SAP Cloud Integration version 6.80 (8.x → 8.44), one of the capabilities of SAP Integration Suite, introduces Runtime Profile Aware Externalized Parameters, a feature that enables you to configure different externalized parameter values for different runtime profiles without modifying and redeploying the integration flow each time.
To give a short overview about what externalization means, externalization feature enables an integration developer to define parameters for certain configurations of adapters or flow steps of an integration flow, whose values can be provided at a later point in time, without editing the integration flow. To learn more about the existing externalization feature ,you can refer to the blog and to the official SAP help documentation.
In this blog post, you will understand the detailed aspects of this feature, why it was introduced, what it is, its objectives, benefits, and how to leverage it in the Cloud Integration capability of SAP Integration Suite.
Why Runtime Profile Aware Externalization?
Before this feature, whenever an integration flow needed to be deployed to multiple runtime profiles (for example, Cloud Integration and Edge Integration Cell), users had to manually update profile-specific values such as receiver endpoints before every deployment.
This resulted in:
- Manual reconfiguration before deployment.
- Increased risk of configuration errors.
- Time-consuming deployments across multiple runtime profiles.
- Operational overhead while maintaining identical integration flows for different environments.
- Reduced productivity due to repetitive configuration activities.
Runtime-aware externalization eliminates these challenges by allowing profile-specific configurations to coexist within the same integration flow.
What is Runtime Profile Aware Externalization?
Runtime Profile Aware Externalization extends the existing externalized parameter capability by introducing runtime profile-specific configurations.
The Configure dialog now displays a Runtime Profile dropdown containing all applicable runtime profiles for the Integration Flow.
If multiple runtime profiles are available (for example, Cloud Integration and multiple Edge Integration Cell locations), an additional All option is displayed.
This allows users to:
- Configure common values once using All.
- Configure only runtime-specific parameters individually.
- Eliminate repeated configuration changes before deployment.
- Maintain a single integration flow with runtime-specific parameter values.
Benefits / Value Proposition
Runtime-aware externalization provides several operational advantages:
- Reduced Manual Effort: Configure common parameters only once.
- Profile-specific Configuration: Maintain different values for different runtime profiles.
- Single Source of Configuration : One Integration Flow supports multiple runtime profile environments.
- Lower Risk of Errors : Eliminates repeated editing before deployment.
- Improved Operational Efficiency : Faster deployments across runtimes.
- Better Maintainability : Easier management of hybrid integration landscapes.
- Consistent Configuration Experience : Unified configuration interface for all runtime profiles.
How does it work?
When opening the Configure dialog of an Integration Flow, a new Runtime Profile dropdown is available.
The dropdown contains:(this is an example data)
- All
- Cloud Integration
- Edge Integration Location 1
- Edge Integration Location 2
- Other applicable runtime profiles
The All option is intended for parameters that remain identical across every runtime profile.
Individual runtime profiles are used only for parameters whose values differ.
Example Scenario
Assume an Integration Flow is deployed to both:
- Cloud Integration profile
- Edge Integration Cell profile
And the receiver HTTP endpoint differs between the two runtime profiles while every other configuration remains identical.
Instead of repeatedly changing the endpoint before every deployment:
Step 1
Select All.
Configure every common parameter.
Save.
Step 2
Select Cloud Integration.
Configure the Cloud-specific receiver endpoint.
Save.
Step 3
Select the appropriate Edge Integration Cell runtime profile.
Configure the Edge-specific receiver endpoint.
Save.
Now the Integration Flow contains runtime-specific receiver addresses while every other configuration is shared automatically.
No additional manual configuration is required during deployment.
Things to Keep in Mind
There are several important behaviours to understand when working with runtime-aware externalization.
Default Values
Default values continue to exist only at the Integration Flow level.
These default values remain common across every runtime profile.
Validation
When clicking Save in the Configure dialog:
- Validation runs only for the currently selected runtime profile.
- If All is selected, no validation is performed.
Profile Selection
Whenever a user changes the runtime profile and saves:
- The Integration Flow remembers the last selected runtime profile.
- The exception is All, which is not stored as the selected profile.
API Support
Currently, runtime-aware externalization is supported only through the Cloud Integration user interface.
It is not available through the Remote OData API.
Downloading Integration Flows
When downloading an Integration Flow, two options continue to be available:
Default Values Only
The downloaded Integration Flow contains only the default parameter values.
The behaviour remains unchanged from previous releases.
Merged and Configured Values
When selecting Merged and Configured Values, the downloaded Integration Flow includes the configured values belonging to the Integration Flow’s currently selected runtime profile.
This ensures that the exported artifact reflects the configuration for the chosen runtime profile.
Best Practices
Existing (Brownfield) Tenants
For Integration Flows that were already configured before the introduction of Runtime Profile Aware Externalized Parameters, no manual migration is required.
When you open the Configure dialog for an existing Integration Flow after upgrading to a version that supports this feature:
- All existing configured externalized parameter values are automatically available under the All runtime profile.
- This preserves the existing configuration and ensures that the Integration Flow continues to behave as before.
- If a parameter needs a different value for a particular runtime profile, you can subsequently select that runtime profile and update only the required parameter.
- Continue using All for parameters that are common across all runtime profiles, and use runtime profile-specific configurations only where values need to differ.
This approach provides a seamless transition for existing Integration Flows while enabling gradual adoption of runtime-specific configurations.
New (Greenfield) Tenants
For newly created Integration Flows, we recommend designing the configuration with runtime awareness from the outset.
- Configure parameters that are common across all runtime profiles using All.
- Configure only those parameters that require different values for individual runtime profiles using the respective runtime profile.
- Avoid duplicating identical values across multiple runtime profiles.
- Reserve runtime-specific configurations for parameters such as endpoints, host names, ports, or other values that genuinely differ between runtime environments.
By following this approach, you can minimize configuration effort, improve maintainability, and simplify deployments across multiple runtime profiles.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does this change the default externalized parameters?
No. Default values continue to exist only at the Integration Flow level and are shared across all runtime profiles.
Can I configure parameters common across all runtimes only once?
Yes. Use the All runtime profile to configure values shared by every runtime profile.
Can I configure different receiver endpoints for different runtimes?
Yes. Runtime profile specific values can be maintained independently for each runtime profile.
Does validation run when ‘All’ is selected?
No. Validation is skipped when All is selected.
Is this feature available through the OData API?
No. The feature is currently supported only through the Cloud Integration user interface.
What happens during Integration Flow download?
- Default Values Only downloads only the default parameter values.
- Merged and Configured Values downloads the configured values of the currently selected runtime profile.
Does Profile change and save in configure dialog, change the Integration Flow’s runtime profile?
Yes.
What happens if I configure a parameter for a specific runtime profile and later update the same parameter using All?
The most recently saved configuration takes effect.
If you update a parameter using All after it has already been configured for a specific runtime profile, the value configured under All becomes the effective value for that parameter across the applicable runtime profiles.
Example:
- Cloud Integration receiver URL = https://cloud.example.com
- Edge Integration Cell receiver URL = https://edge.example.com
- Later, select All and set the receiver URL to https://common.example.com.
After saving, the latest update made using All becomes effective i.e receiver URL will be https://common.example.com for all the runtime profiles.
What happens if I update a parameter for a runtime profile after configuring it using All?
Again, the most recently saved configuration takes effect.
If a parameter was configured using All and you later update that same parameter for a specific runtime profile, the runtime profile uses the newly configured value.
Example:
- Select All and set the receiver URL to https://common.example.com.
- Later, select Cloud Integration and change the receiver URL to https://cloud.example.com.
After saving, Cloud Integration uses https://cloud.example.com, as it is the latest saved value for that runtime profile.
How does the system determine which value is used when the same parameter is configured multiple times?
When the same parameter is updated multiple times, whether through All or an individual runtime profile, the latest saved update is the effective configuration.
Does the order in which I save configurations matter?
Yes. The effective value for a parameter is determined by the last successful save. If you subsequently update the same parameter through All or a specific runtime profile, the latest saved value becomes effective.
Why isn’t the All option available in the Deploy dialog?
The All option is available only in the Configure dialog to allow you to maintain parameter values that are common across multiple runtime profiles. Since All does not represent an actual runtime profile, it is not available in the Deploy dialog.
To deploy an Integration Flow, select the desired runtime profile (for example, Cloud Integration or an Edge Integration Cell runtime profile) in the Deploy dialog.
Summary
Runtime Profile Aware Externalized Parameters significantly simplify configuration management for Integration Flows deployed across multiple runtime profiles. Instead of repeatedly modifying externalized parameters before deployment, users can maintain shared values centrally while configuring only the runtime-specific parameters where necessary. This reduces manual effort, minimizes deployment errors, and provides a more efficient configuration experience for hybrid integration scenarios involving Cloud Integration and Edge Integration runtime profiles.
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