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Author: Rudramani Pandey

  • What is SAP Cloud Platform?

    Preface – This post is part of the ABAP Beginner series.

    What is SAP Cloud Platform or SAP On-Cloud?

    SAP recently came with a service called SaaS, i.e. Software AS A Service. It is nothing different, but SAP Cloud Platform (SAP S/4-Cloud platform) for the entire ERP suite. Following are some of the SAP versions both on the cloud as well as on-premise.

    SAP On-Premise SAP S/4-Cloud
    SAP HCM SAP SuccessFactors
    SAP FSCM SAP Ariba Network
    SAP FI SAP Concur
    SAP CRM SAP Hybris Cloud

    SAP Cloud Platform

    Advantages of SAP Cloud Platform:

    • Quick Return on Investment
    • Monthly Pricing
    • No Hardware Management
    • Automatic Software Updates
    • Good Data Security
    • Scalability
    • Better Utilization of Resources

    Disadvantages of SAP Cloud Platform:

    • Data Compliance Issue for Confidential Data
    • Existing Infrastructure cannot be utilized
    • Customization and Integration Restriction

    What is the Difference between SAP on Premise and SAP Cloud Platform?

    When SAP started its ERP services, it has to go physically to the place/company, i.e. on-premise/location where it wanted to install its software.

    On-premise software is the one, which is installed and runs on the premise(the work area/building) of that company. All the ERP solutions provided by SAP i.e. SAP CRM, SAP Suite, SAP HCM, etc., are on-premise solutions.

    Advantages of SAP On-premise:

    • Pre-configured hardware
    • Preinstalled software
    • Solution validation by SAP and partner
    • Reduced Risk
    • Increased flexibility and control

     

    Disadvantages of SAP On-premise:

    • High Initial Investment
    • Hardware Management Required
    • Software Update Required

    What to choose between On-Premise and SAP Cloud Platform?

    This is a very important question regarding service selection. SAP provides ECC & ERP services in two ways. Both of them have HANA Database. The selection is purely based on the requirement of the customer. In the given table, we will explain possible conditions where these two services are applicable:

    Feature SAP On-Premise SAP Cloud Platform
    Infrastructure It is installed within the premise. You have to pay for infrastructure installation. It is a cloud-based service. You need to pay for the service as per your use.
    Support The support team of the enterprise can handle it. Total support dependency is on SAP.
    Upgrade Every year new upgrades will be required. The on-cloud service is upgraded by SAP itself.
    Functional Full ERP solution is available Limited ERP solution is available
    Investment Hardware, Software and support team Payment as per service and time

     

    You can even choose a hybrid version with functionality and the advantage of both on-premise and on-cloud. For more information, click here.

    [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVydGQGR1Lo[/embedyt]

  • What is SAP On Premise?

    Preface – This post is part of the ABAP Beginner series.

    What is SAP On Premise?

    When SAP started its ERP services, it has to go physically to the place/company i.e. on premise/location where it wanted to install its software.

    This software is the one, which is installed and runs on the premise(the work area/building) of that company. All the ERP solutions provided by SAP, i.e. SAP CRM, SAP Suite, SAP HCM, etc., are on premise solutions.

    On Premise

    Advantages of SAP On Premise:

    • Pre-configured hardware
    • Preinstalled software
    • Solution validation by SAP and partner
    • Reduced Risk
    • Increased flexibility and control

     

    Disadvantages of SAP On Premise:

    • High Initial Investment
    • Hardware Management Required
    • Software Update Required

    What is the Difference between SAP on Premise and SAP on Cloud?

    SAP recently came with a service called SaaS, i.e. Software AS A Service. It is nothing different, but SAP S/4 Cloud platform for the entire ERP suite it has. Following are some of the SAP versions both on the cloud as well as on-premise.

    SAP On-Premise SAP S/4 Cloud
    SAP HCM SAP SuccessFactors
    SAP FSCM SAP Ariba Network
    SAP FI SAP Concur
    SAP CRM SAP Hybris Cloud

    Advantages of SAP on Cloud:

    • Quick Return on Investment
    • Monthly Pricing
    • No Hardware Management
    • Automatic Software Updates
    • Good Data Security
    • Scalability
    • Better Utilization of Resources

    Disadvantages of SAP On Cloud:

    • Data Compliance Issue for Confidential Data
    • Existing Infrastructure cannot be utilized
    • Customization and Integration Restriction

    What to choose between On Premise and Cloud?

    This is a very important question regarding service selection. SAP provides ECC & ERP services in two ways. Both of them have HANA Database. The selection is purely based on the requirement of the customer. In the given table, we will explain possible conditions where these two services are applicable:

    Feature SAP On Premise SAP On Cloud
    Infrastructure It is installed within the premise. You have to pay for infrastructure installation. It is a cloud based service. You need to pay for the service as per your use.
    Support The support team of the enterprise can handle it. Total support dependency is on SAP.
    Upgrade Every year new upgrades will be required. The cloud is upgraded by SAP itself.
    Functional Full ERP solution is available Limited ERP solution is available
    Investment Hardware, Software and support team Payment as per service and time

     

    You can even choose a hybrid version where you can have functionality and the advantage of both on-premise and on-cloud. For more information, click here.

     

    [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVydGQGR1Lo[/embedyt]

  • SAP NetWeaver: Everything you need to know about

    Preface – This post is part of the ABAP Beginner series.

    What is SAP NetWeaver?

    SAP NetWeaver is a technology by SAP which is developed primarily using ABAP.  It is a solution stack of SAP’s technology products. In simpler words, it is a breadboard on which other hardware’s (here SAP Modules/ Non SAP modules) can be attached.

    SAP NetWeaver Stack
    Basic Architecture of SAP NetWeaver Stack

    Following are the components of SAP NetWeaver (NW):

    What is a SAP NetWeaver Application Server?

    The SAP NetWeaver Application Server is just like the nervous system of our body. It provides the runtime environment to the SAP applications. All of the SAP Business Suite e.g. ERP, CRM runs on SAP NetWeaver Application Server. Following layers will make it clearer:

    Presentation layer  UI5, Web Dynpro
    Business layer (Application Layer) ABAP/ Java
    Integration layer  SAP PI (Product Integration)
    Connectivity layer  HTTP/HTTPS/SOAP/REST
    Persistence layer (Database Layer) Open SQL

     

    What is a SAP NetWeaver Gateway?

    SAP NetWeaver Gateway helps Application tier to communicate with Presentation Layer. In three-tier architecture, the Presentation layer is GUI (UI5 nowadays) and Database Layer is HANA Database (nowadays).

    SAP Gateways is the middle or Application tier. This Application layer is essential for communication between the UI and the backend.

    The main motto to use multi-tier architecture was to implement a data processing system that will add a valuable level of modularity and flexibility to the system by developing and maintaining each tier individually. OData is used to exchange data.

    What is an OData?

    OData which stands for Open Data Protocol is an open source to exchange data over the Internet. It was built by Microsoft.

    OData protocol is HTTP based, due to which any programming language with HTTP stack can consume OData services. The output is in the form of JSON or ATOM (i.e. XML).

    Why SAP NetWeaver?

    • Increases Efficiency of business processes by providing role based access
    • Provides dynamic and cost effective communication between different teams
    • Multichannel Enterprise access via different devices
    • Provides development environment using both ABAP and non ABAP languages and connects them all using REST & SOAP APIs.

    Related Video

    [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB-uBLI_30Q[/embedyt]

  • What is SAP HANA?

    Preface – This post is part of the ABAP Beginner series.

    SAP HANA

    SAP HANA is an acronym which stands for High-Performance Analytic Appliance.

    It is developed and marketed by SAP SE. Its in-memory, column oriented, relational database system make it unique from other database systems available in the market.

    In-memory database are also called Main Memory Database System and it relies on Main Memory (RAM) for Computer Data Storage.

    A Relational Database is a DBMS which utilizes the Primary Key & Foreign Key relationship.

    A Column-Oriented DBMS is a Database system that stores data by column rather than row.

    SAP HANA Database
    General Architecture of SAP HANA Database

    Let us understand the concept of Column Oriented DBMS using an example.

    If we have employee details of 3 Employee in our system, as follow:

    Row ID EMP ID NAME SALARY
    001 1231 BARRY ALLEN 50000
    002 1232 OLIVER QUEEN 60000
    003 1233 JAMES BOND 70000

     

    Row Oriented System:

    In row oriented system, it will be saved as follows (It will not be saved as shown, because real database systems save it in serialized manner):

    001: 1231, BARRY ALLEN, 50000;
    002: 1232, OLIVER QUEEN, 60000;
    003: 1233, JAMES BOND, 70000;

     

    Now if I have to make a search on the basis of SALARY, it will search whole system for that, which is okay in case of low data but slow in case of abundant data. In that case Row Oriented System make Indexes on basis of column as shown below:

    001: 50000;
    002: 60000;
    003: 70000;

     

    The Indexes are faster, the only demerit is that for every column An Index will be required, which will acquire more data in database.

    Column Oriented System:

    In column oriented system, it will be saved as follows:

    1231:001,1232:002,1233:003;
    BARRY ALLEN:001, OLIVER QUEEN: 002, JAMES BOND:003;
    50000:001, 60000:002, 70000:003;

     

    In above example, every row has same type of data i.e. on the basis of column.

    One point to observe is: “In a row-oriented indexed system, the primary key is the Row ID that is mapped from indexed data. In the column-oriented system, the primary key is the data, which is mapped from Row ID”.

    So, if we want to do a search on basis of any column, the searches will be faster as it will be searched only in a single row.

    How to Access SAP HANA:

    SAP HANA utilizes Raw/Open SQL to communicate with database as well as utilizes “ABAP for HANA” which is newer version of ABAP that runs on HANA.

  • What is ERP: Enterprise Resource Planning?

    Preface – This post is part of the ABAP Beginner series.

    What is ERP?

    The acronym ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning. In early 90’s when Industries were expanding, then there was a need of a system or structure that will centralize business Information i.e. bring all the Industrial information at a single place. As the name suggests Enterprise needs a planning to manage all its resource i.e. Human Resource, Manufacturing Resource, Production Resource, Capital Resource, etc. In Business world, it refers to the systems & software packages used by organizations/industries  to manage daily business activities, such as procurement,  manufacturing, delivery, accounting,  project management and human resource management.

    Why we need ERP?

    Let us suppose, we don’t have any ERP system. And I am the owner of Tea shops in China. I am planning to expand my tea shop chains across the globe. Now, I have to make a directory of every employee, every sale, every purchase of raw items, every rented shops and etc. Now, if I want to check data for every place, I have to go there physically and check. If each data is maintained in an Excel sheet, then also I have to check them individually. That is the wastage of my time and money. And we have to save both. Thus, the requirement was there to build something that will bring all the data at a single place and further can be verified and using them Business planning’s can be made.

    What is ERP

    The Business Value of ERP:

    • Improves business insights using real time information based reports
    • Lowers operational cost using streamlined business process
    • Enhances collaboration using shared data of users
    • Improves Efficiency using common User Experience across all business process
    • Consistent Infrastructure by bringing everything under same hood
    • Reduces Risk using data Integrity
    • Lowers Management & Operational Cost using uniform & Integrated systems

    Why ERP Suite:

    An ERP Suite always wins over a single point solution as it integrates the entire business module and keeps finance and human resource under control.

    ERP Solutions in Market:

    • SAP
    • FIS Global
    • Oracle
    • Fiserv
    • Intuit Inc.
    • Cerner Corporation
    • Microsoft
    • Ericsson
    • Infor
    • McKesson

    Basic Modules of ERP:

    • Human Resource
    • Inventory
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Purchase
    • Finance & Accounting
    • Customer Relationship Management(CRM)
    • Engineering/ Production
    • Supply Chain Management (SCM)

    Future of ERP:

    Every year technologies evolves and with that the requirement of Vendors and client too. To ease their work process, ERP has to evolve too. As of now, every ERP system is focussing upon their cloud solutions. And sooner the dependency upon on-premise ERP systems will end.

    [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVRgIXLWDHs[/embedyt]