Accenture Rolls Out Private Cloud Solution Supporting SAP Apps

Accenture has announced that it has developed a private cloud solution in support of SAP applications that allows businesses and organisations to easily migrate to a lower cost, private cloud infrastructure.

The solution features a transparent migration of two key SAP solutions - the SAP ERP application and the SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse (SAP NetWeaver BW) component - to a managed private cloud infrastructure.

SAP ERP provides enhanced capabilities for finance, human capital management, sales, procurement, and other key enterprise functions, connecting users directly to business processes and delivering the information and capabilities needed to make decisions and take action. SAP NetWeaver BW enables users to integrate data from across the enterprise and transform it into practical, timely business information to drive sound decision making.

Accenture’s private cloud solution is designed to enhance the performance of systems running SAP solutions, improve flexibility, lower costs and leverage newer SAP technologies, including analytics and mobility. The solution can be delivered in less than six months at a fixed price.

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“By taking advantage of this new solution, our clients stand to realise a reduction in total cost of ownership, while also benefitting from the ability to quickly deploy new SAP solutions,” said Kevin Campbell, group chief executive, Technology, Accenture. “We’re pleased to be taking our relationship with SAP to an even greater level of commitment by sharpening and deepening our focus in this strategic growth area,” he said.

The combination of hardware and software was created and delivered through collaboration between Accenture, Cisco, NetApp, VMware, Red Hat and RealTech. The solution’s architecture - known as FlexPod - is comprised of Cisco’s Unified Computing System (UCS) and NetApp storage. With UCS, clients can move to a new category of enterprise applications from large, expensive servers to UCS, a smaller, highly efficient virtualised system powered by low-cost microprocessors.

“The UCS platform is a great example of achieving higher performance at a lower cost. The performance, memory density and total cost of ownership differentiate UCS from any platform available today,” said Accenture’s Jack Sepple, global managing director of the Accenture & Cisco Business Group.

Cloud platforms can enhance efficiency and performance while lowering costs, but some customers are uncomfortable moving their business-critical systems off-premise to the public cloud. Private cloud solutions offer the same benefits, while providing a level of data security and integrity found with on-premise legacy technologies. In the case of Accenture’s private cloud solution, Accenture will manage the applications and infrastructure being delivered to the client.

“Accenture and SAP possess a unique combination of skills, experience and capabilities to deliver an infrastructure transformation solution,” said Mark Willford, global managing director of Accenture’s SAP business. “We intend to help our customers maximise the performance of their SAP enterprise systems through a managed, private cloud solution,” he added.

The solution from Accenture will initially focus on customers with mature SAP systems that are looking to improve performance, reduce costs and expand their SAP technology footprint. Components of the solution include the following:

Infrastructure and Operating System Migration with Virtualisation - delivers increased performance while lowering overall cost.

Application and Infrastructure Management - helps companies simplify systems and applications management and move the cost off their books.

Analytics - provides more intuitive data access and self-service capabilities for more robust reporting.

Mobility - allows foundational access to SAP Business Suite software.

Database Migration - positions enterprise applications for the future of in-memory technologies.

“This announcement underscores SAP’s commitment to delivering enterprise applications via the cloud in cooperation with our leading partner ecosystem,” said Dr. Chakib Bouhdary, executive vice president, chief strategy and value officer, Value Engineering, SAP Americas. “The Accenture private cloud solution will further empower our customers by providing a direct path to new innovations from SAP in areas including analytics, in-memory and mobility technology. Together with our ecosystem of partners, we can help customers transform their businesses in open and flexible ways while increasing efficiency and boosting performance,” added Bouhdary.