In our latest episode of the Enterprise Tech Spotlight Podcast, Keith Hales sits down with Bharvi Parikh and Paul McCann from IBM to talk about the future of the SAP HANA landscape. With the marketplace on the brink of significant change as SAP is ending its support for current application suite ECC, careful planning is required of businesses to transition smoothly. In this article, we’re going to break down what Keith, Bharvi, and Paul explore in episode four of Enterprise Tech Spotlight.
The SAP HANA Evolution: A Countdown to Transformation
The SAP HANA landscape is on the brink of significant change, with support for SAP’s current application, ECC, ending in 2027. This suite, perched atop databases like Oracle and DB2, requires a shift to the S4 suite by that time. The challenge? A transition like this requires careful and strategic planning due to its complexity.
IBM: The Ultimate Partner for SAP HANA Solutions
In the latest episode of Enterprise Tech Spotlight, Paul McCann from IBM emphasizes that the clock is ticking, and businesses should begin the transition sooner rather than later.
“2027 sounds like it’s pretty far off here in 2023, but these projects are lengthy. Depending on how much complexity you have from past customizations, they could take a lot of resources.” McCann noted in the episode. “We’re encouraging clients to start now, because those resources will become scarcer and scarcer the closer we get to 2027.”
With a partner like IBM whose relationship with SAP spans over five decades, clients get a unique understanding of SAP environment requirements.
Unveiling the Unique Advantages of IBM Power Solutions
So, why does the IBM Power Systems server platform stand out in the SAP HANA landscape? Bharvi Parikh explains that the cornerstone of IBM server technology is reliability. With over five nines of availability and only 1.5 minutes of downtime annually, IBM sets a high bar for application availability. The comparison with x86 technology, averaging around 42 minutes of downtime, emphasizes the substantial difference.
Scalability and performance also shine as IBM’s strengths. The IBM Power Systems server platform boasts unparalleled scalability, supporting up to 32 terabytes for OLTP workloads and 40 terabytes for analytics. Moreover, IBM’s own memory technology, differential DIMMs, offers double the memory availability of x86 technology.
Flexibility is another feather in IBM’s cap. With IBM Power Systems’ ability to support up to 16 production VMs per frame and dynamic memory footprint management, clients can deploy workloads efficiently, reducing the number of components and enhancing reliability.
Navigating SAP’s Rise Offering with IBM
Paul McCann sheds light on SAP’s Rise offering—a version of SaaS encompassing licensing, infrastructure, and managed services. IBM stands ready to support clients, whether they opt for traditional on-premises deployment or a cloud-based approach.
The conversation also touches on success stories where IBM Power Systems solutions have revolutionized clients’ SAP environments. From Clark Shoes experiencing rapid digital channel creation to Audi’s pursuit of cutting-edge technologies and Bosch Group’s impressive sustainability goals, IBM Power Systems impact on these businesses is evident.
Embrace the Future with IBM and InfoSystems
The partnership between InfoSystems and IBM Power Systems continues to flourish, with a commitment to supporting clients in their SAP HANA journey. With a legacy spanning decades and a dedication to innovation, IBM remains a leading force in the realm of SAP solutions.
As the countdown to SAP’s transformation ticks on, businesses can rely on IBM to guide them toward a successful future.
To explore these solutions further, attend the upcoming IBM Tech Exchange on September 11th-14th in Las Vegas, where you’ll get hands-on education and expert insights.
