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What is SAP Platform and Technology?

SAP Platform and Technology history started with mainframe-based applications, with the first official release being the SAP R/2 solution. This was eventually replaced by SAP R/3 which was the first application running a 3-tier client/server architecture. A client/server architecture continues to be the model for on-premise applications sold by SAP, even when those applications are often running on some form of cloud infrastructure. The newest SAP applications use a purely cloud-based infrastructure and are often software-as-a-service solutions.

What is SAP Platform and Technology?

SAP Platform and Technology history started with mainframe-based applications, with the first official release being the SAP R/2 solution. This was eventually replaced by SAP R/3 which was the first application running a 3-tier client/server architecture. A client/server architecture continues to be the model for on-premise applications sold by SAP, even when those applications are often running on some form of cloud infrastructure. The newest SAP applications use a purely cloud-based infrastructure and are often software-as-a-service solutions.

While these represented the infrastructure on which SAP solutions were built, SAP customers also needed platforms on which to build and develop applications. The first solution that SAP released was the SAP NetWeaver platform which was a software stack for many of SAP’s applications. First released in 2004, SAP NetWeaver consisted of an ABAP software stack as well as a Java development stack. This allowed organizations to build and deploy applications using business APIs and integration capabilities to other SAP solutions.

Building on the success of SAP NetWeaver, SAP released the SAP Cloud Platform as a similar resource for organizations looking to build cloud-based applications. More recently, SAP brought the SAP Cloud Platform together with other services and technologies to release the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP). Key capabilities of SAP BTP include database and data management, analytics, application development and integration, and intelligent technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning.

One of the most important capabilities of SAP solutions has been the ability to enhance them by creating customizations and extensions. Implementations of SAP ERP systems like SAP ECC frequently involved thousands or even hundreds of thousands of lines of customized code based on SAP ABAP and written using platforms like SAP NetWeaver. New solutions like SAP S/4HANA focus on extensions which provide additional functionality without requiring underlying code changes using SAP BTP as the means for achieving these extensions.

SAP BTP is also the technology solution that SAP organizations are looking to use to leverage to build on their investments in SAP S/4HANA.

From a technology and infrastructure perspective, nearly nine in ten SAP customers are now running at least some SAP workloads in the cloud. Underlying data repositories are also more likely to be moving to cloud-based infrastructure.

SAP has many implementation partners that will either provide a technology platform on which SAP solutions can run or will assist with the development of applications that leverage technologies like SAP BTP. Examples of partners providing infrastructure include Dell Technologies, HPE, and Intel. Cloud providers for SAP services include AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft. Implementation partners also assist organizations with building on this SAP Platform and Technology.

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1494 results

  1. SAP ECC End of Life 2027: Your Step-by-Step Migration Roadmap to S/4HANA

    Reading time: 8 mins

    Relying on legacy systems to carry out different business processes is a common practice. Whether it’s a large enterprise with a vast consumer base or a startup targeting local audiences, most enterprise-level applications still depend on outdated systems. One such example is SAP ECC (SAP ERP Central Component), a once-renowned software for businesses of all…

    Moving Average Price: Learn How It Functions in Project Stock and Figure Out How to Explain the Unexplainable

    Published: 17/January/2013

    Reading time: 81 mins

    A lot can go wrong if you don’t understand moving average price. Sort out the complexities that arise when material movements, invoices, reversals, and purchase order history interact with moving average price. Understand both the cause and the cure for the frustration and confusion. Key Concept Materials that are entered into an SAP system as...…

    How to Use and Configure Platform Search in SAP BusinessObjects 4.0

    Published: 05/September/2013

    Reading time: 9 mins

    Adam Getz shows how to enhance end users’ ability to find documents and content located within the BusinessObjects systems by using Platform Search. Platform Search is a navigation function that allows end users to rapidly conduct searches based on the text they enter. Key Concept Drawers within BI Launch Pad are containers within the Documents...…

  5. The Digital Platform and Its Role in Digital Transformation Success

    Published: 07/March/2019

    Reading time: 15 mins

    SAPinsider’s Rizal Ahmed discussed the role a digital platform plays in a company’s digital transformation journey with SAP’s Colin Dover and Dan Kearnan. Find the full recording and transcript below. Riz: Hello and welcome to our podcast my name is Riz Ahmed and I’m the EVP of Research at SAPinsider.  I’m joined today by Dan…

  6. Demystifying SAP HANA Cloud Platform

    Published: 11/July/2016

    Reading time: 6 mins

    SAP HANA promises to revolutionize enterprise IT, and for many organizations, SAP HANA Cloud Platform is an ideal way to realize this promise. This platform-as-a-service (PaaS) solution enables organizations to agilely build and integrate applications, rapidly innovate, and develop a successful strategy for digital transformations. Discover six real-world examples of how organizations are already leveraging…

  7. AI Agents and the Transformation of the Financial Industry

    Reading time: 10 mins

    The rapid advancement of large language models has led to the emergence of autonomous AI agents in the financial sector, which effectively handle complex tasks and improve operational efficiency, ultimately reshaping the collaboration between humans and AI.

  8. Making Custom Themes Future Ready Using SAP UI Theme Designer

    Published: 01/December/2017

    Reading time: 16 mins

    Obtain clarity on the steps to follow for applying a custom theme to any SAPUI5/HTML5-based applications both in the cloud and on premise. Learn some best practices for creating custom themes that are future ready and the multiple deployment options of the UI theme designer. Key Concept The UI theme designer is a browser-based tool...…

  10. Optimizing BI Administration in SAP Environments: Q&A on How to Properly Maintain and Secure Complex, Shared Landscapes

    Published: 01/May/2016

    Reading time: 42 mins

    Business intelligence (BI) is the lifeblood of data-driven organizations, enabling you to turn the data in your SAP systems into actionable information that drives better decision making, uncovers opportunity, and improves efficiency. The modern BI landscape is an increasingly complex one, however, with trends such as big data, the cloud, and the Internet of Things…

  11. Adapt SAP S/4HANA Business Functionality to Meet Your Company’s Requirements

    Published: 18/January/2016

    Reading time: 21 mins

    Discover how to apply two extensibility options to modify SAP S/4HANA business functionality. Key Concept SAP S/4HANA is the next generation of business applications that can be installed locally in a data center or in a public or managed cloud. One of the central issues users have is how to extend the business functionality delivered...…

  12. How to Select the Right Mobile Solution Architecture for Your Use Case

    Published: 12/October/2012

    Reading time: 24 mins

    Understand the main mobility architecture paradigms currently supported by the Sybase Unwired Platform, and the advantages and drawbacks of each. Get a high-level view of the architecture and basic steps for implementing each. Key Concept A mobile business object is a method of encapsulating business data so that it can be used across multiple kinds...…

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