All posts by Ayodhya

The buzz around SAP Data Hub has quieted down significantly since it was first announced. Why is that?

Some time ago, someone advised me to stop focusing so much on SAP Data Hub. When former SAP executive Franz Faerber first presented the idea during a Sapphire Now Conference in Orlando,  for the possibilities that Data Hub promised. The core idea: Customers wouldn’t have to move their data anymore, ever. The data itself is not moved but stays in silos. If an app needs to access the data stored in a different app, there’s no copy and paste, but a reference to the other app instead. Meanwhile, the app requesting the data ‘feels’ like it has stored it itself.

For this system to work, the app storing the data has to take care of data processing and structuring for the app requesting the data, since the information itself cannot be moved. The requesting app will suffer no consequences, but the storing app could. If users request too much data, workload increases drastically, and the app’s server uses its resources solely on requests.

No luck with SAP Data Hub

SAP Data Hub has a great underlying concept, but SAP missed by a mile on its execution. A server that does nothing all day but fielding and complying with data access requests from apps and systems soon becomes worthless. Nobody knows how many resources the core concept of SAP Data Hub would require in practice. On paper, the concept is brilliant, but in reality, it becomes unmanageable.

SAP therefore still has a lot of work to do before it will have completely harmonized and consolidated the data complexity in ERP systems, in the cloud and on prem.

SAP Data Hub is a data sharing, pipelining, and orchestration solution that helps companies accelerate and expand the flow of data across their modern, diverse data landscapes.

SAP Data Hub provides visibility and access to a broad range of data systems and assets; allows the easy and fast creation of powerful, organization-spanning data pipelines; and optimizes data pipeline execution speed with a “push-down” distributed processing approach at each step.

SAP Data Hub meets the governance and security needs of the enterprise, ensuring that appropriate policy measures are in place to meet regulatory and corporate requirements.

SAP Data Hub accelerates and expands your data projects by easily and quickly creating powerful data pipelines in a single, visual design environment

In a single design environment, data stewards can easily and quickly create powerful data pipelines that access, harmonize, transform, process, and move information from a variety of sources across the organization. Pipeline creators can easily activate powerful libraries for computation or machine learning, for example; rapidly connect data of a wide variety of types, such as social media, customer, and product information; and leverage existing processing investments, such as capabilities in SAP HANA, Apache Hadoop, SAP Vora, or Apache Spark. Pipeline models can be easily copied, modified, and re-used to accelerate pipeline deployment and leverage best practices.

The Harvard Business Review ran an article in 1990 by management consultant and former Massachusetts Institute of Technology computer science professor Michael Hammer titled “Reengineering Work: Don’t Automate, Obliterate.” Hammer, recognized as the seminal theorist of reengineering, the consultant-driven discipline of streamlining work processes, encouraged businesses to radically restructure rather than rely on information technology to automate work.

This proved impossible. While the 1990s is now viewed as an epoch of business reengineering, the revamp of work processes advanced hand in hand with the rise of centralized corporate IT, enabled by enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.

The 2020s, on the other hand, appear poised for the final takedown of monolithic business IT in response to a new revolution in work processes spurred and enabled by digitization. IT managers in the chemical industry, among the first industries to opt for ERP systems, are preparing for a new wave of change in business management software.

To understand the likely changes ahead, it helps to look back at the provenance and evolution of IT systems currently in operation at most chemical companies.

The computing infrastructures that emerged some 30 years ago supported efficiency gains, the kind also targeted by business reengineering. But ERP software installations also caused years-long headaches for many companies as they converted from hodgepodge mixes of software to monolithic IT systems covering most financial aspects of business and plant operations.

During this period, SAP, a German software firm started by former IBM engineers, rose to prominence in ERP. Starting with its first customer, the UK’s Imperial Chemical Industries, SAP swept the chemical sector. By the early 2000s, many major companies had lashed their operations to the firm’s R/3 software.

By today’s standards, the IT platforms of the early 21st century are museum pieces. Cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and big data have fundamentally changed IT and the workplace.

SAP and other major vendors of ERP software, including Oracle and JD Edwards, have introduced successive generations of their products over the years that chip away at the monolithic, comparatively lethargic control of early IT architectures. In the process, a modular approach to IT has emerged in which specialized software for specific work functions can be added to a centralized, often multivendor network of business management software with an ERP system at the core.

“Enterprise resource planning has evolved far beyond its original purpose and scope,” the consulting firm Gartner writes in a report issued last year. “It now represents different things to different organizations, but in all cases is no longer focused on ‘resources’ or ‘planning.’ ” The view is echoed by Forrester, another consulting firm, in a recent report: “Today, we see the beginning of a new era of operational systems that are so different that calling them ERP no longer makes sense.”

Guay notes that ERP vendors have partnered with and acquired specialized software providers to offer hybrid networks. SAP, for example, acquired SuccessFactors, a cloud-based human resources management services provider, and now offers the service as an adjunct to its core software.

What does a move to SAP HANA mean for your infrastructure?

SAP’s HANA database and business applications offer a powerful path to increased efficiency and better business intelligence, but SAP’s software products are only part of the solution. Your SAP environment is built on top of a ‘core set’. Or another way of saying it, your SAP environment is your ‘new home build’, and the core set is “the foundations for the new home”. Consequently, to get the best out of your transition to SAP HANA, you must prepare a versatile, well-integrated infrastructure that includes operating systems, virtualisation, orchestration, and management components.

The starting point for your SAP core infrastructure is Linux because SAP HANA only runs on Linux. Choose an open-source vendor with a proven track record for great SAP support and take a close look at the surrounding landscape. You need an infrastructure that supports the full range of SAP applications and SAP HANA features and leaves room for future expansion and evolution.

When you build out your core infrastructure, particularly for SAP HANA, look for a solution that addresses these critical needs:

• Software-defined Infrastructure
• Lifecycle Management
• High Availability
• Advanced Data Tools
• Automation
• Strong Affinity with SAP

Software-Defined Infrastructure

The SAP business suite is designed to adapt to changes within your organisation. SAP applications work best in a self-managing, self-healing environment that minimises manual intervention.

Software-defined infrastructure (SDI) is a collection of technologies emphasising the fluidity of the software environment. The goal is a system where the software operates independently of the hardware, adapting to changing conditions with the minimal human touch.

Another goal of SDI is to reduce system downtime; service interruptions can cause missed opportunities and data loss issues. SAP designs many of their tools for continuous operation. You should design your core infrastructure for the fluidity and uptime emphasis embodied in SDI.

Lifecycle Management

Using a single, integrated tool can simplify managing the full lifecycle of applications, from testing, deployment, configuration, and upgrade. SAP provides the product lifecycle management (PLM) tool for managing the lifecycle of SAP applications and components. Select a solution that applies the same lifecycle philosophy to your core infrastructure. Automating infrastructure management minimises overhead, maximises control, and can help ensure audit-ready compliance for SAP systems. Look for lifecycle management tools that can embrace your entire enterprise Linux fleet.

High Availability

Downtime can mean lost revenue and productivity. SAP applications are designed for continuous operation, but built-in high availability features won’t help if the infrastructure doesn’t offer similar protection. A well-designed core infrastructure integrates SAP HANA failover and recovery capabilities with co-designed OS-level high availability tools.

This support should include early recognition for primary system failures, automated switching from primary to secondary systems, and features that support upgrades – even for complex clusters.

Advanced Data Tools

The primary purpose of the SAP business application suite is to collect, manage and analyse data to generate insights. The operating system at the foundation of your core infrastructure must be purpose-designed to support the large-memory operations of SAP HANA and to protect, secure and manage your data as it resides on various tiers of storage.

Many SAP HANA environments can benefit from persistent memory solutions. Standard RAM is volatile – data and can be lost on power outage or system reboot. When SAP HANA starts, it copies database contents from persistent storage, which can take hours for large databases. Persistent memory can massively speed the time for SAP HANA to return to full service. Be sure your core infrastructure supports non-volatile memory solutions validated by SAP.

Automation

The complexity of modern systems, the drive to optimise IT budgets and the desire for systematic security demands the automation of routine tasks so that systems administrators can focus on exceptions and on new service delivery.  SAP designs its business applications to promote continuous operation and reduce administration time. Organisations can realise the administration savings associated with this automation emphasis if the underlying system also reflects this self-management paradigm. Look for a solution with advanced automation capabilities. This has the added benefit of enabling you to redirect your highly skilled IT staff to focus on new service delivery rather than routine maintenance.

SAP Affinity

As you consider a solution for your SAP core infrastructure, be aware of the difference between:

• Passive support: a general state of compatibility.
• Active support: an ongoing state of preparation and readiness

Is the system optimised for SAP workloads, quickly reconfigurable for different roles, with best practices applied automatically? Are tools available to reduce deployment expense? Does the vendor provide SAP specific packages and cloud images for easier migration and upgrades? Does the vendor offer transition support and extended-time support services? Do they have a proven history of success supporting SAP customers – and co-designing for the future with SAP?

Enterprise software major SAP has launched a new programme called “Global Bharat” to enable Indian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) become globally competitive by equipping them with digital technologies.

The programme is aimed at driving greater efficiencies of MSMEs by adopting three initiatives — gaining access to global marketplace, digitally skilling workforce and digitally transforming businesses.

The impact of pandemic on the economy and businesses has been felt majorly by MSMEs across the country. Being a potential contributor to India’s GDP (29 per cent) and providing employment to over 111 million people, it is imperative to strengthen the sector for the revival of the country’s economy,” Deb Deep Sengupta, President and Managing Director, SAP Indian Subcontinent, said in a statement.

First, as a result of the programme, MSMEs will have open access to SAP Ariba Discovery where any buyer can post sourcing needs and any of the four million suppliers on Ariba Network can respond with their ability to deliver the goods and services required with no fees through December 31, 2020.

Ariba Network is a digital business-to-business marketplace where more than $3.3 trillion in global commerce flows annually. By accessing the SAP Ariba Discovery offer, Indian MSMEs can enroll themselves as suppliers and access a global customer market.

Secondly, business owners will have access to SAP India’s Code Unnati, a coveted “Golden Peacock Award” winning digital skilling initiative.

MSMEs will be provided accessibility to 240 courses, with more getting added in a few months, on digital financial, soft skills, productivity technologies that will digitally skill the workforce and adapt to the new working environments.

The curated courses will be made available through a mobile application for people to access via their android smartphone devices, SAP India said.

Thirdly, the Global Bharat initiative also brings affordable and accessible enterprise technology for MSMEs.

The programme was launched in association with Nasscom Foundation, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Pratham InfoTech Foundation.

New SAP solutions are mostly built on containers. Does this make sense, and what are some common use cases associated with container technology?

Adopting new technologies follows the same pattern in all companies. A group of evangelists see the new technology as the ultimate answer to every problem, conservatives see some potential with many downsides. The developers have to live with the unintended consequences.

For a few years now, new SAP solutions have mostly been built on container technology. The goal of this article is to look at use cases and what could go wrong.

Containers

A container feels like a small-scale Linux operating system with an application installed. Such a container is delivered as a file image and runs on a host computer as a virtual server. In contrast to VMware-like virtual machines – where even the operating system itself is part of the image – the container’s operating system is just redirecting the system calls to the host computer.

As a result, the application performance inside a container is identical compared to installing the application directly on the host computer, which is not true for virtual machines.

Rule #1: Do not install software, deploy containers

One view of containers could be that it is a very convenient way of installing software. It is a matter of seconds. The command “docker pull imagename:latest” installs the software, the command “docker run imagename” starts it. Way simpler than running a custom installer, where you have to wait half an hour for it to complete the task, and then wonder why the installation worked on one server but not the other. Everybody who installed a larger software package can relate, I assume.

Example: To install Hana, a command line tool exists, but also a docker image. With the command line tool, the prerequisites of the server need to be met, the installation allows for many different options and takes 30 minutes. In contrast, the docker image just works.

Rule #2: No configuration information in the container

One consequence of the aforementioned instances is that all configurations need to be done at container start. The container image itself is user and customer agnostic. The concept of containers goes even further than that: it always starts with the same image files. In other words, all changes made within the running image are lost as soon as the image is shut down.

Example: The container image is a webserver, the webserver writes logs and when the image is shut down, all created log files cease to exist. That is the reason why a Hana image asks to create a directory on the host server and mounts the directory into the image at the start. When Hana creates the database and the tables, it writes into the same directory within the image as before, but because it is mounted, the changes are actually made in the host file system.

Rule #3: Isolation

An important aspect of containers is the intrinsic security this model provides. Everything a container should do is either inside the container itself or done by calling other network services.

All containers work 100 percent independently from each other; they do not even know of each other. An SQL application container can execute a select statement against a Hana database and this database might be another container. It should never use low-level calls to bypass the container isolation.

Rule #4: Container size

One important break point to watch out for is the container size. An increasing size of a container has multiple negative side effects.

There is security: The more services a single container exposes, the larger its attack surface becomes. A container should expose a single service only, if possible.

Examples: A webserver container exposes one network port. The Hana container should only expose the SQL port.

Summary

Concerning containers, I seem to be more on the evangelist side. Yes, containers should be used for every service because at least the installation is much easier – if nothing else. They have no performance downside, are easier to manage and upgrade. However, as shown, there are some things that can go wrong during the implementation.

Digitalization poses new challenges. To avoid pitfalls, companies need a structured approach. This is also true for S/4 Hana implementations as digital core, and a business transformation roadmap is indispensable for any migration.

Companies are currently dealing with one of the biggest challenges of the digital age: digitalizing all their business processes. Furthermore, they have to start leveraging new technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, predictive analytics or robotic process automation. Without them, the implementation of new, digital business models becomes impossible.

With S/4 Hana, SAP offers customers a stable core which, combined with SAP Cloud Platform, improves agility as well. This guarantees seamless integration and the possibility to leverage new technologies, resulting in a number of benefits, e.g. reduced maintenance or upgrade efforts.

Consequently, many companies are currently looking into the implementation of S/4 Hana, according to a study by Arvato Systems and Pierre Audoin Consultants. 9 percent of respondents are currently implementing S/4, 18 percent are planning the switch and 54 percent are at least thinking about it.

Transformation roadmap indispensable

After these evaluations, an SAP business transformation roadmap becomes indispensable. It serves as a guide on how to best align business requirements with technological possibilities.

Competent and knowledgeable consultants or partners are able to assist in this process. They can make estimates about the costs of S/4 transformations, which is a problem that 46 percent of respondents weren’t able to tackle on their own. Additionally, partners offer know-how and experience that 32 of respondents were lacking.

Working closely with companies, consultants and partners create the necessary roadmap. Process optimization is one key focus area where partners can draw upon their experiences with best practice solutions in the industry. Moreover, they ensure focus on new technologies and innovation. The transformation roadmap consists of different clearly defined stages, making it easier for companies to complete them.

Companies can start with assessing end-to-end processes in single departments, be it finance, marketing, sales or purchasing, and work their way up to vertical processes connecting different departments and focus areas. They then know which backend processes can be optimized for more agility and scalability.

Digital innovation at the forefront

Future-proofing processes means to evaluate how new technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, the Internet of Things, predictive analytics or robotic process automation can benefit companies. During these evaluations, it’ll quickly become clear that all of these innovations only really make a difference when companies combine them in a way that aligns with business strategy and long-term goals.

With SAP Cloud Platform, SAP offers a solution that combines these intelligent technologies and offers necessary integration services. SCP’s Accelerator packages are specifically designed for different industries and core functionalities and accelerate the implementation of digital innovations.

Roadmaps have to be accompanied by creating, testing and eventually implementing prototypes. By implementing prototypes, digital transformation becomes visible, which makes it easier to convince even the most hardcore sceptics of the importance of digitalization.

Prototypes also help assess the digital maturity of processes, the user friendliness of the system interface, and the feasibility of interfaces. The results and experiences gained in tests make it easier to identify existing challenges. Prototyping is proof of how the integration of new processes is likely to go and consequently minimizes the risks associated with the actual implementation later on.

With a comprehensive business transformation roadmap, companies can close the gap between what their SAP environment is and what they would like it to be. Technology acts as an enabler to effectively and efficiently realize digital business models.

U.S. enterprises are using S/4HANA, SAP’s intelligent ERP system with integrated artificial intelligence, to transform their business processes, with many using SAP service providers to manage these installations, according to a new report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

The 2020 ISG Provider Lens™ SAP HANA and Leonardo Ecosystem Partners Report for the U.S. finds many enterprises here interested in a two-tier adoption model for S/4HANA, with many opting for on-premises installations with heavy customizations for their main offices and the cloud version for their satellite or regional offices. The cloud version of the ERP package allows for less customization, but also for automatic upgrades and faster implementation.

S/4HANA focuses on alleviating business process problems by applying analytics to speed up delivery of insights. Many service providers, meanwhile, are focusing on lowering costs and speeding up delivery by using artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotic process automation to streamline incident management and speed up configuration, the report says.

In addition, SAP-certified professionals working at service providers are managing complex SAP installations for customers, the report adds. “Certified professionals can serve as one of the differentiators for service providers looking to showcase their SAP expertise,” said Jan Erik Aase, director and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. “Top providers are investing in reskilling employees and are growing the number of their SAP-certified professionals.

The COVID-19 pandemic, however, is causing some enterprises to postpone new large-scale S/4HANA implementations and transformations, the report says. A few companies have completely halted their S/4HANA deals or decisions, but many others are asking services providers to “keep the lights on” and continue with basic SAP management support. Service providers are continuing to serve SAP customers with employees who work from home.

In response to COVID-19, enterprises may move their SAP workloads to the cloud to cut costs, the report adds. As the pandemic continues, enterprises may migrate S/4HANA to the cloud, and providers may offer preconfigured templates to help with that process, the report predicts

The report finds growing demand from U.S. enterprises to integrate agile and DevOps processes into SAP services. Service providers are leveraging their proprietary tools and accelerators to deliver S/4HANA services, and they are integrating agile and DevOps methodologies with their frameworks to increase efficiency and reduce delivery times.

Many service providers also are increasing their focus on creating ready-to-run templates, industry-specific solutions and preconfigured offerings for S/4HANA, SAP Cloud Platform and Leonardo. Enterprises are embracing these solutions, seeing them as enabling faster time to market and helping them become intelligent organizations.

The implementation of SAP S/4 Hana is not an isolated IT project. It triggers a comprehensive business transformation process, making it necessary to rethink and adapt corporate goals. This is not a journey that companies should take lightly – they need a comprehensive business transformation roadmap. Six key factors decide if a roadmap leads to success or sets a company up for failure.

Business alignment

Companies need to realize that aligning strategic business goals is a fundamental requirement for sustainable transformation. Only then do they really know which processes and functionalities they require from the new software. Without knowing where you are and where you want to go, even the best next-gen ERP system will not be able to effectively support your business.

Evaluation

For a successful roadmap, it is essential that companies thoroughly evaluate all of their business processes to see which of them really are mission critical, which have more of a supporting function, and which can be optimized (within reason). For example, retrofitting systems to comply with standard best practices can also achieve higher levels of automation and process optimization.

Onboarding

However, business alignment also means that everyone involved – from C-level executives to interns – needs to be on board. Companies need to talk to all affected employees and, taking their job level and prior know-how into account, acquaint them with the new technology. Effective change management is key for successful software implementations and business processes optimization.

Competence

Internal acceptance and necessary know-how are essential to bridge the gap between IT and business. A competent consultancy and system integration partner is able to facilitate and orchestrate this process. Together, company and partner need to develop a structured transformation plan to make subsequent implementations or migrations as seamless as possible.

Comprehensiveness

For thorough evaluation, considering the process landscape in its entirety is indispensable. Individual departments like finance, procurement, sales and marketing need comprehensive analysis of their processes to know how to improve and optimize them with the new technology.

Prototyping

Before companies actively start tackling the implementation, it is recommendable to have kind of a test run. This ensures that everyone involved works towards and subsequently benefits from business transformation. A prototype guarantees transparency of changes on a technological and organizational level. By using a prototype, companies can furthermore gain experience and consider what they learned in the actual implementation. This minimizes risk in business transformation efforts.

Conclusion

Business transformation closes the gap between where companies are right now and where they want to be by optimizing the use of software and technology. To be successful, companies need a comprehensive roadmap that considers every area of business and is aligned with strategic corporate goals.

Learning management systems are becoming more important. SAP is offering two cloud solutions to address this need: SAP Litmos and SAP SuccessFactors Learning Management System. What are their core functionalities and how do they differ?

The need for learning management systems is increasing. There are many reasons contributing to this trend, for example new regulations concerning certifications or the growing realization that employees are a core resource of every company and have to be invested in. If a company has decided to opt for a learning management system, it is going to be spoilt for choice. SAP offers two modern cloud solutions, SAP Litmos and the Learning Management System (LMS; integrated in SuccessFactors).

In this article, we will take a look at what these systems can do and how they differ from each other.

SAP SuccessFactors Learning Management System

The module LMS is part of the SAP SuccessFactors suite and is therefore already seamlessly integrated with master data records and other SuccessFactors modules. This makes it possible to e.g. connect individual goals and objectives to specific courses, classes, or more informal study groups. If you already use SuccessFactors, opting for LMS may be the most logical choice as it offers seamless integration and a consistent user experience for employees.

LMS offers a granular access management system, enabling companies to tailor user and administrative rights to their specific needs. Concerning learning material, LMS offers predefined standard integration with various course providers. For example, SuccessFactors LMS makes it easy to integrate LMS with LinkedIn Learning, ensuring that employees benefit from countless courses. What is more, standard integration with common VLS (Virtual Learning Session) system, like Skype for Business and Webex, is also supported.

SAP Litmos

SAP Litmos is a modern and user-friendly learning management system. The implementation is fast and easy, ensuring that the solution’s rollout doesn’t take more than a few days. SAP Litmos is a stand-alone solution but can also be integrated with master data systems. The functionalities for users and administrators are intuitive, meaning that no additional training is necessary to operate the system. If companies have complex, specific requirements, the design of the platform can be individually adapted.

A huge advantage of SAP Litmos is that learning materials and courses about specific topics or industries can be licensed with the system. This means that in a span of just a few days, companies not only have SAP Litmos set up, but they also have a complete set of course material on there as well. Of course, other course providers can be integrated via pre-defined standard integration interfaces.

Conclusion

SAP Litmos and SuccessFactors LMS are both tried-and-tested solutions with numerous happy customers worldwide. Both have a number of advantages, but they also have limitations. Which system best suits a company heavily depends on specific requirements as well as the needs of HR and employees.

If you are already leveraging the SAP SuccessFactors suite and have more complex access management requirements, LMS offers many advantages. If you want a user-friendly learning management system with fast implementation times, preconfigured learning materials and more adventurous features, SAP Litmos is a good fit.

SAP IN has announced the launch of SAP S/4 HANA Cloud and SAP Commerce Cloud on India data centre. With this launch, Indian enterprises can now meet end-to-end customer demands, make commerce frictionless while ensuring compliance with current and upcoming Personal Data Protection Bill.

“Adoption of agility like that of a Digital Native model across the business landscape can lead India Inc to quicker recovery as well as push the demand of a digital buying mindset (electronic commerce),” said Debdeep Sengupta, President and Managing Director, SAP Indian Subcontinent “With SAP’s locally available Business Cloud, we are easing Indian enterprises transition to be a digital business.”

As the economy shifts towards a consumption-based model, SAP brings together core technologies into one “stack” to deliver a high level of scalability and flexibility in the country while adhering to localization of the data policy. Further, with an € 5.5 Billion addressable market opportunity by 2023, SAP believes the need for companies to dive into technology areas such as user experience, data analytics, cloud solutions and mobility.

The availability of S/4HANA Cloud and SAP Commerce Cloud in India will offer enterprises a quick and easy way to consume the latest solutions in the cloud and enable them take advantage of next-generation software and services.

SAP Commerce Cloud will offer a comprehensive, end-to-end commerce solution powering real-time, intelligent customer engagement with individually relevant, in-the-moment experiences, seamlessly crossing channels, spanning front office to back office and connecting demand and supply chain.