SAP Implementation Unleashed: A Business And Technical Roadmap To Deploying SAP

DESCRIPTION

SAP Implementation Unleashed A Business and Technical Roadmap to Deploying SAP SAP can help you capture better information and deliver it more quickly, allowing you to make better decisions and maximize the business value of everything you do. However, SAP implementations require massive effort, total buy-in, and significant change throughout the organization. In SAP Implementation Unleashed, 10 expert SAP project managers, functional consultants, and technologists guide you through the entire journey, helping you avoid pain and pitfalls and gain all the benefits of SAP. The authors introduce start-to-finish business, technical, and project management roadmaps for successful SAP implementation. Then, drawing on their immense experience, they walk you through the entire process of planning and deploymentaddressing make-or-break issues and hidden gaps that other guidebooks ignore. You'll discover how to employ processes, models, and toolsets that help you achieve implementation excellence while systematically reducing cost and business risk. Along the way, you'll find actionable advice and real-world insight into innovative project management, best-suited leadership, effective load testing, contemporary infrastructure implementation, and more. Detailed Information on How To... Define the business vision driving your implementation, and use it to design your solution Use TCO techniques to fully understand SAP's financial impact in your organization Structure your SAP project management office, business teams, technical support organization, and overall project team Size, plan, and test your SAP infrastructure to deliver the best performance and availability at the best cost Integrate SAP into an SOA environment Install and configure SAP Business Suite and NetWeaver components Perform basic functional configuration, testing, and change management activities Enable a smooth transition by successfully performing the critical tasks that immediately precede SAP Go-Live Choose the right mix of tools and applications to test, manage, and monitor SAP Prepare your SAP Operations team for its post-implementation responsibilities Table of Contents Introduction Part I: Setting the Stage Chapter 1 What It Means to Implement SAP Welcome to SAP Implementation The Changing Business and IT Landscape One-Stop SAP Shopping An Unbiased View Why Implement SAP: Enabling Innovation Our Take on "Best Practices" Common Practices The Four Priorities of an SAP Implementation A Primer on SAP AG and SAP A History Lesson SAP Business Suite Components: The Big Picture How to Speak SAP: Terms and Terminology SAP NetWeaver: Enabling Business Solutions SAP Component Naming Conventions Roadmaps to SAP Implementation Business Roadmap Technology Roadmap Project Management Roadmap Summary Case Study: Getting on the Same Page Chapter 2 SAP Projects: Characteristics and Themes What Does an SAP Implementation Look Like? SAP Implementation: It's All About the Business Tactical Reasons for Implementing SAP Strategic Reasons for Implementing SAP Application Integration Improved Operational Reporting Improved Strategic Reporting Flexible Business Process Support How SAP Has Benefited Customers in the Real World ProjectManagement Considerations Promoting Buy-in Throughout the Company Determining Realistic Service Levels Estimating ROI Early in the Game The Importance of a Methodology Pinning Down the Initial Implementation Budget Establishing the General Structure and Roles of the Steering Committee Pushing Business Unit Buy-in Identifying Major Milestones Architecture Considerations SAP Enterprise Architecture Framework SAP NetWeaver Platform Technical Considerations and Constraints The SAP System Landscape Giving Attention to Change Control Establishing the SAP Support Organization Less Than Successful SAP Implementations Summary Case Study: Assessing a Project's Chances for Success Chapter 3 Business Vision Addressing Strategic Business Needs Key Business Drivers Must Haves and More Understanding Organizational Change Strategies Lewin's Unfreeze/Refreeze Change Model Burke-Litwin Organization Change and Performance Model Orlikowski and Hofman's Improvisational Change Model for ERP Addressing Operational Strategy: Guiding Principles Access Strategy Capacity or Applications On Demand Strategy Data Services Strategy Information Technology Location Strategy Tackling Technology Strategy Summary Case Study: A Business Vision Discussion Chapter 4 ERP Solution Vision What Is an ERP Solution Vision? Business Impact Technology Perspectives SAP Component and Other Considerations SAP System Landscape Requirements Business Application Tenets Marrying Solutions to Computing Platform Standards SAP System Landscape Dimensions and Characteristics Simplifying Your SAP System Landscape High Availability and the SAP System Landscape Disaster Recovery Considerations Addressing Training Requirements The Performance-Driven System Landscape Driving Scalability into Your System Landscape The TCO-Driven System Landscape Infrastructure Security Considerations Manageability Considerations The System Landscape and Accessibility ERP Solution Vision and IT Outsourcing Prerequisites of IT Outsourcing Potential Benefits of Outsourcing SAP Infrastructure Shortcomings of Outsourcing in the Real World Analyzing Outsourcing Versus Doing It Yourself Hosting Providers for SAP Summary Case Study: Developing Your ERP Solution Vision Chapter 5 Financial Impact: Total Cost of Ownership Analyzing Total Cost of Ownership How Solution Vision Drives TCO The Impact of High Availability Requirements Disaster Recovery Requirements That Drive TCO Performance Requirements and TCO How Scalability Impacts Total Cost Other SAP Solution Vision Drivers Lowering TCO Through the SAP Technology Stack Standardization and Total Cost of Ownership Server Considerations Disk Subsystem Hardware Dimensions Operating System TCO Relational Database TCO SAP Application Layer Costs Upgrading the Technology Stack Other SAP Technology Stack TCO Considerations Lowering TCO Through People and Processes Attracting and Retaining Support Staff Maintenance Costs Financing Options Operations and Systems Management Costs TCO Risk Factors....