Server to make messages part of business tasks.
    • Why It's Needed: Makes sure tasks follow the right order and rules, like a manager organizing work.

  6. Adapters:

    • What It Does: Connects different technologies.
    • How It Connects: Works with the Integration Server to handle specific connections.
    • Why It's Needed: Lets different kinds of technology talk to each other, like different types of plugs and sockets.

  7. Integration Flows:

    • What It Does: Sets up the journey of messages from start to finish.
    • How It Connects: Uses other components to make a complete connection between systems.
    • Why It's Needed: Ensures a smooth and organized flow of information, like a travel guide planning a trip.

Think of SAP PO as a complex travel system, with airports, control towers, traffic cops, translators, and guides ensuring that every passenger (message) gets to the right destination, taking the best route, and understanding local languages. It makes sure everything in a business talks to everything else, smoothly and without confusion.

What are the points that are worth noting ?

  1. Process Orchestration:

    • Offers an integrated tool infrastructure for designing business processes.
    • Encompasses process flow, activity sequence, interfaces, and data types connecting SAP and external systems.
    • Configures business processes for specific system landscapes.

  2. Core Components:

    • Advanced Adapter Engine Extended (AEX):
      1. Enterprise Services Repository:
        • Designs integration content like service interfaces and mappings.
      2. Integration Directory:
        • Configures integration content.
        • Specifies business communication between systems and Process Integration & Orchestration.
        • Establishes connectivity between BPM process and Process Integration runtime.
      3. Advanced Adapter Engine:
        • Processes XML messages.

  3. Additional Components:

    • Business Process Management and Business Rules Management Engines:
      • Models business processes.
      • Executes and monitors BPM-based applications at runtime.

  4. Installation and Technical Details:

    • AEX and BPM components installed on the same technical system.
    • Java stack is involved.
    • Process Composer of SAP BPM used for business process modeling.
    • Enterprise Services Repository defines integration content.
    • Integration of ES Repository content into Process Composer for a loose integration.
    • Integration Directory configures BPM processes and integration content.
    • Defines communication channels for connectivity with external business systems.
    • Business systems as communication components, represented in SLD.
    • Business components represent external partners.
    • Interfaces used by BPM process assigned to business component manually.

  5. Communication and Runtime:

    • Technical communication between BPM process and Advanced Adapter Engine (AAE) via SOAP communication channels.
    • AAE serves as message hub for runtime communication.
    • All AAE adapters available for use.
    • Monitoring via SAP BPM and AEX's capabilities.
    • Non-central AAE can connect to Process Orchestration hub, but separate BPM usage type can't be installed on non-central AAE system.

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