Author: Matthias Kneissl, Q-Partners

Maintenance for SAP Solution Manager 7.1 will end at the end of 2017. IT users should now use the remaining time to make the switch promptly.

SolMan 7.2 provides a fully comprehensive tool for management and, above all, for the transition in the direction of S/4. However, the advantages of the tool only become apparent in combination.

As part of the SolMan upgrade strategy, solution documentation is one of the biggest issues. Although the effort of a conversion is considerable, it is a good investment in the future.

As part of the maintenance strategy, I am repeatedly asked how companies should design and plan the changeover to Solution Manager 7.2.

With the new version 7.2, SAP has given Solution Manager an easier-to-use and intuitive user interface for the first time.

The switch to Hana is becoming increasingly important. IT managers should think carefully about where to start with their project.

The cluster option of Change Request Management offers many advantages - IT managers should nevertheless know what they are getting into.

In the past, many IT managers were concerned with managing their changes. The next stage is the topic of cost and activity allocation.

With version 7.2, ChaRM release management has been comprehensively expanded and renovated. But with new techniques, the challenges also lie in the organization.

Version 7.2 of Solution Manager offers a number of new functions for operating Hana environments efficiently. In addition to the technical changes, however, organizational adjustments are also necessary.

With Hana and S/4, a new programming model is coming to the Abap world. SAP users who are considering the cloud should revise customer-specific developments in good time.

There are still many IT departments that manage their SAP transports manually. A ChaRM implementation makes more than sense here, but should also be planned and coordinated.