THE BEGINNER S GUIDE TO SAP CLOUD PLATFORM (SAP CP)

Transcription

1 THE BEGINNER S GUIDE TO SAP CLOUD PLATFORM (SAP CP)

2 03 Introduction 05 Meet SAP Cloud Platform 08 Agile, Optimized,Digital 10 The Service Portfolio 14 The SAP Cloud Platform Trial 16 Success Stories 19 Conclusion The Beginner s Guide to SAP Cloud Platform (SCP)

3 INTRO DUCTION

4 For years now, modern companies have started their journey toward digital transformation, a transformation that, as predicted by Gartner in 2016, will lead every business to becoming a digital business by For the Information Technology (IT) department, this poses new and interesting opportunities. Traditionally, IT organizations have built their in-house data centers by acquiring hardware appliances with license costs and the expertise of a team of specialists to run them. This remarkable deployment of resources being necessary to install, maintain, monitor and upgrade the platform on which to build the IT solutions that support the core business. For certain organizations, this has meant a limited ability to pursue leading edge innovation. The overhead costs of upfront resources acquisition often keep IT decision makers, that are usually confined to budget constraints, from taking the risks to drive innovative initiatives. An alternative approach and a potential solution to this problem is represented by SAP Cloud Platform (CP), the Cloud Computing proposal by SAP. The purpose of this guide is to illustrate the potential of the SAP CP and how its revolutionary on-demand service-oriented paradigm can help enterprises to focus on their road to innovation and, ultimately, thrive in a digital business scenario. The Beginner s Guide to SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) 04

5 MEET SAP CLOUD PLATFORM

6 SAP Cloud Platform is the open, in-memory, Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) cloud computing product provided by SAP. It offers numerous services built on the industry standards to create customer-specific software applications to be deployed and consumed on the cloud. This model benefits the customers who are willing to innovate their systems at reduced overhead costs. The software applications in SAP Cloud Platform run on remote data centers hosted by SAP (Regions) and located worldwide. System lifecycles, hardware maintenance and components upgrades are completely managed by SAP, freeing the consumer from the responsibility and costs of hosting their own data center and allowing them to focus on their business applications without caring too much about what is inside that fuzzy cloud-like shape historically used to depict Cloud Computing networks. The services offered cover all sorts of Information Technology areas: data storage, data base, reporting applications, as well as transactional layers for front-end multi-platform software. The customers can totally adhere to this model and run their applications on the Cloud, or partially maintain the traditional structure and build hybrid Cloud-On-Premise environments. Formerly known as HANA Cloud Platform, in February 2017 SAP Cloud Platform was announced as the new name of the SAP PaaS offering to better represent the breadth of capabilities offered, which continue to include the powerful data services provided by the SAP HANA high performing persistence layer. The entry point to SAP Cloud Platform is the consumption experience, a website that makes it easy for customers to find the information they need, understand the wealth of services available to them, configure the services they need and start their innovation projects. Here the subscribers are guided through the Subaccount creation, region and service portfolio selection. The regions represent the data centers locations, hosted by SAP or the partner Infrastructure-as-a-Service The Beginner s Guide to SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) 06

7 (IaaS) providers like Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform. Each facility features high availability infrastructure standards, network security and threat management. The choice of the region should be guided by the enterprise needs and the scheduled maintenance cycles of each region. SAP CP Regions The Beginner s Guide to SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) 07

8 AGILE, OPTIMIZED, DIGITAL

9 The three fundamental pillars on which SAP Cloud Platform grounds its proposal are: Agile Business, Optimized Enterprise, and Digital Transformation Agile Business Extend current Cloud and On-Premise applications quickly Deploy pre-built app extensions Embedded development/editor tools and plug-ins. Maximize the value of existing investments Optimized Enterprise Integrate On-Premise and Cloud applications to deliver hybrid clouds Connect app, data, things, people and business processes Eliminate data silos to make digital access simple, secure and scalable Digital Transformation Build Cloud native apps rapidly using open standards Embrace new technologies: IoT, Big Data, Bots, Machine Learning, Mobile Attract new customers and drive new sources of revenue The Beginner s Guide to SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) 09

10 SERVICE PORTFOLIO

11 SAP Cloud Platform Services at a Glance Analytics Business Intelligence, planning and predictive analysis on SAP HANA The Services are the building blocks of the SAP Cloud Platform solutions; Administrators can enable the services in the SAP Cloud Platform Cockpit, adding the service fee to the Subscrition cost. After being enabled, the service will be available in the SAP Cloud Platform Cockpit and accessible though a separate landing page where it can be configured and run. SAP CP is a large and new platform and the numerous services offered are continuously changing and renovating to offer subscribers the latest features in the industry and an always more delightful navigation and user experience. For this reason, the landing page of each service contains, together with monitors and statistics widgets, a What s New section with the updates on the service release, links to the standard documentation, forums and collaboration tools within the SAP Community. Other than to be used to extend On-Premise-Cloud or Cloud-Cloud solutions, SAP Cloud Platform is the PaaS to extend and customize the functionalities of the SAP Cloud apps, or Software-as-a-Service offerings such as: SAP SuccessFactors, SAP Ariba, SAP Concur, SAP Cloud for Customer, SAP Hybris, SAP Fieldglass and SAP S/4HANA Cloud. If some functionalities are not included in these out-of-the-box solutions, SAP Cloud Platform can be used to fill the gap and develop service-oriented custom solutions (or to buy from a partner who has already built them). Business Services Financial services, data quality validation, market rates management and tax services, collaboration, gamification of the applications for a delightful user experience and customer engagement Data & Storage High-available and distributed object storage, SAP HANA and SAP Adaptive Server Enterprise (ASE). Big Data as a service (Hadoop, Spark and more) Integration API management, data and process integration, Odata provisioning, Workflow processes IoT Enables the operations for IoT applications, remote data sync with SAP HANA, REST-based services and tools Machine Learning Models for machine learning, blockchain, analytics and Big Data services with SAP Leonardo Mobile Management and security of SAP Fiori application on mobile devices Security Identity management and provisioning, access and authorizations for applications on the cloud User Experience Web portals, corporate branding theming and prototyping tools Dev / Ops All the services to develop, deploy and maintain Java applications. Metrics and monitoring, lifecycle and version management Runtimes & Containers Virtualized hardware resources to maintain the customers Linux-based software The Beginner s Guide to SAP Cloud Platform (SCP)

12 Global Account Understanding SAP Cloud Platform Global Accounts and Subaccounts concepts is paramount for the design of corporate SAP CP architectures. When customers subscribe to an SAP Cloud Platform contract, they will receive a Global Account together with quotas of dedicated resources, Database, Java Compute units and billing. The Global Account, associated with a data center hosted, maintained and run by SAP, represents the contract of the customer s purchase. Within the Global Account, customers have the possibility to design and lay out an SAP Cloud Platform landscape by creating multiple Subaccounts. Subaccounts can be viewed as the Cloud version of the classic On-Premise NetWeaver multi-tier system instances. The Subaccount The Subaccount is the container of the Cloud applications (Java, HTML5, XS); it can have SAP HANA Database connected and multiple Destinations to On-Premise and/or Internet systems. The Subaccount has one trust configuration for Identity Management (users, groups, roles) All of this is maintained and controlled by the Subaccount Administrators (Members) in the Subaccount Cockpit. The number of Global Accounts or Subaccounts customer will need depends on their security and compliance requirements. Because configurations are made individually for each Subaccount, it can be efficient to gather different projects/initiatives within a shared Subaccount to connect within different resources and destinations. Pricing SAP Cloud Platform customers can adhere to two different commercial models for their Account: the Subscription-based and the Consumption-based. The Subscription experience offers customers the choice to activate and access only the service(s) that they need. With this model, customers will receive a fixed price and length for access to The Beginner s Guide to SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) 12

13 the SAP Cloud Platform services they enabled with no limitation of usage. The Subscription-based model is used to safeguard the IT investiments thanks to the known costs for the usage. The Consumption-based commercial model gives customers the flexibility to have one SKU for all available SAP Cloud Platform services, and then pay for the amount of services used and consumed via cloud credits. SAP will provide monthly usage reports so customers can track their project s success and uptake without constraints. The SAP Cloud Platform website offers a Cost Estimator tool for its services. Theses options are extended into three different packages: Get Started Packages, Enterprise Packages and Database Admin Packages. Get Started Packages are intended for non-production use. This type of package is a fast and cost-effective option to get familiar with and study a plan for the migration to the Cloud. From the basic edition on a shared environment, it can be extended at extra cost onto a dedicated environment of different sizes. Enterprise Packages, on the other hand, are intended for production use and include support from SAP. Database Admin Packages are the SAP Database offering, SAP HANA and ASE instances. To learn more about these packages and obtain more specific pricing information, please refer to the official SAP CP website: cloudplatform.sap.com The Beginner s Guide to SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) 13

14 THE SAP CLOUD PLATFORM TRIAL

15 A Enterprise account, however, is not the only option available to customers looking to explore and understand the benefits of the SAP Cloud Platform. SAP Cloud Platform also offers the possibility to access a Trial account at no cost to explore the service catalog and build non-productive solutions for evaluation purposes and to get familiar with the product. The Trial Account, available to everybody, provides unlimited access to resources hosted by SAP or its partners: AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. The trial SAP Cloud Platform account is hosted in the Europe (Rot) - Trial region. Once logged in their Subaccount, users are guided to the choice of the Environment between Cloud Foundry and Neo Environment. Both are open source and based on open standards, their availability and supported features give choices for technologies, runtimes and services. The Neo Environment is the SAP proprietary system, whereas the Cloud Foundry environment is open to the usage of additional programming languages, runtimes and framework (with a focus on Java, Node.js, HTML5, and Python), but also offering a Bring Your Own Language (BYOL) option. Quick Facts Cloud Foundry Trial Neo Environment Trial Hosted, run and maintained by AWS, Google Cloud Platform or Microsoft Azure Suspended after the 90 days trial period Enables the usage of BYOL (Bring Your Own Language) Hosted, run and maintained by SAP Unlimited duration Is the proprietary system of SAP Does not allow the creation of Subaccounts Allows the creation of Subaccounts The Beginner s Guide to SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) 15

16 SUCCESS STORIES

17 SAP Cloud Platform already counts more than 6,500 customers, with over 600 partners that are developing customized solutions for each of them. At Techedge, we have helped customers from various industries implement and extract value from the SAP Cloud Platform and its services, allowing them to run their IT operations in a digital business environment and exploit the broad services of the platform to introduce new value into their companies. Below are just some of the examples of how our customers have gained strategic value with SAP CP: SAP CP Mobile Services Our customer is one of the major European groups in the home care sector, providing services in several fields including: nutrition, health assistance and skin care. When challenged to reinvent its Mobile Patient Care delivery operations, our customer selected SAP Cloud Platform Mobile Services. With SAP Cloud Platform Mobile Services, our customer was able to maintain a high margin of personalization required by their business processes without introducing the need for new change management procedures. The solution, built entirely on SAP CP with the hybrid mobile capabilities of the Mobile Services for Development and Operations, was implemented as a hybrid mobile app with offline capabilities, allowing our customers field technicians to manage daily activities starting from planned and confirmed daily routes, including new activities that arise throughout the day, finishing with the service delivery (Patient Care function). Some of the features that our customer is now able to maintain through their new mobile solution include: Truck load/unload Delivery trips management Patient materials delivery Patient materials returns Patients report (master data, stock, treatment). The Beginner s Guide to SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) 17

18 SAP CP Integration Services Our customer is an American national cooperative operating in the dairy products market. It represents more than 8,000 dairy farms in the continental United States and is synonymous with quality handling of milk derivatives and their distribution. As a central hub of data exchange with their multiple partners, our customer requires a robust integration platform. With SAP Cloud Platform Integration Services, our customer was able to ensure the continuity of existing functionalities without disrupting critical data exchanges. The choice of adopting the Cloud solution, perfectly in line with the SAP Cloud Platform paradigm, resulted in financial savings by reducing the size of the Basis and System administration deployment. The learning curve for the transition to the new programming methodologies for the SAP Cloud Integration Services was also very low for the client, thanks to the clear and intuitive tools of the service. The Beginner s Guide to SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) 18

19 CONCLUSION

20 Everyday new innovations come to life on the SAP Cloud Platform. To optimize operations, modernize business processes, or achieve the business agility required to thrive in the digital business ecosystem, companies are successfully and widely adopting SAP Cloud Platform within their IT strategy. Simple to learn, test and deploy, SAP Cloud Platform offers its customers agility, optimization and transformative properties and a clear strategic alignment to the rest of the SAP product suite evolution. About the Author Massimo Tuscano has more than a decade of experience in IT strategy with focus on SAP platforms and process integration. In his career he has supported large enterprise customers of various sectors in modernizing their IT infrastructure and processes to achieve higher agility and improved efficiency. Massimo started his career at Techedge in Milan, Italy, relocating to the USA in Today, Massimo is supporting customers in realizing their digital transformation through the development and implementation of lean, flexible and robust IT solution architectures. Follow Massimo on LinkedIn The Beginner s Guide to SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) 20

21 About Techedge At Techedge, our mission is to help organizations evolve into true digital companies through short iterative cycles of business-driven innovation. We provide business solutions and services that combine business advisory, technology expertise and premium delivery capabilities, with a lean, trust-based approach. With our international presence, we offer our clients the scalability of a global provider, the flexibility of a local partner, and the competence of a strategic, trusted advisor. Follow linkedin.com/company/techedge/ Discover more techedgegroup.com Copyright 2018 Techedge All rights reserved. This document makes descriptive reference to trademarks that may be owned by others. The use of such trademarks herein is not an assertion of ownership of such trademarks by Techedge and is not intended to represent or imply the existence of an association between Techedge and the lawful owners of such trademarks.