An embrace among friends - and now?

It is well known that you hug someone close to you. It is usually an expression of joy when greeting someone. This is followed by a good conversation. It's the same with "Embrace". The motif of SAP and Microsoft: Driving Innovation Together - Embracing Partners and Customers.

Embrace is a clear signal to enable and accelerate digital transformation and innovation together with our partners and customers. SAP supports various hyperscalers.

But only the combination of SAP products and solutions with Microsoft's technology portfolio (Azure and Modern Workplace) and the specialized partners of both companies creates a unique combination for all customers.

SAP itself is leading the way by migrating its internal processes and tools to Azure. Microsoft also uses SAP software, and it is already running 100% on Azure. So you could say: "The best run SAP on Azure, like SAP and Microsoft."

Embrace is therefore much more than a marketing or sales partnership, as it now also brings in new components. A deep and broad integration of the technology portfolios, a joint support model, migration paths, architectures and use cases in the respective industries.

Questions arose at the last partner round table on "SAP and Azure": How exactly does all of this play together? Who is doing what now? How are the roles and responsibilities filled and where is the place for other companies besides Microsoft and SAP?

In theory, the answers are simple. SAP supplies the Intelligent Enterprise Suite and Microsoft provides the Azure cloud platform and Modern Workplace. While the partner contributes its expertise.

The challenge: to implement your own digital transformation in the face of cost pressure and a shortage of skilled workers without neglecting your day-to-day business and taking your employees with you. "Transforming while performing", we say at Microsoft.

DSAG's annual investment report shows which innovation platform companies will be investing in: Azure and the SCP. Embrace has given a further clear impetus to this. We are seeing great interest from customers and partners, but we are also hearing questions.

Business as usual is not an option. Those who leave everything as it is, i.e. on-premises or in classic hosting, end up losing valuable time. Flexibility and innovation are more important than ever.

Ultimately, none of this is possible without a provider who supplies the technological platform. On Azure alone, 1000 new services are launched every year. They open up access to constant innovations for your own business.

However, this requires competent partners who can provide customers with strategic advice on digital transformation and innovation and who can implement and support defined projects.

The migration to S/4 Hana on Azure together with the use of the SAP Cloud Platform on Azure is an important step. Customers must expect these skills and capabilities from SAP and Microsoft partners. Partner skills across these disciplines will be critical in the future and this is what Embrace Readiness is all about.

Embrace has also made a difference internally. We have always defined our success in terms of partnership and long-term cooperation with our customers and partners.

We have long been demonstrating the benefits of a flexible and agile SAP environment in conjunction with the Microsoft ecosystem. We now see this confirmed once again. This creates self-confidence and motivates us to go much further.

But there is still a lot to do, because we need to share our knowledge and get started together. Our partners are our customers' long-standing and trusted companions and contribute their industry knowledge. So: one more hug and then off into your running shoes!