SAP S/4HANA

The main articles are:

• MES Systems - Features and Benefits
• ERP (TAdviser definition)

S/4HANA is an enterprise resource planning system with a simplified Fiori user interface. The cloud version of the SAP S/4Hana data platform is designed to implement hybrid scenarios using both cloud applications and applications running on the client hardware platform.

2025: Critical vulnerability found in SAP S/4HANA to penetrate system

FSTEC in early April warned of the discovery of a critical vulnerability BDU:2025-04231^[1] in the SAP S/4HANA platform, which received a hazard rating of 9.9 out of 10 according to the CVSS method. The description of the vulnerability is included in the April set of company updates. It is recommended to install the patches released in this package as quickly as possible.

The vulnerability is BDU:2025-04231 related to incorrect code generation control when processing the Remote Function Call (RFC) protocol. The error allows you to embed code in the internal ABAP language into a remote function call without going through the authentication procedure. According to SAP itself, this allows outsiders to set a bookmark and completely compromise the system. The vulnerability is present in versions S4CORE from version 102 to 108. However, so far no information has been found about the presence of an exploit for this vulnerability.

SAP products, including HANA, still occupy a significant place in the IT landscape of Russian business, "reminded TAdviser Mikhail Pryshlyak, Commercial Director of MD Audit. - According to various estimates, so far not all companies have been able to completely switch to domestic counterparts. But there is a positive trend: domestic ERP systems are actively developing, interest in cloud solutions in this area is growing.

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Фото: Freepik

However, a database management system that can fully function in memory, such as SAP S/4HANA, which is also integrated with the ERP system, has no complete analogues in the Russian market. Therefore, migration from it to domestic solutions can worsen the work of the client company.

The SAP system, including HANA, is still one of the key ERP platforms, even despite the imposed sanctions restrictions, "Daniil Chernov, author of Solar appScreener, told TAdviser. - After 2022, some Russian companies switched to domestic ERP systems, but the migration process takes a lot of time. Despite the restrictions, customers continue to purchase through proxy companies, so SAP HANA is still one of the massively used systems in Russia.

However, when supplying software through intermediaries, the likelihood of an attack through the supply chain greatly increases: specific bookmarks can be built into such solutions. Therefore, FSTEC recommends installing updates only from trusted sources. If the source of the program code is untrusted, then such fixes should first be carefully checked.

Projects with HANA are rare in Russia, says Andrey Michkin, head of the integrated architecture department at Cloud Networks. - Mass application is not possible, since there are relatively few such installations. However, the vulnerability still poses a certain risk to companies operating this DBMS, especially if the attacker is inside the company's perimeter. Further complicating the situation is the fact that IT services were extremely wary of updating such systems in the best years.

At the same time, SAP HANA databases usually contain valuable corporate information, so the DBMS itself can be the target of malicious activities of attackers within the corporate infrastructure.

Based on indirect information and expert analytics, it is possible to estimate the share of SAP HANA in the total database market at about 5-7%, including SAP S/4HANA - about 1-1.5%, - Alexey Kubarev, Director of Information Security, T1 Cloud and T1 Integration, estimated the spread of a vulnerable product for TAdviser. - Given the low prevalence of the product on the Russian market, as well as the fact that compromising the system still requires user privileges, mass use of this vulnerability is unlikely.

At the same time, companies that still continue to use SAP HANA must take a number of steps to protect their corporate data from leakage and loss. The convenience of the ABAP language, which allowed SAP solutions to take their position in the corporate market in Russia, can now play a cruel joke.

The use of built-in programming languages ​ ​ in products is a compromise between security and usability, "Alexander Samsonov, a leading expert in the Security Code development and testing department, told TAdviser readers. - Developers need to strictly control the execution of user code so that it does not disrupt the product and does not create threats to the entire system. To protect against possible vulnerabilities, it is recommended to use a set of measures. First, it is advisable to disable or restrict the execution of user code if this functionality is not used. Secondly, in order to minimize the risk and degree of impact of malicious actions on the entire system, it is recommended to use various security and control tools in the enterprise network, such as SIEM, EDR and others.

However, the SAP developers themselves have proposed a number of tools that allow you to control both the use of ABAP and the vulnerable RPC protocol.

In SAP HANA-based systems, it is extremely important to control RFC - Remote Function Call, a remote call to the function - Daniil Chernov recommended to TAdviser readers. - SAP has a built-in Access Control List (ACL), so you need to impose restrictions so that RFCs can only produce trusted systems. SAP also has an SAP Solution Manager module that audits code changes and can monitor anomalies. It is extremely important to allocate the HANA module to an isolated VLAN segment, to which access from the Internet is completely limited.

2022: Gartner: SAP fails client migration to cloud ERP system

In early November 2022, the results of a study were published, Gartner during which the effectiveness of the company's large-scale project SAP to transfer customers to the S/4HANA cloud ERP system was studied. It turned out that migration is not as simple as SAP and its partners expected.

S/4HANA was launched as a next-generation platform for enterprise applications. The system is based on a proprietary resident base. database While some users have switched to the platform, many have yet to migrate the applications on which their operations depend. According to to data Gartner, approximately 70% of SAP customers rely on ECC (ERP Central Component) and they just need to migrate to S/4HANA. Moreover, in 2020, SAP, under pressure from customers, extended support for Business Suite 7, which includes ECC, from 2025 to 2027.

According to analysts, SAP is failing the migration of customers to the cloud ERP system

A new study suggests that the main direction of the transition to S/4HANA is precisely the application of the cloud. At the same time, most S/4HANA systems transferred to the cloud remain experienced products that require testing and refinement.

{{quote "With the change in the architecture of S/4HANA applications compared to ECC, there is a transition from ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems to cloud services, where customizable ERPs are replaced by cloud alternatives. This is evidenced by the number of cloud testing and development environments S/4HANA, exceeding the number of local solutions, according to a Gartner report. }} Philip Dawson, vice president of Gartner Research, says that moving existing applications to the cloud is a Trojan horse: this approach provides some economic benefits, but leads to the loss of a number of business benefits. Thus, the transition to S/4HANA is still associated with infrastructure barriers in terms of optimization for the cloud, as well as issues of database size, transfer of service authority and configuration capabilities.

In early 2021, SAP announced the RISE with SAP program to simplify the migration of applications to the cloud, the subsequent transformation of the business and, ultimately, the change of architecture for the transition to S/4HANA. But Mr. Dawson notes that in fact, the RISE with SAP initiative not only did not reduce the complexity for customers, but also perhaps added another level.

Gartner released a study that examined the effectiveness of SAP's large-scale project to transfer customers to the cloud ERP system

Gartner points to commercial and infrastructure complexities, but commercial users will also have to see the business benefits of migrating to S/4HANA in the cloud. Since the individual features developed by enterprises over the years in ECC will not be transferred, companies will have to transform their business to work on the basis of S/4HANA. And the business case for such a complex procedure remains in question.

Gartner notes that SAP's strategy is to attract customers to S/4HANA in the public cloud, but it is likely that the company will also "continue to provide some of the additional options that developed global customers require."

Gartner customers point out that SAP's continued implementation of new commercial models based on S/4HANA can create confusion for existing and potential customers. It is difficult for corporate users to understand which options are available and which ones should be taken into account in terms of business process modernization. At the same time, SAP's financial results indicate that S/4HANA is being implemented at a record pace.^[2][3]

2021: At the heart of Accenture and SAP's collaborative cloud product

Accenture and SAP on April 22, 2021 announced the launch of a joint initiative to develop and market a cloud product that expands the functionality of the current SAP Intelligent Asset Management solution.

The planned capabilities are planned to be implemented on the basis of SAP Intelligent Asset Management and SAP S/4HANA solutions, taking the SAP Business Technology Platform as a basis. With flexibility and scalability in the cloud, these solutions will collect and aggregate real-time operational data from multiple sources, including IoT and hardware sensor data. Read more here.

2020

SAP Advanced Data Migration by Syniti for Fast Migration to SAP S/4HANA

On November 17, 2020, SAP CIS announced that SAP and Syniti are starting a collaboration to provide data migration services using SAP Advanced Data Migration by Syniti. SAP Advanced Data Migration by Syniti is designed to quickly and easily migrate to SAP S/4HANA both in-house and in the cloud. Read more here.

Certification of FSTEC of Russia

On September 7, 2020, SAP CIS announced that the Federal Service for Technical and Export Control (FSTEC of Russia) has certified SAP Marketing Cloud and SAP S/4HANA cloud solutions located in the local SAP data center. Read more here.

System support until 2040

In early February 2020, SAP promised support for the flagship ERP system SAP S/4HANA until 2040. At the same time, the main support for SAP Business Suite 7 products will be extended until the end of 2027, followed by additional support until the end of 2030.

If the customer needs longer support during the transition to SAP S/4HANA, it can be extended to three years - from the beginning of 2028 until the end of 2030, in which case the cost of services will increase by 2% of the price of existing service.

SAP promises support for flagship ERP system until 2040

Customers who do not decide on an enhanced support level until the end of 2027, but continue to use SAP Business Suite 7, will be automatically switched to a customer-specific service model. This option includes solving problems on known issues for an unchanged fee, SAP specified.

Long-term support for SAP S/4HANA and the extension of support for SAP Business Suite 7 provide customers with flexible options, they will help them decide on plans for the future more consciously and without any rush, "said Michael Kleinmeier, SAP Board Member and Head of SAP Digital Business Service.

By the end of 2019, the number of customers S/4 HANA increased by 24% compared to the same period in 2018 and exceeded 13,800. Approximately 40% of new customers in have not previously used SAP products.

According to one of the CEOs of SAP Christian Klein, SAP S/4HANA is becoming the core of digital transformation for customers who expect from the company long-term support for the solution on the basis of which the global restructuring of the business of many companies is taking place. A survey of user groups Americas "SAP Users" Group (ASUG) and German-Speaking User Group (DSAG) found that customer investment in SAP S/4HANA has increased significantly, he added.^[4]

2019

Microsoft Azure Cloud Availability

On December 5, 2019, Microsoft and SAP SE announced the conclusion of a large-scale 'Embrace' partnership agreement to jointly market SAP S/4HANA and SAP Cloud Platform products in the Microsoft Azure cloud - from concept development to sales organization. Its goal is to simplify all stages of platform upgrades and deployments. Read more here.

Zeroing Trial Period Fees

In May 2019, it became known that SAP partners will have access to a free 12-month trial period for using the S/4HANA Cloud and systems ERP. C/4HANA CRM Previously, testing and demonstration of the capabilities of the flagship products of the German company began with 5 thousand euros.

Members of the SAP PartnerEdge program can count on free access, who have at least three consultants certified for SAP S/4HANA Cloud and SAP C/4HANA programs.

SAP stopped taking money for testing ERP and CRM systems

According to TAdviser in the press service, the innovation also applies to the Russian market. It was announced at the SAP SapphireNow conference and was the most notable announcement for partners at this event, CRN notes.

We did not charge our sales specialists for the demonstration of products to customers, but this did not apply to partners. We didn't want that. We wanted our partners to be equipped in the same way as our own sales team when it comes to showing products for market promotion, "said SAP Partner Business Director Karl Fahrbach at SAP SapphireNow.

CRN partners welcomed the zeroing of fees for the S/4HANA Cloud ERP and C/4HANA CRM trial period and called it an important step for simplifying the development of solutions in the SAP software environment.

According to the director of marketing at Beyond Technologies (a "golden" partner of SAP, developing software with processes running on S/4HANA) Kurt Ramcharan, the paid trial period was "really very expensive and risky." Free access to C/4HANA Suite will open up new opportunities for Beyond Technologies, he is sure.

Karl Farbach says SAP has been hearing complaints from partners about outdated sales practices for several years. A free trial period of SAP S/4HANA Cloud and SAP C/4HANA will be introduced in the third quarter of 2019.^[5]

SAP will transfer the SAP S/4HANA Cloud solution to the Russian data center

SAP CIS announced in April 2019 the transfer of the SAP S/4HANA Cloud solution to the Russian data center, it will be available from May 2019. The SAP S/4HANA cloud platform will help Russian customers move from traditional ERP to a data-driven intelligent enterprise much faster and at a lower cost.

Cloud technology remains one of SAP's top business areas. The company, as a provider of a full cycle of cloud technologies and services, seeks to transfer the maximum of key solutions to the Russian data center. SAP is the only vendor in Russia with its own data center, since 2014 it has hosted SuccessFactors, Ariba, SAP IBP, the SAP Customers Experience product portfolio, and the SAP Cloud Platform.

In May 2019, the flagship SAP S/4HANA Cloud solution will be transferred to the data center, which will be deployed in the SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud (HEC) cloud infrastructure, certified in the class of 1G for IP and the second level of personal data protection.

2018

Integration with Rutoken EDS

On November 26, 2018, Aktiv announced that it had completed testing with SAP CIS that confirmed the compatibility of Rutoken EDS products with SAP systems. Read more here.

Availability of SAP Analytics Cloud Services

SAP announced on June 7, 2018 that SAP Analytics Cloud services are now embedded in SAP S/4 HANA Cloud in order to provide quick access to planning, implementation and analysis within a single system. Read more here.

Opportunities to integrate Finance and GRC into the company's ecosystem

2017

Release version 1709

On September 21, 2017, SAP announced the release of the next version of SAP S/4HANA - 1709. In the release of the ERP system, the functions of the SAP Leonardo Machine Learning service and predictive analytics have been added.

SAP S/4HANA is designed specifically to work with SAP HANA, an in-memory data processing platform for real-time business. Applications added in SAP S/4HANA 1709 provide direct access to analytics and business context, while simultaneously freeing up resources from routine tasks.

Among the applications added to SAP S/4HANA 1709:

• SAP Cash Application is an application that learns how to find parameter matches in a company's financial database in order to automatically connect accounts to incoming payments. This makes it possible to create more efficient common service centers and allows financiers to engage in strategic functions.
• SAP Fiori Contract Applications predict in advance the expiry of contracts or expiry dates for consumer goods. As a result of integration with SAP Predictive Analytics, users can now predict the end of contracts directly in the application and update the model with one click using their own data.

In addition, SAP S/4HANA 1709 introduced functions that meet the needs of individual industries - in particular, for the mining and grain processing industries, as well as for retail. At the same time, implementation for companies of any industry was simplified.

Among the functions of the system:

• Finance. The SAP Financial Closing service is a major part of SAP S/4HANA 1709, which will help users speed up the creation of business entities in accordance with the requirements of the law. Business users will be able to achieve greater transparency of financial transactions, as well as increase productivity by automating closing tasks and improving user experience.
• Supply chain. SAP continues the transformation of digital supply chains that it started in early versions: SAP Transportation Management is now integrated with the system. The combination of supply chain and production solutions allows you to control the entire process, from planning and forecasts to production, execution and transportation.
• Sales and marketing. Version 1709 will help companies coordinate billing, pricing, services and other customer-oriented processes depending on the strategically selected solution - on-premium or private cloud.
• Production. In version 1709, SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing became available. This service collects all functions and solutions for production, manufacture, operation, assembly into a single understandable solution, taking into account planning and operational business processes. Companies can now minimize gaps in the manufacturing process due to changes in routes, work instructions, and guidance by analyzing the impact of these actions on the manufacturing process. This uses real-time enterprise data.

SAP announces "next-generation intelligent ERP"

On February 10, 2017, SAP SE unveiled the latest developments for SAP S/4HANA Cloud and published an innovation roadmap for the cloud-based enterprise resource planning system. The new in-memory architecture is combined with context analytics, digital assistant functions, machine learning and the SAP Fiori user interface implemented in SAP S/4HANA Cloud. It enables customers to modify and customize business processes and models by taking action based on real-time data and recommendations.

SAP announces next-generation intelligent ERP system

The solution offers enterprises ready-to-use digital business features across industries and businesses, rapid deployment and payback, and low costs to move to the cloud. According to IDC forecasts, the market for business applications delivered using the SaaS model (software as a service) will grow by 17% annually and reach $103.9 billion by 2020, compared to $47.4 billion in 2015.

A few decades ago, SAP developed the world's first ERP system and became a leader in this area, says Darren Roos, president of SAP S/4HANA Cloud. - Then we were the first to develop an ERP cloud system. Many still use that first architecture, but SAP has not stopped there and is investing in a new generation of cloud products. SAP S/4HANA Cloud combines architecture and technology developments with proven SAP business management practices and is truly a next-generation intelligent ERP cloud system.

You can build a real-time business control solution based on the SAP HANA platform. SAP is responsible for managing major digital processes and fully integrating with the entire SAP portfolio, including SAP SuccessFactors solutions for human capital management, SAP Ariba for procurement, SAP Hybris for Customer Relations and Commerce, SAP Concur for Travel and Expense Management, and SAP Fieldglass for Service Procurement and External Personnel Management.

The new version of SAP S/4HANA Cloud enables faster digital transformation and increases the efficiency of business processes through increased transparency, automation and quality. The ERP cloud package includes the following solutions:

• SAP S/4HANA Professional Services Cloud for comprehensive project management;
• SAP S/4HANA Finance Cloud, an easy-to-use, state-of-the-art financial solution with procurement and order management that is suitable for large enterprises and branch offices;
• SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Management Cloud with Professional Services and Financial Management for full real-time business control.

SAP also presented a roadmap for future ERP innovations. The quarterly updates planned by SAP will affect the setting, which will become more intelligent, will receive support for machine learning and artificial intelligence. There will also be system-populated fields, additional integration capabilities between clouds, and external application programming interfaces (APIs) for merging with other applications and older systems.

In addition, SAP shared ideas for embedding blockchain-based digital register features and IoT features that will provide broader digital business models, as well as plans for partnerships to develop localization and extensions across industry verticals.

• Bimodal Development Model: Business Processes + Innovation
• Common technology core for all solutions - SAP HANA
• Extended digital core S4\HANA - not only ERP
• Modern technologies: big data, machine learning, blockchain...
• Single Analytical Platform

Transforming Core Business Processes

From static processes to dynamic solutions

• Planning: From MRPII to multi-level integrated planning
• Quality Management: From product and process control to predictive analytics and prescriptive actions
• Equipment maintenance: From scheduled preventive repairs to repairs based on the technical condition of the equipment and predictive repairs
• Execution of operations: From regulations and personnel records to health and safety monitoring
• Inventory Management: From Standardized Levels to Dynamic Inventory Management
• Analytics: From routine reporting to real-time performance monitoring, predictive and predictive analytics

2016

SAP S/4HANA 1610

On November 8, 2016, SAP announced the release of SAP S/4HANA 1610. A simplified data processing model, SAP Fiori 2.0 capabilities, pattern recognition, machine learning and other platform technologies are announced.

The updated platform was tested by more than 20 SAP customers in different countries, including two Russian ones. The companies appreciated the new industry functionality and supply chain management capabilities. This release assumes that you can switch to new business models, for example, production planning for a single sales order, as well as receive any operational reporting in real time. Andrey Goryainov, Deputy General Director of SAP CIS

SAP S/4HANA 1610 Overview – ON AIR with Rudolf Hois, (2016)

According to the vendor's press service, the upgraded SAP S/4HANA will help companies begin digital transformation, taking into account the specifics of the industry. S/4HANA 1610 includes two industries - IS Oil and IS Retail. For example, for retail, the ability to manage products has been expanded, and the transparency of business decision-making processes based on data from different sources has been increased.

Oil and gas customers have developed new functions for hydrocarbon product management, inventory planning and real-time supply chains.

As part of the release, the latest functionality of the SAP S/4HANA Finance solution. Companies will be able to transform their financial processes with a simplified IT landscape and fast access to detailed reporting in real time.

Innovations in supply chain management

The functionality of SAP S/4HANA 1610 helps:

• Check availability and supply planning
• improve the quality of customer service
• increase revenue.

For example, when planning deliveries, the system will warn of a possible shortage of products or indicate which market segments will be the most profitable.

Additional features include:

• checking availability of products;
• Inventory management: transparency of inventory, tracking of frozen processes, control of shelf life
• Material Requirements Planning (MRP in seconds)
• Advanced Warehouse Accounting Management (EWM as add on)
• management of occupational health, health and the environment.

2015

SAP S/4HANA as a Single Space

On October 12, 2015, Dmitry Shepelyavy, Deputy General Director of SAP CIS, spoke about the capabilities of ^[6] S/4HANA ERP system^[6].

According to the top manager, SAP S/4HANA, this version of the ERP system, was created on the advanced "in-memory" platform of the SAP HANA platform. SAP S/4HANA at another level solves current business problems, which were previously much more difficult to implement due to insufficient technology development or unreasonably high labor intensity. Difficulties familiar to many enterprises: slow formation of financial statements, a monetary position, a time-consuming and long closing cycle, inconvenient business planning tools that do not cope well with the task of rapid rescheduling, and others can be overcome by introducing a new platform.

In the SAPS/4HANA name, "S" means "Simple." This word, according to Dmitry Shepelyavy, characterizes the solution well: SAP S/4HANA is suitable for any business segment, it allows you to significantly simplify business processes, reduce the total cost of ownership of IT infrastructure and accelerate the main processes of the enterprise. When working with new interfaces, the labor intensity is halved - the number of fields being filled is reduced by 50%, and the number of clicks by the same amount. As well as a 90% reduction in the number of transitions between screens. The SAP Fiori interface used ensures that the system is available on any mobile device.

The system performs three main functions:

• greatly simplifies data modeling,
• changes the view of the SAP solutions user interface - now it is much simpler, more intuitive, screens are made for different roles and business tasks
• The product offers customers a platform to help review business processes and implement new ones to stay competitive in changing environments.

In the upcoming SAP ERP (EHP8) update, it will be possible to migrate and install SAPS/4HANA components in one step, Dmitry Shepelyavy noted, this will help customers reduce testing costs. SAP also has RDS (Rapid Deployment Solution) - predefined scenarios and sets of templates, documentation, end-user instructions to help reduce the cost of deploying the solution.

The vendor's specialists made the migration process as easy as possible for companies planning such a migration. For the user, the usual tables and standard transactions will look like before, but the content will radically change: the structure will be simplified, the data will be centralized and cleared of duplication.

Dmitry Shepelyavy said that Russia and the CIS are a strategically important region for SAP. The company is working to strengthen its position here and has concluded 40 transactions for the implementation of the platform in companies in the CIS. The first company to embark on the implementation of SAP S/4HANA is Georgian Railway.

SAP S/4HANA ERP system

On February 3, 2015, SAP announced ERP S/4HANA, the de facto heir to enterprise resource planning systems R/3 and SAP Business Suite with SAP's simplified Fiori^[7] user interface ^[7].

The system provides nondisruptive migration capabilities and a fast, memory-based data analysis engine. DBMS HANA The code of the system offered locally and as a service is rewritten and optimized for. SAP HANA

S/4HANA Interaction and Presentation Model, 2015

To facilitate the transition to S4/HANA, its cloud and local versions will be implemented with the old SAP user interface, and when users get used to it, they will be able to switch to Fiori.

During the demonstration of the HANA version of ERP, the analysis of 245 million lines of data on income and expenses for the Chinese branch of a hypothetical financial company took a matter of seconds, the company said during an event dedicated to the presentation of the product.

According to the company's speakers, the SaaS version of the system will be offered primarily to service enterprises. SAP, following the example of Salesforce, will develop cloud products addressed to those who are now using local systems.

Introduction of S/4HANA by Company Management - The Importance of S/4HANA, 2015

The cloud version of the S/4Hana supports both marketing and professional services tasks, as well as finance, accounting, cost accounting, supply, sales, equipment production and maintenance, product design and lifecycle management tasks. It includes a number of pre-configured methods for working with business processes. According to the plan, updates in the cloud version of the S/4Hana will be made quarterly.

Notes