SAP® Migration Services

Supporting you through business and technology change

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Introduction 3

Supporting business change 4

MIGRATE 8

Harnessing technology developments 10

The benefits of working with Absoft 11

Contents

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Absoft’s SAP® Migration Services are designed to help you meet the challenges of business change and technology development in an SAP context.

Introduction

Absoft has worked with SAP software for more than a decade. As installations have become increasingly widespread over the years, we have been called upon regularly by customers to determine solutions to system related implications of major business change, such as mergers and acquisitions, and the inadequacies of ageing hardware. These solutions have included merging or separating existing SAP systems or moving a system to a new platform.

Based on considerable experience gained in these areas, Absoft has developed a set of methodologies and tools which we can apply to similar requirements of this type – under the banner of SAP Migration Services.

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“Absoft has played a critical role in easing the transition of NSAF to new ownership by solving our system issues and allowing us to continue to use a world class business system. Even though we have a user base of just 10, Absoft delivered a SAP solution ideal for our needs that will provide robust support NSAF’s business into the future.”Mike Thornton, Director & General Manager, NSAF Ltd

The very nature of SAP dictates that it becomes woven into the fabric of an organisation – providing the very foundation and framework for its business processes. Consequently, in the event of a divestment of one part of an organisation, the requirement to decouple the system can be a daunting prospect. Similarly, after an acquisition, there can be difficulties in merging an existing SAP system from one company to another SAP landscape or migrating the data from a legacy system to SAP.

Business change at this level creates serious implications for information systems and requires carefully engineered solutions that will support rather than hinder the achievement of benefits sought from the original business transaction.

Where SAP software is involved in this type of scenario, Absoft can draw on extensive experience of such situations to determine and deliver a workable solution that meets your needs going forward and minimises any potential, unforeseen problems.

Mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs and buyouts are commonplace in today’s business environment. These processes are frequently complex and fraught with obstacles, but it’s arguably only after a deal is agreed that organisations have to face the hardest task - dealing with the practical aspects of change.

Supporting business change

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System separation

In circumstances where an organisation which uses SAP divests itself of part of its operation, whether via a management buyout or a sale to a third party, a system separation project can be undertaken to allow the business being sold to run its own SAP system. Absoft addresses this requirement in the following steps:

• Review of the current SAP processes and definition of requirements going forward

• Definition of scope of new SAP solution

• Development of project plan

• Design of new SAP solution

• Installation and configuration of new SAP solution (using configuration copy where possible)

• Identification of live and historical data to be migrated from the old system to the new

• Archiving of older, unused or redundant data

• Data migration phase 1 – dry run using test client

• Extensive testing and reconfiguration where necessary

• Data migration phase 2 – test client

• Detailed documentation

• User training

• User acceptance and go-live – production client

Solution benefits

• Continuity of operations – good customer and supplier relationships, as well as users

• No staff re-training required – cost contentment

• Opportunity to introduce business process enhancements to suit the new organisation

• Leveraging existing investment made in SAP

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Supporting business change

System merger

In situations where two organisations merge, either one or both uses SAP and it is agreed that SAP is the platform to retain for the new company going forward, a system merger project can be undertaken. Once the ‘lead’ system has been selected, Absoft addresses this scenario with the following steps:

• Review of current SAP processes and definition of requirements going forward

• Review of current processes and definition of requirements for change in ‘lead’ system, where required

• Development of project plan

• Reconfiguration of ‘lead’ system, where required

• Identification of live and historical data to be migrated from the old system to the new

• Data migration phase 1 – dry run using test client

• Extensive testing and reconfiguration where necessary

• Data migration phase 2 - test client

• Detailed documentation

• User training

• User acceptance and go-live – production client

Solutions benefits

• Integration of data across the enterprise

• Standardisation of data types across the enterprise

• Standardisation of processes across the enterprise

• No costly interfaces to third party systems

• A single system to support and maintain on a common platform – leading to lower costs

• Leveraging existing investment made in SAP

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“Absoft have helped us to get more from our SAP system by engineering the platform migration. It is easy to focus on functionality, but this experience has shown that it is equally important to take into account the technical stuff behind the applications. Luckily, Absoft have the skills to handle both areas. This is a powerful mix – and it plays a big part in our rationale for working with them.”Shaun Gerry, Finance Manager, Calders & Grandidge (Saint-Gobain Building Distribution Ltd)

Asset disposal or acquisition

It is becoming increasingly frequent in today’s complex business environment for companies to acquire or dispose of assets, as well as entire businesses. These assets are accounted for and appear ‘on the books’ of the seller and need to be transferred to the IT systems of the purchaser. Whether it is the seller or the buyer that runs an SAP system – or both – this is a potentially costly and complex procedure, depending upon the nature and number of assets being moved.

Absoft can assist in making the transition of these assets between SAP systems or from or to an SAP environment substantially easier, drawing on real project experience, gained primarily from our work supporting transfer of large and complex assets in the North Sea oil industry.

The steps involved in this type of project are as follows:

• Identification of assets being acquired/ disposed of within the SAP system

• Object understanding and knowledge transfer

• Preparation for data migration to target system e.g. data cleansing and/or archiving

• Data migration from or to an SAP system

• Detailed documentation

• User training

• User acceptance and go-live – production client

Solutions benefits

• Integration of data on new assets or clean removal of data on disposed assets

• Assurance that all relevant data on assets has been transferred

• Fully trained staff, comfortable with the migration process and end result

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Manage

Effective data migration management, project planning and monitoring, effective communication.

Interpret

Identifying key business drivers and data sources.

Gather

Compiling information about data for migration planning.

Realise

Development and use of toolkits for electronic migration.

Audit

Data purging, cleansing and enrichment.

Test

Comprehensive data validation.

Execute

Upload, go-live and on-going data maintenance.

Absoft’s methodology is called MIGRATE, which stands for:

Manage, Interpret, Gather, Realise, Audit, Test, Execute

MIGRATE

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Absoft has developed a business-orientated approach to the successful migration of data which is relevant to system separation/ merger and asset disposal/ acquisition scenarios described in this brochure. MIGRATE has been developed on the premise that data belongs to the business, not the IT department - and that users from all relevant business areas should play a role in data migration activities. The direct involvement of the business in these migration projects is essential to the creation of the best possible foundation for the resulting system.

MIGRATE benefits

Increased user buy-in

The user/ business focus of MIGRATE and its ability to deliver quality data allows for effective testing educational activities, which serves to enhance user buy-in to the new system.

Greater productivity

Because MIGRATE is rooted in the involvement of the business and system users, it contributes directly to the success of your project. Well educated users who are keen to take ownership of the new system become productive quickly and the positive impact of the system is soon apparent.

Faster ROI

The power combination of accurate data and productive users is a key factor in delivering high levels of performance and a rapid return on your investment.

Realisation of data value

An organisation’s data is perhaps its most valuable asses. The disciplined approach of MIGRATE delivers effective data migration, ensuring the preservation and easy maintenance of data going forward – giving you the opportunity to leverage that data to your competitive advantage.

Low data maintenance costs

The delivery of quality data at go-live facilities follow-on data maintenance activities and helps you to keep operational costs under control.

Improved project control

By managing data migration efficiently and effectively, you reduce project risks and allow a greater level of control – which helps you to achieve on time and on budget project delivery.

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Harnessing technology developments

A further aspects of Absoft’s SAP Migration Services relates to landscape migrations – designed to allow you to keep pace with technology change and take advantage of developments in hardware, software and infrastructure.

Landscape migration

In circumstances where ageing hardware needs to be replaced and/ or there is a need to change to an alternative database platform for your SAP system, Absoft provides a complete migration service to take you smoothly from your old platform to your new landscape of choice.

Our service includes the following:

• Review of current SAP landscape and re-design where appropriate

• Specification of new hardware

• Procurement of quotations

• Procurements of hardware

• Complete system setup including hardware, operating system, database, SAP product, backup, restore and disaster recovery

• Implementation

Solutions benefits

• Improvements in system performance – derived from new hardware and optimum system reconfiguration

• Enhanced user satisfaction and productivity levels – resulting from improved system performance

• Optimum system reconfiguration and setup based on Absoft experience and best practice

• Speed and smoothness of transition to new platform using standard SAP tools and procedures

• Lower total cost of ownership

• New, more reliable hardware requires less maintenance and is fully supported for parts and configuration

• Rationalisation of infrastructure, potentially leading to the implementation of a smaller footprint, thus freeing up valuable space

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The benefits of working with Absoft

Delivering, developing and supporting SAP solutions is the focus of Absoft’s business. We have worked with SAP software for over a decade and have built up an impressive team of SAP specialists, offering an extensive range of skills to clients.

Successful track record

Absoft has been involved in numerous SAP projects since R/3 was released in the early 1990’s. We have successfully undertaken many data migration projects in a wide variety of environments – including integration and separation projects, as well as platform migrations. Our data migration methodology MIGRATE is proven, built on years of SAP project experience.

Speed and accuracy of implementation

Absoft aims to help you achieve any of the migrations discussed here with maximum effect and minimum business interruption. The combined strengths of our MIGRATE methodology, existing toolkit and successful track record, enable us to address these complex projects swiftly and accurately, speeding up the process of change and limiting the potentially adverse impact on staff and business operations, ensuring a successful end result.

Skills, understanding & know how

Absoft consultants understand, from working in similar situations, the criticality of achieving any of the migration projects described here as quickly and painlessly as possible. Absoft provides the full range of skills – including project management – required to undertake successful migration projects, using SAP consultants from our functional and technical teams.

In addition you can take advantage of Absoft’s long term experience and support of multiple platforms and databases i.e. SQL server, Oracle, Informix, Windows, UNIX, Sun, HP, Compaq, Dell, AS/400.

Complementary services

Absoft can provide on or off site training services – using your own data – thus effecting an easier transition to new working practices, Absoft also offers access to a full range of SAP services – from solution design and implementation to on-going support and development.

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T. +44 (0)1224 707088 E. info@absoft.co.uk W. www.absoft.co.uk

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Call Absoft on +44 (0)1224 707088 or visit www.absoft.co.uk for more information.