New xApps expert

We have a new addition to our panel of site experts. Independent consultant Andre Truong is an SAP veteran with experience from complex implementations across Europe, United States and Asia. He has been working with SAP since 1995 and is currently supporting early adopters within SAP's ecosystem in taking advantage of the Enterprise SOA and SAP's Business Process Platform.

Andre has many valuable skills in his SAP toolkit, but one area stands out: his formidable expertise in SAP composite applications (xApps) and its many uses in the NetWeaver era. Always looking for a good challenge, Andre invites you to send your toughest xApp questions his way today. Also make sure to browse his first batch of answers to user questions.

Matt Danielsson
Editor

New SearchSAP News Editor

I'm Jon Franke, the new news editor here at SearchSAP.com. Just for a little background, I got my start in technology installing Web Content Management software early in my career. Since then, I have been an analyst covering "Dynamic Content Software" for InfoTrends here in MA.

I'm excited to be covering SAP in more detail and I look forward to hearing from all of you out there. I recently wrote my first news article for the site on the progress of Duet. Please feel free to send press releases, comments, story ideas, and anything else on your mind to me at jfranke@techtarget.com.

Jon Franke
News Editor

ESA debunked

Here at SearchSAP.com, we just got our hands on the latest service-oriented architecture (SOA) book titled Mastering Enterprise SOA with SAP NetWeaver and mySAP ERP, by Scott Campbell and Vamsi Mohun. This recently published SOA resource details SAP's roadmap for Enterprise Services Architecture (ESA) as distinguished by SAP. 

By now, most SAP-run businesses are cautiously meandering their way down the much touted ESA roadmap — it's only been four years – but much apprehension preceeds them. Campbell and Mohun strive to overcome the anxiety for companies by laying to rest myths surfacing around ESA. 

Two ESA myths debunked

1. SOA and ESA share the same concept with ESA having more direction. SOA is an industry term while ESA is SAP's enterprise term for SOA. It comes across ambigious, especially since SAP decided to rename ESA to Enterprise SOA to alleviate confusion, but instead compounded it with yet another term to add to the pot. Both SOA and ESA are being created and recognized across the IT world as the next platform for business process excellence. Basically, both terms can be defined as a full set of business processes tailored to a company based around many applications. The main reason SAP has distinquished their SOA plan is because SAP incorporates SOA with "industry-driven service models" making the package more robust and unique. So, SOA and ESA are similiar — same in concept — but different in practice.

2. Another misconception business' have about ESA is that there is an end to the roadmap and a final product that will be shelved and sold. This is simply not accurate. The whole concept of SOA and ESA is to continue to build and evolve best industry business solutions. As time ushers in improvements and updated technologies, so ESA will adapt and reposition itself accordingly. Independent software vendors (ISVs) will continue to introduce corresponding software and upgrades will continue to be a way of life. The bottom line is, ESA can start now, without the latest upgrade. Some existing R/3 components can support pilot parts of ESA. This is being herald as the best way to — let's say practice — ESA before having to upgrade and commit. If you are already running NetWeaver, even more opportunities exist to trail run with ESA.

So, rest assure that ESA is important and more than just SOA. In fact, it should be practiced today for a future commitment. Put your ESA fears to bed and realize that ESA is just another SOA option.

Look for more from Campbell and Mohun's Mastering Enterprise SOA with SAP NetWeaver and mySAP ERP from SearchSAP.com in the future.

Juli Austin
Assistant Editor

Infor, QAD challenging SAP and Oracle?

It's easy to get stuck on the ongoing SAP vs. Oracle smackdown thinking it's the only game in town. Sure enough, with Oracle's rapid growth through acquisitions (Siebel, PeopleSoft etc.) the two 800 lb. gorillas tend to hog the ERP stage while smaller fry are merely viewed as bite-sized morsels waiting to be gobbled up. That may not be entirely true, as reported by News editor Mark Brunelli in his recent article SAP, Oracle challenged by smaller ERP vendors. 

A study by Aberdeen Group reveals that Infor Global Solutions and QAD Inc. may in fact be gaining ground in some sectors of the ERP space, primarily through lower TCO. Infor in particular, with its recent purchases of SSA, Extensity and SU, is set to step up considerably. InfoWorld's China Martens reports that Infor is gunning for becoming a $3B business next year. Nothing to sneeze at for sure.

Meanwhile, Oracle's course-correction regarding its Fusion initiative is beginning to have an impact, as described by SearchSAP expert Josh Greenbaum last month. Does this spell trouble for SAP, or is the German Giant far enough ahead in this race that its ERP crown remains untouchable?

For the next couple years, sure — but what will the situation be like, say, around 2010? Please take a moment to reply to this post or send us an email with your take on what the future will hold for SAP. One random reader will receive a neat book bundle:

• Designing Composite Applications
• SAP BW Reporting and Analysis
• mySAP CRM Interaction Center

Regards,
Matt Danielsson
Editor

CRM All-In-One Guide

When customer relationship management (CRM) was first introduced over five years ago, it generated a lot of hype but didn't live up to expectations. This was due mostly to lack of proper integration, end-user training and adoption and functionality. Today, that technology has evolved. CRM products and ROI results have proven CRM to be a worthy investment that will likely see considerable growth over the next five years.

This CRM guide has been designed to meet all your CRM needs. If your business is looking for a CRM solution, this guide offers the latest CRM news and products as well as business cases by CRM experts. Here are examples of more information for the CRM shopper.

• CRM ROI series: Building a business case for SaaS CRM
• CRM service providers found lacking

For the CRM professional, this guide provides SAP CRM news, valuable SAP CRM tips and best practices as well as expert advice about your job as a CRM user.

• Building a winning CRM team
• Transfer Outlook information to the CRM business workspace 

SearchSAP.com has provided this resource titled CRM All-In-One Guide as a place where all professionals can learn how to get the most value out of any CRM solution. Maximize your company's ROI and use your CRM application to its ultimate potential here. 

Juli Austin
Assistant Editor

SAP All-in-One vs. MS Dynamics

You have probably noticed that Microsoft is getting more assertive about its Dynamics line of products. Massive advertising, press releases, increased presence at events … It's pretty obvious the 'softies are no longer content to play second fiddle to SAP, merely picking up the small fry surrounding a massive SAP core.

What's in store for the future, when Microsoft pulls the AX, NAV, GP etc. components into a single Dynamics package in 2008? Is the Redmond giant a threat to SAP? Or will SAP continue to make progress based on technical excellence and sheer robustness?

Veteran SAP guru Axel Angeli says the battle is largly one of fundamental principles: SAP is pushing a complete and fully integrated ERP package. The solution should cover all aspects of the business without the need to ever have a third party solution. Microsoft, on the other hand, seeks its success through supporting disparate system installations. In order to make this vision transparent to the clients, Angeli says, Microsoft introduced the metaphor of "Hub and Spoke" technology. It pictures a central ERP residing as the hub of a wheel whilst still being connected to satellite systems through the spokes. Practically it means that one installs a central ERP system and more local installations are installed where they are needed. Both the hub and the satellites can be any ERP solution as long as they are able to exchange messages with each other.

For now, SAP's approach seems to be the winner, according to Angeli. But Joe Gulino, ERP Practice Director, Green Beacon Solutions, has a different take on the matter. He buys into the "working the way your people work" mantra, which clearly favors Microsoft as the dominant midmarket ERP player in the years ahead. 

Each expert make the case for their respective position in our new Face-off: SAP All-in-One vs. MS Dynamics . Make sure to send in your comments for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift certificate!

Matt Danielsson
Editor

New SAP BW Guide: Open Hub Service

SearchSAP.com introduces our first Crash Course: SAP BW Guide: Open Hub Service. This handy instructional tool will guide you through step-by-step the process for creating, activating and executing an InfoSpoke, which is the central object for exporting data in the BW Open Hub.

This guide is designed to be an easy to navigate set of technical instructions for distributing data from the SAP BW system into external data marts, analytical applications, and other applications. Through the Open Hub service, SAP BW becomes the hub of an enterprise data warehouse and by using this mechanism ultimately your enterprise will become aligned and processes will run more efficiently and more affordably. Opportunities are discovered, and innovations are accelerated and all this contributes to the sustainable and profitable growth of your company.

Check out the SAP BW Guide: Open Hub Service and email me to let me know what you think about our new crash course series and what you want a lesson in.

Juli Austin
Assistant Editor

New SAP Job roles: Disruptive innovators

This is the fourth an final part in our series about the new SAP job roles outlined by SAP executive Shai Agassi in his TechEd 2006 keynote speech. What is a disruptive innovator? What are the job prospects? And how do you establish yourself as one? Get the scoop here!

Disruptive Innovators
As an SAP professional, the obvious first question is: how do you differentiate the disruptive innovators from the composers?

Most composers will own specific processes, like procurement, HR, manufacturing or other, clearly defined areas of responsibility. Their goal is to optimize their process to near-perfection, maintain it to meet changing needs and so on.

The disruptive innovator, on the other hand, needs a much more strategic mindset. This person is something of a maverick, looking across the entire company for areas with opportunities for disruptive innovation. It can be a new product, a new business process, or whatever it takes to move the company to the next level.

"The disruptive innovator has to be a hunter," Inbar said. "While consolidators have the luxury of tending to their niche of expertise, the disruptive innovator must be constantly on the move, looking for the next big thing."

This role is perhaps the hardest to define of the four; there's really no specific skillset to talk about beyond the fact that this person must have outstanding IT and business knowledge, and proven ability to think outside the box.

"Keep in mind that this is how SAP wants the world to be," Reed said. "In reality, some corporate cultures will embrace this kind of role more readily than others. Some cultures don't reward or even penalize people who step out of the box, so make sure you know your culture before you position yourself as a disruptive innovator."

Having said that, Reed thinks SAP is trying to convey the message that they're empowering users to do more with the SAP building blocks than ever before. It is an ongoing process and SAP isn't quite there to deliver everything they're talking about quite yet, but they're getting there, he said.

"The other roles seem to be more hands-on, but I see the disruptive innovator as a manager or Team Lead," Reed said. "You need a broader view as well as organizational leverage, ie. decent corporate status, in order to make things happen."

A Project Manager with good overall knowledge of how the technology supports the business side would make a good candidate. But all things considered, it doesn't really matter whether that person came from a technical or functional career path prior to shouldering this new role; all that really matters is the current understanding of both sides of the fence, Reed said.

This is the last part in our next-generation SAP jobs series. If you haven't done so already, make sure to check out the articles about composers, repository keepers and consolidators. 

Matt Danielsson
Editor

New SAP Job roles: Composers

This is the third part in our series about the new SAP job roles outlined by SAP executive Shai Agassi in his TechEd 2006 keynote speech. What's the difference between a developer and a composer? How can a SAP developer position oneself to benefit from the new modeling movement? Find out here!

Composers
The confusion between "developer" and "composer" as a SAP role is understandable. The developer is your classic ABAP/Java programmer with varying business skills; the composer is a business process expert first and techie second. Their main function is to make business process innovation happen in real-time. 

In the past, you had business analysts, application consultants and others examining the processes and basically putting together specs and requests for the developers to fulfill. Today, the same business analysts can make the changes they need, or perhaps create new applications altogether, using quick and easy models without extensive technical expertise.

"This is one of the more revolutionary aspects of NetWeaver," Reed said. "Modeling may present interesting opportunities for functional folks in particular areas to get more involved in the application development process. Those with some understanding of ABAP and other programming languages will probably have an easy time picking up on the modeling tools."

Needless to say, this trend has caused some concern in developer circles. So what can today's ABAP developer do to avoid getting pinched between outsourcing on one hand and model-driven, do-it-yourself business people on the other?

"You can't do everything with models," Inbar said. "There's going to be plenty of room for skilled programmers for areas like Java and creation of new services."

Inbar suggests familiarizing oneself with the model-driven tools, tapping into the BPX-community and looking for ways to leverage superior technical skills to "move up the stack." For those who work closer to the User Interface, embrace the modeling tools and start building the next generation of UI building blocks — dedicated, highly interactive components that require advanced technical skills.

For those who are true programmers at heart, try to find the unfilled niches between SAP's productized enterprise services for specific industries, advises Inbar.

"Still, the key question for many is: will these tools decrease the opportunities for classic ABAPers? The honest answer is probably yes," Reed said. "Having said that, I think many developers can and should get on board with the modeling movement. SAP wants it to seem like a functional expert in a particular area can come in and just design all this stuff. It's not that easy; they can do a lot, but they'll still need considerable support from technical people."

Bottom line, don't be all doom-and-gloom. Instead, make it a point to be the first in the office to really master the new modeling tools and position yourself as the authority on next-generation development. There will always be room for a liaison between the functional teams and classic techies, and the more you actively seek out that role, the more relevant you will remain to the company.

Even if you don't have access to SAP's own tools, you can gain a lot of experience by using third-party modeling tools, Reed advises. Not everyone is on ECC 5.0 or 6.0, which is pretty much what you'd need to get into this on the SAP side, but you can still pick up a lot of useful knowledge by playing around with similar technology outside the SAP world.

Check back on Monday for our final part of this series to learn what disruptive innovators do and how you can become one!

Matt Danielsson
Editor

New SAP Job roles: Repository Keepers

What is the next career step for classic Basis people? How can ABAPers avoid outsourcing? Part of the answer can be found in the four new SAP job roles Shai Agassi outlined in his TechEd keynote speech last month: consolidators, repository keepers, composers and disruptive innovators. How do these new roles tie into the current SAP ecosystem? How do you position yourself for the career sweet spot a year or two in the future? Here's the second part in a series of four where we discuss exactly what these roles mean and how to get your foot in the foor.

Repository Keepers
The core of a good SOA strategy is tight control of a central repository of Web services. Keeping vital metadata in the central repository is a prerequisite for the previously mentioned consolidators to do their jobs.

For example, take a CRM solution. The metadata must be stored in the repository in a way that makes sense in the long term. That means you can do a product and define a set of services that a company needs at a certain pint in time. But the next day, someone will say 'that's great, but I need some tweaks made to fit my job function better' and just like that, he or she creates a duplicate of that service. More will soon follow, and that's the point where you start backpedaling towards chaos.

To keep things running smoothly, the company needs people that can create and maintain the repository in a way that is consistent yet flexible enough to last for the long haul. That's a tricky balancing act, but those who can pull it off will be very valuable players on the IT team.

"The repository keepers are kind of like the keepers of the crown jewels," Inbar said.

A good repository keeper must have very deep understanding of the meta data and must also have a firm grip on exactly how the applications are being used across multiple departments throughout the company. Simply put, you need to be intimately familiar with both the business processes and the technology architecture to excel in this role.

"SAP is really emphasizing master data and metadata as a way to make sure data is structured consistently in the company," Reed said. "That idea is a core aspect of NetWeaver, but for the job itself it depends a lot on the size of the company and the number of Web services they're running."

As with consolidators, Reed doesn't expect to see "Repository Keeper" to show up as a de facto job title anytime soon, but he points out that this has good potential as an evolutionary skill to learn. As companies grow and expand their services, the need for a central control person grows accordingly.

As a rule, Reed feels that this kind of role favors those with technical rather than functional skills.

"As we move forward, you will see people already involved in the creation and management of Web services get pulled into repository keeping," he said. "MDM/BW workers and some developers are also well-positioned for jumping on this bandwagon."

Stay tuned for more information on composers tomorrow.

Matt Danielsson
Editor