Why SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications is an optimized operating system platform, validated and certified by SAP, for all SAP HANA solutions.
This outcome is the result of a close collaboration between SAP and SUSE, in order to optimize the performance, scalability and high availability of SAP HANA.
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications is currently running thousands of SAP HANA installations, including at SAP itself.
It is also the development platform for SAP HANA.
It is no surprise that SUSE Linux Enterprise is now the reference platform for SAP solutions on Linux, and the recommended operating system for SAP HANA, for both IBM Power and Intel processors.
Over 90% of SAP HANA installations run on SUSE Linux.
Main characteristics
The SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications offer includes the following components:
Software
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
- SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability
- SAP HANA Resource Agents for Automated Failover
- SAP HANA System Firewall
- Page caching management
- Installation wizard to automate the installation of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and SAP applications
- Environment to ease the transition from Microsoft Windows to S / 4HANA on Linux
- Images of application platforms and SAP HANA for the public cloud
Integrated priority support from SAP and SUSE
- Support for SAP and SUSE 24/7 provided by SUSE Linux Enterprise Priority Support
- Dedicated SUSE update channel to provide patches and feature updates, especially for SAP applications
Value of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
Present has participated in numerous SAP HANA implementations under SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications, whether in an IBM Power or Intel runtime environment.
In both cases, the performance and richness of the SAP solution coupled with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server enabled customers to make substantial gains, as illustrated by the South Shore Furniture implementation.
But no testimony better illustrates the value of Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications than that of Martin Heisig, senior vice president of SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud.
The challenge
In order to meet the demand by ensuring the continued availability of enterprise applications, SAP had to ensure that its cloud offering met the requirements of its corporate customers. According to Martin Heisig, “To give customers the true SAP experience, we needed to ensure that they could take full advantage of the cloud across all their functions, from HR and procurement through to production and logistics. Offering this leaves no margin for service interruptions or maintenance windows.”
The solution
For its SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud service, SAP employs approximately 6,600 servers with more than 12,000 processors as well as 16,000 virtual machines running SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications.
The results
According to Martin Heisig, "In part due to the great stability of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, our system availability is 99.999 percent."
The use of SUSE technologies allows SAP to offer extreme high availability on its cloud platform. For example, SAP can patch servers faster than before and with fewer downtime. This allows SAP to use its resources more efficiently and maximize availability for customers
Martin Heisig concludes: “The strategic partnership between SAP and SUSE has become a highly valuable asset for our business. This unique relationship enables us to focus on our core business, instead of solving operating system challenges. By making joint developments available to our customers, the partnership with SUSE not only improves how we run SAP, but also reduces operating costs for many thousands of global enterprises.”
Conclusion
Even though SAP customers have until 2025 to migrate from R/3 to S/4, it is a process that may take several months or years to complete, requiring seamless planning and execution.
Indeed, it must be taken into account that since SAP HANA only runs on Linux, clients using Windows or UNIX will have to migrate their database to HANA, and their operating system to SUSE Linux.
In this context, Present and its partners are able to help companies that, like South Shore Furniture, needed to migrate their applications to the SAP HANA platform, while controlling their costs.
Our team of experts is proud to contribute to the success of our customers through the successful implementation of SAP HANA on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications, in an Intel or an IBM Power environment.
