SAP BTP – IS – How to become a SAP Integration Suite Consultant beyond SAP CPI – SAP APIM Part I

Introduction

In my last entry, I talked about the “Frankenstein Landscape” – SAP BTP – Integration Suite: Clean Architecture vs The Frankenstein Landscape.

Today, I’d like to put the spotlight on you and your career and if you are a SAP CPI developer, you might have noticed the hard times of just being good at building Iflows that seems to end.

This is the first of four posts (the last one a summary because I will not explain SAP CPI, I’m expect that you know already), and we will navigate you through how to stop being “SAP CPI Developer” and become an SAP Integration Suite Consultant – “Generals”.

First we will start with SAP API Management ( APIM ).

Why bother leaving your comfort zone?

I see this all the time: developers treating APIM and CPI like neighbors who don’t talk to each other. But here’s the reality.

if they don’t work together, your architecture is going to break sooner or later.

Growth is uncomfortable, moving away from just “configure adapters, fixing errors and create mappings” to actually thinking about strategy is tough, but you have to do it if you don’t want to get stuck in the “trap” mindset.

Carl Jung once said: “Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.”

In the world of SAP BTP Integration Suite, if you only look at the “outside” – All they perceive is an illusion of integration you are merely dreaming of a perfect integration, but that dream won’t survive longer with the digital integration transformation to truly “awaken” as an SAP BTP Integration Suite Consultants, you must look inside at integrations and the components they join in a more profound level. This in-depth knowledge results in more consistent and less brittle integrations.

The “General” vs. The “Soldier” (A quick story)

Let me show you a imaginare conversation conversation

The following dialogue illustrates a common situation in integration projects when API Management is treated as an afterthought instead of an architectural capability.

Enterprise Architect / Solution Architect

We need to migrate 40 APIs from an old platform to SAP BTP APIM, after deep analyses of polices and others comparing with other vendors. we are good to go.

How should we handle this ?

SAP CPI Developer

Easy. I’ll just build the iFlows in CPI, set up the HTTPS endpoints, and maybe throw in some Basic Auth or OAuth inside the flow. If something fails, I’ll set up an email alert.

Enterprise Architect / Solution Architect

Okay… but what if a partner starts spamming our endpoint with 10x more traffic by mistake?

Is CPI going to tank that hit directly?

Who’s controlling the gate?

Response – (Awkward silence)

SAP BTP – Integration Suite Consultant

Hold on. We are not trading URLs here; we need to position SAP APIM as the defense in depth. It is our immune defense.

We will control the rate limiting and security policy within APIM so no request will get into CPI if not satisfy our requirements. If a call is below age, APIM will cancel it before it hits the system.

This reduces CPI to only its strengths: being an orchestrator and a logic, not a firewall.

This is also important to clarify: my assets as a member in SAP APIM include the technical API proxy, provider, policy and configuration definition but EAM org-level governance decisions belongs within the overall architectural mandate and organisational governance model.

Real Talk – “General”: My Just Goto Checklist for Migrations

The following are several significant factors to keep in mind while moving APIs:

Separate Responsibility:Security and traffic management will be taken on by the API Management (APIM) layer while the Cloud Platform Integration (CPI) takes care of actual processing logic.Gate Block the Trash: When garbage reached your integration flow (iFlow), then it is the last line of defense that am asking you to re-develope.Cleaner Contracts: Make use of the OpenAPI specs in APIM. Incoming data should not be left to guesswork in terms of CPI.Observability: Also very important to keep an observability from A-Z of the integration path, I mean from devportal until S/4HANA logs. Make sure there is not a blind spot in your monitoring.CPI is NOT a Firewall Stop trying to make CPI be a securtiy wall

Image 1 – SAP Integration Suite Consultant

Charting New Responsibilities on the possible migration from external vendors: Who Does What?

To witness the transformation from Soldier – SAP CPI to General – SAP BTP Integration Suite Developer, one must reconfigure their mindset, gain governance experience, and, most importantly, understand the clear boundaries of authority for each role.

Integration Architect

The Integration Architect projects the technical-specific horizon. They look beyond simple system connectivity to understand how interdependencies affect the global SAP BTP infrastructure.

Migration Analysis: When migrating from external gateways (API Management external vendor) to SAP BTP – APIM he is responsible for the gap analysis of policies, ensuring that security and traffic rules are successfully mapped and supported by the BTP infrastructure.Traffic & Performance Benchmarking: He compares the processing power and latency overhead of the old platform against SAP BTP APIM to prevent bottlenecks after the “Go-Live”.

Solution Architect

Focuses on the business solution design. They ensure the integration makes sense for the end-to-end process, such as Order-to-Cash or Hire-to-Retire.

Information Security: Works alongside the CISO to ensure data privacy (GDPR/LGPD) and sensitivity are respected.Systemic Design: Decides whether a flow should be synchronous or asynchronous, ensuring the backbone (like S/4HANA) is protected from unnecessary overhead.

SAP BTP Integration Suite Consultant

This is the most critical role for the project’s success—the Elite Executor. It is vital to understand: you are not the platform owner, nor the one who decides on corporate governance or global licensing. Your mission is high-level execution.

Technical Security: You implement the orders. You configure OAuth2, X.509 certificates, and message encryption. You don’t invent the security rule; you enforce it through technical excellence.Technical Execution: You are the one building the API Providers, creating Proxies, applying policies in APIM, and developing complex iFlows.The “Technical Beacon”: You are the eyes on the ground. You signal back to the Architects when a policy is technically unfeasible or when estimated traffic might threaten performance. You provide the reality check from the front lines.ResponsibilityIntegration ArchitectSolution ArchitectBTP Integration ConsultantMain FocusGovernance & PlatformBusiness ProcessProject ExecutionSecurity RoleDefines Global PoliciesDefines Data SensitivityImplements (Certs, Policies)APIM ScopeTraffic & Capacity AnalysisEndpoint RequirementsConfigures Proxies & ResourcesDeliverableStrategic RoadmapSolution BlueprintWorking Integrations

Conclusion — Part I

In this first part, we explored SAP API Management as more than just a proxy. In a clean integration setup, APIM helps control who can access APIs, how traffic is handled, and how contracts are defined, protecting SAP CPI and backend systems.

Going beyond a CPI-only mindset does not mean changing your role overnight. It means understanding where each tool fits and using the right capability for the right responsibility.

SAP API Management is not about copying URLs from one platform to another. It is about setting clear boundaries so SAP CPI can focus on integration logic, while APIM takes care of security and traffic.

In Part II, we will move to event-driven integration

Kind regards,

Viana.

References to study

References links compilation:

Get Started with API ManagementDeveloping with SAP Integration Suite – Unit 3SAP APIM – PoliciesSAP API Management in the Cloud Foundry Environment

After the learn path, check those blogs and try to replicate just to learn.

SAP SCN – APIM – Blogs:

Disclaimer: This isn’t a tutorial about how button click works. No, the audience of this post are engineers with all levels of experience, from Junior up to Senior, which might have fallen into that “I’m SAP CPI”. My goal has been to help you move from just obvious to”Architectural Thinking – SAP BTP Integration Suite Consultant”. You got the basics, now let’s move on.IntroductionIn my last entry, I talked about the “Frankenstein Landscape” – SAP BTP – Integration Suite: Clean Architecture vs The Frankenstein Landscape.Today, I’d like to put the spotlight on you and your career and if you are a SAP CPI developer, you might have noticed the hard times of just being good at building Iflows that seems to end.This is the first of four posts (the last one a summary because I will not explain SAP CPI, I’m expect that you know already), and we will navigate you through how to stop being “SAP CPI Developer” and become an SAP Integration Suite Consultant – “Generals”.First we will start with SAP API Management ( APIM ).Why bother leaving your comfort zone?I see this all the time: developers treating APIM and CPI like neighbors who don’t talk to each other. But here’s the reality.if they don’t work together, your architecture is going to break sooner or later.Growth is uncomfortable, moving away from just “configure adapters, fixing errors and create mappings” to actually thinking about strategy is tough, but you have to do it if you don’t want to get stuck in the “trap” mindset. Carl Jung once said: “Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.”In the world of SAP BTP Integration Suite, if you only look at the “outside” – All they perceive is an illusion of integration you are merely dreaming of a perfect integration, but that dream won’t survive longer with the digital integration transformation to truly “awaken” as an SAP BTP Integration Suite Consultants, you must look inside at integrations and the components they join in a more profound level. This in-depth knowledge results in more consistent and less brittle integrations.The “General” vs. The “Soldier” (A quick story)Let me show you a imaginare conversation conversationThe following dialogue illustrates a common situation in integration projects when API Management is treated as an afterthought instead of an architectural capability. Enterprise Architect / Solution ArchitectWe need to migrate 40 APIs from an old platform to SAP BTP APIM, after deep analyses of polices and others comparing with other vendors. we are good to go.How should we handle this ?SAP CPI DeveloperEasy. I’ll just build the iFlows in CPI, set up the HTTPS endpoints, and maybe throw in some Basic Auth or OAuth inside the flow. If something fails, I’ll set up an email alert.Enterprise Architect / Solution ArchitectOkay… but what if a partner starts spamming our endpoint with 10x more traffic by mistake?Is CPI going to tank that hit directly?Who’s controlling the gate?Response – (Awkward silence)SAP BTP – Integration Suite Consultant Hold on. We are not trading URLs here; we need to position SAP APIM as the defense in depth. It is our immune defense.We will control the rate limiting and security policy within APIM so no request will get into CPI if not satisfy our requirements. If a call is below age, APIM will cancel it before it hits the system.This reduces CPI to only its strengths: being an orchestrator and a logic, not a firewall.This is also important to clarify: my assets as a member in SAP APIM include the technical API proxy, provider, policy and configuration definition but EAM org-level governance decisions belongs within the overall architectural mandate and organisational governance model.Real Talk – “General”: My Just Goto Checklist for MigrationsThe following are several significant factors to keep in mind while moving APIs:Separate Responsibility:Security and traffic management will be taken on by the API Management (APIM) layer while the Cloud Platform Integration (CPI) takes care of actual processing logic.Gate Block the Trash: When garbage reached your integration flow (iFlow), then it is the last line of defense that am asking you to re-develope.Cleaner Contracts: Make use of the OpenAPI specs in APIM. Incoming data should not be left to guesswork in terms of CPI.Observability: Also very important to keep an observability from A-Z of the integration path, I mean from devportal until S/4HANA logs. Make sure there is not a blind spot in your monitoring.CPI is NOT a Firewall Stop trying to make CPI be a securtiy wallImage 1 – SAP Integration Suite Consultant Charting New Responsibilities on the possible migration from external vendors: Who Does What?To witness the transformation from Soldier – SAP CPI to General – SAP BTP Integration Suite Developer, one must reconfigure their mindset, gain governance experience, and, most importantly, understand the clear boundaries of authority for each role.Integration ArchitectThe Integration Architect projects the technical-specific horizon. They look beyond simple system connectivity to understand how interdependencies affect the global SAP BTP infrastructure.Migration Analysis: When migrating from external gateways (API Management external vendor) to SAP BTP – APIM he is responsible for the gap analysis of policies, ensuring that security and traffic rules are successfully mapped and supported by the BTP infrastructure.Traffic & Performance Benchmarking: He compares the processing power and latency overhead of the old platform against SAP BTP APIM to prevent bottlenecks after the “Go-Live”.Solution ArchitectFocuses on the business solution design. They ensure the integration makes sense for the end-to-end process, such as Order-to-Cash or Hire-to-Retire.Information Security: Works alongside the CISO to ensure data privacy (GDPR/LGPD) and sensitivity are respected.Systemic Design: Decides whether a flow should be synchronous or asynchronous, ensuring the backbone (like S/4HANA) is protected from unnecessary overhead.SAP BTP Integration Suite ConsultantThis is the most critical role for the project’s success—the Elite Executor. It is vital to understand: you are not the platform owner, nor the one who decides on corporate governance or global licensing. Your mission is high-level execution.Technical Security: You implement the orders. You configure OAuth2, X.509 certificates, and message encryption. You don’t invent the security rule; you enforce it through technical excellence.Technical Execution: You are the one building the API Providers, creating Proxies, applying policies in APIM, and developing complex iFlows.The “Technical Beacon”: You are the eyes on the ground. You signal back to the Architects when a policy is technically unfeasible or when estimated traffic might threaten performance. You provide the reality check from the front lines.ResponsibilityIntegration ArchitectSolution ArchitectBTP Integration ConsultantMain FocusGovernance & PlatformBusiness ProcessProject ExecutionSecurity RoleDefines Global PoliciesDefines Data SensitivityImplements (Certs, Policies)APIM ScopeTraffic & Capacity AnalysisEndpoint RequirementsConfigures Proxies & ResourcesDeliverableStrategic RoadmapSolution BlueprintWorking IntegrationsConclusion — Part IIn this first part, we explored SAP API Management as more than just a proxy. In a clean integration setup, APIM helps control who can access APIs, how traffic is handled, and how contracts are defined, protecting SAP CPI and backend systems.Going beyond a CPI-only mindset does not mean changing your role overnight. It means understanding where each tool fits and using the right capability for the right responsibility.SAP API Management is not about copying URLs from one platform to another. It is about setting clear boundaries so SAP CPI can focus on integration logic, while APIM takes care of security and traffic.In Part II, we will move to event-driven integrationKind regards,Viana.References to studyReferences links compilation:Get Started with API ManagementDeveloping with SAP Integration Suite – Unit 3SAP APIM – PoliciesSAP API Management in the Cloud Foundry EnvironmentAfter the learn path, check those blogs and try to replicate just to learn.SAP SCN – APIM – Blogs:SAP API Management – APIKey and Response CachingBuilding an API using SAP API ManagementSAP API Management- Generating Oauth SAML Assertion for SuccessFactors API callCalling SAP API Management from SAP Cloud Integration Using API Proxy URL & OAuth Authorization.Supporting Multiple API Gateways with SAP API Management – using Azure API Management as exampleSAP API Management – How to create a Cloud Integration Flow API ProviderAPI Masking/ API Routing Via SAP API Management: A Step by Step GuideSteps to create API proxy in SAP API Management with API key verification policy and consumer subscription to access APIs via API proxy or SAP API ManagementApplying ‘Techncial User Propagation’ to API ManagementAsynchronous Logging in SAP API ManagementAccessing SAP BTP Core Services APIs Using SAP Cloud Management Service (CIS)Utilising Third-Party OAuth Tokens in SAP API ManagementReusable APIs in SAP Integration Suite : Design Once, Use EverywhereMitigating OWASP and Other API Security Threats with SAP Integration Suite, API ManagementSAP BTP – APIM – Demystified: Designing a Single API Proxy with Dynamic Routing for Multiple TargetsSecure On-Premise API using SAP API Management in SAP Integration SuiteAPI Management: Unlocking OAuth StrategiesSAP API Management FAQBlog Series – SAP API Management – API Providers: Part 1: Accelerating connectivity through APIs and SAP API ManagementSAP API Management – Policy ManagementConsuming SAP on-premise data through SAP API ManagementSAP API Management: Discover Integration Flows from CPI tenants and auto-generate APIsSAP API Management – Traffic Management: ConcurrentRateLimit exampleSAP API Management – Rate Limiting API calls per applicationSAP Cloud Platform API Management – API Security Best Practices Blog SeriesPart 1 – API Security Best Practices – Restrict access to API based on IP AddressesPart 2 – API Security Best Practices – Rate limit API calls with Retry time intervalPart 3 – API Security Best Practices – Rate Limiting for OData Batch callsPart 4 – API Security Best Practices – Data Masking of sensitive data in OData / REST APIsPart 5 – API Security Best Practices – JSON Threat protection against injection attacksPart 6 – API Security Best Practices – XML Threat protection against injection attacksPart 7 – API Security Best Practices – Log all API interactionsPart 8 – API Security Best Practices – Threat Protection against SQL Injection attacksPart 9 – API Security Best Practices – Threat Protection against XML External Entity (XXE) attacksPart 10 – API Security Best Practices – Raise alerts for Threat detectionSAP API Management – a full overview (2)Complete Guide to Understanding Swagger in SAP API ManagementSAP API Management – API Proxy Troubleshooting TechniqueSAP Cloud Platform API Management – API Product PermissionsExpose SAP CPI Integration Flows as APIs Using SAP API Management: A Step-by-Step GuideSAP API Management – Develop and manage API-first enterprise microservices with SAP Cloud Platform and API Management – part 1SAP API Management – Develop and manage API-first enterprise microservices with SAP Cloud Platform and API Management – part 2 Read More Technology Blog Posts by Members articles

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