SAP RISE: Is there a role for a customer’s basis team?
SAP customers realise that SAP RISE is not a ‘drive away, no more to pay’ IaaS/SaaS offering. They are also becoming more aware of their own roles and responsibilities in the management and operations of their subscribed systems. For example, the idea that the basis team can be scaled way back or even eliminated is no longer entertained. It is quite well understood now that many basis responsibilities remain with the customer.
*Note: SAP RISE Private Edition is now simply called SAP RISE. The public cloud version is SAP GROW.
RISE Roles and Responsibilities
SAP’s Roles and Responsibilities document outlines what SAP operations and infrastructure tasks are included, what are optional, and what aren’t in a standard RISE agreement.
Although most activities that aren’t included can be included as an additional purchased SAP Cloud Application Service (CAS), they remain the customer’s responsibility. The customer can contract SAP to include them, contract with an external MSP, or carry out these tasks with internal resources.
Many of these are SAP basis activities.
You can view and download the document from the SAP S/4HANA, and ERP Cloud Services Documentation web-site. RISE with SAP S_4HANA Cloud, private edition and SAP ERP, tailored option Roles and Responsibilities.
RISE SAP Basis Activities
Although the standard SAP Roles and Responsibilities document clearly states what tasks are included, the details of these tasks are not so clear.
The same goes for the CAS packages. The CAS descriptions could be more specific, and what can be included needs to be clarified.
Nevertheless, several areas remain the customer’s own basis team’s responsibility.
Security patch management
SAP will apply critical security patches (CVSS 8 or 9+), but only those that can be automatically applied. The customer is responsible for any additional remediation, any non-critical patches, and testing.
TMS and transport migration
The customer SAP basis team is responsible for migrating transports and related matters. The internal basis team is also responsible for RFC management.
System refresh
The customer’s SAP basis team is responsible for all but the database copy and some of the preparatory tasks.
However, especially in complex environments, the customer’s basis team may have to prepare for these tasks to ensure the preparation is performed correctly.
The customer’s basis team is responsible for pre and post-refresh activities.
System monitoring
The customer SAP basis team is responsible for system monitoring. The customer is responsible for memory management, sizing, and capacity planning.
Roles & authorizations
User role management is the customer’s responsibility. Often basis are involved in roles management.
The Unexpected
SAP basis engineers working on the customer side report a wide range of unexpected outcomes.
For example, without access to the OS a task that would normally take 10 – 20 minutes now requires a ticket, a wait time, and often hand holding to be completed.
Another unexpected outcome reported is often working with the SAP RISE basis consultants to instruct and handhold. It seems, in the worst case, senior experienced SAP basis engineers are required to keep an eye on and even guide and direct the junior RISE basis engineers supplied by the MSP hired by SAP to run your RISE systems.
Third-Party Automation
A range of third-party automation tools can assist. These tools reduce reliance on basis resources, ensure faster turnaround times, and guarantee consistent outcomes. Automation tools will continue to play a role, especially within RISE installations.
We recommend the following:
SAP system refresh automation
- Libelle SystemCopy from Libelle AG
System monitoring
- IT Conductor from IT-Conductor Inc.
- Avantra from Avantra
TMS/Transport migration
- Rev-Trac from Rev-Trac
- ActiveControl from Basis Technologies
Roles and authorisations
- setQ from VOQUZ Labs
- Soterion from Soterion
Security
- smarterSec SAP security Platform from smarterSec
About us.
Leg Up Software is an expert in SAP IT operational and infrastructure software automation solutions, including those that support SAP basis activities.
We know the SAP operations and infrastructure automation solutions landscape and have already done the legwork identifying the best available solutions.
We have excellent relationships with many software vendors, including those providing automated SAP vulnerability analysis mentioned here, and can negotiate an evaluation process that best suits your circumstances and budget.
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