SAP Cloud Migration to AWS
Last-mile Digitization: An enabler in realizing ESG goals
November 10, 2022
Deploying SAP HANA in the Cloud
SAP HANA is an in-memory relational database, and it offers real-time data processing and high-performance analytics. SAP HANA Cloud edition is offered as Software as a Service (SaaS) hosted on servers hosted and maintained by SAP. SAP HANA can be deployed on Amazon Web Service (AWS) in a highly available, fault-tolerant, and cost-effective way.
SAP HANA can be deployed on the cloud for faster time-to-value while on-premises version provides maximum control. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages. The cloud edition reduces costs by replacing expensive hardware with pay-per-use services.
This service provides more storage, computing, and networking capacity compared to on-premises systems. Features like scaling and high availability of data centers across the globe are available along with access to advanced infrastructure without the need to do repetitive maintenance. SAP HANA when deployed on AWS, provides the performance benefits of SAP HANA in addition to the flexibility and scalability of the cloud.
Deploying SAP HANA on AWS
Deploying critical SAP workloads on Amazon Web Services (AWS) enables the business to be more agile, cost-effective, and secure than on premises. With AWS, businesses can adopt emerging technologies, leading to greater innovation and faster time-to-value.
AWS’ infrastructure services can be used to deploy SAP HANA in a fault-tolerant, and highly available manner. Businesses can leverage the flexibility and security of AWS in addition to the functionality of SAP HANA with this deployment. Businesses can also take advantage of the pay-per-use pricing model of AWS and pay only for what you use. SAP HANA has two licensing options in AWS- licensed per hour, or in the Bring-Your-Own-License (BYOL) mode.
SAP HANA infrastructure can be scaled according to the needs of the business and the level of availability in multiple Availability Zones (AZ) can be increased. SAP HANA can be integrated with any EC2 instance for storage and the storage option of choice can be blocked depending on business needs.
Enterprise Challenges overcome by AWS Implementation
A future-ready platform like SAP S/4 HANA not only simplifies ERP but also serves as the platform to accelerate business innovation using IoT, ML etc. However, businesses face the challenge of innovation due to shortcomings in the supporting IT platform. Other challenges include redundant hardware, unscalable infrastructure or legacy platforms that do not support upgrades or migrations for companies that look to be innovative, agile, flexible, and adaptable to stay relevant.
AWS implementation can help overcome challenges seen in an enterprise computing environment, more so in a big data environment. These challenges include:
• Adaptability and scalability regarding architecture and infrastructure• Data Security or Platform security
• Peak-capacity planning
• Continuous timely upgrades
• Reliability and uptime
• High-availability and disaster recovery
• Data integration
• Data Synchronization
• Compliance
The cost dimensions of SAP migration to AWS
Some statistics indicate that migrating SAP applications to AWS Cloud bring down infrastructure costs by 30%. A reduction in TCO (total cost of operation) is seen in cloud assessment exercises during the migration SAP applications onto cloud.
SAP deployments on the cloud reduce costs through a pay-per-use model. The charges are relatively constant depending on the specific needs and the scope of digital resources required, such as bandwidth. SAP implementations on AWS reduce costs through resizing applications to consolidate data and reducing overprovisioning.
Companies that adapt their SAP and infrastructure administration with the right tools and automation for flexibility and scalability, normally achieve true cost benefits of public cloud migration. Additionally, there are indirect cost savings that are realized with the right tools to manage SAP applications on public cloud.
The economic benefits of migrating SAP workloads to Amazon Web Services (AWS) are much more than operational improvements and savings on capital expenditures. Customers moving to AWS realize significant performance gains, growth in sales, labor productivity, and customer retention.
RTS' AWS MANAGED SERVICES
RTS uses a cloud transformation framework and methodology in every engagement to ensure quality, consistency, and completeness. As a long-time expert in Amazon Web Services (AWS), RTS's AWS-managed services aim to optimize your public cloud environment, resulting in a highly available, efficient, compliant, cost-effective, and secure platform tailored to achieve your business goals.
Read more about RTS’ AWS MANAGED SERVICESBenefits of Migrating SAP to AWS
Apart from the cost and economic benefits seen above, SAP migration to AWS provides the following benefits:
• High-speed performance and agility: provisions compute, storage, and networking infrastructure for new SAP projects and systems, in minutes rather than weeks or months otherwise.• Scalability: Infrastructure can be scaled up or down based on actual requirements.
• Availability: Amazon EC2 Auto Recovery automatically recovers an impaired instance due to an underlying hardware failure without any payment for standby infrastructure. Amazon S3 storage is designed for 99.999999999% durability.
• Disaster Recovery: Eliminates the need to pay for standby infrastructure. Cost of standby infrastructure can be reduced by keeping standby system memory less than production. Operating Expenses Instead of Capital Expenses - An SAP implementation on AWS can be started without any upfront cost or commitment for computer, storage, or network infrastructure.
• Global Infrastructure: AWS has the largest global infrastructure of any cloud provider and helps quickly deploy applications and data everywhere.
• SAP supported platform: All SAP business suite and NetWeaver applications are supported.
• Secured Platform: The platform provides enterprise level security with a stable platform for future growth options in the areas of IoT, ML, AI.
The other benefits are:
• Resilient SAP architecture• Comprehensive security
• Cost efficiency
• Reduced Management overhead
• Low latency and Data sovereignty
• Faster SAP HANA adoption
• High Compatibility
RTS and AWS Migration
RTS has SAP and GCP expertise that helps customers complete an accelerated migration on a public cloud with the least risk. RTS is a long-standing Amazon Web Services (AWS) expert and provides AWS-managed services to help companies make the most of the public cloud environment by creating a highly available, efficient, compliant, cost-effective, and secure platform.
RTS has significant expertise in migrating, maintaining, and continuously optimizing an on-premises SAP ERP environment on Amazon Web Services (AWS) platform. As an AWS Consulting Partner and SAP Partner with hundreds of certifications and accreditations, the company offers the cutting edge of AWS cloud computing solutions. It works within the AWS framework to deliver operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, and cost optimization.
RTS is SAP’s leading business partner and the first to work with SAP end-to-end from product innovation to development and delivery of SAP S/4HANA and new industry solutions.
We invite you to take a look at our offerings here.
