As SAP environments become increasingly cloud-based, connected, and complex, integration is becoming a critical part of the enterprise technology strategy.

For many organizations, SAP Integration Suite on SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) provides the foundation for connecting SAP and non-SAP applications, data, processes, and systems across increasingly diverse technology landscapes.

But getting started with SAP BTP Integration Suite isn’t simply a matter of turning on the technology and beginning to build integrations.

Customers need to understand their current integration landscape, determine what their future architecture should look like, establish governance, estimate costs, define security and monitoring requirements, and decide whether existing integrations should simply be migrated or optimized along the way.

SAP provides tools and resources that can help customers begin this journey themselves, but technology alone doesn’t create an effective integration strategy. Experienced SAP BTP Integration Suite consultants can help organizations make the right architecture, governance, migration, and optimization decisions from the beginning.

What is SAP BTP Integration Suite?

SAP Integration Suite is SAP’s cloud-based integration platform on SAP BTP, designed to connect applications, systems, processes, and data across SAP and non-SAP environments.

For SAP customers, Integration Suite can become a central integration layer supporting connectivity across cloud, on-premises, SAP, and third-party applications.

Organizations may be adopting Integration Suite as part of a broader SAP cloud transformation, establishing a new integration environment, or migrating from existing middleware such as SAP PI/PO.

The technology is important—but the architecture and operating model behind can prove to be equally as important.

Why are SAP customers moving to BTP Integration Suite?

One significant driver is the transition away from SAP Process Integration/Process Orchestration (PI/PO).

SAP Process Orchestration 7.5 mainstream maintenance runs through the end of 2027, with extended maintenance available through the end of 2030. That means many existing PI/PO customers are evaluating or actively planning their future integration strategy. These migrations can take time.

For example, during a recent Vortex SME discussion, one consultant shared experience with an environment of approximately 500 interfaces that took close to a year to migrate and another involving roughly 800 interfaces that took approximately 18 months.

PI/PO migration isn’t the only reason to consider Integration Suite.

Organizations may also be looking to:

• Establish a cloud-based integration foundation
• Support SAP S/4HANA and broader cloud transformation initiatives
• Connect SAP and non-SAP applications
• Standardize integration patterns and development
• Improve governance across integrations
• Modernize or consolidate existing interfaces
• Establish a more scalable integration architecture

The bigger question isn’t simply “How do we migrate?”

It is “How should we build and operate our integration environment going forward?”

1. Start with an assessment, not development

Before building or migrating integrations, organizations need a clear understanding of their current environment.

For customers moving from SAP PI/PO, assessment and sizing can help identify existing integration objects and determine the relative complexity and effort required to move them into Integration Suite.

As our Vortex SME explained, that information can then be translated into estimated effort, resources, costs, and timelines for the project.

But an assessment should go beyond counting interfaces.

Organizations should be asking:

What integrations do we have today? Which still provide business value? Which should be migrated? Which should be retired? Where can integrations be consolidated? What should be redesigned? What skills and resources will be required?

This is where experienced Integration Suite consultants can provide significant value. Tools can identify what exists; experienced architects can help determine what should happen next.

2. Define your BTP Integration Suite architecture

One of the most important outputs of an Integration Suite initiative should be a clearly documented target architecture.

The architecture should show how applications and systems communicate, how messages move through the environment, what protocols are being used, and how the different components of the integration landscape fit together.

Our SME team emphasizes that an architecture document should be considered a fundamental part of the delivery, not something created after the environment is already built.

That becomes especially important in complex enterprise environments where multiple SAP systems, cloud applications, third-party platforms, vendors, and development teams may all interact with BTP.

3. Decide whether to migrate or optimize

For organizations moving existing integrations to BTP Integration Suite, there is an important strategic decision to make:

Do you recreate what you have today, or use the move as an opportunity to improve it?

A like-for-like approach can sometimes simplify migration. Existing integrations are moved first, with optimization addressed later. But Integration Suite can also provide opportunities to rethink integration design.

Vortex consultants described scenarios where multiple similar interfaces could potentially be consolidated into a more streamlined integration. That can reduce interface proliferation, but it requires additional architecture and development rather than simply recreating the existing design.

The right answer may differ across the environment. Some integrations may make sense to move with minimal change. Others may present an opportunity for modernization.

Experienced BTP architects can help identify where optimization delivers meaningful value without unnecessarily expanding the scope of the project.

4. Understand both implementation and ongoing costs

Organizations should consider the economics of Integration Suite from two perspectives:

What will it cost to implement or migrate? And: What will the environment cost to operate once it is live?

For customers migrating from PI/PO, historical message volumes and expected environments, such as development, QA, and production, can help inform estimates for future Integration Suite usage and operating costs.

Vortex consultants emphasized the importance of understanding both the initial conversion cost and the recurring operating cost, including how those costs affect the longer-term ROI of the initiative.

That financial planning should happen early, not after the architecture has already been established.

5. Build governance into BTP Integration Suite from the beginning

Governance is one of the most important and easiest to overlook parts of an Integration Suite strategy.

Without clearly defined standards, different teams, contractors, and vendors can begin developing integrations differently.

Over time, that can make the environment significantly harder to manage.

For organizations new to Integration Suite, Vortex recommends establishing the governance model before migration or development begins.

A strong governance framework should address areas such as:

RACI and ownership. Define who owns the platform and who is responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed across development, administration, architecture, and operations.

Integration patterns. Establish repeatable patterns for common integration scenarios so every project isn’t designing from scratch.

Integration advisory board. For larger organizations, an integration of governance or advisory board can provide oversight for architecture, standards, naming conventions, and movement between development, QA, and production.

Naming conventions. Consistent naming helps maintain order as the number of integrations and participating in development teams grows.

Governance may not be the most visible part of the Integration Suite implementation, but it can have a major impact on how manageable the environment remains over time.

6. Plan security, monitoring, and transport management

A production-ready Integration Suite environment also requires an operating model.

That includes defining roles and authorizations for administrators, developers, project teams, and other users. The security model should be discussed and documented as part of the implementation.

Organizations should also determine how integrations will be monitored and how content will move between environments. Vortex suggest that specifically identified monitoring and transport mechanisms are areas customers should plan before beginning migration or implementation not after integrations are already in production.

The goal is to create an environment that can be operated and supported effectively, not simply implemented.

7. Don’t underestimate the SAP expertise required

SAP customers can take on portions of the BTP Integration Suite journey internally. SAP provides tools that can help with assessment, migration, and platform management. But having the tools is different from having the experience to design the right environment.

A BTP Integration Suite initiative can require expertise across:

Integration architecture | SAP PI/PO | SAP Integration Suite | Migration planning | Interface design | Security | Governance | Testing | Monitoring | Deployment | Ongoing support

Moving from one integration platform to another requires both knowledge of the existing environment and knowledge of Integration Suite architecture, while making the transition as transparent as possible to the business.

That’s why working with experienced SAP BTP Integration Suite consultants is often the best route for organizations embarking on this journey.

Customers do not necessarily need to outsource every aspect of their Integration Suite environment. In fact, internal knowledge and ownership are important. But experienced consultants can work alongside internal teams to help establish the right foundation, avoid common architectural and governance mistakes, accelerate migration or implementation, and transfer knowledge to the organization along the way.

Build your BTP Integration Suite foundation for what comes next

The most successful SAP BTP Integration Suite initiatives shouldn’t be measured simply by how many interfaces were migrated or how quickly the platform went live.

The bigger objective is establishing an integration foundation that can support the organization well into the future.

That means thinking beyond migration to architecture, governance, optimization, security, monitoring, cost management, and long-term support.

Whether you’re migrating from SAP PI/PO, introducing Integration Suite as part of an SAP transformation, or building a new integration landscape, getting those decisions right at the beginning can make everything that follows easier.

How Vortex Consulting can support your SAP BTP Integration Suite journey

Vortex Consulting provides experienced SAP BTP and Integration Suite consultants who can work alongside your internal teams throughout the journey from initial assessment and architecture through implementation, migration, optimization, and ongoing support.

Our team can help with:

• BTP Integration Suite assessments and sizing
• Integration architecture
• PI/PO migration planning and execution
• Interface optimization
• Integration governance
• Security and role design
• Monitoring and transport strategy
• Testing and deployment
• Ongoing Integration Suite support

Considering SAP BTP Integration Suite or already planning your next steps?

Connect with Vortex Consulting to assess your current integration environment and develop a practical roadmap for building a well-architected, governed, and scalable SAP BTP Integration Suite environment.

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Frequently Asked Questions About SAP BTP Integration Suite

What is SAP BTP Integration Suite?

SAP Integration Suite is SAP’s cloud-based integration platform on SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP). It helps organizations connect SAP and non-SAP applications, systems, data, and business processes across cloud and on-premises environments.

Why are SAP customers moving to BTP Integration Suite?

Organizations are adopting SAP Integration Suite to modernize their integration environments, support cloud and SAP S/4HANA transformations, connect increasingly diverse applications, and establish a more scalable integration foundation. For existing SAP PI/PO customers, the approaching maintenance timelines are also an important driver for evaluating Integration Suite.

When should SAP PI/PO customers start planning their move to Integration Suite?

Ideally, now rather than waiting for a maintenance deadline. Large integration landscapes can require significant assessment, architecture, development, testing, and migration work. In the Vortex SME interview, previous projects involving approximately 500 and 800 interfaces required roughly a year and 18 months, respectively.

How long does an SAP BTP Integration Suite migration take?

There is no standard timeline. The duration depends on factors such as the number and complexity of interfaces, available resources, technical expertise, testing requirements, and whether integrations are being migrated as-is or redesigned and optimized. An upfront assessment is important for establishing a realistic timeline and resource plan.

Should we migrate our existing integrations as-is or optimize them?

It depends on your environment and business priorities. Some integrations may be candidates for a straightforward migration, while others may benefit from consolidation or redesign. SAP BTP Integration Suite can create opportunities to simplify certain integration scenarios, but optimization requires additional architecture and development work.

What should we consider before implementing SAP BTP Integration Suite?

Start with more than the technology itself. Organizations should consider their integration architecture, governance model, RACI and ownership, integration patterns, naming conventions, security and authorization, monitoring, transport management, migration approach, and ongoing operating costs before implementation or migration begins.

Why is governance important for SAP Integration Suite?

Governance helps ensure that different internal teams, contractors, and third-party vendors follow consistent standards when building and managing integrations. A defined governance model can establish ownership, approved integration patterns, naming conventions, architecture standards, and processes for moving integrations from development through QA and production.

Can SAP customers implement BTP Integration Suite themselves?

Yes, organizations can use their internal SAP and integration teams and SAP-provided tools to support portions of the journey. However, working with experienced SAP BTP Integration Suite consultants is often the best route, particularly for complex environments. Experienced consultants can help with assessment, architecture, governance, migration planning, optimization, security, testing, and implementation while working alongside internal teams to build long-term knowledge.

Why work with an experienced SAP BTP Integration Suite consultant?

Integration Suite initiatives can require expertise across both existing and future environments. For PI/PO migrations specifically, consultants may need architectural knowledge as well as experience with both PI/PO and BTP Integration Suite to minimize disruption as integrations transition between platforms.

Have questions about SAP BTP Integration Suite or aren’t sure where to begin? Contact Vortex Consulting to help assess your current integration landscape, identify your next steps, and provide the experienced BTP resources needed to move from planning through implementation and ongoing support.