PI/XI: PI 7.3 New Java based IDOC adapter’s configuration (sender, receiver) – teaser

As some of you might already know as of  PI 7.3 we will have two new java based adapters – HTTP and IDOC. IDOC adapter is probably still the most commonly used adapter for PI and that’s why I’m going to concentrate on this one in this blog. As the new IDOC adapter (the old one is still available if you use the double stack option for PI 7.3) is based on the Java stack the configuration is a little bit different as compared to the old IDOC adapter. Basically there are two modes for configuring the connection for the IDOC adapter: default (recommended) and manual. In this article I will concentrate only on the “default” configuration. Both sender and receiver IDOC adapters in the “default” mode use decoupled configuration so something similar as we had in the old ABAP IDOC adapter where the RFC destinations were not configured within the communication channels itself but on the ABAP backends. As we’re talking about Java based adapters (and AEX – single java stack installation option) there is ABAP backed where those destinations can be configured and that’s why we can only configure then in NWA (Netweaver Administrator). Below you will find a step by step guides for configuring of both – sender and receiver IDOC AEX adapters.

Sender IDOC AEX adapter

Step 1

Once you create the sender communication channel in the Integration Directory the only thing you need to select is the “Default (Recommended)” mode in the RFC server parameters. As in this guide we only concentrate on the connectivity options I will leave for later describing the other functions of the IDOC adapter (like acknowledgments handling, etc.).

Step 2

Next you need to configure a resource adapter to which all SAP applications system (like ERP, CRM, SCM, etc.) will be connected. You need to do this part in Netweaver Administrator. Once you open NWA you need to go to:

• Configuration
  • Infrastructure
    • Application Resources and then filter for inboundRA resource adapter

In the properties of this resource adapter you can see the program ID – which will be later used for configuring the RFC destinations from SAP application systems (like ERP)

The only setting you need to maintain to set the property Local to true – that means that the program will be registered on PI’s gateway

Step 3

On your SAP application system which will be sending the IDOCs you need to create an RFC destination of type T (TCP/IP) and then:

• select – Register Server Program – in the program ID put the program ID from inboundRA – use the gateway host and gateway service of your PI  server

After you configure that you should be able to check the configuration using the test connection button on the RFC destination.

Receiver IDOC AEX adapter

Step 1

Before you can create a receiver IDOC communication channel you need to create a destination to your receiver system. Again you can only do that in Netweaver Administrator so once you open is you need to go to:

• Configuration
  • Infrastructure
    • Destinations and click on Create button and enter destination name as XI_IDOC_DEFAULT_DESTINATION_<SID> where SID is your receiver’s system ID and select type RFC.

Step 2

Then you need to fill in connection details like host, system number, etc. of your receiver system and also logon data.

Step 3

After the destination is create you can click on the “ping” button to check if it’s working.

Step 4 *

If the destination is working you can create a receiver IDOC communication channel and in the destination field put the destination name