For businesses running SAP systems, data accumulates over time, often reaching vast volumes. This data can become a burden, hindering system performance, increasing storage costs, and complicating compliance adherence. In these cases, SAP data archival emerges as a powerful solution, enabling organizations to achieve significant benefits.
This blog delves into the transformative journey of one of our clients who embarked on an SAP data archival project with Platform 3 Solutions. We’ll explore their vision, the challenges encountered, the project scope, our innovative SAP Data Archiving Solution, and the remarkable results achieved.
The Client’s Goal: Vision and Immediate Objectives
A renowned global apparel and footwear company collaborated with Platform 3 Solutions in 2020 to initiate its transformative Enterprise Data Archiving Modernization Program. This program focused on optimizing SAP data archival across its various systems.
The client’s immediate goals were:
- Decommissioning their legacy SAP ERP 4.6C system and migrating data to a new HANA environment
- Reducing their data footprint by archiving historical and inactive data
- Improving system performance and scalability for enhanced user experience and future growth
- Enhancing data governance and compliance by implementing stricter access controls and audit trails
This strategic initiative has yielded impressive results, including the successful implementation of several key projects within their SAP landscape.
These projects have not only improved data archiving but have also paved the way for further enhancements in their Polaris and Genesis systems, as part of the ongoing Phase 10 activities.
Challenges Faced During SAP Data Archival Process
Like many organizations, the client faced several challenges during their data archival project:
- Volume and complexity of data: Managing and archiving a massive amount of complex SAP data required specialized expertise and efficient tools.
- Integration with existing systems: Ensuring seamless integration of the archival solution with their existing SAP landscape was crucial for project success.
- Performance considerations: Minimizing any potential impact on the live SAP system during archiving was essential.
Decommissioning SAP ERP 4.6C
One of the critical milestones was the decommissioning of SAP ERP 4.6C, a legacy system that had served the client for years. This decision arose due to the divestiture of specific brands to another company and the migration of active brands to a newer version of SAP.
Platform 3 Solutions efficiently extracted data from SAP 4.6C using the Archon platform and a custom-developed SAP connector. This extracted data was subsequently migrated to the Archon Data Store (ADS) with a focus on legal compliance. Within ADS, critical reports were developed for viewing, ensuring continued access to valuable information.
SAP ERP Live Archiving Projects
Building upon the success of the SAP 4.6C decommissioning project, Platform 3 Solutions was entrusted with live archiving projects for other SAP systems, including:
- SAP 6.5 C Live Archiving (Acadia) as part of Phase 7
- S/4 HANA (SAP ERP) Live Archiving (Polaris) as part of Phase 8
- SAP 6.5 running on HANA DB Live archiving (Genesis) as part of Phase 9
- Additional archiving objects in S/4 HANA (SAP ERP) and SAP 6.5 systems as part of Phase 10
SAP Data Archival – Project Scope
These projects involved a comprehensive feasibility study and the implementation of end-to-end archiving solutions based on the analysis of high-growth tables and the largest tables across various workstreams like Basis, PTP, OTC, FICO, and PM objects.
During the analysis phase, the team identified the top-growing and largest tables, performed TAANA analysis for data population across archive objects, and evaluated the potential impact on integrated applications due to the archiving solutions. Standard archive objects were then identified based on functional application processes.
In total, 32 archiving objects were qualified for archiving for Acadia, and 10 archiving objects each were identified for both Polaris and Genesis systems.
SAP Data Archival Strategy
A structured approach underpinned the strategy for archiving these objects. Variants were created per month and fiscal year to facilitate efficient data retrieval and analysis. The archiving of objects followed a specific sequence to ensure smooth execution of the archiving process.
Platform 3 Solutions’ Archon Data Store (ADS)
Platform 3 Solutions’ Archon Data Store is a unified and compliant data management platform. This powerful tool consolidates all the data in a central location, eradicating data silos and providing a holistic view of organizational information. Through seamless integration of data engineering, analytics, data science, and machine learning, Archon Data Store streamlines data management processes, ensuring compliance and enabling a comprehensive approach.
SAP Live Archiving Process Flow
An SAP connector served as the bridge between the SAP system and the ADS repository, enabling efficient data archiving. The standard SAP live archiving process involved retrieving archived data stored in a compressed format, primarily accessible through SAP-delivered methods and the Archive Explorer (SARA/SARI).
Benefits of SAP Data Archival
The client realized substantial benefits through their SAP data archival project, including:
- Avoided expensive storage purchases: By archiving inactive data, the client significantly reduced storage requirements, leading to cost savings.
- Optimized Scalability to Address Data Growth Projections: The project enabled efficient data management, allowing the client to accommodate future data growth without infrastructure limitations.
- Implemented efficient archiving plans: The structured approach and automation capabilities ensured efficient and timely data archiving.
- Ensured compliance and user access: Stricter access controls and audit trails enhanced data governance and compliance, while archived data remained readily accessible to authorized users.
Best Practices for SAP Data Archival
The success of these archiving projects was made possible through the implementation of several best practices.
- Conduct Thorough Technical Analysis:
- Analyze data growth trends and identify high-growth tables.
- Evaluate the impact of archiving on integrated applications.
- Assess the feasibility of archiving different objects based on business needs.
- Map Tables to Archive Objects:
- Identify standard archive objects aligned with functional processes.
- Map tables to appropriate archive objects for optimized storage and retrieval.
- Define clear criteria for data selection and archiving schedules.
- Research SAP OSS Notes:
- Stay updated with the latest SAP recommendations and best practices for data archiving.
- Leverage SAP OSS notes to address specific challenges and configuration issues.
- Consult SAP experts for guidance and support when necessary.
- Analyze SAP Database Yearly:
- Regularly evaluate the database to identify new data archiving opportunities.
- Monitor performance metrics and resource utilization to ensure efficient data management.
- Proactively address any issues or potential bottlenecks before they impact system performance.
Conclusion
Our client’s journey with Platform 3 Solutions demonstrates the transformative power of effective data archiving and management processes. Through a collaborative approach, structured methodology, and adherence to best practices, the client successfully modernized their data archiving process, unlocking significant benefits and setting the stage for future success. This story serves as a testament to the value of partnering with experienced professionals in navigating the complexities of SAP data archiving.
Ready to unlock the potential of your data?
Contact Platform 3 Solutions today to explore our data archiving solutions and discover how we can help you achieve remarkable results.
Leverage our expertise to:
- Streamline your SAP data archiving processes.
- Reduce storage costs and optimize resource utilization.
- Address data growth effectively and ensure future scalability.
- Enhance data governance and compliance.
Unleash the power of your data and transform your SAP landscape with Platform 3 Solutions.