NetApp : Supports SAP Customers With Their Database Transition

On May 21st 2018 SnapCenter officially added support for the following database plugins: DB2, ASE and MaxDB. With this addition and the already available SnapCenter® plugins for SQL, Oracle and SAP HANA, the list of supported databases for SAP NetWeaver is now complete. Now, all SAP customers can benefit from SnapCenter's database protection with fast and efficient snapshot-based backups when using NetApp ONTAP as their enterprise storage platform.

Customers using SAP ERP solutions are all facing the same quest. SAP's roadmap challenges their SAP ERP customers to migrate to S/4 HANA by 2025. This journey requires customers to start their planning NOW. This change will require to adapt one's business processes to benefit from the new functions and features of S/4 HANA, but to also make changes to the underlying infrastructure, database and operating system. For many customers these are dramatic changes that require extensive tests and preparation.

In my experience, these types of migration projects run smoother with an infrastructure in place that enables quick creations, reset or refreshs of SAP test systems and SAP database backups or restores in minutes instead of hours.

Use NetApp's Benefits for S/4 HANA Migration Projects

Customers running their SAP systems on NetApp storage can utilize NetApp's technological advantages when using SnapCenter as central data protection suite. With the new plugins SnapCenter is able to protect any SAP ERP relevant database with application consistent NetApp snapshot copies. SnapCenter's integrated system cloning workflow can be used to create a new SAP test system or refresh an SAP system within minutes, ready for the SAP specific post processing. NetApp's storage efficiency allows projects teams to create multiple test systems with only minimal additional capacity requirements.

To highlight some of the NetApp benefits:

• Less effort to create and refresh test systems and more time for testing.
• Fast backup/restore and the ability to repeat tests to improve reliability.
• Less capacity requirements allow more parallel testing with less budget.
• One data protection platform for current and future databases.
• One storage platform for all workloads.

SAP System Refresh for SAP ERP Running on MaxDB

As an example, I want to demonstrate a complete System Refresh workflow using SnapCenter MaxDB plugin.

All the technical steps are completely automated, and the customer can concentrate on the required SAP post-processing activities. The following video demonstrates the complete workflow.

If you're already on SAP HANA and want to know how to optimize your data protection with SnapCenter check out the following technical reports and blog posts:

SAPPHIRE Now, Orlando, June 5-7, 2018

Lastly, don't miss the chance to talk to me and fellow colleagues in person. NetApp will be at SAPPHIRE Now in Orlando next week, June 5^th to June 7^th. Please visit us at booth #108. We'll be there to answer any questions.