Patents power diet without yo-yo effect

Even if there is inexpensive cloud storage for mass data, this does not apply to the same extent to large-volume databases of SAP inventory systems - on the contrary. Against this background, good old archiving promises to kill two birds with one stone: that is, to massively reduce the size of productive databases of SAP inventory systems before they are moved to the cloud, thereby permanently saving costs.

The only problem is: traditional archiving approaches and the corresponding functions for this (e.g. SAP ADK) originate from a different time, when the main focus was on outsourcing to cheaper media instead of managing the lifecycle of data.

The life cycle decides

Lifecycle management is essential for at least four reasons: First, regulations such as the European General Data Protection Regulation (EU-
DSGVO) not only the retention, but also the legally secure deletion of individual data records, as they are stored in the fields of database tables.

Classic archives, which in principle "only" manage entire ADK files, but not the content as such, generally do not allow this record-specific access and deletion process. Companies thus expose themselves to an expensive and reputation-damaging legal risk.

On the other hand, the essence of the data-driven enterprise is precisely to include all data and documents, including historical ones, that are eligible for archiving in this control. However, this requires a far greater number and frequency of data accesses on the one hand and openness to third-party solutions on the other, than is the case with classic archives. This is because archives were designed to store specific application data and remain closely linked to these applications when accessed.

This leads directly to the third reason: The charm of the cloud in terms of performance, scalability and elasticity results to a large extent from the underlying architectural principle, which separates the application and data layers from each other. To ensure that the advantages of the cloud are also retained in archiving, the approaches suitable for this must consequently also follow this architectural principle.

Finally, there is a fourth, purely practical reason that many companies only really become aware of when they are already in the middle of an archiving project: the problem of manual rework, which occurs on average for more than 30 percent of archived information.

This effort and the problem of the very limited data access in the standard have led in many companies exactly to the fact that only a small part of the data was archived and the largest part was and is stored in the ever-growing online database. There it is, the yo-yo effect when losing weight using classic archiving.

In view of this unsatisfactory situation, it is clear that new, intelligent rightsizing is required, which understands all the above-mentioned objections to classic archiving as challenges and solves them. One platform suitable for intelligent rightsizing of SAP systems is JiVS IMP, the Java-based and therefore system-independent platform for information management from the Swiss company Data Migration International.

It transfers all data and documents from the online database and thus enables complete and legally compliant access to the historical information in read mode. For this transfer, however, it does not use the ArchiveLink interface, but instead takes the route via the SAP Audit Information System (AIS), although without building up a shadow index.

Forever slim

At the same time, this method offers the advantage that, unlike with ADK, the historized information is not stored on the platform as part of a single file comprising thousands and thousands of documents. Instead, JiVS IMP allows all data and documents to be stored individually, managed and administered over their entire life cycle thanks to the built-in retention management, and finally deleted specifically at the level of the individual data record and document.

This also applies to the transfer of the contents of existing ADK archives. As in the case of the online database, the ADK converter from JiVS IMP is used to transfer the information as data records to the platform.

JiVS IMP's rightsizing approach allows the volume of a comprehensive relational SAP database with 15 TB to be reduced by 85 percent or more in just three to four months. SAP inventory customers who have gained experience with classic archiving projects in the past know that this is an improvement in the range of whole orders of magnitude.

The platform complies with the requirements of GoB and EU-DSGVO and ensures legal certainty because all historicized data and documents, together with their business context, are always available to users for viewing in an audit-proof manner.

If the SAP system is transferred to the cloud after rightsizing, the legacy system in the data center can be shut down completely. Compared to continued operation, this usually results in operating cost savings of 80 percent and more. JiVS IMP consistently decouples the application level from the data level for historical information.

This not only means that SAP users can access it from the interface of their choice - SAP GUI or web browser (JiVS IMP) - as if the data and documents were still in SAP. Rather, the platform also opens up the possibility of halving the effort required to migrate to the new software generation S/4 Hana.

Because less data volume means less need for transformation and migration - regardless of which path SAP legacy customers choose, whether via SAP's conversion tool, the SAP Migration Cockpit, the SAP Direct Migration functionality (Greenfield), or selective (Bluefield) and complete transformation (Brownfield).

Thanks to seamless integration, JiVS IMP contributes to a permanent reduction in the total cost of ownership of S/4, whether the new software generation from Walldorf is implemented and operated in the cloud or in the company's own data center.

With the help of the platform, data and documents from the production system can be continuously historicized on the platform according to fixed criteria - for example, for all transactions older than three months - which keeps the Hana database permanently lean. Savings of 25 percent in the total cost of ownership of the new environment are quite realistic here.

In view of the tense economic situation due to the pandemic, IT must also make its contribution to liquidity management. Rightsizing and decommissioning SAP systems using JiVS IMP are definitely part of this. After all, the ROI is achieved after just three to six months.

The best way to save has always been to invest intelligently. JiVS IMP is a power diet without yo-yo effect. It leads to improved liquidity in the short term and relieves SAP budgets in the long term. It is also the perfect complement to current initiatives such as Rise with SAP.

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