A 24/7 secure SAP environment: How BGE is enhancing operational reliability and reducing internal workload with Claranet Managed Services

The SAP landscape of the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE) has become significantly more important in recent years. As the systems have been modernised, SAP S/4HANA has been expanded and the number of users has grown, so too have the demands on availability, security and operational stability.

Claranet has been supporting the BGE in this regard since 2015, initially on an ad hoc basis with technical SAP projects, such as database migrations, kernel replacements, SAP patches or operating system updates. This project-based support gradually evolved into a robust partnership. Today, Claranet plays a significantly more comprehensive role for BGE through its SAP Managed Services, supporting the company in securing its business-critical SAP systems around the clock.

“Our SAP landscape has become vastly more important. We realised that we needed a partner who could truly support us round the clock. In the event of high-severity security vulnerabilities, Claranet proactively contacts us – immediately, depending on the severity – and takes the appropriate measures to address the issue. This significantly enhances our level of security.”

Dr Mark Althans, Head of SAP, BGE

SAP HCM migration to SAP S/4HANA in four months

With the successful go-live of SAP S/4HANA, BGE had reached an important milestone in the modernisation of its corporate IT. The next step was to focus on the HR department: the existing SAP HCM environment, based on SAP ERP 6.0, was to be migrated to SAP S/4HANA (“H4S4”). At the same time, the SAP Fiori environment was to be integrated more closely into the target architecture. BGE decided to undertake the technical implementation in collaboration with Claranet.

The migration of the SAP HCM environment to SAP S/4HANA followed a structured, tried-and-tested approach:

• Step 1: Conversion of the sandbox environment
• Step 2: Migration of the development and quality assurance systems
• Step 3: Switchover of the production system over a weekend (go-live)
• Step 4: Business unit testing and stabilisation

In total, the project, including business unit testing, took four months to complete. For BGE, this was a decisive step, as it placed the SAP HCM environment on a future-proof technological footing.

Technical complexity: SAP Fiori integration, gateway decommissioning, virtualisation

From a technical perspective, the actual brownfield migration went smoothly. Additional complexity arose from parallel measures:

• Integration of the SAP Fiori environment into the target SAP S/4HANA architecture
• Decommissioning of the gateway server
• Virtualisation of the infrastructure

In particular, integrating the SAP Fiori environment into the target architecture within SAP S/4HANA proved to be challenging. Certain SAP Fiori configurations, particularly port authorisations, could not be transported and therefore had to be replicated manually in both the quality and production systems. This resulted in additional work during the production weekend and also led to critical feedback from BGE. Crucially, however, Claranet responded quickly following an escalation and worked with BGE to find a solution: “Finding a solution – not always smoothly, but always in a spirit of partnership – is ultimately what matters when problems arise,” says Dr Mark Althans, SAP Group Leader at BGE.

24/7 operation for 2,500 SAP users

Alongside the technical modernisation, a second issue came to the fore at BGE: the future operation of the SAP landscape. The company’s systems are divided into two lines: one for traditional ERP areas such as finance, controlling, procurement, maintenance and materials management, and a second for human resources. A small SAP team led by Group Manager Dr Mark Althans and SAP System Administrator Frank Tessmann is responsible for both areas.

Rise in users from 300 to 2,500 necessitates a 24/7 operating model

With the introduction of time recording in SAP HCM for all staff, the number of SAP users rose rapidly from around 300 to approximately 2,500 across eight sites. It therefore became clear that 24/7 operation could not be sustainably maintained using internal resources alone.

The company sought a partner capable of reliably supporting operations with defined services, 24/7 support and clear service level agreements. Following a Europe-wide tender process, the contract was awarded to Claranet on the basis of the most cost-effective bid. This marked the start of the next phase in the partnership’s development: from a project partner providing sporadic support to a comprehensive managed services partner for the on-premises SAP systems.

Reduced day-to-day workload and increased operational reliability

With the appointment of Claranet, support for the SAP landscape at BGE was significantly expanded. The systems continue to run on the company’s own infrastructure (VMware on-premises). Claranet takes over key operational tasks. Essentially, the SAP Managed Services comprise:

• Daily system checks and performance monitoring
• Administrative interventions by the Claranet team
• 24/7 monitoring of the SAP landscape and resolution of faults, even outside business hours, with SLA-guaranteed response times
• Proactive security patch management

For BGE, this means one thing above all: the SAP landscape is kept under constant surveillance even when no one from the SAP team is available. This not only enhances operational stability but also significantly reduces the workload on the in-house team.

Frank Tessmann sums it up pragmatically: “We can usually relax and enjoy the weekend. If there are any problems with the SAP systems, Claranet takes care of it.”

Security patches in under two hours: measurably greater security for critical SAP systems

Just how much the operating model has changed is particularly evident when it comes to dealing with critical SAP security advisories:

• Previously: internal effort of one to two working days per month for analysing, prioritising, testing and implementing SAP security advisories
• Today: Claranet continuously monitors SAP security advisories and proactively contacts us regarding critical issues – often within around two hours of publication
• In cases of high criticality: securing the entire SAP landscape within two to three days
• Result: The in-house team regularly saves one to two working days per month, and the systems are secured

Real-world test: SAP systems restored in under one working day following a data centre outage

The importance of a robust 24/7 operating model became apparent during several major disruptions in the data centre environment. In one instance, a power cut meant that neither internet access nor internal communications were available. Dr Mark Althans picked up his mobile and rang Claranet’s support hotline.

• Personal response from Claranet within around 30 minutes
• A jointly agreed, step-by-step restart of the SAP systems
• Total recovery time: less than one working day

It is precisely in such exceptional situations that the value of SAP Managed Services becomes particularly clear: not only during normal operations, but also in the event of a fault, a well-coordinated partner is on hand who can react quickly and take responsibility.

Dedicated contacts, direct communication: no waiting queues, no call status messages

Anyone who calls Claranet – and Frank Tessmann does so regularly – does not hear an automated menu or end up in an anonymous queue. This is no coincidence, but a matter of philosophy. “We’re not just a number here. With very large service providers, you quickly become just one of many. At Claranet, we’re recognised; there are dedicated contacts and short lines of communication.”

Both sides emphasise that the collaboration works well. Anne Bender, Senior Systems Engineer for SAP Managed Services at Claranet, also describes the interaction with BGE as very straightforward and based on partnership. “The collaboration is very direct and collegial. Nowadays, even the application team at BGE approach me directly.”

Both sides openly acknowledge that things don’t always run smoothly. However, even where there has been friction in individual projects, the key has always been that problems were clearly identified and resolved swiftly.

Anne Bender says: “We communicate openly and honestly. And our principle is this: once we’ve taken on a task, BGE can rely on it being completed.”

“Claranet is an extension of our own team. Not a service provider you have to chase up, but a partner you can rely on.”

Dr Mark Althans, SAP Team Leader, BGE

Roadmap: Upgrade to SAP S/4HANA 2025, SAP Cloud ALM and strategic cloud preparation

The next projects are already planned. Before the end of this year, the ERP system landscape is to be upgraded from SAP S/4HANA 2021 to SAP S/4HANA 2025. Claranet is supporting this technical migration. Also on the agenda are:

• H4S4 upgrade: planned for next year following the roll-out of SAP Payroll
• Replacement of SAP Solution Manager – which will reach end-of-support in 2027 – with SAP Cloud ALM
• Replacement of Adobe Document Service with a new solution

Long-term infrastructure strategy: on-premises, hybrid or cloud?

Furthermore, BGE is addressing a more fundamental question: how should the infrastructure be developed in the medium and long term? The company currently operates its SAP landscape on VMware on-premises, which is a sensible solution at present given data protection, information security and the company’s specific public role.

At the latest when SAP S/4HANA reaches the end of its support in 2040, and in light of developments surrounding RISE with SAP, BGE will need to examine future operating models more closely. The initial focus is on establishing a clear direction. The focus is on scenarios that are still future-oriented today, such as ‘lift-and-shift’ models for the existing on-premises infrastructure, hybrid approaches or, in the long term, possible cloud options.

It is important for BGE to be able to think through such issues at an early stage. Claranet brings experience in various operating models to the table and supports BGE as a discussion and advisory partner in categorising and realistically assessing the options.

“We need to start mentally preparing for the cloud now, even if the decision is still years away. It’s good that we have a partner who can show us the options, rather than waiting until the last minute.”

Dr Mark Althans, SAP Team Leader, BGE

Measurable benefits at a glance

For BGE, the collaboration with Claranet has paid off in several ways. What began as ad hoc project support has evolved into an operational model that combines stability, security and reduced workload.

The key results:

• SAP HCM migration to SAP S/4HANA in four months
• 24/7 protection of business-critical SAP systems
• Response to critical security alerts in under two hours
• Securing the SAP landscape in cases of high criticality within two to three days
• System recovery following outages in under one working day

For companies with small SAP teams and high demands on availability and security, the example of BGE demonstrates how SAP Managed Services can stabilise operations, increase the speed of response to security threats and specifically relieve the burden on internal resources, without having to give up their own infrastructure.