SAP Integration Suite is an enterprise-grade, industry-leading integration platform-as-a-service built on SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP).
SAP Integration Suite helps businesses seamlessly connect and integrate applications, data, and processes within their organisations and beyond. It is SAP’s recommended integration platform for simplifying and accelerating integrations for both SAP and third-party scenarios.
The capabilities of SAP Integration Suite include Cloud Integration (CPI), API Management, Open Connectors, Integration Advisor, and Event Mesh.
An In-depth Look at SAP Cloud Integration (CPI)
SAP Cloud Integration (CPI) is a core capability of the SAP Integration Suite; it enables seamless end-to-end process integration between cloud-based and on-premise applications through secure and reliable message exchange. Whether integrating systems within a single organisation or across multiple companies, CPI supports a wide range of integration scenarios: cloud-to-cloud, cloud-to-on-premise, and on-premise-to-cloud.
As businesses accelerate their digital transformation journeys, there is a greater need for agile, cloud-native integration platforms. SAP Cloud Integration is emerging as the preferred solution for enterprises looking to modernise their integration landscapes and move away from legacy on-premise systems such as SAP Process Integration (PI) and Process Orchestration (PO).
Why Migrate from SAP PI/PO to SAP CPI?
SAP has announced that mainstream maintenance for SAP PI/PO will end on December 31, 2027, with extended maintenance available until December 31, 2030. In alignment with its cloud-first strategy, SAP continues to evolve its integration offerings to better support agile, scalable, and future-ready architectures. As a result, organisations are encouraged to begin planning their migration to SAP’s next-generation integration platform – SAP Cloud Integration (CPI) – which is part of the SAP Integration Suite.
Advantages of SAP CPI:
- Cloud-native architecture – Reduced infrastructure costs and improved scalability.
- Pre-packaged content – Over 2,000 pre-built integrations from SAP and partners.
- Better integration with SAP and non-SAP applications – Especially important with increasing SaaS adoption.
- Improved agility and faster time-to-value – Cloud deployments support CI/CD and DevOps practices.
- Security and compliance – Built-in capabilities aligned with enterprise security standards.
- Enhanced Monitoring and Analytics – CPI provides improved monitoring tools, alerting capabilities, and integration analytics.
- Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) – CPI eliminates the need for managing on-premise infrastructure, which reduces hardware and data centre costs, system administration overhead, plus upgrade and patch management efforts.
Key Differences Between SAP PI/PO and CPI
| Feature | SAP PI/PO | SAP CPI |
| Deployment | On-premise | Cloud (SAP BTP) |
| Maintenance | Customer-managed | SAP-managed |
| Connectivity | Adapter-based | Adapter-based + Open Connectors |
| Scalability | Hardware-dependent | Auto-scalable cloud resources |
| Monitoring & Analytics | Local tools (RWB, PIMON) | Web UI, Integration Suite, Alerting |
| Update Cycle | Manual upgrades | Continuous updates by SAP |
Migration Strategy Overview
Migrating from PI/PO to CPI isn’t a lift-and-shift operation. It requires planning, restructuring integrations, and validating business processes. Here’s a high-level migration approach.
Assessment:
- Analyse landscape;
- Inventory existing interfaces in PI/PO;
- Categorise them: Retire, Rebuild, or Reuse;
- Evaluate custom developments, adapters, and mappings;
- Create a high-level architecture for the connected systems and their list including the protocols, adapters, triggers, and authentication used.
Planning:
- Create a migration strategy.
- Prioritise integration scenarios depending on customer-specific aspects such as business or functional requirements and the availability of features on Cloud Integration.
Tool Selection:
- Use tools like SAP Integration Assessment, SAP Migration Assessment Tool, and SAP Integration Suite Design Time to accelerate migration.
Prepare/Implement:
- Migrate automatically using the Migration Tooling wherever possible.
- Reimplement redesigned interfaces and objects not supported by the Migration Tooling.
- Leverage pre-packaged content from SAP API Business Hub.
- Apply API-first principles for scalability.
Testing:
- Functional and regression testing for each migrated interface.
- Use SAP Application Interface Framework (AIF) for monitoring if applicable.
Migrate Connected System/Go Live:
- Activate integration content on the productive tenant.
- Configure the connected system to switch over to Cloud Integration.
- Phased cutover strategy is recommended.
Live:
- Monitor new interfaces using CPI’s monitoring and logging tools.
- Decommission plan for legacy system.
Common Migration Challenges and How to Address Them
- Some Adapters Not Available in CPI: Consider alternatives or develop custom adapters using SAP BTP SDK.
- Complex Mappings: Use CPI’s mapping capabilities, or re-engineer using Groovy/JavaScript scripts.
- Custom Java Modules: Re-implement logic using Groovy or JavaScript scripts in CPI; move reusable logic into APIs or microservices where appropriate.
- Change Management: Involve business stakeholders early to manage expectations and training.
- Cutover and Coexistence Strategy: Migrating all interfaces at once is risky, but running PI/PO and CPI in parallel can create complexity. So use a phased migration strategy, starting with low-risk or new integrations first, and clearly document cutover plans.
On Device Solutions Accelerators for SAP CPI: Enhancing Integration Efficiency
As part of our commitment to helping clients accelerate their integration modernisation journey, On Device Solutions has developed a suite of purpose-built accelerators designed to simplify and optimise key aspects of SAP CPI adoption and operations. These tools tackle common challenges related to transport, security migration, and monitoring – delivering greater speed, consistency, and governance across your integration landscape.
CPI DevOps Accelerator
- End-to-end CI/CD pipeline automates transport of SAP CPI artefacts across DEV → QA → PROD.
- Minimises manual intervention to cut deployment errors and speed up releases.
- Version-controlled repository enables easy collaboration, artefact versioning, and one-click rollbacks.
- Full audit trail strengthens governance and compliance across the integration lifecycle.
Security & Credential Migration Assistant
- Discovers and lifts user credentials, keystores, and certificates from SAP PI/PO.
- Transforms artefacts into CPI-compatible secure-store entries automatically.
- Eliminates manual handling of sensitive data, reducing misconfigurations and compliance risk.
- Accelerates cutovers for smoother, safer landscape transitions.
In summary, migrating from SAP PI/PO to CPI is more than a technical upgrade – it’s an opportunity to modernise your integration landscape, reduce costs, and improve agility. With SAP’s strong roadmap and continued investment in Integration Suite, organisations that transition now will be better positioned for the future.
Whether you’re migrating from PI/PO or enhancing your current CPI operations, On Device Solutions’ accelerators enable you to move faster, work smarter, and proceed with greater confidence. Get in touch to discover how our bespoke tools and expert guidance can support your integration modernisation journey.
