The SAP Integration Solution Advisory Methodology (ISA-M) is an integral part of SAP’s integration strategy in context of the Intelligent Enterprise as outlined in the whitepaper Intelligent Enterprises Are Integrated Enterprises. The methodology can help you to shape an enterprise integration strategy covering both the technical and the organizational aspects. For this purpose, ISA-M offers accelerators such as integration patterns, architecture blueprints, and additional best practices for cloud and hybrid landscapes which you can adopt along a well-defined adoption path.
The framework of ISA-M is available for free as MS Powerpoint based template which is updated on a regular basis (see figure 1 below).
Now we have released a new version of this template, which is version 4.0. This blog post gives you an overview of the updates and enrichments delivered with the latest template version. More detailed information can be found in the document history which is part of the ISA-M template.
The major news is the availability of the Integration Assessment capability within SAP Integration Suite which is a tool based approach for key parts of ISA-M (see figure 2 below).
If you would like to know more about Integration Assessment you may check out my blog post Integration Assessment capability within SAP Integration Suite is general available now for details and if it has aroused your interest continue with Get started with the Integration Assessment capability within SAP Integration Suite.
The latest ISA-M template version 4.0 not only includes an overview of Integration Assessment, but also existing content of the template has been changed to refer to the new tool-based offering. Here are some examples:
Section 4: Technology Mapping
Section 5: Interface Assessment
Section 6: Integration Roles & Governance
In contrast to the previous updates no major enhancements have been applied to the methodological concepts as such. Mainly existing content has been updated or enriched in-line with the latest version of the Integration Architecture Guide for Cloud and Hybrid Landscapes. In the table below you can find a summary of content updates or enrichments, including examples:
Furthermore, some terminology has been changed to resolve any conflicts if the same term is used differently across various SAP offerings. Here are two examples:
Section 3: Integration styles & use case patterns
Here we used the term “integration pattern” which is the combination of integration domains and integration styles. However, integration patterns are also being used in context of the Cloud Integration capability within SAP Integration Suite as a reusable solution for a recurring integration problems like the Integration Flow Design Guidelines - Enterprise Integration Patterns published at SAP API Business Hub. To avoid any confusion this term has been changed to “integration area” in ISA-M.
Section 4: Technology mappings
The term “key integration patterns” and related recommendation degrees (“recommended”, “partially recommended” and “not recommended”) have been changed to the ones used as part of Integration Assessment: These are now “sample key characteristics” with the recommendation degrees “good fit”, “partial fit”, and “not a fit”. The related content of Integration Architecture Guide for Cloud and Hybrid Landscapes has also been updated accordingly.
The free ISA-M template is shared by SAP through the SAP Integration Architecture Community. If you are not yet a member, simply send a mail to isam@sap.com to get invited to join this group.
Enjoy exploring the new ISA-M template version 4.0 and feel free to share your feedback using the comment functionality of this blog post. 😊
The framework of ISA-M is available for free as MS Powerpoint based template which is updated on a regular basis (see figure 1 below).
Figure 1: ISA-M Template
Now we have released a new version of this template, which is version 4.0. This blog post gives you an overview of the updates and enrichments delivered with the latest template version. More detailed information can be found in the document history which is part of the ISA-M template.
New tool based approach for ISA-M
The major news is the availability of the Integration Assessment capability within SAP Integration Suite which is a tool based approach for key parts of ISA-M (see figure 2 below).
Integration Assessment capability within SAP Integration Suite
If you would like to know more about Integration Assessment you may check out my blog post Integration Assessment capability within SAP Integration Suite is general available now for details and if it has aroused your interest continue with Get started with the Integration Assessment capability within SAP Integration Suite.
The latest ISA-M template version 4.0 not only includes an overview of Integration Assessment, but also existing content of the template has been changed to refer to the new tool-based offering. Here are some examples:
Section 4: Technology Mapping
- The decision tables with the integration guidelines have been changed to show the same recommendations as delivered with Integration Assessment. As of now this applies to the first scope of SAP delivered guiding content of Integration Assessment which covers the process- and data integration style and selected cross use cases. For the remaining integration styles (analytics-, user- and thing integration) and cross use cases just samples are shown as part of the ISA-M template until the SAP delivered guiding content will have been released on Integration Assessment.
Section 5: Interface Assessment
- For performing an interface assessment, it is recommended to leverage Integration Assessment.
Section 6: Integration Roles & Governance
- The integration roles have been updated to also include tasks related to Integration Assessment.
- For introducing integration governance, it is also recommended to leverage Integration Assessment.
Overview of updated ISA-M content
In contrast to the previous updates no major enhancements have been applied to the methodological concepts as such. Mainly existing content has been updated or enriched in-line with the latest version of the Integration Architecture Guide for Cloud and Hybrid Landscapes. In the table below you can find a summary of content updates or enrichments, including examples:
| Change | Topic | ISA-M Template Section | Example |
| Updated | Various SAP product names | Various | SAP Enterprise Messaging changed to SAP Event Mesh |
| Added | New SAP products | 4. Technology Mapping | SAP Work Zone and SAP Mobile Start as SAP technologies for the user integration style |
| Updated | Various SAP (product) visuals | Various | Evolved the integrated intelligent enterprise toward an intelligent, sustainable enterprise |
| Updated | Various SAP technologies | 4. Technology Mapping | SAP Integration Suite, SAP Data Intelligence |
| Updated | Info sheets per architecture blueprints | 6. Architecture Blueprints | Information about related platform missions of SAP Discovery Center |
| Enriched | Information about the different options to get started with applying ISA-M at an organization | “Do-it-yourself” approach and service offerings by SAP and SAP partners |
An apple is an apple: Consistent terminology
Furthermore, some terminology has been changed to resolve any conflicts if the same term is used differently across various SAP offerings. Here are two examples:
Section 3: Integration styles & use case patterns
Here we used the term “integration pattern” which is the combination of integration domains and integration styles. However, integration patterns are also being used in context of the Cloud Integration capability within SAP Integration Suite as a reusable solution for a recurring integration problems like the Integration Flow Design Guidelines - Enterprise Integration Patterns published at SAP API Business Hub. To avoid any confusion this term has been changed to “integration area” in ISA-M.
Section 4: Technology mappings
The term “key integration patterns” and related recommendation degrees (“recommended”, “partially recommended” and “not recommended”) have been changed to the ones used as part of Integration Assessment: These are now “sample key characteristics” with the recommendation degrees “good fit”, “partial fit”, and “not a fit”. The related content of Integration Architecture Guide for Cloud and Hybrid Landscapes has also been updated accordingly.
Where to get the latest ISA-M template version from?
The free ISA-M template is shared by SAP through the SAP Integration Architecture Community. If you are not yet a member, simply send a mail to isam@sap.com to get invited to join this group.
Enjoy exploring the new ISA-M template version 4.0 and feel free to share your feedback using the comment functionality of this blog post. 😊
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