In our previous article, we took you through what the end of SAP PO means for enterprises and touched a bit on how to best prepare to migrate over to SAP BTP Integration Suite.
Migrating your integration landscape from SAP Process Orchestration (PO) to SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) Integration Suite is a strategic move that can offer you benefits such as being scalable, agile and more. However, with multiple migration approaches available, choosing the best route for your organisation can be challenging. We explore the key migration strategies and factors to consider, helping you make an informed decision during this time.
SAP BTP Integration Migration Approaches at a Glance
There are three different migration approaches that you can choose from; we cover them in depth on our playbook, which is available for you to download for free. However, we touch on them briefly for you to have an idea of what you would be working with.
Lift and Shift
The Lift and Shift approach involves moving existing SAP PO interfaces “as-is” to SAP BTP Integration Suite with minimal changes. It is the fastest way to migrate, allowing organisations to quickly retire legacy systems. While this type of migration might seem simple, it can unfortunately carry over technical issues to the new system.
Selective Migration
Selective migration involves assessing each interface individually to decide whether to rebuild, retire, or migrate it. This approach improves the integration landscape, eliminating old or outdated systems, and aligns with modern cloud-native integration patterns. The trade-off is higher upfront effort and longer timelines.
Hybrid Approach
A hybrid approach combines lift and shift for simpler or less critical interfaces with selective migration for complex, high-value, or business-critical ones. This balances speed and optimisation, enabling quick wins while improving key SAP BTP integration processes. The SAP PO to SAP BTP Playbook by Integrove looks at each of the approaches and provides the pros and cons of each approach.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Approach
Business Priorities
If your primary goal is to meet a tight deadline or retire SAP PO quickly, lift and shift may be the best fit. If you want to future-proof your integration landscape and reduce long-term maintenance costs, selective migration or hybrid approaches are preferable.
Complexity of Interfaces
Interfaces with custom Java mappings, UDFs, or complex workflows often require redesign. Understanding the technical complexity helps determine the effort needed for migration. At Integrove, we understand how this could be a daunting process; however, we have experts who can help you on your migration journey.
Resource Availability
Do you have the internal expertise and bandwidth to conduct detailed assessments and redesigns? Hybrid approaches allow you to allocate resources strategically.
Risk Tolerance
Lift and shift reduces migration risks by moving interfaces as-is, but may increase operational risks later due to technical debt. An additional risk is that you might also be migrating the current issues without any thought put into eliminating the bugs/issues during a migration exercise. Selective migration, on the other hand, reduces long-term risks but requires more upfront investment.
Additional Considerations
- Governance and Security: SAP BTP Integration Suite offers role-based access control, policy management, and encryption features. Plan governance early.
- Connectivity: Ensure SAP Cloud Connector and on-premises connectivity are configured and tested.
- Training and Change Management: Prepare your teams for new tools, processes, and operational models.
Why Download the Playbook?
Our “SAP PO to BTP Playbook” provides detailed pros and cons of each migration approach, decision frameworks, and real-world examples to guide your journey. Don’t navigate this complex decision alone—download the playbook and make your SAP BTP integration journey a success.
