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At SAP Sapphire last year, Alphabet, Google's parent company, revealed that it leverages SAP S/4HANA systems on Google Cloud to manage its critical business operations, including Finance, Supply Chain, Logistics, Planning, and Allocations. This has allowed Alphabet to consolidate over 50 billion transactions and process multiple terabytes of data every month, and better support its global operations. To scale its business operations, Alphabet leverages many Google Cloud products and services using the ABAP SDK. Created by Google Cloud’s SAP Engineering team, the ABAP SDK provides an accurate representation of Google Cloud APIs in ABAP, providing an integration point between SAP and Alphabet’s internal systems, powering AI/ML solutions that drive decisions, and enabling business process automation. The ABAP SDK provides in-built functionality for authentication, security, data serialization, etc., making it easier for Alphabet developers to integrate with Google Cloud products and services, and drastically decreasing time-to-value! ABAP SDK: a story of engineering excellenceSince launching internally, ABAP SDK has been used for many Alphabet production use cases: to run mission-critical applications in finance, corporate asset management (IT, audio/video, real estate), supply chain (plan and procure to pay including forward/reverse logistics), business event notifications, exception alerting, business process monitoring, and data warehousing. Security and scalability were key requirements for Alphabet business users, which they were able to achieve quickly with the ABAP SDK. Alphabet also uses the ABAP SDK to run ML inference in the context of a SAP business transaction analytics, surfacing ML predictions. Here are some great productionized use cases from Google Cloud for inspiration: Stream information from SAP to multiple subscribers with Pub/Sub - SAP is the source of truth for many master and transaction data objects. SAP sends information to other applications to ensure data consistency across applications. Sub-second speed and highly reliable messaging is key. Alphabet uses SAP Streaming Pub/Sub messages for various use cases, including network equipment status for deriving trust management, order status tracking, stock availability, transaction posting status, order comments and changes exchanged from the commerce portal to the order processing team.Use Pub/Sub for orchestration - To scale bulk data processing submitted via APIs at Alphabet, non-SAP enterprise applications use SAP OData to submit bulk updates to the SAP Application Interface Framework (AIF). SAP AIF asynchronous processing completion raises a Google Cloud CPS message to confirm processing results to the API client. ABAP SDK plays a crucial role in orchestrating many use cases like these including jobs, business events, and logs.Automate translation of finance documents to multiple languages - SAP S/4 is the source of truth for statutory reporting in multiple local languages. Alphabet boundary systems send journal entry data in English, but the headers and line text of various finance documents must be maintained in the local language, as per the company’s code definition. Alphabet uses the ABAP SDK to seamlessly interact with Google Translate, helping finance documents to comply with system and legal requirements.Integrate AI/ML models on Google Cloud for better decision making - Before Alphabet began using SAP to manage IT hardware orders worldwide, order routing across fulfillment channels was a time-consuming process. While a rules-based decision table can predict cost-effective order routes in some cases, the majority of orders required manual review, which was highly inefficient. To address this issue, the Alphabet engineering team developed a BigQuery Machine Learning model to predict routes based on historic manual decisions, and used the ABAP SDK to read the BigQuery Machine Learning predictions in real time. This continual learning model has helped to predict routes more accurately, reducing the need for manual review and automating the shipping process.Offload attachments from expensive HANA Storage - Alphabet utilizes the ABAP SDK to streamline and simplify the management of attachments (documents) for all applications in the SAP landscape. Due to the scale of the required storage capacity, it was imperative to offload the storage of attachment documents from Hana DB in-memory to cheaper and highly secured Cloud Storage buckets. By using the ABAP SDK, we were able to seamlessly read and write attachments from SAP applications to Cloud Storage without any impact to SAP critical user journeys (CUJs). End-user access to documents is controlled strictly based on authorization given in SAP, leveraging the standard Google Cloud Security Model.From internal to generally availableOver the years, many of our customers have asked for ways to easily integrate their SAP systems with Google Cloud services. With the launch of the ABAP SDK last year, the same ABAP SDK that has been powering Alphabet’s business operations since 2019 is now generally available for Google Cloud customers. Download the SDK for free and onboard in a few simple steps. While our public documentation contains the latest product updates, we also invite you to collaborate and engage with us on the Google Cloud developer community forum. We also have a public repository on GitHub so that developers can clone sample programs and quickstarts into their development environment. We are excited to see and assist you in creating enterprise and business solutions using ABAP SDK. View the full article

You can now use AWS Systems Manager Application Manager to perform operational activities with SAP HANA databases in addition to command line interfaces. AWS Systems Manager for SAP also now supports highly available SAP HANA deployments. View the full article

Are you ready to uplift your career to new heights? Utilize the power of SAP on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and embark on a transformative journey. The SAP on AWS certification opens doors to a world of opportunities, validating your expertise in seamlessly integrating two of the most powerful tech realms such as SAP and AWS. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll cover the path to becoming a Certified SAP on AWS. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced SAP professional, this guide will navigate you through the process, equipping you with the knowledge and skills to master SAP on AWS. Let’s get started! SAP on AWS Certification: Overview The SAP on AWS Certification is designed to validate expertise in architecting, deploying, migrating, and managing SAP workloads on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) platform. This certification is specifically targeted toward individuals with substantial experience in both SAP and AWS technologies. To excel in the SAP on AWS Certification exam, candidates must undergo comprehensive preparation, acquire hands-on experience, and familiarize themselves with AWS and SAP best practices. Achieving this certification allows individuals to showcase their specialized expertise in SAP on AWS, paving the way for exciting career prospects in this dynamic and sought-after field. Prerequisites for taking SAP on AWS Certification The candidate applying for SAP on AWS certification must possess the necessary knowledge, skills, experience, and expertise to successfully design, implement, migrate, and operate SAP workloads on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) platform. Typically, candidates are expected to have at least 5 or more years of experience working with SAP and a minimum of 1 year of experience specifically working with SAP on AWS. Recommended AWS Knowledge Areas High Availability/Disaster Recovery: Understanding how to set up and maintain systems in a way that ensures high availability and resilience against disasters on the AWS platform. Core AWS Infrastructure Services: Proficiency in utilizing essential AWS services such as Amazon EC2, Amazon S3, Amazon RDS, etc., to architect and deploy SAP systems. AWS Migration Tools: Familiarity with AWS migration services and tools to facilitate seamless migration of SAP workloads to the AWS cloud. AWS Global Infrastructure: Knowledge of AWS’s global infrastructure and regions, enabling the candidate to optimize SAP deployments for various geographic locations. Security Best Practices: Expertise in implementing security best practices and ensuring robust security measures for SAP workloads on AWS. Multi-account Scenarios and Multi-Region Scenarios: Understanding how to manage SAP systems across multiple AWS accounts and regions to meet performance, compliance, and disaster recovery requirements. Operations and Management Services and Tools: Proficiency in using AWS operational and management services and tools to efficiently manage SAP workloads on the cloud is required. AWS Transfer Services: Knowledge of AWS transfer services to facilitate data transfer to and from SAP systems on AWS is highly recommended. By meeting these prerequisites, candidates can demonstrate their proficiency in both SAP and AWS domains, making them eligible to pursue and successfully complete the AWS Certified: SAP on AWS – Specialty exam. Obtaining this certification validates their expertise in deploying SAP workloads on AWS and can lead to enhanced career opportunities in this specialized field. And some recommended SAP Knowledge includes SAP Basis and SAP NetWeaver Administration SAP Supported Databases (including SAP HANA) SAP Supported Operating Systems (Linux and Windows) SAP Migration and Installation Tools Sizing and Identity Management Who can take SAP on AWS Certification? The SAP on AWS Certification is intended for individuals who have a strong background and expertise in both SAP and Amazon Web Services (AWS) technologies. Specifically, the certification is suitable for: Solutions Architects SAP Administrators Cloud Engineers AWS and SAP Consultants IT Professionals with Relevant Experience Before attempting the SAP on AWS certification, candidates should ensure they meet the prerequisites, which often include several years of SAP experience and at least one year of experience working with SAP on AWS. Having the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification is also recommended as a prerequisite for this professional-level certification. Exam Pattern Topics covered in SAP on AWS Specialty Certification Exam (PAS-C01) The SAP on AWS Specialty Certification Exam (PAS-C01) is specifically designed to assess and validate your expertise in architecting, deploying, migrating, and managing SAP workloads on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) platform. This rigorous exam covers a wide range of topics that are essential for mastering SAP on AWS. Let’s explore some of the key domains and topics you can expect to encounter in the PAS-C01 certification: Domain 1: Designing SAP workloads on AWS Focuses on secure, cost-optimized, and highly resilient SAP on AWS architecture patterns, including connectivity options and AWS global infrastructure. Domain 2: Implementation of SAP workloads on AWS Covers deploying databases and SAP applications on AWS, creating highly available and resilient architectures, and understanding SAP certified highly available solutions for AWS, AWS networking concepts, and AWS Launch wizard for SAP. Domain 3: Migration of SAP workloads to AWS Encompasses different migration approaches, such as backup & restore, database replication, AWS Database Migration Service, AWS application migration service, SUM-DMO, HANA system replication, Launch Wizard, CloudFormation, and Systems Manager. Domain 4: Operation & maintenance of SAP workloads on AWS Explores monitoring, maintenance, data protection, and optimization of SAP environments on AWS, including AWS CloudWatch, AWS CloudTrail, AWS SNS service, Amazon GuardDuty, S3 Lifecycle policies, Systems Manager, Cost Explorer, and AWS Budgets. Step-by-Step Guide on Getting SAP on AWS Specialty Certification Obtaining certification in SAP on AWS can significantly enhance your skillset and open up new career opportunities. For beginners, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to achieve this certification: Step 1: Understand the Prerequisites Before you begin, ensure you meet the prerequisites for the certification. Typically, candidates are expected to have a strong grasp of both SAP and AWS technologies. It is also recommended to hold the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate level certification. Step 2: Select the Appropriate Certification AWS offers various certifications related to SAP on AWS, such as the “SAP on AWS Specialty” certification. Choose the certification that aligns with your career goals and matches your current skill level. Step 3: Prepare for the Exam Start preparing for the certification exam by thoroughly studying the relevant AWS and SAP topics. AWS provides exam guides and whitepapers for each certification, outlining the domains and subjects covered. Review these materials diligently. Step 4: Dive into Theories and Learning Paths With a solid understanding of the AWS Solutions Architect certification exam, it’s time to delve into the theory and learning paths to ensure your comprehensive preparation. Begin by considering paid classroom training, which offers a four-hour course covering technical fundamentals. This course includes essential information on managing SAP workloads on AWS, architectural patterns, sizing for performance requirements, deployment automation, security, and adhering to AWS best practices. Once you feel comfortable with the fundamentals of SAP on AWS, shift your focus to the theoretical aspects. Enroll in a specialized SAP on AWS training course to gain in-depth knowledge of technical basics and architectural patterns for running SAP on AWS. You’ll also learn about sizing SAP systems to meet performance objectives and conducting essential system operations, such as backups, monitoring, and automated deployments, following AWS best practices. To further bolster your preparation, consider an AWS exam prep course that provides 6-8 hours of practice materials, videos, and hands-on labs, offering a comprehensive package for exam readiness. If you require additional study materials, explore training program courses, which are self-paced and offer a complete exam package, including theory resources and video courses. Step 5: Enroll in Training and Gain Hands-on Experience Consider enrolling in SAP on AWS training courses that focus on SAP workloads on AWS. Hands-on experience is invaluable, so attempt to work on real-world projects or set up your own SAP environment on AWS for practice. Step 6: Familiarize Yourself with Official Documentation AWS and SAP offer extensive official documentation online. It is better to dive into AWS whitepapers, FAQs, and SAP implementation guides to deepen your comprehension of the concepts. Step 7: Practice with Sample Questions and Mock Exams Make use of sample questions and SAP on AWS practice exams from reputable sources to evaluate your knowledge and identify areas that require improvement. Several online platforms offer practice tests specifically tailored for AWS certifications. By following these steps and investing time and effort in your preparation, you can increase your chances of success in the SAP on AWS certification exam. Study Materials to Refer for SAP on AWS Certification I have listed some of the study materials to get prepare for SAP on AWS Certification: Study Materials Description AWS Certification Exam Guides Official exam guides are provided by AWS for each certification, offering insights into exam domains. AWS Whitepapers In-depth documents on SAP on AWS, e.g., “Architecting for SAP on AWS,” providing best practice guidance. AWS Well-Architected Framework Familiarize with AWS’ framework for reliable, secure, and cost-efficient solutions, relevant to SAP. SAP Documentation Review official SAP documentation like “SAP HANA Administration Guide” for AWS-specific information. AWS Training Enroll in AWS training courses covering SAP on AWS topics for hands-on experience and knowledge. Practice Tests Utilize sample questions and practice exams from reputable platforms to assess and improve your skills. By utilizing the above materials, you can become certified in SAP on AWS with ease. And you can apply for various jobs related to AWS and SAP platforms. FAQs Which AWS Certification is Suitable for SAP Basis? For professionals with experience in both SAP and AWS, the AWS Certified: SAP on AWS – Specialty certification is the most appropriate choice. This certification validates expertise in designing, implementing, migrating, and managing SAP workloads on the AWS platform. To succeed in this exam, it is recommended to have at least five years of SAP experience and one or more years of working with SAP on AWS. Can I Begin AWS Without Coding Knowledge? Yes, you can start your journey in AWS without in-depth coding knowledge. AWS provides a wide range of services that cater to various levels of technical expertise. While some AWS roles may require coding skills, many other roles, such as cloud practitioners, solutions architects, and system administrators, do not necessitate extensive coding knowledge. Familiarity with programming can be advantageous, but it is not a mandatory prerequisite to begin learning AWS. Is AWS SAP Certification Difficult? The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (SAP-C01) exam is indeed challenging, requiring a deep understanding of AWS services and how they can be integrated to design complex solutions. This professional-level certification assesses candidates through multiple-choice and multiple-response questions, testing their in-depth AWS knowledge and practical experience. Which SAP Certification is in High Demand? Skills in ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming) continue to be the most sought-after SAP programming skill in the industry. Following ABAP, SAP Fiori, and SAPUI5 are also in high demand. SAP professionals proficient in ABAP can perform tasks such as using basic ABAP statements, debugging programs and calling function modules. Conclusion Throughout this journey, you’ve learned about the prerequisites, selected the right certification, and prepared diligently with the help of AWS exam guides, whitepapers, and official SAP documentation. Enrolling in SAP on AWS training courses and practicing with sample questions have further sharpened your skills. With your SAP on AWS certification in hand, you are ready to unlock new horizons in your career. Seize the opportunities that come your way, lead transformational projects, and contribute to the success of businesses leveraging SAP on AWS. If you want to experience real-world SAP on AWS migration, grab our hands-on labs and sandboxes. View the full article

AWS Launch Wizard now allows you to deploy SAP HANA in a scale-out architecture using Amazon EC2 x2idn and r6i instances. Customers can deploy up to 16 nodes (1 primary node and 15 secondary nodes) using these instance types. View the full article

DevOps has not only reached mainframe groups in enterprise but also to large applications such as SAP. Organizations are moving away from waterfall methods and mega releases that take many months to deliver. What’s needed are many more rapid release cycles and deployments that support the accelerating pace necessary to do business. In this conversation […] The post TechStrong TV: Bringing DevOps to SAP, With Basis appeared first on DevOps.com. View the full article

New Research released from Ensono has revealed that 79% of UK IT leaders aim to migrate their SAP applications to the public cloud within the next two years. As for now, the majority of SAP applications are housed on-premise. Yet, 70% of SAP leaders believe that migrating to the public cloud will be more advantageous in the long run while 61% of then declare that migrating to the public cloud is absolutely necessary for the success of their business... The post Research reveals IT leaders aim to migrate SAP apps to the cloud in the next two years appeared first on DevOps Online. View the full article

Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) io2 volumes are now supported for SAP workloads. View the full article

AWS Launch Wizard now enables you to deploy scripts before and after the AWS resource configuration process to customize your SAP environments. View the full article

Cloud migration is top of mind for most companies with SAP applications. While the advantages of the cloud for SAP customers is generally understood, the move itself can be complicated and disruptive. So what actually are the business benefits and cost savings? How long will it take to recoup such an investment? Two recently published reports from Forrester and IDC can help to quantify the benefits and ROI. Getting answers to the million-dollar questions Forrester and IDC bring different methodologies to the table; they asked somewhat different questions and used different models to calculate their financial KPIs. This allows you to get two different points of view on the same basic questions about value, risk, and ROI. As it turns out, both reports found that customers who migrate their SAP environments to Google Cloud see an impressive return on their investments. From uptime and infrastructure to efficiency and productivity—both Forrester and IDC identified major benefits to companies that have made the move to Google Cloud. Let's walk through some of the highlights from both reports. Forrester's TEI model spotlights the power of uptime improvements Based on in-depth conversations and quantitative research with six companies, here are the key findings from the Forrester Total Economic Impact (TEI) study for companies running SAP systems on Google Cloud: Direct cost savings. When they compare cloud subscription and related costs to what they spent on legacy systems and infrastructure, most IT leaders expect a cloud migration to deliver up-front savings. But according to Forrester, the companies interviewed reported average savings of more than $3 million a year, including eliminated hardware purchases, right-sized software licensing, staffing efficiencies, and other operational cost savings. Dramatically improved uptime. Customers told Forrester that migrating SAP to Google Cloud pretty much eliminates downtime—planned or unplanned—as a significant IT concern. According to Forrester, companies realized an average of $1.5 million in savings per year by avoiding the revenue and user productivity losses that had once been a fact of life for their IT teams. Significant efficiency gains. Because Google Cloud works to mitigate performance bottlenecks, infrastructure mishaps, network delays and more, the companies Forrester interviewed reported a yearly average of $500,000 in productivity gains for SAP business users and frontline workers. Companies also reported an annual average of $500,000 in additional IT efficiency gains after migrating SAP to Google Cloud. This quantifies what happens when IT practitioners no longer have to deal with the bottlenecks that come with legacy systems, and are able to spend their time on tasks that actually build value and help the business. Based on the Forrester analysis, the companies interviewed could expect average three-year net benefits of about $15.4 million. “We benefit from any technical innovation in the infrastructure area because Google Cloud is doing that for us,” one customer told Forrester. “So, whenever there’s new hardware available or new processes or whatever, I don’t have to run the specific project to migrate from A to B.” IDC finds that good things happen when SAP downtime is reduced The IDC report highlights four areas where Google Cloud generates the most value for customers: 1. Cutting infrastructure costs. According to IDC, customers running SAP on Google Cloud spent 31% less on infrastructure each year, or an average of $233,000 less per company. The ability to scale SAP environments dynamically and to keep them right-sized was a major factor; so were the advantages of automated infrastructure monitoring and savings on software licenses once these companies could stop overprovisioning. 2. Giving a team better things to do. IDC found that the infrastructure, database, and security teams of the companies they interviewed reduced the time they need to maintain and manage SAP environments by an average of 66% per year, for a savings of $443,000, per company. As a result, these companies got the equivalent of a major staff expansion from their SAP migrations—giving them both the staff time and the expertise to focus on far more valuable activities. 3. Limiting unplanned downtime. These companies reported to IDC an average 98% reduction in unplanned downtime. Migrating SAP to Google Cloud significantly reduces the threat of downtime and saves the business an average of nearly $770,000 per year in lost revenue and user productivity. For some firms, the downtime savings topped $1 million per year. 4. Making users more productive. The companies interviewed told IDC that by avoiding downtime and disruptions associated with upgrade and maintenance tasks for their legacy SAP systems, they saved an average of $363,000 annually in user productivity. But there's an even more interesting under-the-hood stat contributing to these gains: These companies reduced the time required to deploy new SAP compute and storage resources from an average of 8.8 days to 1 hour. When IDC added up these and other savings associated with running SAP on Google Cloud, it found an average three-year savings of more than $3.5 million and a five-month payback period. “We acquired another company, so basically overnight we needed to be able to deal with that increase,” said one customer IDC spoke with. “We doubled our footprint overnight, and we had to take on hundreds of additional employees. We needed a platform that we could easily scale up if we required, and that’s the benefit of running SAP on Google Cloud for us.” Explore the reports There is a lot to think about when considering a move of SAP systems to the cloud. The cloud has many advantages, but migration can seem complicated and tricky; we appreciate that you are looking to understand the full picture. These papers are a great place to start. Download the reports—Forrester's "Total Economic Impact of SAP on Google Cloud" and IDC's "Business Value of SAP for Google Cloud Environments." Then, get in touch.