SAP Integration Migration to Azure¶

Migrating SAP PI/PO, RFC/IDoc/BAPI connectivity, and SAP BTP integration to Azure Integration Services.

Overview¶

SAP integration is the connective tissue of enterprise IT. SAP PI (Process Integration) and PO (Process Orchestration) handle thousands of interfaces between SAP and external systems --- EDI partners, banks, government agencies, logistics providers, and internal applications. Migrating this layer requires interface-by-interface analysis, testing, and cutover. This guide covers the migration from SAP PI/PO to Azure Integration Services and the integration patterns for RFC, IDoc, and BAPI connectivity.

1. SAP PI/PO to Azure Integration Services¶

Component mapping¶

SAP PI/PO component	Azure equivalent	Notes
Integration Directory (ID)	Azure API Management + Logic Apps	Routing and configuration
Integration Repository (IR)	Azure DevOps (Git-based source control)	Interface definitions as code
Adapter Engine (AE)	Logic Apps connectors + Azure Functions	Protocol adapters
Advanced Adapter Engine (AAE)	Logic Apps + custom connectors	Java-based adapters migrate to Azure Functions
Business Process Engine (BPE)	Logic Apps workflows	BPEL processes → Logic Apps stateful workflows
Mapping (XSLT, Java, Message)	Logic Apps Liquid templates + Azure Functions	XSLT → Liquid; Java mappings → Azure Functions
Alert monitoring	Azure Monitor + Log Analytics	Interface monitoring and alerting
RFC adapter	Logic Apps SAP connector	RFC calls to/from SAP
IDoc adapter	Logic Apps SAP connector	IDoc send and receive
File adapter	Azure Blob Storage trigger + Logic Apps	File-based integrations
SOAP adapter	Logic Apps HTTP action	SOAP web service calls
REST adapter	API Management + Logic Apps HTTP action	REST API integrations
JDBC adapter	Logic Apps SQL connector + Azure Functions	Database integrations
SFTP adapter	Logic Apps SFTP-SSH connector	Secure file transfer
AS2 adapter	Logic Apps AS2 connector (B2B)	EDI/AS2 partner integrations
Mail adapter	Logic Apps Office 365 connector	Email-based integrations

Migration approach¶

SAP PI/PO Migration Phases
Phase 1: Inventory
├── Export ICO (Integration Configuration Objects) list
├── Categorize interfaces by protocol, frequency, criticality
├── Identify interface owners and SLAs
└── Estimate Azure resource requirements

Phase 2: Design
├── Map each PI/PO channel to Azure equivalent
├── Design Logic Apps workflows for complex orchestrations
├── Configure API Management for external-facing APIs
└── Set up Service Bus for async messaging

Phase 3: Build
├── Implement Logic Apps workflows (interface by interface)
├── Deploy Azure Functions for custom transformations
├── Configure SAP connector for RFC/IDoc/BAPI
└── Set up monitoring and alerting

Phase 4: Test
├── Parallel run (PI/PO and Azure side by side)
├── Validate message content, timing, error handling
├── Load testing for high-volume interfaces
└── DR testing

Phase 5: Cutover
├── Interface-by-interface cutover (not big-bang)
├── Monitor both platforms during transition
├── Decommission PI/PO interfaces after validation
└── Final PI/PO decommission

2. RFC connectivity from Azure¶

RFC (Remote Function Call) is the primary synchronous communication protocol for SAP. Azure provides native RFC connectivity through the Logic Apps SAP connector and the SAP .NET Connector (NCo).

Logic Apps SAP connector (RFC)¶

{
    "type": "ApiConnection",
    "inputs": {
        "host": {
            "connection": {
                "name": "@parameters('$connections')['sap']['connectionId']"
            }
        },
        "method": "post",
        "path": "/CallRfc",
        "body": {
            "RfcName": "BAPI_MATERIAL_GETLIST",
            "RfcGroupFilter": "",
            "Parameters": [
                {
                    "Name": "MATNRSELECTION",
                    "Value": {
                        "item": [
                            {
                                "SIGN": "I",
                                "OPTION": "EQ",
                                "MATNR_LOW": "100-100"
                            }
                        ]
                    }
                }
            ]
        }
    }
}

Azure Functions with SAP .NET Connector¶

// Azure Function calling SAP RFC via NCo
using SAP.Middleware.Connector;

[Function("GetMaterialList")]
public async Task<IActionResult> Run(
    [HttpTrigger(AuthorizationLevel.Function, "get")] HttpRequest req)
{
    RfcDestination destination = RfcDestinationManager.GetDestination("SAP_PRD");
    IRfcFunction function = destination.Repository.CreateFunction("BAPI_MATERIAL_GETLIST");

    IRfcTable matnrSelection = function.GetTable("MATNRSELECTION");
    matnrSelection.Append();
    matnrSelection.SetValue("SIGN", "I");
    matnrSelection.SetValue("OPTION", "CP");
    matnrSelection.SetValue("MATNR_LOW", "100*");

    function.Invoke(destination);

    IRfcTable materialList = function.GetTable("MATNRLIST");
    var materials = new List<object>();

    foreach (IRfcStructure row in materialList)
    {
        materials.Add(new {
            MaterialNumber = row.GetString("MATERIAL"),
            Description = row.GetString("MATL_DESC")
        });
    }

    return new OkObjectResult(materials);
}

3. IDoc processing on Azure¶

IDocs (Intermediate Documents) are SAP's standard format for asynchronous business document exchange (purchase orders, invoices, delivery notes, master data changes).

Receiving IDocs from SAP¶

SAP System → tRFC → Logic Apps SAP Connector → Process IDoc → Route to target

{
    "definition": {
        "triggers": {
            "When_a_message_is_received_from_SAP": {
                "type": "ApiConnectionNotification",
                "inputs": {
                    "host": {
                        "connection": {
                            "name": "@parameters('$connections')['sap']['connectionId']"
                        }
                    },
                    "path": "/MessageServerTrigger",
                    "body": {
                        "MessageType": "ORDERS05",
                        "SenderPartnerNumber": "*",
                        "SenderPartnerType": "LS"
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        "actions": {
            "Parse_IDoc_XML": {
                "type": "ParseJson",
                "inputs": {
                    "content": "@triggerBody()",
                    "schema": {}
                }
            },
            "Route_to_target": {
                "type": "Switch",
                "expression": "@body('Parse_IDoc_XML')?['IDOCTYP']",
                "cases": {
                    "ORDERS05": {
                        "actions": {
                            "Send_to_ServiceBus": {
                                "type": "ServiceBus",
                                "inputs": {
                                    "body": "@body('Parse_IDoc_XML')",
                                    "path": "/orders-queue/messages"
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

Sending IDocs to SAP¶

{
    "actions": {
        "Send_IDoc_to_SAP": {
            "type": "ApiConnection",
            "inputs": {
                "host": {
                    "connection": {
                        "name": "@parameters('$connections')['sap']['connectionId']"
                    }
                },
                "method": "post",
                "path": "/SendIdoc",
                "body": {
                    "idocType": "MATMAS05",
                    "idocMessage": "<MATMAS05>...</MATMAS05>"
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

4. BAPI calls from Azure¶

BAPIs (Business Application Programming Interfaces) are SAP's standard APIs for business operations. They provide transactional integrity and are the recommended way to create, update, or read SAP business objects.

Common BAPIs and their Azure integration patterns¶

BAPI	Purpose	Azure pattern
BAPI_SALESORDER_CREATEFROMDAT2	Create sales order	Logic Apps → SAP connector → RFC
BAPI_PO_CREATE1	Create purchase order	Azure Function → NCo → RFC
BAPI_ACC_DOCUMENT_POST	Post accounting document	Logic Apps → SAP connector → RFC
BAPI_MATERIAL_SAVEDATA	Create/change material master	Azure Function → NCo → RFC
BAPI_CUSTOMER_GETLIST	Read customer list	API Management → Logic Apps → SAP
BAPI_COMPANYCODE_GETLIST	Read company codes	API Management → Logic Apps → SAP

Exposing SAP BAPIs as REST APIs¶

Azure API Management
    │
    ├── GET  /api/sap/materials     → Logic Apps → BAPI_MATERIAL_GETLIST
    ├── POST /api/sap/sales-orders  → Logic Apps → BAPI_SALESORDER_CREATEFROMDAT2
    ├── GET  /api/sap/customers     → Logic Apps → BAPI_CUSTOMER_GETLIST
    └── POST /api/sap/invoices      → Logic Apps → BAPI_ACC_DOCUMENT_POST

<!-- API Management policy for SAP BAPI exposure -->
<policies>
    <inbound>
        <base />
        <set-header name="Content-Type" exists-action="override">
            <value>application/json</value>
        </set-header>
        <rate-limit calls="100" renewal-period="60" />
        <validate-jwt header-name="Authorization"
                      failed-validation-httpcode="401">
            <openid-config
              url="https://login.microsoftonline.com/{tenant}/.well-known/openid-configuration" />
            <required-claims>
                <claim name="roles" match="any">
                    <value>SAP.ReadWrite</value>
                </claim>
            </required-claims>
        </validate-jwt>
    </inbound>
</policies>

5. SAP Event Mesh to Azure Event Grid¶

SAP Event Mesh enables event-driven architectures by publishing SAP business events (e.g., "sales order created", "material changed") to subscribers.

Migration pattern¶

SAP Event Mesh concept	Azure equivalent
Event topics	Event Grid topics or Service Bus topics
Event subscriptions	Event Grid subscriptions or Service Bus subscriptions
Queue-based consumers	Service Bus queues
Webhook delivery	Event Grid webhook endpoints

SAP business events to Azure Event Grid¶

# Create Event Grid topic for SAP events
az eventgrid topic create \
  --name sap-business-events \
  --resource-group rg-sap-integration \
  --location eastus2

# Create subscription for sales order events
az eventgrid event-subscription create \
  --name sales-order-subscription \
  --source-resource-id /subscriptions/<sub>/resourceGroups/rg-sap-integration/providers/Microsoft.EventGrid/topics/sap-business-events \
  --endpoint https://func-sap-events.azurewebsites.net/api/SalesOrderHandler

6. SAP BTP integration with Azure¶

For organizations using RISE with SAP, SAP BTP (Business Technology Platform) coexists with Azure services. Integration between BTP and Azure uses:

Integration pattern	Technology	Use case
BTP → Azure	SAP Cloud Connector + Azure API Management	BTP apps accessing Azure services
Azure → BTP	Azure Logic Apps + BTP API endpoints	Azure workflows triggering BTP services
Shared identity	Entra ID federation with SAP IAS	Single sign-on across Azure and BTP
Data integration	Fabric Mirroring + BTP Integration Suite	SAP data in both BTP and Azure analytics

7. CSA-in-a-Box integration for SAP data extraction¶

CSA-in-a-Box uses ADF SAP connectors for batch data extraction and Fabric Mirroring for near-real-time replication.

ADF SAP connector options¶

Connector	Source	Use case	Extraction method
SAP Table	SAP ECC/S/4HANA tables	Full/incremental table extraction	Direct table read
SAP BW via Open Hub	SAP BW InfoProviders	BW data warehouse extraction	Open Hub Destination
SAP HANA	SAP HANA database	Direct HANA table/view extraction	SQL/MDX queries
SAP ODP	SAP ECC/S/4HANA (ODP framework)	Delta extraction with change tracking	Operational Data Provisioning
SAP CDC	SAP S/4HANA	Real-time change data capture	SLT-based CDC

{
    "name": "SAPTableExtraction",
    "type": "SapTable",
    "typeProperties": {
        "tableName": "VBAK",
        "sapDataColumnDelimiter": "|",
        "rowCount": 1000000,
        "customRfcReadTableFunctionModule": "/BODS/RFC_READ_TABLE2",
        "partitionOption": "PartitionOnCalendarDate",
        "partitionSettings": {
            "partitionColumnName": "ERDAT",
            "partitionLowerBound": "20200101",
            "partitionUpperBound": "20260430",
            "maxPartitionsNumber": 12
        }
    }
}

Last updated: 2026-04-30 Maintainers: CSA-in-a-Box core team Related: Feature Mapping | Analytics Migration | Security Migration