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Unexpected SAP Cloud Challenges and How to Overcome Them

September 6, 2022

SAP Cloud

Businesses are increasingly turning to SAP cloud solutions to power their digital transformations. Most companies choose SAP as their ERP system due to its comprehensive feature set and its ability to handle a wide range of business processes. However, even the most well-designed systems can present unique challenges during implementation and operation.

We will now dive deeper into the top three challenges that exists for SAP Cloud offerings, but first let’s explore the types of Cloud offerings that exits.

The Four Types of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a model that allows users to access configurable computing resources (such as networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) on demand. It can be deployed faster than traditional IT infrastructure with less initial investment. Cloud computing consists of five essential characteristics: on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured service.

There are a few different options depending on the level of functionality and features that you require. Here are the four main types of cloud computing:

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Software as a service, or "SaaS" /sæs/, is a software licensing and delivery model in which users access software on subscription basis that is hosted off-site. It's also referred to colloquially as "on-demand software." Users usually access SaaS through thin client applications run via web browser. In the SaaS model, users are typically charged on a per-user per-month basis. There may be additional charges for bandwidth or storage used above some threshold.

The advantages of the SaaS model include reduced maintenance costs, increased flexibility, and easier scalability. The main disadvantage is that users do not have control over the underlying infrastructure and may be reliant on the service provider for certain features or functionality.

Examples of SaaS applications include Google Apps, Salesforce.com, and Microsoft Office 365.

SAP Cloud

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Infrastructure as a Service, or IaaS, is a type of cloud computing that provides users with access to a virtualized computing infrastructure. IaaS is delivered as a service, typically over the internet, and can be used to provide users with access to storage, networking, and compute resources.

A key characteristic of IaaS is that it enables users to provision and use resource pools without having to invest in or manage the underlying physical infrastructure. This includes both hardware resources—such as servers, storage, and networking gear—and software resources, such as operating systems, middleware, and databases.

IaaS is sometimes referred to as "bare metal cloud", "on-demand computing", or "utility computing", due to its pay-per-use pricing model. In addition, IaaS can provide businesses with the flexibility to scale their infrastructure up or down as needed, which can help them save on costs associated with unused capacity.

Examples of IaaS providers include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a cloud-based model in which hardware and software tools are delivered to users by a third-party provider. Services offered can include database management, app hosting, collaboration tools, and business intelligence services. PaaS providers offer their platform so that developers can build, test, deploy, and manage their applications more efficiently.

PaaS offerings can be delivered in several ways, including public clouds, private clouds, or hybrid clouds. Public cloud PaaS providers deliver their services over the Internet to customers who subscribe to them. Private cloud PaaS providers deliver their services to customers using their own infrastructure. Hybrid cloud PaaS providers offer a combination of public and private cloud services.

PaaS providers typically offer a wide range of services to their customers. However, not all PaaS providers offer the same set of services. Some PaaS providers focus on offering a specific set of services, such as application hosting or database management. Other PaaS providers offer a more comprehensive set of services that includes a wide range of tools and services for developers.

Some examples of PaaS providers include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google App Engine, Heroku, and Windows Azure.

Private Cloud

The private cloud is a type of cloud computing that delivers similar advantages to public cloud, including scalability and self-service, but through a proprietary architecture. Private clouds are often deployed within the data center of a single organization, allowing that organization more control over the environment than with public clouds.

The private cloud is appealing to many organizations because it can offer increased security and compliance controls compared to public clouds. In addition, private clouds can be more easily customized to meet the specific needs of an organization. However, because private clouds require a significant upfront investment in hardware and software, as well as ongoing maintenance costs, they are not always the best option for small or medium-sized businesses.

Top Three Unexpected SAP Cloud Challenges and How to Overcome Them

SAP cloud adoption is growing rapidly as enterprises seek to modernize their IT infrastructure and take advantage of the many benefits of cloud computing. However, there are a few challenges that can crop up during SAP cloud implementations that can be unexpected. Below we'll discuss three such challenges and provide tips on how to overcome them.

Inconsistent Standards

This is the biggest problem the businesses face when migrating to SAP cloud. Every business has a different way of handling data, and there are no set standards for how this data should be formatted. This can lead to a lot of problems down the line, especially when it comes time to migrate this data to the cloud.

Typically, one of the three major IaaS providers, AWS, GCP, or Azure, is used to deploy SAP in the cloud. However, each provider has their own set of standards and formats that they use for data storage. This can make it very difficult to migrate data from one format to another and can often lead to data loss or corruption.

Most SAP migrations to the cloud tend to be, at least in their initial stages, hybrid. This means that businesses will continue to use on-premise systems for some of their data, while migrating other data to the cloud. This further enhance the confusion around standardization, as businesses now have to maintain two sets of standards – one for on-premise data, and one for cloud data.

The best way to overcome this challenge is to work with a partner who has experience migrating SAP data to the cloud. This partner can help you understand the different standards used by each provider and can assist you in migrating your data without losing any critical information.

SAP

To do so, it is important to have a clear and concise plan in place from the start. This means having a well-defined governance model that everyone understands and agrees to. It also means setting up processes and procedures for how changes will be made to the system going forward.

By doing this, you can avoid any "wild west" scenario where everyone is making changes willy-nilly without any rhyme or reason. Once you have these things in place, it becomes much easier to keep your system consistent (and therefore easier to maintain and upgrade).

Lack of Visibility

System performance and stability is a top priority for any business, but especially for those in the process of migrating to or implementing SAP Cloud. A lack of visibility into how the systems function in the cloud can be crippling, making it impossible to identify the source of issues and resolve them quickly.

The default tools are limited, making it very inefficient for developers to be switching between many different tools to try and get a handle on how the cloud services are performing. This problem is further exacerbated when there is a hybrid cloud or multiple cloud environments involved.

This lack of visibility gives way too many issues, some of which include:

  • Difficulty in identifying the source of performance issues
  • Inefficient use of resources trying to resolve those issues
  • Missed SLAs due to extended downtime

The good news is that there are ways to overcome this challenge and gain the visibility you need to ensure your SAP Cloud systems are running smoothly. One solution is to use a tool that offers full stack visibility across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. You will be able quickly identify problems and optimize performance with ease.

Increased Cost

Another challenge that can arise is increased costs. This can be due to several factors, such as inefficient scaling, lack of understanding of the cloud model, or simply because the cloud model is new and unfamiliar. Not having an immediate, ready-to-go solution on hand will significantly slow down the migration, and therefore increase the bill.

Properly scaling SAP systems in the cloud is paramount for both minimizing operating costs and for ensuring end user satisfaction due to optimal system functionality. For example, if an organization is moving from a traditional on-premise data center to SAP through AWS, they need to take into account how the new architecture will impact their licensing costs.

Additionally, it’s important to understand how the cloud model works before beginning a migration. The biggest mistake organizations can make is assuming that the cloud will work the same way as their on-premise data center. One of the benefits of the cloud is its flexibility, so it’s important to take advantage of that by designing a solution that is tailored to your specific needs.

Overall, the migration from on-premise to SAP Cloud will typically be a lengthy process, but it can be kept to a reasonable length by taking some precaution to ensure that the systems are properly scaled, and there are no major issues.

Improved SAP Cloud Implementation and Migration with Approyo

Approyo’s extensive experience and knowledge in SAP hosting, managed services, upgrades, and migrations allow them to provide their customers with a full-service option for their cloud needs. Approyo stays ahead of the curve regarding technology, so customers can focus on their business goals rather than the latest IT trends.

Managed Services: Focus on Your Business – Not The IT

With Approyo’s complete Managed Services solution for SAP applications and databases hosted on AWS, you can offload the day-to-day management of your infrastructure and platform to their certified experts. This includes proactive performance monitoring and tuning, patching and upgrades, backups and disaster recovery planning, security hardening and compliance, and more.

They’ll work with you to establish Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that meet your business needs for availability, performance, and uptime. And because they offer a la carte services, you only pay for the services you need.

Upgrades and Migrations: Minimize Risk and Downtime

Approyo has significant experience performing upgrades and migrations for their customers running any SAP-supported core functionality. They can help minimize the risk of downtime during an upgrade or migration by thoroughly testing all aspects of the project before go-live.

Their team will work with you to create a detailed project plan that outlines all the steps involved in the upgrade or migration, as well as the risks and potential pitfalls. They’ll also provide regular updates throughout the project so you can be confident that everything is on track.

So, whether you’re looking for help with a specific project or comprehensive management of your entire SAP environment, Approyo has a solution that fits your budget.

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