Additional Components in the Integration Framework for SAP Business One (Updated Jan. 2019)

There are many important components when working with the integration framework for SAP Business One. In this blog we would list and describe them to give you an overview. In addition, we are working on different documents to help you in your daily work with the integration framework.

To get an overview about integration and the integration framework please refer to the central blog or the other blogs:
Integration Framework for SAP Business One (B1if) – Central Blog
Integration Framework Version 1 – Concept of Scenario Development

Additional Components in the Integration Framework for SAP Business One

Around the scenario packages there are other components, which are required for data exchanges, or supporting the work with the integration framework.

Find a summarized description of each of them below:

System Landscape Directory (SLD)
The System Landscape Directory (SLD) is the central place to maintain and administer all systems and their respective connections to each other. Each system entry contains the parameters for the connections that are used by the integration framework. It is also possible to define connectivity in the functional atoms, independent to the SLD entries for example.To interact with different entities each SLD entry provides a set of connectivity types, for SAP Business One, the Service Layer, DI API, and JDBC. The SAP ERP system type has settings for RFC and Web services, and so on. The SLD furthermore provides the File System, HTTP System, Web Service, Connecting to Databases, FTP System, E-Mail, and Timer system types. These system types are templates, pre-configured with the connectivity parameters for the inbound and outbound channel types used in scenarios.To define a new SLD entry; select an existing system type, then complete the system definition by adding specific network connectivity information, such as host name, IP address, or login information for a database.A system type for each SAP Business One major release is available. To interact with SAP Business One the options to use the standard APIs such as DI API or the Service Layer for SAP Business One, version for SAP HANA are available.An SAP Business One company database is considered as a system. When the integration framework is installed as SAP Business One the SLD is synchronized with the SLD from the local SAP Business One server. The company databases are automatically registered as systems in the SLD of the integration framework. It is also possible to create each system manually. And, for even more flexibility, it is also possible to define connectivity in the functional atoms, independent of the SLD entries, for example.Further information:
Document about Company SLD Configuration

BizStore
The BizStore is a persistency layer where all relevant documents related to the integration framework and the created scenarios are stored. This means when a new scenario is created, all information is stored here, as well as each scenario step with its respective XML documents.The BizStore can be accessed by using the embedded XML editor; or using an external editor, which shows the scenarios structure. If an XML editor supports WebDav it is possible to connect to the web folders of the BizStore directly.

Scenario Activation
Existing or newly created scenarios must be set up for the specific system landscape and activated before they can be used. This setup and activation can be done manually or by running the Setup Wizard. The Setup Wizard runs a step by step process for the scenario activation. This can help in finding issues or missing information within the scenario setup.If a scenario is set up with a timer trigger, it can be triggered manually after activation. This can be done at any time and it is not restricted to any specific limitations.

Monitoring – Message Log
To analyze the integration runtime, the integration framework provides monitoring of messages and processes. The message log captures all messages being processed through the integration framework for troubleshooting scenarios. This includes information such as status, scenario package and step, sender and receiver system, trigger, date and time, plus any error messages.
Document: Log Maintencane in Integratin Framework (new in Jan. 2019)

Scenario Transport
Scenario packages or individual scenario steps can be transported from one framework installation to another. To transport them, the scenario package or step can be exported as a zip file from the source integration framework and imported into any destination integration framework.One example for this could be that a scenario is created on a test environment and after final testing, it can be transported to the productive environment. This is considered as the best practice to create scenarios.

Integration Framework Model and its Benefit

The concept of having a generic inbound and outbound phase for each scenario step provides flexibility in scenario transportation from one system environment to another. In the System Landscape Directory (SLD), scenario packages do not reference the actual sender or receiver system directly as hard-coded entries. This means that after the transportation of a scenario is complete only the SLD settings need to be set. Only at package setup, the concrete systems for Inbound and Outbound defined in the SLD (System Landscape Directory) are selected.

This concept is graphically represented below:

Integration Model 1 Entities

The left side shows the different scenario packages stored within the integration framework. These scenario packages contain one or multiple scenario steps.

The right side shows the System Land-scape Directory (SLD) that contains all systems of your integration landscape. The different scenario packages rely on the information stored within the SLD.

Happy integrating!

Krisztian Papai, Justin McGuire, Annemarie Kiefer, and Miriam Rieger

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Additional Components in the Integration Framework for SAP Business One (Updated Jan. 2019)

Integration Model 1 Entities

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