Externalization refers to the practice of storing configuration parameters, credentials, and other dynamic values outside the integration flow (iFlow) itself. This approach provides several important benefits and is crucial for maintainable, secure, and scalable integration design.
Various Features:
Promotes Reusability
- By externalizing values like endpoints, credentials, or message headers, you can reuse the same iFlow across different environments (Dev, Test, Prod) without modifying the iFlow logic.
- This minimizes duplication and development effort.
Environment-Specific Configurations
- Externalized parameters allow you to configure iFlows differently for each environment using configuration values defined in the “Configuration” tab of the iFlow.
- Example: Different API keys, URLs, or proxy settings for Dev and Prod.
Separation of Logic and Configuration
- Keeps business logic clean and separate from configuration data.
- Makes integration flows easier to understand and maintain.
Simplifies Maintenance and Updates
- Updates to configuration (e.g., endpoint changes) don’t require redeploying or modifying the iFlow.
- You can just change the externalized value in the runtime configuration.
Improves Security
- Sensitive values like passwords and tokens can be stored securely using:
- Secure Parameters (in CPI)
- Credential Artifacts (e.g., User Credentials or OAuth2 Client Credentials)
- Reduces the risk of exposing credentials in code.
Supports Parameterization
- Externalization enables dynamic behavior based on parameters (like setting headers or file names).
- You can pass values into iFlows during runtime via headers or query parameters and map them using externalized parameters.
Facilitates DevOps and CI/CD
- Makes it easier to integrate with DevOps pipelines by avoiding hardcoded values.
- Configuration files or scripts can inject the right values during deployment.
How Externalization Works in SAP CPI:
When designing an iFlow, you can mark certain fields (e.g., an adapter's "Address" field, properties in a Content Modifier, or parameters in a script) as "externalized." This creates a parameter that can then be configured with a "Default Value" during design time. Once the iFlow is deployed, you can access the "Configure" view for that iFlow in the CPI tenant and provide "Configured Values" for these externalized parameters. These configured values override the default values at runtime for that specific tenant.
Let's build a small iFlow..
And, then specify connection parameters that are being changed based on target environment like QA, PROD etc and leave remaining parameters like time-out, CSRF Protected..etc.
Then, save the iFlow and download it.
Now, go to QA or PROD environment, upload the iFlow
Select Upload and specify Integration Flow and then click on Add.
Recommendations:
1. Externalize all the fields of the integration flow that you envisioned and provide the appropriate default values.
2. Be sure not to provide the tenant/landscape-specific value as a default parameter value.
3. Validate the default value of parameters through validation checks. Saving the integration flow will run validation checks.
4. Always provide the tenant/landscape-specific value in the Configure view.
5. Before downloading the integration flow or exporting the content package, always leverage the benefit of the Externalized Parameters view to compare the default and configured value of parameters for quality assurance. Update the default parameter value from the Externalized Parameters view or externalization editor for any correction.
6. Download the integration flow with Default Values Only if you do not want to reuse the configurations of the source system while importing into the target system.
7. Download the integration flow from source system with Merged Configured and Default Values if you want to reuse the configurations of the source system while importing into the target system.
Source: community.sap.com
Thanks for reading :-)
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