SNP: Paving Your Way to Become an Intelligent Enterprise
Gerald Faust, Managing Director and CEO, JAPACDespite the numerous efforts of enterprises for combining business process redesign with data retention to keep up with their ever-changing business reality, the move to an intelligent enterprise has been a complex journey. SAP is bringing this abstract idea of an Intelligent Enterprise to a tangible reality—helping enterprises to break down silos and adopting intelligent, dynamic, cross-functional business processes that deliver optimal experiences. SAP’s idea of an Intelligent Enterprise centers on the S/4HANA modern ERP system running in the cloud. With S/4HANA as the ERP foundation, SAP’s Intelligent Enterprise approach is what organizations need to support continuous improvement, accelerate the speed of innovation, lower the efforts for integration, shorten time to value, reduce the complexity of operations, and turn meaningful data into real-time insights.
With voluminous data stored and processed regularly, it is not an easy job for SAP business users to shift to an intelligent enterprise resource planning (ERP) approach while maintaining business continuity. This is where proactive initiatives like RISE with SAP, launched earlier this year, acts as a strategic vehicle for institutions that aim to move to an intelligent enterprise structure. RISE with SAP brings together everything enterprises need to transform their business in the way that works best for them and thereby stresses on both a software and partner-centric move to SAP S/4HANA Cloud. Besides, with RISE with SAP program and the availability of Selective Data Transformation to SAP S/4HANA, the adoption path to an intelligent ERP becomes seemingly flexible and is slowly gaining traction.
Also, Big Data analytics is also considered as one of the main pillars of a customer-centric organization that enables them to make quick, agile decisions and stay competitive. In that scenario, be it Data Warehouse Modernization or enabling a real-time events-driven intelligent enterprise in the cloud, the integration of AI/ML, Predictive Analytics, Churn Reduction, Predictive Maintenance, Fraud Detection, and Clickstream are becoming extremely critical for companies. Studies reveal that 68 percent of top enterprises can find no value of their SAP Data and 73 percent of SAP data goes unused for Analytics. It is therefore high time that organizations rethink Data to value and stay ahead of competition by transforming SAP data into trusted and well managed asset. Bridging the Value Gap’ and ‘Accessibility Gap’ by removing the SAP Data Integration bottlenecks are now the crucial components that enterprises need to focus upon to achieve true Innovation and make impactful and timely decisions. Besides, leveraging the power of cloud innovation in this situation will become imperative for firms to build a solid data foundation.
Enter SNP
Set against this backdrop, if there’s one company that can be truly credited for truly innovative software-centric SAP transformations, it’s Schneider-Neureither & Partner (SNP). SNP’s software-centric and partner-centric approach fits right into the objectives of RISE with SAP S/4HANA. With qualified partner-packaged solutions and software white-listed for Private Cloud Edition (PCE), SNP—as an SAP gold partner—strongly cements its position as a global leader in data transformation—enable companies to transition to SAP S/4HANA, migrate to the cloud, integrate IT into project execution early on, and profitably use increasing amounts of data. The company simplifies the complex digital transformation of data and processes and is even a founding member of SAP’s Selective Data Transition group. “We offer attractive package for the accelerated adoption of SAP® S/4HANA in the cloud bundled with one-stop shop end-to-end software solutions to reduce enterprises’ total cost of ownership (TCO) and capital expenditure (CAPEX),” remarks Gerald Faust, Managing Director and CEO, JAPAC.
86 percent of firms say one hour of downtime costs more than $300,000, while 34 percent of companies say one hour of downtime tops $1 million. This is what SNP intends to change with Near-zero downtime approach
In a single step, the company ensures successful data migration onto varied cloud environments such as private, public (hyperscale provider like Google, AWS, Microsoft Azure, IBM, Huawei), or hybrid setups with minimal risk and business disruption involved. “We are completely into the cloud business,” states Faust. “The core of what we do here in SNP revolves around understanding the value of data and help companies dwelling in the SAP realm become an intelligent firm by capitalizing on the same.”
What makes SNP a one-of-its-kind?
To begin with, SNP is leading the way for software-centric end-to-end data transformation, analytics, and data life cycle management globally in the SAP environment, maximizing the value for customers and partners as they embark on their journey to become an intelligent enterprise. At the core of these efforts, the company stands on the belief that SNP’s balancing data and processes is the centerpiece to the foundation of an Intelligent Enterprise. In essence, the company’s ability to combine the collective advantages of Greenfield and Brownfield into its BLUEFIELD™ methodology powered by CrystalBridge® - the data transformation platform, to deliver more incredible speed, accuracy, flexibility, and ease in dealing with SAP migrations gives it an edge over its competitors. With CrystalBridge® software, customers can convert at record speed and at any time regardless of the financial year-end, retain complete historical data, achieve transformation without re-implementation, rationalize computing resource consumption, and experience minimal disruption. SNP’s ability to migrate and upgrade features in a single go-live project paves the way to business-critical projects like S/4HANA, leveraging the power of software automation together with unparalleled visibility and analytics.
In essence, SNP has developed end-to-end software-driven solutions that address the pain points related to data transformation in complex projects such as SAP S/4HANA, mergers, or cloud migrations fully remotely. SNP’s primary goal in developing the cloud migration package was to provide customers and partners with a simplified and risk-free approach, whereby partners can seamlessly integrate their offerings to provide users with an optimal end-to-end solution with the SNP cloud migration package in hindsight. At the same time, it helps customers overcome challenges like the risk of migrating to the cloud, choice of interfaces, project timelines, real cost benefits, and others. This approach overcomes all these obstacles and provides a clear and simple path for moving to the cloud.
Speaking further, Faust cites a Gartner report that highlights that the average cost of IT downtime is $5,600 per minute. “Because there are so many differences in how businesses operate, the Gartner analyst, Andrew Lerner, states that downtime, at the low end, can be as much as $140,000 per hour, $300,000 per hour on average, and as much as $540,000 per hour at the higher end,” affirms Faust. He further stresses that 86 percent of firms say one hour of downtime costs more than $300,000, while 34 percent of companies say one hour of downtime tops $1 million. Clearly, the overarching message here is that downtime of even a few minutes is expensive and unwelcome.
SNP is changing this narrative with a single step at minimal costs, risk, and Near-Zero Downtime. SNP’s CrystalBridge® software with the Near-Zero Downtime methodology is a relief to customers crippled with this issue. It offers real-time analytics, selective data, and process harmonization, and the ability to minimize customers’ cloud and data footprint, thus ensuring faster ROI with minimal business disruption and risk. In addition, the package enables a particularly fast move to the cloud thanks to SNP’s flexible, software-based approach: Depending on the complexity and requirements, the time between performing the assessment and gaining access to the migrated SAP systems in the cloud is often less than six months. In short, SNP is leading the way for software-centric end-to-end data transformation, analytics, and data life cycle management globally in the SAP environment, maximizing the value for customers and partners as they embark on their journey to become an intelligent enterprise. “We have developed end-to-end software-driven solutions that address the pain points related to data transformation in complex projects such as SAP S/4HANA or cloud migrations fully remotely,” says Faust.
Introducing Solutions that Facilitate Cloud Migrations
Credits to SNP’s flexible, software-based approach, the CrystalBridge®-powered package allows for a fast move to the cloud. Depending on the complexity and requirements, the package reduces the time between performing, assessing, and gaining access to the migrated SAP systems in the cloud in less than six months. Faust explains that CrystalBridge® is designed to map the most diverse scenarios even with varying complexities.
The cloud migration package enables a 1:1 migration of SAP landscapes to the cloud (“lift and shift”) and the necessary SAP upgrades of the ECC systems, operating system and database changes, and even Unicode conversions. The add-ons offered are selective data migration to the cloud and transition to SAP S/4HANA in a cloud environment. In addition, companies can add downtime optimization and then create a proof of concept for a test system.
In summary, CrystalBridge® channels the knowledge of SNP’s experts, automates repetitive tasks, and ensures a zero-error rate. This is also demonstrated by its experience in the JAPAC region, wherein the company performed a significant number of SAP S/4HANA migrations, move to cloud programs, and other business transformation scenarios such as mergers or carve-outs. In all cases, its approach not only enabled a rate of almost 100 percent remote work but also drastically reduced implementation times, costs, and risks.
If required, the package can even be supplemented flexibly with additional features–like SAP S/4HANA Selective Data Transition Engagement that allows for valid third-option to SAP S/4HANA Movement program–or be tailored to include scopes for system conversion and newer implementation. In short, the SNP cloud migration project lets companies selectively metamorphose their business frameworks and move them to SAP S/4HANA using tools of their preference without having to start from scratch. SNP also allows customers to retain full or partial historical data without the need to archive reference systems. It transitions clients’ architecture by taking advantage of S/4 innovations while keeping the existing IP developments intact.
"SNP’s Software centric and Partner centric approach flexibly fits into RISE with SAP and S/4HANA movement which is a strategic vehicle to become an intelligent enterprise and Move to Cloud"
To further expand its leading position in the data transformation market, SNP recently acquired Datavard AG—the software and consulting company specializing in transformations and data management in SAP landscapes. This acquisition plays an important role in the implementation and expansion of SNP’s portfolio and platform strategy, which allows companies to generate maximum value from their data transformation using just one software solution. The newly gained strength from the merger of both companies aims to serve the customers and partners with even more comprehensive solutions for data lifecycle management, business intelligence, big data and analytics, and innovative cloud connectivity solutions that enable SAP customers to integrate and utilize SAP data in applications for artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of things.
Innovations that Orchestrate Success Stories
With CrystalBridge®—The Data Transformation Platform and its related BLUEFIELD™ approach, SNP has been supporting companies worldwide in carrying out business and data transformation projects in their SAP systems for over 25 years. Safe to say, through its robust cloud migration package, SNP is able to provide its customers and partners a simplified, risk-free pathway via which they can seamlessly integrate their offerings to provide users with an optimal end-to-end solution with the SNP offering in hindsight. Recent projects that confirm SNP’s approach include the fully completed migrations at the Mining Group ABM Investama in Indonesia, NSW Land Registry Services, retail giant Coles in Australia, and Inventia Healthcare in India. “We also successfully carried out further remote projects in Singapore, Thailand, Middle East and Japan. It is vital for companies to ensure that their projects are reliably implemented and successfully completed, even in times of crisis,” adds Faust.
To paint an evocative picture of SNP’s capabilities, Faust cites a case study wherein the company partnered with Kellogg’s, who at that time was caught in the loop of updating and replacing hardware. Upon realizing that their efforts are not yielding positive outcomes, Kellogg’s decided to modernize their IT infrastructure and move their global SAP landscape into the cloud to minimize disruption from future upgrades. After choosing the AWS Cloud to host their landscape, Kellogg’s was initially told that data migration wouldn’t be possible within their desired timeframe. But, with the help of SNP–an automation-driven transformation partner, Kellogg’s was able to simultaneously upgrade and migrate several SAP components, as well as migrate data to the cloud. Better yet, the migration was completed in less than four hours of downtime.
SNP promises business agility and continuity through an industrialized SNP software platform that allows IT personnel to execute transformation decisions at much higher speeds, with a lower risk of errors due to automation. Closing the gaps between the speed of business decision-making and IT’s ability to follow through on those decisions, SNP opens doors to steady digital transformation. At heart, SNP sees the world of transformation expedited by fascinating technology, global know-how, and flexible teams. “We believe an Intelligent Enterprise is a Data-Driven Enterprise. We are working towards making IT the business driver for all customers,” concludes Faust.
In summary, CrystalBridge® channels the knowledge of SNP’s experts, automates repetitive tasks, and ensures a zero-error rate. This is also demonstrated by its experience in the JAPAC region, wherein the company performed a significant number of SAP S/4HANA migrations, move to cloud programs, and other business transformation scenarios such as mergers or carve-outs. In all cases, its approach not only enabled a rate of almost 100 percent remote work but also drastically reduced implementation times, costs, and risks.
If required, the package can even be supplemented flexibly with additional features–like SAP S/4HANA Selective Data Transition Engagement that allows for valid third-option to SAP S/4HANA Movement program–or be tailored to include scopes for system conversion and newer implementation. In short, the SNP cloud migration project lets companies selectively metamorphose their business frameworks and move them to SAP S/4HANA using tools of their preference without having to start from scratch. SNP also allows customers to retain full or partial historical data without the need to archive reference systems. It transitions clients’ architecture by taking advantage of S/4 innovations while keeping the existing IP developments intact.
"SNP’s Software centric and Partner centric approach flexibly fits into RISE with SAP and S/4HANA movement which is a strategic vehicle to become an intelligent enterprise and Move to Cloud"
To further expand its leading position in the data transformation market, SNP recently acquired Datavard AG—the software and consulting company specializing in transformations and data management in SAP landscapes. This acquisition plays an important role in the implementation and expansion of SNP’s portfolio and platform strategy, which allows companies to generate maximum value from their data transformation using just one software solution. The newly gained strength from the merger of both companies aims to serve the customers and partners with even more comprehensive solutions for data lifecycle management, business intelligence, big data and analytics, and innovative cloud connectivity solutions that enable SAP customers to integrate and utilize SAP data in applications for artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of things.
Innovations that Orchestrate Success Stories
With CrystalBridge®—The Data Transformation Platform and its related BLUEFIELD™ approach, SNP has been supporting companies worldwide in carrying out business and data transformation projects in their SAP systems for over 25 years. Safe to say, through its robust cloud migration package, SNP is able to provide its customers and partners a simplified, risk-free pathway via which they can seamlessly integrate their offerings to provide users with an optimal end-to-end solution with the SNP offering in hindsight. Recent projects that confirm SNP’s approach include the fully completed migrations at the Mining Group ABM Investama in Indonesia, NSW Land Registry Services, retail giant Coles in Australia, and Inventia Healthcare in India. “We also successfully carried out further remote projects in Singapore, Thailand, Middle East and Japan. It is vital for companies to ensure that their projects are reliably implemented and successfully completed, even in times of crisis,” adds Faust.
To paint an evocative picture of SNP’s capabilities, Faust cites a case study wherein the company partnered with Kellogg’s, who at that time was caught in the loop of updating and replacing hardware. Upon realizing that their efforts are not yielding positive outcomes, Kellogg’s decided to modernize their IT infrastructure and move their global SAP landscape into the cloud to minimize disruption from future upgrades. After choosing the AWS Cloud to host their landscape, Kellogg’s was initially told that data migration wouldn’t be possible within their desired timeframe. But, with the help of SNP–an automation-driven transformation partner, Kellogg’s was able to simultaneously upgrade and migrate several SAP components, as well as migrate data to the cloud. Better yet, the migration was completed in less than four hours of downtime.
SNP promises business agility and continuity through an industrialized SNP software platform that allows IT personnel to execute transformation decisions at much higher speeds, with a lower risk of errors due to automation. Closing the gaps between the speed of business decision-making and IT’s ability to follow through on those decisions, SNP opens doors to steady digital transformation. At heart, SNP sees the world of transformation expedited by fascinating technology, global know-how, and flexible teams. “We believe an Intelligent Enterprise is a Data-Driven Enterprise. We are working towards making IT the business driver for all customers,” concludes Faust.
