In the modern era of digital transformation, seamless integration between on-premise systems and the cloud has become paramount for organizations seeking to harness the full power of their technology and make the most of their overall investment.
Enter SAP Cloud Connector — a vital tool for businesses that rely on SAP business solutions to complete daily tasks, facilitate setup for new cloud applications, or improve connectivity between their most critical business systems and teams.
This blog post takes a closer look at the SAP Cloud Connector application, unraveling its core capabilities, significance, and how it bridges on-premises landscapes and the cloud, enabling secure, efficient, and real-time data exchange.
We’ll also discuss where our expert SAP consultant team can come in to help.
What is SAP Cloud Connector?
SAP Cloud Connector is an application designed to help organizations connect on-premise systems and cloud-based applications in the SAP HANA Cloud Platform, creating a secure connection to the SAP Cloud and improving communication between a company’s SAP Cloud products and existing systems in an on-premise network landscape.
Organizations can install and configure the SAP Cloud Connector on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS operating systems to allow them to create a secure communication tunnel for SAP Cloud products and on-premise systems and provide reliable access to SAP Cloud functionality.
The SAP Cloud Connector application provides reverse invoke support, meaning that application configuration is not required in the on-premise firewall to allow external access from the cloud to existing internal systems. This way, users can access and control their on-premise system operations and resources through HTTP or RFC control from their SAP Cloud applications.
Prerequisites for SAP Cloud Connector Installation
Before initiating the process of installing SAP Cloud Connector functionality, companies must ensure their hardware and software systems meet a few critical prerequisites.
Here are the main prerequisites for an organization’s core hardware and software:
For Hardware…
- Memory: 1 GB RAM minimum, 4 GB RAM recommended
- CPU: 3 Ghz minimum for single-core, 2 Ghz recommended for double-core architecture
- Hard disk space: 1 GB minimum, 20 GB recommended
- JDK version: 6 or 7
- Operating systems: Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2012 (and 2012 R2)
For Software…
- 64-bit operating systems: Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2012 (and 2012 R2)
- Supported JDK versions: 6 or 7
- Microsoft Visual Studio C++ 2010 runtime libraries
- Cloud connector installation archive from SAP Development Tools for Eclipse
How Does the Cloud Connector Communicate with Internal Systems?
Here are a few examples of business processes and functionality that Cloud Connector enables in the SAP Cloud environment:
On-premise system integration
With Cloud Integration, part of the SAP Integration Suite, companies can integrate existing on-premise systems with cloud-based applications through a variety of different protocols, including OData, LDAP, HTTP, SFTP and more.
SAP API Management, also part of the SAP Integration Suite, allows users to leverage SAP Cloud Connector to expose internal application programming interfaces (APIs) to the internet, enabling external systems and business partners to communicate with systems via a secure API Gateway.
Customizable system extensions
By leveraging SAP Cloud Connector functionality, users can build and host custom applications in SAP BTP, making it easier to facilitate communication with on-premise systems and extract the necessary data. This way, organizations have access to the right functionality whenever and wherever it’s needed.
SAP Ariba also provides the SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway, which uses Cloud Connector to communicate with internal systems, to improve communication between internal and external systems and improve the functionality of SAP BTP services within and outside of the SAP Cloud.
Advanced data processing
The SAP Cloud Connector allows companies to extract and move large amounts of data to other SAP products, like SAP HANA Cloud and SAP Data Warehouse Cloud, for further processing and analysis.
Users can also leverage the Cloud Connector to replicate and virtualize data from an on-premise SAP HANA system to the SAP HANA Cloud, making business-critical data available in a cloud environment.
With Cloud Connector functionality, business users can initiate secure communication between the SAP Analytics Cloud and an on-premise or private cloud SAP HANA database, SAP S/4HANA, or SAP BW/4HANA.
Understanding SAP Cloud Platform Cloud Connector Functionality
The SAP HANA Cloud Connector provides connections between on-demand applications in the SAP HANA Cloud Platform and existing on-premise applications, improving communication and collaboration across a company’s entire technical landscape.
The Cloud Connector in SAP serves as an on-premise agent in a secured network and acts as a reverse invoke proxy between the SAP HANA Cloud Platform and the on-premise network environment. This way, companies can facilitate communication between systems without relying on the on-premise firewall.
By leveraging reverse invoke support, the Cloud Platform Cloud Connector provides control over:
- On-premise systems and resources, like HTTP or RFC, that are accessible via cloud applications
- Cloud applications that use the Cloud Connector to collaborate with other systems
Navigating SAP BTP Cloud Connector Operations
The Cloud Connector acts as a link between existing on-premise systems and the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), facilitating better asset management and improved collaboration between teams and systems.
By acting as a reverse invoke proxy between SAP BTP and the on-premise network, the Cloud Connector allows users to access on-premise assets without exposing their entire technical landscape to the public internet environment.
Once the Cloud Connector is installed and configured to align with SAP BTP requirements, the Cloud Connector initiates a handshake with SAP BTP to create a secure and reliable connection between systems. This allows users to access on-premise backend systems and cloud-based applications through the same secure communication tunnel.
Here are a few key benefits of SAP BTP Cloud Connector integration:
- Supports multiple integration protocols, including HTTP, RFC, and TCP
- Provides secure cloud user identity propagation to on-premise systems
- Requires no configuration specifications for on-premise firewall to allow external access
- Facilitates better connection and communication between internal and external systems
Main Advantages of SAP Cloud Connection
Incorporating SAP Cloud Connector functionality into your IT architecture can improve process efficiency, data accessibility, and security, ultimately helping organizations stay competitive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Here are the main advantages of the Cloud Connector for SAP business users:
Seamless Integration:
SAP Cloud Connector facilitates seamless integration between on-premises systems and SAP Cloud Platform, allowing businesses to connect their existing infrastructure with cloud-based services. This integration streamlines data exchange, ensuring that critical information is readily available when and where it’s needed.
Enhanced Security:
Security is a top priority in today’s digital landscape. The SAP Cloud Connector provides a secure tunnel for communication between on-premises systems and the cloud, protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access. It employs industry-standard encryption and authentication protocols to maintain data integrity.
Real-time Connectivity:
With SAP Cloud Connector, organizations can achieve real-time connectivity, enabling instant access to data and applications hosted in the cloud. This real-time capability is crucial for businesses that require up-to-the-minute information for decision-making and operational efficiency.
Scalability:
As businesses grow, their integration needs evolve. SAP Cloud Connector is designed to scale with the organization, accommodating increased data volumes and adding new applications or services. This scalability ensures that integration remains efficient and effective as the company expands.
SAP Cloud Platform Compatibility:
SAP Cloud Connector is tailored explicitly for the SAP Cloud Platform, making it an ideal choice for companies using SAP solutions. It simplifies the integration process, allowing organizations to leverage the full range of services and applications available on the SAP Cloud Platform.
How Can We Help?
Whether you need help understanding how SAP Cloud Connector is used to connect on-premise and cloud applications, additional support leveraging connectors to improve communication between systems, or just an extra hand getting started on your SAP journey, Surety Systems can help.
Our senior-level, US-based SAP consultant team has the knowledge, skills, and experience to help you handle any SAP-related project. From first-time implementations to complex software integrations, product enhancements, and annual upgrades, we’ve got you covered.
Getting Started with Our Team
Interested in learning more about SAP Cloud Connector functionality or the SAP Cloud Platform as a whole? Ready to get started on an SAP implementation or integration project with our team?
Contact us today for more information!
