Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Four Hundred Stuff--SAP on the iSeries: No Longer the "Best Kept Secret"?
Four Hundred Stuff--SAP on the iSeries: No Longer the "Best Kept Secret"?: "While SAP on the iSeries numbers are trending up, they still trail the pSeries installs by a fairly significant margin, according to Koerner, who's also in charge of the SAP relationship as it pertains to the AIX server. And while Unix used to be the favored platform for all SAP implementations, Unix installs now pale in comparison to SAP's business on Windows, which make up by far the majority of SAP implementations. HP, for example, recently boasted of more than 50,000 SAP installations, most of which it obtained in its acquisition of Compaq's Windows-based server business.
There is also the fact that practically all SAP implementations are going to require at least one Microsoft Windows Server running SQL Server, as some modules only run on Windows and SQL Server. 'There are some SAP modules that are not supported on OS/400 native. But that's the same for Unix based,' Koerner says. 'Some of the SAP modules required the SQL database running on Windows Intel only. It's no problem for the iSeries customer because we support the Windows application by either using the IXS or attaching the System x server to a system i box.'
Despite these hurdles, the prognosis of SAP on the iSeries is good, Koerner says. 'Yes, it is more difficult. But I think SAP has done a lot of work over the last one-and-a-half to two years to improve their reputation,' he says. Hopefully, the work will dispel the reputation of SAP on the iSeries as the best kept secret in business software. "
There is also the fact that practically all SAP implementations are going to require at least one Microsoft Windows Server running SQL Server, as some modules only run on Windows and SQL Server. 'There are some SAP modules that are not supported on OS/400 native. But that's the same for Unix based,' Koerner says. 'Some of the SAP modules required the SQL database running on Windows Intel only. It's no problem for the iSeries customer because we support the Windows application by either using the IXS or attaching the System x server to a system i box.'
Despite these hurdles, the prognosis of SAP on the iSeries is good, Koerner says. 'Yes, it is more difficult. But I think SAP has done a lot of work over the last one-and-a-half to two years to improve their reputation,' he says. Hopefully, the work will dispel the reputation of SAP on the iSeries as the best kept secret in business software. "
