SAP Applications have been running for many years. These have been supported for a long time on most:
- Platforms: Power, x86, AS/400, etc.;
- Operating Systems: Windows, Linux, AIX, Solaris, etc.;
- Databases: MS SQL, Oracle, DB2, MaxDB.
But now, it is time to evolve!
In fact, SAP’s new ERP, S/4HANA, is not supported by any other database than HANA. The required operating system is Linux, either SuSE or RedHat. SAP HANA is an in-memory database, which takes advantage of the virtual or physical environment memory. It also requires SAP’s certified hardware and infrastructure components for proper running and support.
These requirements should drive a customer’s plan and scope. An assessment of current hardware should be done. Knowing this, let’s analyze these requirements with regard to a S/4HANA migration!
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Verification of the Equipment
It is crucial to ensure that you have the required equipment before considering a S/4HANA migration. If the hardware and infrastructure are at the end of their life, it will be important to validate the certification of the proposed hardware, to ensure it meets the new needs. It will save you from undesired surprises at the beginning of the migration project especially. Clients who are using SAP ECC and want to migrate will also have to verify their existing equipment’s certification. Otherwise, they will need to change it.
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Master the New System
As S/4HANA only operates on Linux and HANA, new knowledge and skills must be acquired to effectively support the application.
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Sort Your Data
SAP S/4HANA demands a lot of memory, so it is highly recommended to clean up the data in the environments to minimize the physical requirements of the new ones. Consequently, it might be interesting to consider the possibility of data archiving.
You must also validate the backup tools currently in use, to check if they are supported by Linux and HANA.
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Use SAP Verification Tools
SAP has made available to their clients a set of tools to help facilitate the transition, such as
- Readiness Check for SAP S/4HANA
- SAP Pathfinder
On a technical note, there are utilities for the validation of the HANA requirements that must directly be executed from the Linux Operating System. Also, worth mentioning is Solution Manager. Version 7.1 is getting to the end of maintenance since December 31st, 2017. The good news is that Solution Manager 7.2 also runs on SAP HANA, which could allow an introduction to the world of Linux and SAP HANA.
We are pleased to answer any questions and to support you during your preparation and implementation.
Sources :
Certified and Supported SAP HANA Hardware
SAP HANA and In-Memory Computing
SAP Solution Manager
