BTP: pragmatism versus roadmap
The official language at SAP gives the impression that BTP is a supplement for S/4 Hana in order to continue to implement modifications, add-ons, Abap programming and AI. Somewhere between S/4 and BTP, the clean core concept is meandering and everything seems to be geared towards a future cloud-only.
In any case, S/4 (including Hana), BTP and Clean Core seem to be the new trinity at SAP. Really? My wife, who was looking over my shoulder while I was writing, simply said don't be blasphemous and also give the young SAP board members Christian Klein and Thomas Saueressig a chance. I'm serious: beyond 2030, there may be a satisfactory trinity in the cloud, but ERP won't stand still until then.
Modifications and ERP add-ons have accompanied existing SAP customers since R/2. The SAP programming language has undergone several metamorphoses in recent years. Now, with cloud computing based on the Business Technology Platform, the next paradigm shift is imminent. Abap programs have always been geared towards on-prem systems. The existing modifications and add-ons can hardly be used for a target system. However, there are now Abap language extensions and SAP BTP that can also be used with cloud systems.
Those responsible at SAP naturally want a flawless ERP roadmap that starts with Hana, continues with S/4, takes Clean Core into account and ends with the Business Technology Platform for the time being. But it doesn't have to be like that. SAP BTP can also be made available to existing ECC 6.0 customers via the hyperscalers or as a container in their own data center. BTP is in no way tied to S/4. However, the clean core concept should be applied in any case. Abap, BTP and Clean Core therefore appear to be much more relevant for long-standing existing customers than an SAP S/4 roadmap.
With a very pragmatic approach, the SAP community can now move into the future with greater peace of mind. With the clean core concept and a BTP on a hyperscaler or container basis, Abap modifications can be realized that are already cloud-ready. Many of our ERP/ECC systems will still be available in an on-prem architecture for a few more years. However, because ERP life is constantly changing, we will take great care to only create Abap programs that can also be used in a cloud environment in the future.
Is SAP better than its reputation? Is SAP more flexible and open than CEO Christian Klein would have many existing customers believe? The combination of ECC 6.0, BTP and Abap certainly seems to be a very pragmatic model for overcoming the current cloud crisis. Cloud computing may be an ERP model of the future, but for many existing SAP customers it will only be available well beyond 2030. SAP's crowbar method of presenting a public cloud as the ultimate solution is completely out of place in a long-term architecture discussion. The SAP Clean Core roadmap lacks official pragmatism. Unofficially, SAP offers us existing customers much more than can be read on the colorful websites of the ERP world market leader.
After our own research, I asked around among my regulars and, to my great surprise, discovered that BTP is currently much more widespread than it officially appears. Because SAP does not issue a general license for this platform, but only licenses individual functions, some existing customers and apparently SAP itself quickly lose track.
The Business Technology Platform framework appears to be ideally suited for on-prem, hybrid, private and public clouds. Thanks to the provision of the BTP by hyperscalers and, with a little skill, also as a container in an open source landscape, applications can currently be implemented that are prepared for a wide range of future scenarios. The selection of the right development partners goes without saying.
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