Optimizing SAP S/4HANA Upgrades through Sum: The Role of Silent Data Migration (SDMI) in Downtime Reduction

Sankar Thambireddy; Venkata Ramana Reddy Bussu; Ramesh Mani

doi:10.15662/IJRAI.2024.0703004

Authors

Sankar Thambireddy Senior Technology Consultant, SAP America Inc., USA Author
Venkata Ramana Reddy Bussu Senior Cloud Solutions Engineer, CodeTech Inc (DTE Energy), USA Author
Ramesh Mani Consulting Director, Oxya, USA Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15662/IJRAI.2024.0703004

Keywords:

SAP S/4HANA migration, Downtime minimization, Seamless ERP upgrade, Business continuity, Digital transformation

Abstract

The modern digital enterprise is based on the use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions like SAP S/4HANA, which provides the ability to integrate processes, use data to make decisions, and be operationally responsive. System upgrades are vital as the organization grows in order to exploit new capabilities and stay supported by the vendors. Nevertheless, migration of old releases to high versions may cause a long duration of the software offline, which can have a devastating effect on business continuity. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive upgrade system of S/4HANA version 1809 to version 2021, with software downtime reduction as a fundamental goal. The technical methodologies that have been synthesized in the study include Near-Zero Downtime Maintenance (nZDM), Software Update Manager (SUM) optimization and sandbox migration runs with strategic business readiness tests to facilitate smooth adoption. The framework reduces business disruption during migration by integrating process design, technical validation, and business continuity planning. Utilizing a case-based model, the results demonstrate a reduction in downtime by as much as 65 percent relative to conventional approaches, while also enhancing cost-efficiency and system reliability. This study not only adds to academic literature but also to the practice pertinent to enterprises since it provides a systematic, evidence-based methodology that fits the requirements of the digital transformation and helps to sustain enterprise performance in the context of large-scale ERP migration. The paper also discusses Silent Data Migration (SDMI) a SUM-based platform (since SAP Release 1909) that converts application data in the background during system uptime, thus minimizing technical downtime in S/4HANA upgrades.

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