When it comes to considering the migration across to SAP HANA or S/4HANA, many businesses are hesitant due to the complicated nature of the process. However, given the potential that it has to save time and money through fast access to real-time data & analytics, and improved functionality – there simply shouldn’t be a reason to delay the migration.
Implementing an effective data management system is important as it is one of the most essential components when it comes to simplifying the move to SAP HANA.
Data management strategies can help to:
- Reduce the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
- Provide access to old/obsolete information and contacts
- Reduce the risk of failing compliance requirements
What does an effective SAP data management strategy look like?
1. Assess Data
The first step in any efficient data management strategy is to assess your current data. When moving over to SAP HANA you should take stock of your entire SAP database. This helps to identify what steps you need to take in order to simplify the migration process.
2. Ensure Regulation Compliance
With compliance procedures such as GDPR on your doorstep, it’s imperative to ensure that any data you possess is compliant and follows the strict legal requirements for data retention and destruction.
Once you have assessed your data and checked its compliancy, you can start to work on how to manage it and start the SAP HANA migration process.
3. Data Archiving
You can retain older, inactive data that still has a purpose for your business with SAP Data Archiving. It allows you to store the information in a less expensive location for long-term retention in case you need to access the data again in the future.
4. Data Retention
You have to create an effective data retention strategy in order to ensure data can be easily accessed for auditing and reporting purposes.
5. Decommissioning
Legacy systems are not uncommon in many companies, and getting rid of them isn’t the best way to deal with them. It’s important to maintain them as they may contain data that is needed for compliance regulation purposes.
6. Data Deletion
Once all the above steps have been completed, you can think of deleting any extra data that has no further use for your company, without breaking compliance laws. There is also less risk of a security breach during migration if you have less data transferring at the same time.
Migrating to SAP HANA can be simplified with an effective data management strategy, however, it is still a complex process that requires the right experience and skills to successfully facilitate. As SAP data management specialists, we know a thing or two about migrating to SAP HANA and we provide the best solutions to facilitate the process.
If you would like to know more about overcoming the challenges of SAP HANA migration and how to implement a SAP data management strategy, do give us a call, you will find your time well spent.
