Case Study: SAP PO Patching with INT4 Shield | Orkla | Int4
Success Story
Orkla, a leading industrial investment company, needed to patch its SAP Process Orchestration integration platform before support for its current version ran out – with a lean team, a strict deadline, and no room for third-party delays. Using Int4 Shield, patch testing that once took an external service integrator more than four weeks was reduced to a single day.
4 weeks → 1 day Patch testing time
Lean team No added testing headcount
Zero major issues In the post-patching phase
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Patch testing timeline Automated
External integrator 4+ weeks
→
With Int4 Shield 1 day
Testing of critical integrated business scenarios during SAP PO patch validation.
Solution
Int4 Shield
Automated, robotic test case generation and regression testing replaced manual, external patch validation.
The Challenge
A Full SAP PO Patch, With Little Room
to Maneuver
This case study follows Orkla, a leading industrial investment company, as it set out to patch its SAP Process Orchestration integration platform using Int4 Shield.
The project came with real constraints: a large volume of data to validate, scenarios the current team hadn’t fully documented, a small team relative to the scope of the work, and a hard deadline set by both business commitments and the approaching end of support for their SAP PO version.
Problems to Solve Five constraints
1
Extensive range and volume of data to validate.
2
Incomplete understanding of certain operational scenarios.
3
A lean team relative to the magnitude of the project.
4
A strict timeline, driven by upcoming business commitments and the nearing end of support for their current SAP PO version.
5
No external testing support available, given the technical intricacies of the project.
The Solution
Safe. Efficient. Automated.
Orkla’s leadership identified automation as the key to a successful patch. They chose Int4 Shield – and the post-patching phase passed without any major issues, backed by robust regression evidence throughout.
Virtualization Feature
No Third Parties Required Until UAT
Int4 Shield virtualizes both sender and receiver systems, removing the need to coordinate with non-SAP entities for test data until the final UAT – third-party systems simply aren’t essential for SAP landscape testing.
Automated Testing
Regression Test Cases, Generated Automatically
Int4 supplied an automated testing platform and used its robotic crawler to generate regression test cases directly from the live SAP PO system – streamlining and expediting the entire process.
Test-Driven Development
A Shift in Delivery Methodology
Int4 introduced Test-Driven Development using Int4 Shield – influencing not just testing, but the entire project delivery, with an emphasis on early testing throughout.
The Result
From Weeks to a Single Day
Automated, evidence-backed regression testing gave Orkla’s team the confidence to patch a critical integration platform on a tight deadline, without expanding the team or the budget.
Patch Testing Time, Critical Business Scenarios
4 Weeks → 1 Day
Down from the timeline previously required by an external service integrator
Zero Major Post-Patch Issues
The highlight of the project was the complete absence of major issues during the post-patching phase.
Full Regression Confidence
The team felt confident throughout, backed by robust, automatically generated regression testing evidence.
No Added Headcount or Vendor Cost
Automation replaced the need for extra third-party testing support, despite the project’s scale and complexity.
“
Patch testing of critical integrated business scenarios, which once took a service integrator more than four weeks, can now be accomplished in just one day. With an expanded testing scope, we’re filled with immense confidence.
MH
Magne Husa Hovden
Integration Architect, Orkla IT AS
Pains & Gains
What Changed
for Orkla’s Team
A lean team and a hard deadline made third-party support look unavoidable. Automation changed that equation.
Pains
✕ Team size inadequate for the project’s scope, pointing toward costly third-party involvement
✕ Some operational scenarios predated the current team, creating knowledge gaps
✕ Time pressure from upcoming business projects and the end of support for their SAP PO version
Gains
✓ Substantial cost savings from minimal reliance on external stakeholders
✓ Full assurance of meeting business prerequisites through automated testing of numerous scenarios
✓ Adoption of a Test-Driven Development approach across the project
Beyond This Project
Int4 Shield Means…
Integration Platform Testing Automation.
Integration of SAP systems often means leveraging existing components – which calls for meticulous regression testing. As continuous integration and delivery become the norm, the need for continuous testing keeps growing. The pace of modern development sets high expectations for testing tools, and Int4 Shield is built to meet them.
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Or contact us directly at contact@int4.com
Built for SAP Process Orchestration and SAP Integration Suite Designed for lean, deadline-driven SAP teams Part of Int4 Suite
