Hello all,
This attempt of a blog is actually more a list of open questions regarding best practice for designing PO interactions.
But if you will bear with me, I would like you to try and imagine the following situation:
You have been using the modeling framework in a SAP PI 7.31 dual stack installation. Now you need to migrate all interaction models to a new PO 7.4 single stack AEX installation.
From help.sap.com you can read that all modeling functionality is available in ESR, but the option to choose "ProComp Interaction Models" in the
Integration Builder when creating "Configuration Scenarios" is no longer an option in the single stack. You could sort of deduce this from SAP help, since the option is only described for dual-stack.
Using Configuration Scenarios - Integration Directory - SAP Library
Now I am wondering what the plans are for the modeling framework for the PO single stack? I would also like to know if the modeling technology from a PO perspective is being decommissioned? Or whether there are plans to reintroduce the modeling framework into the Integration Builder, so we will again be able to use models in the single stacks' Auto-Configurator - just like it is still an option in the dual stack.
Perhaps, this will only be a dual-stack option in the long run? Which on the other hand makes me wonder whether the dual/single stack option is planned as an option long-term? I might have been misguided in assuming that using single stack was and should be the long-term goal.
Of course, there are the new Integration Flows option in PO single stack, but these are generated from the "old" Integration Scenarios. Talk about making a come-back!!
So it might be the plan, that we all stick the using Integration Scenarios when designing interactions in ESR? In that case, are Models dead? Some might argue, that they were never alive.
Interesting enough neither the Integration Scenarios nor the Models are visible from the NWDS ESR perspective. So where should these be created, changed or simply displayed when working in NWDS? Where should new interaction designs be maintained when we all one day will be developing exclusively in NWDS?
Will we need to Free-styling the whole thing?
I have not been able to find any best practice recommendations. With best practice, I would like SAP to chose a side. Instead of throwing semi-complete options at us, which to me seems to leave us letting our own preferences determine what will be the "correct" method for designing interactions. Sorry to sound a bit negative, but indecisiveness makes me nervous.
I still search for models in ESR content and on esworkplace.sap.com when I approach a new interaction requirement. I have even found some interaction models that were in a newer state on esworkplace.sap.com than the models delivered in the newest ESM XI Content (the newest XI content containing models being from 2011, hmmm).
Some new models are being developed by SAP, but how are we supposed to utilize such new developments in long-term? Not easily, if these models are not an option in the single stack's Auto-Configurator. And not likely, if the newest models are not even delivered as XI content.
I know I am asking a lot of questions. I am not expecting SAP or anyone else to deliver conclusive answers to all of them right away. But if you have some insights regarding this matter, I would be very interested in hearing from you.
Regards,
Emil