SAP tries of course to position its own database technology in the market. Nevertheless, many users do not want investments in Oracle, DB2 and other databases must simply jettison.
The DSAG, the
German-speaking SAP user group, wants to round the database technology of SAP
more openness. SAP, the SAP user, declares that allows the power potentials of
SAP applications to fully exploit only through a deep integration of SAP HANA.
In the still
conservative ERP environment but businesses often have already invested in
different databases and platforms, and companies can and do often denounce
these investments.
And not all
users always see benefits by switching to in-memory. As Gartner analyst
Alexander Drobik explained in an interview with known sources, switchover
implies also more dependent on one supplier. He also criticized SAP to the
effect that the manufacturers too little talking still about use cases, where a
clear added value through in-memory has been achieved.
"Therefore,
the DSAG calls from a technological perspective enhance the openness of the
systems. It must be admitted alternatives without sacrificing the functionality
and performance, "says Hans-Achim Quitmann, chief technology officer of
the DSAG.”This will require standards and disclosure of specifics, so that
other database vendors have the ability to be used in the context of SAP."
Brand new this
requirement is not, however. Already at the presentation of S / 4hana explained
Sven Denecken, GVP Co-Innovation and Strategy S/4 hana that SAP offer open
standards here. However, he also restricts that unfortunately no database
technology on the market available today, which could fulfill the
specifications set by SAP.
For Drobik is
also clear that migration is thus excluded on the technology of a third party
more or less. "The suite is optimized and tuned to HANA. It is very
unlikely that you simply can exchange the database here. "
As Gartner
analyst Drobik also sees the DSAG that the IT becomes stronger by the shifts in
the market for printing and the focus is increasingly on the provision of
flexible processes.
Even with the
DSAG one sees the established procedure in the IT "made new business
models to the test" by what show primarily in new requirements for
applications and application solutions.
Drobik:
"Even if you have a single vendor such as SAP, one often gets an
integration problem." So it was often not possible to synchronize the
plethora of products such as Ariba or Success Factors simultaneously. And in
this respect do SAPs new suite also from the perspective of analyst’s sense.
"There are
many indications that the sustained, rapid and profitable implementation of a
digital transformation is only based on a reassessment of the role of IT in the
enterprise and its performance contributions are possible," says Gerhard
Gottert, board application portfolio at the DSAG. And here S/4hana could
actually provide an answer to the requirements in the field of applications,
explains Gottert. But apparently, the assistance, the SAP here not the users in
the form of targeted information on the benefits of S / 4hana and the
transformation process sufficiently. Again, the DSAG demands more initiative
from SAP.
With the
transition from the ERP world to S / 4hana advances the theme upgrades to the
fore. "We need a roadmap for the digital transformation and not only for
the orientation on S / 4hana. This means that even the existing Business Suite
must equal to S / 4hana and be fully developed primarily "is a requirement
of Andreas Oczko, Chief Operating Officer / Service & Support.
Because even if
many SAP customers are affected by the digital transformation, they change not
necessarily on S / 4hana. "You expect the systems to be maintained, in
whose maintenance they invest regularly," says Andreas Oczko. Has the
customer but positioned with its investment strategy with SAP. Consequently, he
expects a pricing policy that allows adequately innovations in the future, and
that of the maintenance (software maintenance), the solutions are held
technical and content up to date. It looks Andreas Oczko an important task for
SAP to its role as a strategic partner of the customer to meet.
Last year SAP
Mainstream had promised support for the on-premises version of the Business
Suite to 2025th this means investment protection for existing applications, but
not that SAP also with the same verve classic suites evolved as the new S /
4hana.
The question of
support which business processes and models S/4 hana for hot topics and
industry 4.0 Internet of Things was loud DSAG often still open. Clear, however,
is for Otto Schell, professional board industries / business processes that an
end-to-end view must be possible on the business processes with S/4 hana.
Precisely because many industries are in the transformation, he expects the
integration of new intuitive applications taking into account the existing. The
same applies to the integration of hybrid on-premise or cloud solutions and
their interaction. Otherwise, necessary additional products would need to be
easily and smoothly integrate, so the demand of Otto Schell.
Viewed across
all areas is clear: the use of new technology is only a means to an end. More
important for the company to develop individual strategies for the digital
transformation or consider new business models. There are many possibilities -
one should not only be deterred by external factors and rather pursue food for
thought in all directions.
