SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain

SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain allows to create and expand easily business solutions using blockchain technologies, such as Hyperledger Fabric and MultiChain.

As of June, 2018, about 65 companies participate in global joint a blockchain initiative of SAP to help clients to use opportunities a blockchain for increase in transparency and security of supply chains in the most different industries, such as transport, pharmaceutics, food industry.

2018: SAP created consortium for development of cloud blockchains-applications

In August, 2018 SAP announced creation of consortium for development of cloud blockchains-applications. The created software is intended for tracking of movement of goods — from their creation before deliveries by producers.

The organized SAP consortium included seven companies, including Intel, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), UPS and Airbus. They integrated in creation of a global automated system of deliveries.

SAP created consortium for development of cloud blockchains-applications. It included Intel, HPE and Airbus

For acceleration of this process SAP involved in cooperation of 16 companies clients representing the different industries (production, pharmaceutics, information technologies, logistics, etc.). Among them — Maple Leaf Foods, Johnsonville, Naturipe Farms, Tate & Lyle and Natura. All these companies test the SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain platform which is offered as service (blockchain-as-a-service, BaaS) and provides the abstraction layer supporting open standards and the built-in mechanisms of integration with SAP applications, ComputerWorld tells.

As the president of division of SAP Supply Chain and Manufacturing Challah Zayn (Hala Zeine), clients of SAP using a cloud platform told the edition can select a pilot blockchain project and start it at itself. Further customers will be able to use API interfaces for connection to a blockchain network of other solutions, such as SAP Hana system.

Clients of SAP at first are connected to the cloud applicaions, and then connect them to a blockchain platform as an option which they can activate — she noted.

SAP polled the cloud clients using a blockchain and reported that 92% from them see the potential for business in technology, and 63% of respondents consider application of a blockchain together with Internet of Things the most perspective project for a supply chain.

In September, 2018 SAP will meet consortium members to make "road map" for application development based on SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain. In total SAP cooperates with 65 companies within joint projects on development a blockchain innovations. All of them pursue one very important aim — to help clients to implement with production and a supply channel a blockchain products which will improve transparency, security and collaborations in such industries as transport, pharmaceutics and food.

According to the associate professor of faculty of computer sciences of the University Carnegie-Mellon of Vipul Goya, many companies are interested in use of a blockchain for creation of more effective work flow, however applications for supply chain management are one of most "big and lethal".

The developer of IoT-sensors and software for their monitoring of Modum joined the center of the innovative developments of SAP (Innovation Center Network) to integrate the data arriving from sensors about a blockchain service of SAP. For example, if it is necessary to maintain a certain storage temperature of medicines, in the course of deliveries data from sensors every time are loaded into the unchangeable distributed register from where interested persons can browse information.

According to forecasts of analysts of Juniper Research, the total quantity of the sensors and devices connected to Internet of Things in the world will grow from 21 billion in 2018 to 50 billion to the 2022nd. At such variety the blockchain has high potential thanks to the concept of the protected network which does not need the central server. It is especially important for pharmaceutical industry where counterfeits because of which people can suffer are widespread.

As by August, 2018 tracking of IoT-sensors in a blockchain network it is fully not implemented yet, boxes with medicines should have barcodes which can be scanned in a blockchain tracker of SAP, Challah Zayn reported.^[1]

2017

SAP provided a cloud blockchain service in Russia

In August, 2017 SAP told in Russia about the new service - SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain implemented as a part of the SAP Leonardo platform. The company studies different scenarios of use of a blockchain together with clients of SAP, the head of the center of examination for solutions for the financial industry in SAP CIS Mikhail Loginov told TAdviser.

So far new service works as a prototype. Representatives of SAP meet clients, tell them about the platform and its opportunities, and look for possible scenarios of use of a blockchain which can be implemented afterwards in a cloud as service.

We carry out joint workshops with clients. The client sounds a task which, according to him, can be implemented by means of a blockchain. We estimate whether really it is the scenario for a blockchain, using several test criteria then we develop the scenario of implementation and we create a pilot prototype. According to notes of the customer we make to him changes, - Loginov tells.

The solutions which are used in SAP Leonardo Blockchain

Among pilot a blockchain projects with foreign clients to SAP provide the scenario of use of this technology for implementation of the international payments (together with the Canadian and German banks ATB Financial and ReiseBank), for management of bonded loans Deloitte (together with), in the Southern Tyrol (Italy) for simplification of manual authentication of documents by employees of state institutions, for observance of policy of KYC (Know Your Customer — know the client) in banks.

According to the representative of SAP, for the present did not reach commercial use of prototypes. He in a conversation with TAdviser could not specify future model of sales of ready services and the price.

So far such scenarios it is worked out only with foreign clients, but in SAP calculate that projects for study and with the Russian customers soon will appear.

Mikhail Loginov also told TAdviser that in the Russian data center is not going to deploy this SAP service so far: it is connected with the fact that personal data of citizens are not involved in the scenarios of a blockchain used so far, he explained.

Experiments with a blockchain in Russia independently and with partners conduct many companies, but most of them is in a stage of prototypes so far, Loginov notes. Technological capabilities for use of a blockchain exist, however its more large-scale application is slowed down by insufficient study of a regulatory framework in this area, he considers.

World announcement of the solution

In May, 2017 SAP announced the cloud service of SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain allowing the companies to create, test, develop and share ready a solutions blockchain for different business challenges.

SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain will extend on model a blockchain as service (Blockchain-as-a-Service, BaaS). SAP says that the new service allows to create a blockchain nodes and to manage them thanks to what the clients not familiar with a blockchain can develop simple test applications and connect them to the systems to check technology potential. The interested companies can be registered in the program of joint innovations of SAP for cooperation and creation of joint solutions.

SAP provided service for creation of blokeyn-applications in a cloud

SAP notes that technologies which are built in SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain will help users to simplify and optimize processes with a large number of participants.

SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain became a part of the SAP Leonardo platform including also services for Internet of Things and Big Data, analytics, machine learning. All these technologies are united in one ecosystem in which they are also included a blockchain-SAP solution. Integration with SAP Leonardo will expand possibilities of a blockchain in the corporate sector, says the German software maker.

SAP — the active supporter of blockchain technologies. The company stood at the origins of the Blockchain Research Institute organization and is a premium project participant of Hyperledger. The Hyperledger platform, by the way, formed the basis of SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain service.^[2]

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