The conversations at our booth this year in Las Vegas shifted from “what’s coming next” to “what we can do now”. For customers in regulated industries like pharma, defense, or the public sector, the SAP Edge Integration Cell (EIC) is the missing link. It finally enables the full power of the SAP Integration Suite without requiring sensitive data to leave the local firewall.
By running EIC on SUSE Rancher for SAP applications, customers have a validated, enterprise-grade foundation to manage these hybrid workloads. In this blog, Rashmi Kumari (SAP) and Diego Akechi (SUSE) share the strategic shift this enables, followed by a technical recap of the session led by Tushar Pradhan (SAP) and Diego Akechi.
Strategic Agility: Balancing Innovation with Control
Rashmi Kumari, SAP The true value of the Edge Integration Cell (EIC) lies in its ability to balance innovation with control across hybrid landscapes. It enhances business agility by allowing integration scenarios to run locally while being centrally governed in the cloud. This enables organizations to accelerate delivery without mandating a full cloud transition.
Beyond compliance and data sovereignty, EIC provides a practical path for customers migrating from SAP PI/PO. It allows for a staged transition to the SAP Integration Suite, retaining local execution for scenarios that cannot move to the cloud, thereby reducing migration risk. In the context of the S/4HANA journey and Clean Core strategy, EIC supports the decoupling of integrations from the core ERP while accommodating on-premises constraints. It allows for a staged transition to the SAP Integration Suite, retaining local execution for scenarios that cannot yet move to the cloud, thereby reducing migration risk.
Tushar Pradhan, SAP: The SAP Edge Integration Cell (EIC) is a hybrid integration runtime within the SAP Integration Suite that brings together the best of cloud‑based integration design and on‑premise execution. It is specifically engineered for organizations that require strict data governance, low latency, and operational continuity. Its architecture and deployment model make it a powerful bridge between modern cloud capabilities and traditional, regulated on‑premise environments.
EIC delivers several key advantages such as Strong Data Security & Sovereignty, Low Latency & High Performance, Offline Operation & High Resilience, Smooth Modernization Path from SAP PI/PO and Hybrid Flexibility Across Cloud and On‑Premise.
The Foundation: Purpose-Built for SAP Containers
Diego Akechi, SUSE Just as SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications (SLES for SAP) became the standard for SAP applications, SUSE Rancher for SAP applications is a purpose-built, validated platform designed specifically for containerized SAP workloads like EIC. Delivered as a unified solution, it addresses critical IT imperatives: rigorous governance, compliance, observability, and enterprise-grade security, accelerating time-to-value.
Because Kubernetes is a relatively new technology for many SAP Basis teams, we work closely with SAP to ensure our roadmaps align perfectly. This collaboration reduces the operational burden on our customers, offering the reliability and peace of mind needed to future-proof investments against a changing technological landscape.
Technical Highlights: Integrating Beyond the Data Center
The joint session led by Tushar and Diego highlighted that a true hybrid platform must handle every paradigm: cloud-to-cloud, cloud-to-on-prem, and critically, on-prem-to-on-prem. Key updates from the event include:
-
New Adapters Now GA: As of mid-March, AS2 and AS4 (OFTP2/5) moved from the roadmap to General Availability.
-
Expanded Database Support: It is now possible to use SAP HANA as both a database and a data store for EIC.
-
Scale and Efficiency: A single SAP HANA database can now support multiple EIC nodes, streamlining the infrastructure footprint.
-
Secure Operations: New “offline” capabilities allow teams to download and scan solution images locally before deployment to verify exactly what enters their private environment.
-
Existing Entitlements: Most SAP Integration Suite subscribers already have the right to run one EIC node per tenant at no extra subscription cost.
Path Forward: From Pilot to Production
The barrier to entry is lower than ever. Moving from a pilot to production requires a stable foundation, which is where the collaboration between SAP and SUSE is vital. By using SUSE Rancher for SAP applications, infrastructure teams can manage containerized workloads on a platform validated for SAP—providing the same reliability you expect from SLES for SAP.
Your Next Steps:
-
Landscape Audit: Identify local integration flows currently delaying your PI/PO migration.
-
Verify Entitlements: Check your EIC availability within your existing SAP Integration Suite tenant.
-
Deploy on a Certified Base: Utilize SUSE Rancher for SAP applications for a manageable, secure “container home”.
Take the Next Step
Ready to execute? Use these resources to guide your journey:
-
White Paper: The strategic case for SAP EIC and SUSE partnership.
-
Best Practices Guide: Technical requirements for deploying on a certified foundation.
-
Roadmap & Discovery: Visit the SAP Discovery Center to explore the Integration Suite.
Connect with Rashmi Kumari, Tushar Pradhan, and Diego Akechi on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.
Facts Only
The article discusses the SAP Edge Integration Cell (EIC).
EIC is a hybrid integration runtime within the SAP Integration Suite.
It is designed for organizations with strict data governance needs.
It allows local execution of integration scenarios while being centrally governed in the cloud.
Advantages of EIC include strong data security & sovereignty, low latency & high performance, offline operation & high resilience, smooth modernization path from SAP PI/PO, and hybrid flexibility across cloud and on-premise.
The collaboration between SAP and SUSE provides a validated platform, SUSE Rancher for SAP applications, designed specifically for containerized SAP workloads like EIC.
Executive Summary
The article discusses the SAP Edge Integration Cell (EIC), a new hybrid integration runtime within the SAP Integration Suite, designed for organizations with strict data governance needs. The EIC allows for local execution of integration scenarios while being centrally governed in the cloud, balancing innovation with control across hybrid landscapes. This solution is particularly beneficial for regulated industries like pharma, defense, or the public sector and offers advantages such as strong data security & sovereignty, low latency & high performance, offline operation & high resilience, smooth modernization path from SAP PI/PO, and hybrid flexibility across cloud and on-premise.
The article also highlights the collaboration between SAP and SUSE in providing a validated platform, SUSE Rancher for SAP applications, designed specifically for containerized SAP workloads like EIC. The purpose of this partnership is to address critical IT imperatives such as rigorous governance, compliance, observability, and enterprise-grade security, accelerating time-to-value.
Full Take
Steelman: The article presents the SAP Edge Integration Cell (EIC) as a powerful solution for organizations requiring strict data governance, low latency, and operational continuity. It highlights the benefits of EIC, such as strong data security & sovereignty, low latency & high performance, offline operation & high resilience, smooth modernization path from SAP PI/PO, and hybrid flexibility across cloud and on-premise. The collaboration between SAP and SUSE is emphasized as a key factor in providing a validated platform for containerized SAP workloads like EIC.
Patterns detected: ARC-0043 Motte-and-Bailey (The article presents a strong version of the narrative but does not fully address potential counterarguments), ARC-0024 Ambiguity (The benefits and advantages of EIC are highlighted, but the article does not specify the exact conditions under which these benefits are maximized).
Root Cause: The development and promotion of EIC can be seen as a response to the growing need for organizations, particularly those in regulated industries, to balance innovation with control across hybrid landscapes. This need is driven by factors such as compliance requirements, data sovereignty concerns, and the desire to accelerate delivery without mandating a full cloud transition.
Implications: The adoption of EIC has the potential to improve operational efficiency, enhance security, and facilitate migration from SAP PI/PO for organizations with strict data governance needs. This could lead to increased competitiveness and resilience in these industries. However, it also raises questions about the long-term impact on traditional, regulated on-premise environments and the potential for vendor lock-in.
Bridge Questions: What are the real-world examples of organizations benefiting from the use of SAP Edge Integration Cell (EIC)? How does EIC address potential challenges in terms of long-term impact on traditional, regulated on-premise environments and the potential for vendor lock-in?