Many enterprises have ambitious goals for digital transformation: launching new customer experiences, modernising supply chains, and enabling real-time visibility. Too often, however, these efforts are hindered not by a lack of innovation, but by a lack of integration.

Many organisations still rely on outdated middleware and disconnected tools that make integration unnecessarily complex. These legacy integration challenges make it difficult for data to flow freely between SAP and non-SAP systems, cloud and on-premises applications, and internal and external environments. As a result, transformation comes to a halt. Manual workarounds reappear. Errors multiply. And businesses lose valuable opportunities to take action, adapt, and innovate.

The challenge is no longer whether systems can be integrated—it is about whether integration can be scaled, governed, and maintained as the business evolves.

Overcoming legacy integration challenges in complex IT environments

Hybrid IT landscapes are here to stay. Most enterprises rely on a mix of on-premises and cloud systems, multiple ERP environments, and external applications and data feeds. But traditional integration strategies were never designed for that level of heterogeneity.

Point-to-point connections and bespoke code may have worked in the past, but they cannot keep up with today’s pace of change. Every new application, partner, or business model adds strain to an already overburdened architecture. The result is more than just technical debt—it’s strategic drag.

Many organisations underestimate the impact. Poor integration slows down processes, introduces security and compliance risks, and makes innovation more difficult to scale. It affects everything from customer experience to supply chain resilience.

Rethinking integration for the modern enterprise

Forward-thinking enterprises are moving from piecemeal integration to a platform-based approach—one designed not only to connect systems, but to simplify integration itself.

Integration platforms as a service (iPaaS) are transforming how IT teams manage complexity. These solutions offer a unified foundation to connect systems across environments, automate workflows, and provide governance, all whilst reducing reliance on bespoke development.

What distinguishes leading platforms today is the addition of business AI. Rather than replacing human expertise, AI enhances it. Integration mapping, error detection, and process orchestration become faster and more intuitive. Combined with low-code design environments, this approach empowers IT teams to scale integration more efficiently—and enables business users to participate without increasing risk.

An AI-enabled iPaaS solution does more than accelerate projects. It builds resilience into the organisation. It allows integration architecture to evolve alongside the business rather than holding it back.

Turning integration into a strategic advantage

Enterprises that adopt a unified, AI-supported integration platform often experience a quicker time to value. Prebuilt connectors eliminate the need to build from the ground up. Event-driven architectures reduce latency across processes. Centralised monitoring and governance simplify compliance and security oversight.

Crucially, these platforms help break down silos between SAP and non-SAP systems, between cloud and on-premises, and between developers and business teams. The result is greater visibility, more reliable data flows, and improved agility across the organisation.

This shift is particularly important for companies in regulated industries or those managing complex supply chains. When integration becomes more manageable and more visible, it enables faster decision-making, better customer experiences, and stronger long-term scalability.

Five core principles to modernise integration effectively

A successful integration modernisation strategy depends on choosing tools and approaches that reduce complexity, improve agility, and support hybrid and event-driven environments. Here are five considerations to bear in mind when reviewing hybrid integration solutions:

1. Hybrid and multi-cloud preparedness

Modern IT landscapes are rarely entirely cloud-based or wholly on-premises. Most enterprises operate in a hybrid environment, and many are moving towards multi-cloud strategies. An integration platform should not only support both architectures but also enable them to work together without introducing additional complexity. If integrations cannot span environments seamlessly, they become a bottleneck to transformation.

2. Native support for SAP and non-SAP systems

Many hybrid integration solutions claim broad compatibility—but genuine native support makes a difference, especially for organisations deeply invested in SAP. Look for ready-made connectors, optimised performance, and integration logic that understands SAP data structures and processes. At the same time, the platform should work just as well with non-SAP systems, third-party tools, and external partners to avoid lock-in or fragmentation.

3. Support for real-time, event-driven workflows

Speed and responsiveness are essential in today’s digital businesses. A platform built around event-driven architecture can trigger workflows the moment something occurs—such as an order being placed, a shipment delayed, or a threshold reached in a production system. This enables organisations to shift from reactive to proactive operations, enhancing customer experiences and internal efficiency.

4. Built-in AI assistance and low-code tools

As integration requirements increase, development teams face growing pressure to deliver more quickly. Platforms that include AI-assisted mapping, automatic suggestions for error resolution, and reusable integration flows can significantly reduce manual work. Low-code and visual design tools further accelerate delivery—and can empower business teams to contribute without compromising control or security.

5. Enterprise-grade governance and security

Integration plays a vital role in managing compliance, security, and operational risk. Enterprises need clear oversight of what is connected, where data is flowing, and how integration processes are performing. Look for features such as centralised monitoring, role-based access control, versioning, and audit trails. These capabilities are especially important in regulated industries where data handling must meet strict standards.

The future of integration: Building for speed, simplicity, and scale

As integration continues to play a critical role in digital transformation, organisations will need more than point solutions and short-term fixes. The complexity of hybrid IT, the urgency of real-time data, and the demand for cross-functional agility are raising standards.

Going forward, the most successful enterprises will regard integration not as plumbing, but as strategy. They’ll invest in platforms that simplify complexity, support innovation, and evolve alongside the business.

To explore these considerations in greater detail—and see how leading enterprises are streamlining operations with hybrid integration solutions—download the full guide.

Read more