SEPTEMBER 2019CIOAPPLICATIONSEUROPE.COM8he foundations of thousands of companies across the globe are built on ERP platforms, with SAP holding the dominant share. These platforms have been built up over decades in some cases and with considerable bespoke developments that have adapted the software to fit the needs of the myriad of business processes out there and the perceived nuances of individual businesses. CIOs and the wider business are faced with a real challenge of what to do next given support for the core of SAPs historical platform ends in 2025. Over the last five to eight years, SAP has introduced new generations of their SAP R/3 platform moving to in-memory computing with Business Suite on HANA and now more recently the introduction of S/4 Hana. For many years businesses have chosen to develop code and transactions to alter the core SAP processes to fit their business and in the majority of cases run those platforms on-premise and most likely on business-owned assets.These decisions have generated an eco-system of System Integrators and a wide network of SAP professionals who have built businesses and careers supporting companies developing functionality on SAP platforms. Many of these businesses have also built a support and infrastructure architecture that surround these platforms ensuring that the most resilient and highly available infrastructure is in place, the tin has enough capacity to cope with the workload and the organisation has the capability and conscientious approach to testing, changes and upgrades.My peers and predecessors have and continue to build organisations that are constructed in a way to support and run SAP or any other ERP platform.TARE WE READY DOMINIC HOWSON, SUPPLY CHAIN PLANNING AND IS DIRECTOR, HOVISFOR CLOUD ERPIN MYOPINION
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