API Managed Integration

API-managed integration is a strategic approach that enables you to offer comprehensive and secure access to business applications across various channels while effectively concealing the intricacies of diverse and complex technology landscapes.

In essence, this integration method leverages Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to streamline the communication and interaction between different software systems. By doing so, it facilitates seamless connectivity between business applications, making them accessible through multiple channels. This includes web interfaces, mobile applications, and other digital platforms, creating an omni-channel experience for users.

The key advantages of API-managed integration include:

1. Omni-Channel Accessibility: Users can interact with business applications through various channels, ensuring a consistent and integrated experience across different platforms.
2. Security: API-managed integration incorporates robust security measures to safeguard data and transactions, ensuring that sensitive information is protected during communication between applications.
3. Abstraction of Complexity: It hides the intricate details of the underlying heterogeneous landscapes, shielding end-users and developers from the complexities associated with the diverse technologies integrated into the system.
4. Scalability: API-managed integration provides a scalable solution, allowing businesses to adapt and expand their technology infrastructure without significant disruptions.
5. Efficiency: By using APIs to connect applications, processes become more streamlined and efficient, reducing manual intervention and minimizing errors associated with disparate systems.
6. Faster Development: Developers can take advantage of pre-built APIs to accelerate the development of new applications or features, saving time and resources.
7. Adaptability: This integration method enables businesses to adapt to evolving technological landscapes by providing a flexible and agile architecture.

Overall, API-managed integration is a powerful tool for organizations seeking to enhance connectivity, accessibility, and security in their digital ecosystems while simplifying the user experience and maintaining operational efficiency.

API Managed Integration for Cloud Deployment

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) enable integration, interoperability and data sharing between software systems. With the help of an API management solution like the API Management capability within SAP Integration Suite you can provide omni-channel and secure access to solutions. Furthermore, it allows you to enforce usage policies for APIs, controlling API access, analyzing API consumption and more. This reference architecture is based on the concepts of the SAP Integration Solution Advisory Methodology: Thereof, API managed integration is defined as cross use case pattern. These can complement other integration use case patterns.

Flow

The reference architecture diagram shows the runtime perspective for API managed integration. Let’s take a look at the steps in detail:

1. The data flow starts with an application which acts as an API consumer in this integration scenario. This application could be an SAP or third-party solution, a custom-built app or any other type of application which can consume APIs. It sends out an API call using a REST based, OData or SOAP based API.
2. These API calls are intercepted by the API Management capability within SAP Integration Suite before they are sent to the respective API provider. API Management adds a harmonious protection layer for all API calls which pass its gateway. For this purpose, APIs are exposed as API proxies on API Management which realize a discrete representation of an API entity (an API façade): It abstracts the actual proxy end point properties at one end and the actual target. An API proxy includes configuration files, policies, and code snippets to enforce security measures (such as authentication and authorization), transformations (such as modifications of API requests and responses), governance (such as applying throttling, caching) and insights (like monitoring and analytics of API consumption).
3. For creating such API proxies, API administrators can reuse policies templates to secure APIs. These are published at SAP Business Accelerator Hub along other artifacts, such as available APIs for SAP business applications, prepackaged integration content for Cloud Integration and more.
4. The further flow toward the API provider depends on the actual use case. Let’s have a look at the different options:API managed cloud integration: If your integration scenario has got advanced mediation and transformation requirements that are not supported by API Management you additionally use Cloud Integration for such tasks.API managed data graph: Graph is a capability of API Management. It allows you to expose all your business data from SAP business solutions and beyond in the form of a semantically connected data graph. In turn, with the help of Graph you can access data from several data sources via a single unified API. With this use case you can take advantage of a simplified consumption of business data across different data sources realized by a business data graph.A managed API: In this use case the API requests are forwarded to the different API providers. It is suited for integration scenarios which require no or simple transformations and protocol adaptations that can be accomplished by API Management.
5. Finally, the API calls are sent to the respective data sources which act as API providers within the integration scenario. A data source can be any type of application such as an SAP, third-party or custom-built solution.CharacteristicsAn architecture for API managed integration can be characterized as follows:

• Governed API consumption: This allows you to govern the full lifecycle of APIs. It includes the consumption of APIs by enforcing policies, ensuring compliance and control over the integration process.
• Decoupled integration: With the help of an API façade you can abstract the API from its actual implementation. By doing so, it can enable a decoupled integration between systems, meaning that each system can evolve independently without affecting the others.
• Advanced protection: Ensure API security via policies, traffic protection, and compliance.
• Provides visibility and analytical insights: You can centrally collect and analyze API metrics, including option to monetize API consumption.
• Enables integration and interoperability between software systems: You can perform transformation and mediations, including a simplified consumption of APIs when using data graphs, to enable interoperability between API providers and consumers.

Examples in an SAP Context

SAP doesn’t deliver predefined integration scenarios that follow an API managed integration approach. API management solutions are typically implemented by customers or partners. Please find below typical reasons using API managed:

• Achieve a consistent and harmonized omni-channel experience.
• Manage and protect business-critical API assets.
• Simplify integration with SAP and other API providers.
• Realize revenue in the cloud-native economy.Rajeev Radhakrishnan, Sap Solution Expert(RD Digital Solutions) , specialise in SAP Implementation, Support and infrastructure Migrations for various clients. As a certified SAP Consultant having 12 yrs of experience in SAP technologies able to advise and enable your requirements  He can be reached at rajeev@rddigitalsolutions.com or call +1 9082402491