RISE with SAP under the microscope: What companies really need to know

RISE with SAP is an offering developed by SAP that supports companies in modernising their IT landscapes. It includes the SAP S/4HANA Cloud as the centrepiece and also offers a wide range of services, such as consulting for the adaptation of business processes, technical upgrades and managed services for the operation of the solution. By migrating to the cloud, RISE with SAP enables a high degree of flexibility and scalability to respond quickly to changing market conditions. Companies can optimise their business processes more quickly. However, successful implementation requires careful planning and consideration of specific company requirements.

Digital transformation is a must for many companies in order to remain competitive. With RISE with SAP, SAP offers a comprehensive solution for migrating existing on-premise ERP systems to the cloud and modernising business processes at the same time. However, although RISE with SAP is marketed as an "all-round carefree package", a key question remains unanswered for many customers: Who will take on the day-to-day SAP Basis tasks?"

In this blog, find out more about the hurdles involved in implementing RISE with SAP and what it means for companies in practice.

The reality for RISE with SAP customers: More personal responsibility than expected

Many companies that rely on RISE with SAP expect SAP to take on the majority of the technical tasks. In practice, however, it is clear that SAP Basis tasks still have to be carried out to a considerable extent by customers' internal IT teams.

RISE-with-SAP customers remain responsible for critical tasks such as:

• System monitoring
• Updates and patches
• Performance optimisation
• Security

Even after migration to the cloud, these tasks can either be commissioned as additional chargeable services from SAP, covered internally or purchased from a managed service provider.

"Optional services", "additional services" and "Cloud Application Services (CAS)" - what SAP offers in addition to the standard services

As part of the RISE with SAP offering, SAP offers various service categories that go beyond the standard services.

Here is an overview of the most important services for RISE with SAP customers:

Standard services:

The service catalogue of standard services is very large and, as a prospective customer for RISE with SAP, it is important to work out in advance which services are provided by SAP as standard, but also which restrictions apply to these.

In general, the standard services can be summarised as follows:

1. Infrastructure Management
   SAP has sovereignty over the infrastructure of the systems and therefore also over the operating system. Many services, such as automated monitoring or the analysis of SAP short dumps, are restricted to the infrastructure as standard.
2. Software and support
   This has always been the domain of SAP. Nevertheless, it is important to check exactly which SLAs are contractually agreed and how support is provided by SAP. The more you scrutinise here, the fewer surprises you will experience during operation!
3. Database management
   SAP is fully responsible for managing the SAP HANA database. This applies to both patching and database upgrades.
4. Security services
   Customers receive data encryption and security updates as standard. However, customers need to take a close look at the security updates in particular. For example, SAP Security Notes are only included for the SAP Basis, but not for the application. Security patches for the operating system are also completely excluded and must be installed by the customer themselves or a service provider of their choice.
5. Backup services
   These services are managed entirely by SAP.

Optional services

Optional services are not included in the standard services and cannot be covered by Cloud Application Services (CAS).

For customers, this means:

• You can select these services additionally if required
• Additional fees apply
• The services must be contractually agreed separately
• Only SAP can provide these services

Additional services

Additional services include one-off tasks that are not covered by the standard or optional services or CAS.

The following applies to customers:

• They can be selected as required
• Additional costs are incurred
• Only SAP can perform these services

SAP Cloud Application Services (CAS)

CAS are supplementary services that are available at an additional cost.

Important for customers:

• SAP Cloud Application Services can be provided proactively or reactively by SAP
• They do not cover any expansion, downsizing or modification of the existing customer landscape
• Customers must perform many tasks themselves if they do not use the service offering

Customer responsibilities

Despite the comprehensive service offering, many tasks remain the responsibility of the customer:

• Reviewing and analysing the relevant tasks for their IT environment
• Selecting the required services in coordination with SAP experts
• Fulfilling the responsibilities described in the SAP Roles&Responsibilty Matrix
• Provision of sufficient specialists and resources
• Set-up and maintenance of the infrastructure for support requests
• Timely processing of requests for non-SAP product support

Not least, it is important for prospective RISE-with-SAP customers to intensively study the service catalogue comprising around 1.500 services in the service catalogue before signing the contract. It is also important to take a close look at the standard services, which supposedly provide comprehensive coverage of the necessary basic tasks, and to harmonise the frequent limitations of the standard services with your own requirements.

Examples of standard services and their limitations

• System monitoring: Does not include the monitoring of solutions, customer configuration, interfaces, connections and jobs
• ABAP dumps: Only dumps within SAP's area of responsibility are analysed and rectified; application problems remain the responsibility of the customer
• Batch jobs: Restricted to SAP standard jobs, no application jobs
• SAP Security Notes: Restricted to SAP basis, no security notes related to the application in the standard

The examples listed show that it is important to know what restrictions there are in the standard services and to evaluate which additional services still need to be added in order to achieve complete coverage of customer requirements.

In addition to the SAP service offerings mentioned above, it is also important to look at the tasks excluded by SAP in the service catalogue. For example, it states that SAP only initially provides the Linux operating systems it supplies with the latest security patches. After that, the customer is responsible for updating the security patches on the operating system!

From technician to service manager: the new role of SAP administrators

Another aspect that is often overlooked is the change in the field of activity of SAP administrators. While they used to be deeply involved in technical tasks, their main task after the migration is often to create and maintain tickets to SAP. These tickets are used to communicate with SAP support and are necessary to solve problems in the ERP system or make adjustments.

For many administrators, however, this does not meet their professional expectations. Instead of dealing with technical challenges, they now spend a large part of their time on formal communication processes. This often leads to frustration and a feeling of alienation from their actual work.

Why ticket-based communication with SAP is frustrating

Another aspect that is often cited as a disadvantage of RISE with SAP is the ticket-based communication with SAP support. This form of interaction is perceived by many customers as impersonal and time-consuming:

• Slow response times: Companies report delays in processing their tickets. This can affect operations and lead to longer downtimes.
• Lack of transparency: The ticket system feels like a black box for many customers. It is often unclear where exactly a problem lies - whether in their own systems or in SAP's cloud infrastructure.
• Language barriers: In some cases, only English-speaking SAP support employees are available, which can lead to misunderstandings - especially in the case of complex technical problems.
• Changing SAP support employees: If tickets on the same topic are processed by different support employees, this leads to inadequate processing of tasks due to a lack of exchange and insufficient handover at the end of work.

Mood from the community

In various online forums and discussion platforms such as Reddit and the German-speaking SAP user group (DSAG), the picture regarding RISE with SAP is mixed. Many users report challenges during implementation and daily operation. Frequently mentioned points are:

• Unclear responsibilities between SAP and the customer
• Frustration about the limited flexibility for individual customisations
• Concerns about long-term cost development
• Positive experiences with the improved performance and scalability

These sentiments underline the need for careful planning and realistic expectations when deciding on RISE with SAP.

Consulting and customised solutions

In view of these challenges, many companies are looking for alternatives or complementary services to SAP's CAS services. Claranet offers not only technical support from experienced experts, but also personalised consulting to work with customers to determine the best solution for their specific requirements.

Claranet attaches particular importance to:

• Clear communication without purely formal processes
• The possibility of a direct exchange with personal contacts
• Flexibility for individual requirements beyond standardised solutions

Ready for the next step?

RISE with SAP is more than just a technology - it's a transformation. But the implementation harbours many questions: Who takes on which tasks? How do I ensure smooth operation?

Also bear in mind that the change from "owner to tenant" creates long-term dependencies that need to be carefully considered.

We can help you answer these questions. With our expertise and comprehensive services, we will accompany you on your journey to the cloud and ensure a successful implementation of RISE with SAP.

Arrange a personalised consultation and discover our RISE-with-SAP packages.