Portal is only required to create the shortcut, it is not required to use ZAPP_INTEGRATOR. The shortcut will contain the SAP Logon Ticket of the portal that created it so you should really create your own. Of course if you don't have a portal in your SAP landscape, you won't be able to do that.
I may be mistaken but with ABAP HTTP Security Sessions the shortcut containing the SAP Logon Ticket is no longer required. Maybe Gregor Wolf or someone else involved in the development of ZAPP_INTEGRATOR could confirm.