“Why should we do DevOps in SAP?”
It’s a fair question, and one the Basis Technologies team have heard from SAP users a lot since we started promoting the benefits of DevOps some years back. Their projects might be “too big”, or maybe they feel DevOps is “too risky for critical systems”.
But times have changed. More and more organizations we work with have recognized the business benefits that DevOps could deliver in their SAP landscape. Those companies have answered the “why?”. Now they’re wrestling with “how?”.
To help them we’ve put together an eBook that provides a 10-step roadmap to getting started with DevOps for SAP.
Why now is the time for DevOps
This shift from why to how in the SAP DevOps conversation has been driven by three key factors.
First, slow delivery of change has become a business risk. Customers today are simply more demanding than ever. According to Appian, US businesses lost an estimated $62 billion in 2017 due to poor customer service—much of it due to systems and automated processes that either don’t work or are no longer fit for purpose.
Second, the benefits of DevOps are no longer in question. It’s an approach that has proven to be effective in many non-SAP IT systems. A 2018 report by DORA found that the highest-performing DevOps teams have 46x more frequent code deployments, 2,555x faster lead time from commit to deploy, 7x lower change failure rate and 2,604x faster time to recover from incidents.
Last but certainly not least, tools are now available that accommodate the unique architecture of SAP and not only allow you to adopt DevOps for SAP, but also connect your SAP systems to a cross-application DevOps workflow.
Companies like BP, Ericsson, Honda and many more are using DevOps tools from Basis Technologies to orchestrate and automate delivery of change in SAP—enabling them to respond fast to customer demands and expectations.
10 steps that can get you started with DevOps for SAP
I’m going to stop here to pose a question. What does a full post-holiday inbox have in common with a major DevOps initiative?
Well, in practice the answer is not much, obviously, but there is something that’s common to both: the fact that getting started can be the hardest part. It’s also often the case that neither task is as bad or as daunting as it might seem before you get going.
That being the case, we’ve drawn on our experience of customers across the world, with some of the largest SAP estates, to create an eBook that sets out some key steps which can help your SAP team get started on the journey from a waterfall approach to DevOps. In the eBook we explain the basic principles that underlie DevOps, share more details on why now is the time to make the move, and provide a 10-step plan to getting started.
Plan your journey to DevOps—especially if S/4HANA is on the horizon
Not every SAP team starts its DevOps journey in the same place, and not all of the steps in our eBook will be applicable to every organization. A lot will depend on how widespread and business-critical your SAP footprint is, and how familiar and comfortable your wider IT organization is with DevOps practices.
But you should find it a useful guide when mapping your journey—and if you’re currently planning a transition to S/4HANA, it’s worth reading to see how DevOps can provide the combination of speed, security and quality assurance you’ll need for this major migration.
Get the eBook 10 Steps to Get Started with DevOps for SAP for tips on:
- Creating a DevOps vision and roadmap that your organization will rally around
- Getting people ready to start working in a DevOps way
- Employing technology and new ways of working
- Integrating SAP with the DevOps pipeline elsewhere in your organization
More resources to help you plan
If you’re not sure yet whether DevOps is right for your SAP team, or if you’d like to know more about the benefits that DevOps can deliver, we have plenty of other useful for resources for you. You can read our Practical Guide to DevOps for SAP, or browse the other guides at basistechnologies.com/resources/. Better still, get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.
