Should I use PI if I can directly connect with a Web Service ?

[Former Member]

What are the disadvantages and  advantages of having a PI system if I can have a direct Web Service connection between two systems ?

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi, in my view:

Disadvantages:

* Extra point of failure

* Extra configuration

* Introduction of some lag (maybe too small to notice depending on your scenario)

* Maybe extra cost depending on your license agreement and configuration

Advantages:

* Centralized monitoring

* Captured payload of failures

* Some degree of load balancing (e.g. PI clustered adapters)

* Ability to alter payload or message if needed (mapping)

* A moderated layer of abstraction which can help with governance / change control

Many of the advantages can be mitigated if you have good practices and control over the application.

[Former Member]

I would use PI if there is a orchestration kind of situation with many messages going to and fro with involving message manipulations to achieve one business process. For all direct connections yielding a B for an A with period, I see PI as an excess.

[rajasekhar_reddy14]

Aaron already pointed Adv/Dadv.

If your customer has SAP PI in landscape and number of web service integrations are more then use PI.

otherwise use direct integration.