SAP Cloud Platform (previously called HANA Cloud Platform) makes it possible to develop and run SAP HANA applications in the cloud. With this platform as a service (PaaS) product, companies can not only create their own HANA applications, but also integrate existing applications, both on-premises and in the cloud, with other SAP or third-party environments.
The SAP Cloud Platform was initially developed as Project River, which allowed developers to access the HANA database on demand without a large initial investment.
This is part of our series of articles about SAP on Azure.
In this article, you will learn:
SAP Cloud Platform can be useful for improving communication between different departments of a company and making use of new data streams. For example, in the manufacturing industry, the platform can connect IoT sensors to the rest of the ERP to make better use of data and improve service quality and performance.
SAP Cloud Platform can also be used to develop new mobile applications and enable mobile integration of existing applications. Apple developers can use the platform’s iOS SDK, and leverage the ongoing partnership between SAP and Apple, to develop business applications for Apple devices based on SAP technology.
SAP Cloud Platform also provides a convenient user interface for business analysts, allowing them to create advanced workflows, manage projects, use machine learning algorithms, and analyze big data using Hadoop.
Related content: read our guide to SAP HANA architecture
Here are three common business use cases for the SAP Cloud Platform.
The SAP Cloud Platform authentication service supports end-to-end security for business applications. It supports authentication methods such as SAML, client certificates, username and password, and OAuth.
This lets you build applications with complete identity lifecycle management both on-premises and in the cloud, or create dedicated services for authentication, single sign-on (SSO), registration, or password reset.
Microservices applications can deal with application errors without interrupting service to users, and without requiring intensive manual maintenance. SAP Cloud Platform can help you build secure, flexible cloud applications, reducing frequency of errors and maintenance overhead.
Examples of applications you can build are enterprise messaging systems, applications using multiple languages or technology platforms, hybrid applications integrating cloud and local systems, and trust/authorization systems.
SAP Cloud Platform provides built-in computer vision capabilities, allowing you to analyze image or video data without needing to train models or integrate third-party platforms. Common uses of this capability include:
SAP Cloud Platform provides two services that enable integration and customization of SAP HANA applications.
The Integration Suite lets you connect SAP Cloud Platform applications to processes, systems and data across the enterprise. Key features include:
The Extension Suite lets you create application extensions, which extend existing applications, automate routine repetitive tasks, and leverage ready-made business services developed internally by SAP. All this without disrupting workflows of core business applications.
You can also apply agile development techniques to manage the entire lifecycle of an application from development to deployment. Use low-code tools to simplify development, and provide professional developers with the ability to use familiar tools and frameworks.
Here are best practices you can use when starting a development project with SAP Cloud Platform.
Related content: 5 Ways Cloud Teams Can Ensure Successful SAP Migration and Management
Before you start developing applications, make sure you have taken care of the following:
The SAP Cloud Platform provides powerful development tools you can use to build your applications:
Once you develop and deploy an application using the SAP Cloud Platform, you need to ensure it is running correctly. The platform provides several ways to monitor application uptime and performance, including monitoring tools built into the SAP Cloud Platform, integrations with third-party monitoring services, and SAP operations management tools like SAP Solution Manager and Focused Run.
Azure NetApp Files is a Microsoft Azure file storage service built on NetApp technology, giving you the file capabilities in Azure even your core business applications require.
Get enterprise-grade data management and storage to Azure so you can manage your workloads and applications with ease, and move all of your file-based applications to the cloud.
Azure NetApp Files is certified to work with SAP HANA and solves availability and performance challenges for your production landscapes.
With built-in enterprise data management capabilities, Azure NetApp Files lowers your business risk profile and reduces the time to backup and recover your database in the case of data center disruptions or disaster. Azure NetApp Files can accelerate SAP HANA deployments, reduce costs and development/testing projects, and provide increased agility for your business processes.