Implementing regulatory requirements: Basic support keeps the SAP landscape "healthy"

At the same time, however, the SAP system landscape must be maintained and secured, known as basic support. SAP Basis refers to the IT structure on which an SAP system is based. The task of SAP Basis is to ensure the trouble-free operation of the SAP systems in the company. In the energy industry, this can often no longer be achieved by the company's own employees, as they are increasingly retiring and there is a lack of young talent. External help is required.

SAP partner Cortility has been offering SAP Basis Support for some time now. A team takes care of the core components of the SAP landscape. These services are independent of the system location and hosting, which can be provided in the customer's own data center or externally. The range of services extends from temporary support for the customer team to assuming overall responsibility.

The experienced SAP Basis support team knows the specific challenges and offers customized solutions to meet the growing requirements. The development and implementation of automation solutions ensures more efficient processes when monitoring the system landscape, regular system copies or industry-specific processes at application level. This enables existing SAP customers to save time and money and free up resources for important tasks.

There are four components of SAP Basis support

The four building blocks of Cortility SAP Basis Support are: SAP Technology Consulting, Software Lifecycle Management, SAP Operations and SAP Security.

With SAP technology consulting, the SAP partner provides support for digital transformation, be it process automation with RPA, the creation of digital training materials with SAP Enable Now, migration to S/4 Hana or integration into the SAP cloud, such as Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP), Analytics Cloud or Cloud ALM.

The effective administration of the software lifecycle is essential for the smooth operation of the SAP system landscape. With the Software Lifecycle Management module, Cortility provides support for all classic topics such as SAP installations, upgrades, updates, database migrations or (automated) system and client copies.

Monitoring the SAP system landscape is crucial in order to always achieve high performance and avoid system failures. With the SAP Operations module, the Basis team offers solutions for system, performance and interface monitoring. SAP Cloud ALM (Application Lifecycle Management) is increasingly being used here as a successor solution to SAP Solution Manager (SolMan). Regular system checks provide a "health status" of the SAP components so that potential problems can be proactively identified and rectified.
With SAP Security, the Cortility team supports existing SAP customers not only in the selection and implementation of relevant security instructions at database and application server level, but also, for example, in the configuration of secure, encrypted communication between systems (SAP/non-SAP), single sign-on or IT auditing of relevant topics such as the implementation of a security audit log or a password policy.

Critical infrastructure protection

The SAP Basis and technology services not only ensure continuous availability, they also optimize and update the SAP systems, which often form the digital core and therefore the backbone of industry-specific services, and they enable efficient monitoring of your SAP IS-U, core systems or market communication, for example.

Companies with critical infrastructures in particular are often the target of cyber attacks aimed at stealing sensitive information or disrupting operations. While security updates for operating systems, such as Windows and Linux servers, are often the focus of attention, vulnerabilities on database and application servers are often fixed too late or not at all.

The SAP Basis department provides support in the selection and implementation of database updates and relevant Abap and Java security notes. By regularly implementing these patches, existing SAP customers can significantly reduce the risk of successful attacks. "This reduces the risk of business interruptions, which not only have financial consequences but also damage a company's reputation," says André Schäuble, Team Leader SAP Basis and Business Expert SAP Technology at Cortility. With the imminent end of mainstream maintenance for SAP Business Suite 7 by the end of 2027, the migration to S/4 Hana is gaining momentum. Basis Support provides support in the early phases of the S/4 transformation. It offers services for carrying out S/4 pre-checks.

This includes S/4 readiness checks, sizing, support with simplification checks and, for example, setting up the custom code migration app. In addition, customers are supported in the actual conversion to S/4 Hana, especially in the basic SAP topics.

"In October 2023, for example, we recently completed an S/4 Hana customer project at Energie Südbayern GmbH, where we were responsible for sub-project management and implementation of the SAP technology part," explains André Schäuble. "Together with other consulting firms, we successfully completed the project on time and went live as planned by the deadline."

Since then, the customer's S/4 Hana landscape has been successfully in operation and the Basis team continues to provide support. The Cortility modules SAP Lifecycle Management, SAP Operations and SAP Security ensure that the customer's S/4 Hana environment is continuously optimized, monitored and protected.

The team

The SAP Basis and Technology department was established in January 2022 with an innovative approach based on a balanced mix of many years of experience and fresh, technology-enthusiastic talent. The Basis team consists of experienced Basis and Technical experts who have developed their expertise and skills in the Utilities environment over many years, as well as up-and-coming SAP Basis Junior Consultants who are passionate and enthusiastic about new technologies. "Although we have only been on the market for a short time, we have already successfully supported a handful of customers. The response from customers to our service is always positive. In addition to our technical expertise, our commitment and proactive approach are particularly appreciated. This feedback has been underlined by success stories and customer experience reports, for example at our annual specialist conferences. Our primary aim is not to acquire as many customers as possible, but to build long-term and trusting business relationships through first-class service and high-quality services," says Sascha Dörr, Managing Director of Cortility.

cortility.com