
Replacing existing technology is rarely a simple process. You need a coherent business case, quantifiable benefits, and a thorough assessment of what changes make sense for your business.
For example, if you currently use SAP ECC on premises, your hardware will need to be upgraded in accordance with standard refresh intervals. More significantly, ECC will eventually need upgrading as SAP support ends in 2025. If, when, and how to migrate to SAP S/4HANA is a business discussion, not just a technology discussion. Fortunately, it can be done in small steps. NTT DATA Business Solutions can help you to map out an ERP journey aligned to your business strategy. We work as your advocate to determine what makes sense to do now and what makes more sense to delay or adapt in the future.
Developing a roadmap for ERP in your organisation
Software vendors often race to sell you new product features, but it is far more important to focus on how it is going to support and enable your business success. You need time and support to really consider where you are today, where you need to head, and a logical time frame to achieve that. NTT DATA Business Solutions can help you to articulate what your business journey might mean for your ERP environment and a logical sequence over time to implement any required changes. That clear path ahead can save you significant time, heartache and money.
Assessing when your ERP hardware will approach end of life
A key consideration for your ERP road map is the state of your underlying storage and network infrastructure:
- Stick with your existing infrastructure – If you have relatively new on premises storage and network infrastructure, it may well serve your needs to stick with on-premises ERP as SAP will support it through to 2025. What you need is a considered plan for the years ahead and help to optimise ERP outcomes from your existing infrastructure.
- Explore future moves to the cloud – If your network and storage infrastructure on-premises is aging, it may make more sense to accelerate your consideration of SAP HANA and SAP S/4HANA cloud options. One size fits all does not make sense. NTT DATA Business Solutions can help you to find the answer that’s right for you
Recognising that using SAP is not unique, but your organisation is
The fact that you use SAP ERP capabilities is not unique. As the largest reseller of SAP licences globally, we also know that everything else about your business is unique. Why should you upgrade your ERP unless you can see a clear business case? Understanding that difference is critical to ensure that your ERP decisions enable your business strategy and not the other way around. Then, we can work with you to assess your views on SAP S/4HANA, and what your broader cloud strategy looks like.
Deciding if, and when to re-platform for future ERP needs
In the past, SAP upgrades were just that – upgrades. SAP HANA and SAP S/4HANA change all of that because they require a decision to re-platform as well, not just upgrade. It’s a bigger decision and one that requires careful consideration. It is also a logical prompting point for self-analysis of your business requirements. NTT DATA Business Solutions can help you to make that assessment. If, and when you do decide to move to a cloud platform, NTT DATA Business Solutions can help you to move to your own private cloud, an NTT cloud or public cloud providers.
preparing for re-platforming with system and data optimisation
It’s a lot easier to be agile when you are lean. Optimising your database landscape is the first key step to any re-platform, and one that will provide immediate gains. Optimised databases not only reduce the cost of licensing, but also ongoing platform and operating costs. Not all data is created equally – a smart data-tiering strategy understands that there is more business value placed in some information over others, so it makes sense to not invest equally across all data management requirements.
If you are re-platforming to SAP S/4HANA, is your licensing optimal?
Moving to public or hybrid cloud offers the benefits of a consumption model for ERP, but you need to be smart. Just because you have 9TB of database now, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need 9TB. True modernisation requires smart analysis, not a one-for-one ‘lift and shift’ to the cloud. Why pay for what you don’t need? NTT DATA Business Solutions can help with database configuration and data rationalisation, which may reduce your cloud requirements and resulting licencing costs by 30-50%.
If your ERP is evolving, should your operating model change too?
If you are making the decision to modernise or re-platform your ERP, it makes sense to evaluate your operating model at the same time. That evaluation will depend on the unique characteristics of your business. If an operating model review is on your radar, NTT DATA Business Solutions can provide an end-to-end ERP managed solution in the cloud. In this scenario, you can choose to consume not only cloud storage and networking as a service, but also ERP as a service.

Why NTT DATA Business Solutions?
NTT DATA Business Solutions is unique. We have the global size, the IP and the specialist expertise to succeed with your SAP ERP. The NTT DATA Business Solutions Group, including itelligence, forms the largest global reseller of SAP licenses. Globally, we provide services to over 5000 SAP customers and operate ten dedicated SAP Hosting Centres. We are a Platinum SAP partner.
Our Global SAP Implementation Methodology driven by the Global NTT DATA One Method Centre of Excellence enables us to provide highly tailored solutions within a robust global methodology. We provide ERP design, implementation, and support on any platform, on-premises or on cloud. Our proven methodology enables us to minimise risk and maximise outcomes for your ERP environment built on a global centre of excellence, global standards, strong process layer and proven tools and templates.
For more information, contact NTT DATA Business solutions today.

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