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Steampunk, Clean Core, and BTP

SAP BTP is a key component for companies seeking to modernize and digitize their SAP system landscape. It enables companies to become more flexible and agile, drive innovation, and take advantage of the cloud.
E3 Magazine
January 23, 2025
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The transformation of the ERP market is based on a change in IT paradigms: closed and self-managed systems are being replaced by open and platform-based IT architectures. Cloud computing is only one component of this transformation. The current trend is toward multifunctional platforms that enable composable enterprise IT. The successful black boxes of the past, such as SAP R/3, have become transparent and agile IT ecosystems.

New IT architectures are based on a platform concept that transforms best-of-breed into a composite ERP architecture. In the future, the leading system may no longer be an application such as R/3, ERP/ECC 6.0 or S/4, but an agile and networked platform. Almost every IT provider has at least one platform offering. In addition, there are offerings from hyperscalers and independent IT providers that are almost entirely dedicated to this topic.

There is still no clear leader in the IT platform market: users take a very pragmatic approach to the offerings and sometimes use multiple platforms. In its December issue, E3 magazine reported on page 16 about an SAP customer from the Middle East that uses a Boomi platform for its core ERP task, SAP BTP, and for its entire IT. At the upcoming Steampunk and BTP Summit 2025 in Heidelberg with a focus on Clean Core, the platform provider Boomi will be represented with two presentations and will demonstrate the orchestration of BTP and Boomi.

Last year at the BTP Summit 2024, CTO Wolfram Jost of the Scheer Group praised the individual functional modules of the SAP Business Technology Platform, but criticized the lack of a unified user interface and the lack of compatibility between the individual BTP solutions. Despite some challenges, the BTP offers a wide range of options for improving and extending the SAP system landscape. The BTP can act as a bridge between the on-premises and cloud worlds.

It is advisable to get started with BTP early. Deploying and operating BTP components can be costly and maintenance intensive. The cost of development, quality assurance, and using the services without a production reference can also be high. In particular, the license fees for the Hana database can make low-code application development uneconomical. SAP BTP cannot yet be licensed holistically. At this year's BTP Summit in Heidelberg on March 5, attorney Jana Jentzsch will speak about the challenges of consistent licensing.

The final paradigm shift to an IT platform economy with the possibility of a composable ERP has not yet taken place and will probably take a few more years. However, it is highly likely that after 2030 the SAP community will be discussing a composable ERP based on platforms such as BTP and Boomi rather than S/4, see also the feature article by Boomi manager Donna Matthews under the cover story tab, under E3 categories.

Clean Core, Abap, BTP, and Steampunk form an important interplay that enables SAP customers to modernize their SAP systems, become more flexible, drive innovation, and take advantage of the cloud. In his cover story article, Christian Knell of SAP partner Snap Consulting explains the possibilities for future modifications in an S/4 Composable ERP. BTP is positioned as a key element of SAP's strategy. BTP provides the ability to customize SAP systems while keeping the ERP core standardized and clean. BTP is a complex platform that requires a deep understanding of its functionality. There are still many question marks regarding the billing system, the technical basis and the programming languages to be used.

The BTP serves as a "playground" for modifications and add-ons that are not to be made directly in the ERP core, as Snap Manager Christian Knell also explains in his article. It allows for a loose coupling between custom extensions and the SAP standard. The prerequisite for this is the Clean Core concept: Björn Dunkel from SAP partner ifm is one of the first SAP Clean Core certified providers in the SAP community and will be giving a keynote speech at the Steampunk and BTP Summit 2025 in Heidelberg.

BTP also provides data management and analysis capabilities, as well as AI technologies. BTP enables the development of new business models and the implementation of innovative technologies. The platform promotes agility and flexibility in adapting software to specific business needs. It provides services for every conceivable integration scenario. SAP BTP is available on various hyperscalers such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud, as well as on SAP's own cloud.

Not all SAP customers are familiar with BTP. There are concerns about the lack of customization options, especially in the public cloud, and Christian Knell from Snap Consulting in Heidelberg will be available to answer questions on March 5 and 6. Familiarization with BTP requires time and effort, as new architectures and technologies need to be learned.

Clean Core is a strategy that aims to change the standard ERP core as little as possible through customer-specific adaptations. The ERP core should remain "clean" and standardized, see also Clean Core certification at SAP partner ifm and in Heidelberg at the ifm keynote by Björn Dunkel. The separation of standard processes and individual developments should make future upgrades and release changes simpler, faster and more cost-effective. To implement the clean core strategy, adjustments and enhancements are being made to the SAP Business Technology Platform.

The clean core strategy is important to reduce the complexity of the ERP system and increase maintainability. BTP is necessary to support this strategy and to reap its benefits. BTP makes it easy to use cloud technologies in the context of SAP. Joachim Hackmann, analyst at PAC, will give a keynote on this topic at the BTP Summit in Heidelberg on March 5.

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Working on the SAP basis is crucial for successful S/4 conversion. 

This gives the Competence Center strategic importance for existing SAP customers. Regardless of the S/4 Hana operating model, topics such as Automation, Monitoring, Security, Application Lifecycle Management and Data Management the basis for S/4 operations.

For the second time, E3 magazine is organizing a summit for the SAP community in Salzburg to provide comprehensive information on all aspects of S/4 Hana groundwork.

Venue

More information will follow shortly.

Event date

Wednesday, May 21, and
Thursday, May 22, 2025

Regular ticket

EUR 590 excl. VAT

Venue

Hotel Hilton Heidelberg
Kurfürstenanlage 1
D-69115 Heidelberg

Event date

Wednesday, March 5, and
Thursday, March 6, 2025

Tickets

Regular ticket
EUR 590 excl. VAT
The event is organized by the E3 magazine of the publishing house B4Bmedia.net AG. The presentations will be accompanied by an exhibition of selected SAP partners. The ticket price includes attendance at all presentations of the Steampunk and BTP Summit 2025, a visit to the exhibition area, participation in the evening event and catering during the official program. The lecture program and the list of exhibitors and sponsors (SAP partners) will be published on this website in due course.