No SAP Basis without Automation

Problem solver and advantage provider in times of manifold infrastructure obligations

Behind the backs of SAP users, who effectively support their work/processes on a daily basis with the help of applications from the Walldorf-based software group, SAP Competence Center or IT managers as well as SAP Basis managers and employees perform a wealth of important tasks and activities virtually unnoticed. This ensures that SAP can be used smoothly and securely in finance, logistics, sales and human resources, or that work can be carried out with it. 

It is a well-known fact that SAP has always been a "must-do" to handle a wide range of SAP Basis and certain infrastructure tasks with the corresponding use of capacity and resources. The end result is that the applications can function and be used in such a way that they meet the respective requirements as optimally as possible. However, over the years and the changes in SAP technology (R/2, R3, Business Suite, Hana and S/4 Hana), the SAP Basis tasks and activities - but also the areas of tension or certain hotspots - have not decreased significantly. 

More. There are still challenges and hard work, some of which are considerable, that SAP managers, IT managers or SAP Basis teams have to deal with. 

A kind of royal road

One challenge as an example is the lack of personnel or the shortage of specialists in the SAP Basis area. Another example: new tasks related to SAP ERP ECC S/4 Hana migrations; because this also involves extra or additional work. Another represents globalization, with availabilities of 24×7 systems and thus fewer time windows or downtime opportunities for SAP Basis work. Or, another example, there has been an increase in ad hoc requirements, especially recently, such as the import of SAP security updates or the creation of a system copy at short notice.

The bundle of challenges and areas of tension is generally best met by specially oriented automation in the form of software. It represents, if you will, a kind of royal road in SAP Basis. As an aside, the topic of SAP Basis also includes various infrastructure topics or infrastructure processes that affect the SAP applications themselves. For example, application servers or databases. Of course, there has practically always been a certain degree of automation in the SAP world or SAP Basis in the form of targeted automation solutions. From SAP itself or from partners. This has also steadily increased. However, the end of the automation flagpole has almost never been reached.

Nevertheless, the general credo in the field of SAP Basis should be: Automate everything that can be automated! However, with an important orientation united as a basic requirement in SAP Basis solutions: professional and functional task-oriented coverage with permanent further developments as well as a high degree of "smartness" in connection with the installation and use or handling of such software.

Solution not equal to solution

For example, there are exuberant automation solutions that have a large number of components, but these lack the necessary depth in important individual functional areas. On top of that, a license fee is due for such a solution suite in total, regardless of whether many or only individual components are used. And a kind of, to put it bluntly, "eierlegende Wollmilchsau" is usually far from being a smart solution. 

A smart solution comes "from practice, for practice", so to speak. It takes into account that even non-specialists can use it after a short training and familiarization period. An SAP Basis solution should also be installed in a short period of time, i.e., in a day or a few days. Furthermore, it must offer ease-of-use mechanisms for making settings or performing tasks by means of clicks, including context menus. 

All with the necessary transparency for SAP Basis employees to check what is being done, and with the option of performing simulations or test runs before the actual run/execution. It also goes without saying that a smart solution should include an intuitive web GUI. Furthermore, SAP Basis automation software should be designed in such a way that, for example, the creation of SAP system copies does not mean quasi-projects every time and is time- and resource-intensive. This kind of practical software also ensures that process quality is always high and consistent.

Although this is "only" standard software, it should offer enhancement options or the integration of other SAP Basis solutions; for example, in the case of an SAP Basis system management framework, the integration of monitoring tools from various manufacturers. Another advantage here is that an SAP Basis system management framework of this type includes both automation functionality (maintenance apps) and system monitoring of individual SAP system components and infrastructure elements (info apps).

Distinct SAP Basis know-how

Ideally, SAP Basis solutions must meet requirements in the manner of a problem solver and advantage provider in order to sustainably increase the degree of automation and thus efficiency. With this in mind, however, a great deal depends on the technology and experience know-how - and also the specific wealth of SAP experience - that an automation solution provider can demonstrate. 

Installation figures, how long they have been on the market, or the type of SAP customers are naturally among the evaluation or selection criteria for certain SAP Basis solutions. Also, how SAP customers judge the supplier in terms of support; and: whether a supplier is able to provide equally far-reaching consulting services from the entire SAP Basis area as well as from the broad SAP infrastructure topic area.

Benefit from SAP Basis Automation Solutions

The automation specialist Empirius is permanently developing the product lines EPOS (Empirius Planning and Operations -Suite) and BlueCopy. The current releases bear the version designations V23.3 (for year and month). One is an SAP Basis system management framework, the other is a solution for the creation of SAP system copies. Both products support SAP ERP ECC/Business Suite with Any DBs as well as Hana-based SAP applications such as SAP S/4 Hana. Well over 100 mid-sized and large SAP user companies benefit from Empirius' SAP Basis automation expertise and solutions. These include well-known companies such as Stihl, Spitz, Voith and KURZ. In addition, SAP managed service providers such as NTT Data Business Solution or q.beyond.