How do SAP partners get on the open source path?

Open Source

There are many hundreds of SAP partners in Germany alone. These include large global system integrators, local solution providers, ISVs, managed service providers, hybrid cloud partners and many more. And the task for partners of every size and focus is marked by a significant change. The key word is open source. For some time now, SAP itself has been increasingly going down the open source path, manifested through the SAP Linux Lab, SAP cloud offerings, and with Linux as the sole operating system for Hana. To drive digital transformation and innovation, companies must also consider non-SAP environments as part of an overall strategy for optimizing the process landscape. And here, too, open source is a key success factor - in conjunction with the establishment of agile end-to-end processes and the use of modern cloud-native development models and hybrid cloud models. Open source is currently the innovation driver par excellence, for example for cloud and edge computing in general, IoT or Big Data. 

The questions that must inevitably arise for SAP service partners are, "How do I become part of a modern SAP ecosystem now, and what measures will support me on the open source journey?"

A foray into the open source community with its thousands of frameworks, tools and projects usually confuses more than it leads to a solid technology foundation. A few Docker containers are not enough here. Solid expertise and hardened, certified open source platforms are necessary for use by SAP customers. As an SAP partner, however, you don't necessarily have to develop this completely on your own - companies like Red Hat have been specializing in exactly this for years. This leaves time for the company's own value-added services for the customer. One example is the containerization of business applications and backend services. Red Hat offers various training courses on application modernization and migration on an open source basis.

This includes an introduction to the development and management of containers for deployment and secure operation in Kubernetes clusters. In addition, successful open source use also requires know-how in areas such as agile working, methodology or error culture. Apart from the use of different training offers, a look at so-called open source policies also helps on the open source path. They aim to optimize the use of open source and minimize all technical, legal or business risks. Corresponding examples and templates for an open source policy can be found on GitHub.

Once an SAP partner has followed this path, it is a matter of implementation. The use of open source methods and cloud-native development with containers and microservices is known to offer two serious advantages: on the one hand, the free choice of infrastructure and, on the other, simple adaptation to customer-specific requirements. The intelligent use of automation also accelerates adaptation and thus shortens the time to productive operation.

Open source deployment also adds significant value from a sales perspective. It is the basis for using cloud marketplaces for easier implementation and also for hybrid cloud certifications. In addition, open source supports cross-partnering. For example, a new open source initiative from the SAP Linux Lab facilitates the automated creation and management of SAP environments. This is based on standardized and modular codes and tools developed and provided by SAP technology partners. These include Red Hat, Suse, IBM and SVA. Further open source advantages are the possible scaling across hyperscalers, the simplified integration with other solutions, data and services as well as the easier and faster improvement of the own product. Join in the fun!