Having a clearly defined cloud strategy is a “must-do” for enterprise software giants like Infor and SAP. In a customer-driven world, both organisations must change to retain their top positions. Their cloud strategies are now maturing and more refined with tonnes of added value that are greatly beneficial to businesses of every shape and size.
Both Infor and SAP have very different approaches to innovation. While SAP focuses mainly on building a solid infrastructure on which their cloud offerings can be based, Infor chooses to utilise the already established platforms from AWS and aims at developing “last mile functionalities” that are industry-specific, intuitive and ready to use.
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SAP’s cloud strategy
SAP’s cloud strategy was mainly driven by the diverse demands of the customers, hence the complexity. The development of SAP’s cloud platforms and its offerings over the years has focused on three main aspects: SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud, SAP HANA Cloud Platform, and SAP Software-as-a-Service offerings (which consist of a variety of services).
SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud (HEC)
This infrastructure-as-a-service is fully capable of scaling as your demands grow and is a secure private cloud that enables customers to run solutions like SAP s/4HANA.
SAP S/4HANA (formerly known as SAP Simple Finance) is a comprehensive finance and accounting solution available as an add-on to an ERP system. The service can be used both in the cloud and on-premises and requires no technical knowledge for setting up.
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As a private cloud, all core components such as hardware, storage and network are dedicated to a single customer only, thus ensuring maximum security. The platform is a suitable choice for enterprises wanting to transition to the cloud.
SAP HANA Cloud Platform (HCP)
HCP is designed for developers and is a platform-as-a-service. Just like other PaaS, HCP offers a wide range of services and capabilities for application development, including database services, user interfaces, and connectivity to on-premises systems.
The platform can empower enterprises to build new cloud-based applications or expand their current on-premise apps, and integrate both SAP and non-SAP software seamlessly.
Applications built using HCP used to be Java-based, but HANA Server-Side JavaScript is now also supported.
SAP Software-as-a-service offerings
Cloud-native applications: SAP offers a variety of cloud applications on a subscription basis. These applications do not require any technical knowledge to set up or configure. The already available apps include SuccessFactors, Business By Design, and SAP s/4HANA.
The downside is that they still require data migration and change management, so the implementation process may take a while.
SAP Fiori/SAPUI5: a unifying design language based on the SAPUI5 JavaScript that SAP is currently using in their cloud applications.
As more and more companies adopt a “cloud-first strategy”, the cloud is being treated as a commodity despite its potential to evolve further. Many expect high business outcomes from cloud investments; thus, the need for even more capabilities in current cloud platforms is far more critical than mere “convenience and security”.
Infor’s cloud strategy
Before Charles Phillips, Infor’s current CEO, took charge in 2010, customers mainly ran on-premises, outdated applications that had not been updated for years. Things went a complete 180-degree turn when Charles Phillips and his team of executives invested billions of dollars in a complete overhaul of the organisation’s strategy to focus on cloud computing and intuitive enterprise applications to provide a better customer experience.
To build beautifully designed, data-driven software for businesses, Infor’s cloud strategy involves creating industry-specific cloud-based software packages. These CloudSuites run on the Amazon AWS platform and were built to a set standard, enabling customers to use their applications out of the box without any need for customisation or manual upgrades.
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To make it easier for customers to access cloud services, several capabilities, such as IoT and networked analytics, have also been added.
Hook & Loop Digital
Infor plans to further develop Hook & Loop, its internal design agency, to offer its digital services to external customers. The creation of Hook & Loop Digital enables Infor to offer end-to-end solutions as a service: their industry-specific enterprise applications that deliver actionable insights, a connected supply chain network, and a state-of-the-art user experience design on top of everything.
In one of the announcements regarding this new development, the expansion of Hook & Loop Digital will generate new streams of revenue for the business, create solutions that drive new capabilities, and to also enable Infor’s customers to better run their businesses digitally.
Networked CloudSuites
After the acquisition of GT Nexus, Infor plans to expand its network as one of the core ‘pillars of innovation’, which is placed at the centre of the company’s overall cloud strategy.
According to Phillips, by utilising GT Nexus commerce network and by moving the network to the cloud, any manual processes can now be automated. The transition, in essence, helps Infor and customers reduce costs and information silos caused by misinterpretation of data, and increase the efficiency, collaboration, and responsiveness of the overall supply chain, thus shortening the time enterprises take to go to market.
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Internet-of-Things
As part of the development plan, Infor is beginning to introduce the Internet of Things (IoT) into its future projects. However, the goal is to establish clear standards for IoT in certain areas rather than overcomplicating things with additional packages to drive revenue.
One of Infor’s most remarkable accomplishments today is supporting Travis Perkins, the Home Depot of the UK, in its digital transformation. Infor CloudSuite was chosen by Travis Perkins as the trusted application to provide flexibility amid changing market conditions, support the company’s expansion into new locations, shorten the time to market, and increase overall productivity.
The 200-year-old enterprise is able to transform thanks to Infor’s “intuitive, beautiful applications with mission-critical functionality in the cloud that enables us to remain agile and to keep providing excellent customer service”, acclaimed John Carter, CEO of Travis Perkins.
Both SAP and Infor have gained tremendous momentum and achieved significant success in their race to offer cloud-based enterprise software. It may still be too early to pick or favour one side, as both organisations clearly face challenges. This is exactly why it is important to carefully evaluate all your options and be fully aware of the trade-offs of each solution.
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