Linux and Kubernetes Underpin the Intelligent Enterprise

SAP has been focusing a lot of its efforts on introducing the intelligent enterprise to its customers—and it has succeeded. Many user companies are currently trying to become intelligent.

The concept of the intelligent enterprise serves as an aspiration, a favorable goal on their digitalization path. Various SAP solutions promise to get them there: S/4, in-memory database Hana, SAP Cloud Platform (SCP), C/4 Hana, SAP Cloud Analytics, SAP Data Hub, cloud solutions like Qualtrics or SuccessFactors, or Leonardo.

The intelligent enterprise always means increasing adaptability and agility to quickly implement new business models and remain competitive in the digital age.

S/4 as a first step

For this to happen, however, customers need an intelligent IT infrastructure, leveraging modern technology and future-proof solutions. Intelligent infrastructures are prerequisites for the intelligent enterprise.

Intelligent Enterprise

SAP user companies wanting to migrate to S/4 Hana will inevitably come into contact with Linux, as it is the de facto standard for Hana and Hana-based applications. The combination of Hana and Linux has already helped change datacenters, laying the foundation for another paradigm shift.

This paradigm shift is software-defined infrastructure (SDI), which is necessary for implementing DevOps models.

Generally, SDI makes flexible and open infrastructure environments based on software possible. It helps connect internal IT landscapes and external cloud services—independently of the underlying infrastructure.

Programmed change

Open source solutions and open standards make SDI approaches easier to implement. On the one hand, in the SAP environment, this means Linux – more specifically, Suse Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) for SAP Applications for on prem and cloud environments.

On the other hand, Suse Kubernetes for SAP Data Hub also supports software-defined approaches and ultimately the intelligent enterprise. Suse can also provide customers with highly adaptable and agile IT infrastructures. These include Suse CaaS platform (container management including Kubernetes implementations), Suse Enterprise Storage (Ceph) as storage, or Suse Manager to increase automation in Linux operations. Together, all these solutions contribute to Suse Software-Defined Infrastructure.

Software-defined infrastructure

SAP itself follows an SDI approach, leveraging various software-defined infrastructure solution components. Not surprising, therefore, that its customers follow its example. Suse will provide anyone ready to take the next step towards SDI with open source SDI solutions.