Integrating Salesforce with External System without Authentication

Question

We have a requirement to integrate Oracle database with Salesforce.com through SAP PI to push data from Oracle database to Salesforce on a daily basis.

As per my knowledge, external system needs Salesforce WSDL(Enterprise/Partner), Salesforce Username and Password+Security Token with which the external system can invoke the login() method of Standard Salesforce SOAP API and get the Session ID and Server url, which will then be used to push data to salesforce using the Standard Salesforce SOAP API methods called create()/update() etc. From Salesforce side,

I have provided the Enterprise WSDL, Username, Password to SAP PI which will connect to Salesforce to create/update records in Salesforce using the standard Salesforce SOAP API.

But SAP PI people asked if there is a way to connect to Salesforce without they needing the Salesforce Username and Password for pushing data to Salesforce. I was not sure if it is possible. Please let me know if this is possible, and if so how?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Answer 1

Yes, It is Possible to integrate with Salesforce without using Username and Password.

Here we would need the help of Force.com sites and hosting your services there.

https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/developer-relations/2012/02/quick-tip-public-restful-web-services-on-force-com-sites.html

Only a word of caution is, In this approch you consume 2 limits. 1.Daily API limits 2. FOrce.com Site vPage view limits.

We have used this approach with other 3rd party vendors. Working fine since last 3 years.

Answer 2

No, This is not possible. As you are using standard Salesforce SOAP API so you must need to authenticate first to get a sessionId so that they can use it for other request.

Also you can create your API and expose it publicaly and update or create data in Salesforce but there are many limitation around that and not a recommend approach because someone can easily misuse that service.

Answer 3

Whether it's possible or not, having an external system update your Org without authentication doesn't sound like a good idea to me. Authentication is good!