What is SAP Exchange Infrastructure?
How is 'XI' applicable to my organisation?
Why should I consider an XI implementation in my IT landscape?
What are the costs of implementing XI?

These are some of the questions Bluefin have been presented with recently, by organisations who've heard about the product, are inquisitive about the possibilities and are considering translating the hype into reality.

As ever, the SAP marketing engine is effective in delivery, but often less clear in terms of application. So here's the reality. Let's start from the simple concept, and work up from there.

SAP Exchange Infrastructure (XI) is an integration system. It enables the exchange of information between disparate systems within an extended systems landscape. It will facilitate the exchange of information between systems within the landscape of an organisation itself (A2A), but extends to integration with partner systems to which automated data exchange offers real business benefit (B2B).

In addition to this, SAP XI provides the glue which binds together the SAP NetWeaver vision of Service Oriented Architecture - initially known as Enterprise Service Architecture (ESA), but now re-termed as 'Enterprise SOA' - the foundation of an SOA implementation if you're considering using a Composite of Applications in the provision of a business process.

XI has been around since 2002, and is now on its 3rd major release. SAP are increasingly lauding XI as a strategic tool which should be used to exchange data between different systems within an SAP environment.

So the application of XI boils down to three fundamental scenarios:

• A2A
• B2B
• Enterprise SOA
  

Sounds good. But why choose XI over and above all the other EAI tools in the marketplace?