In today’s digital landscape, companies have made (or are considering) the switch to cloud computing for improved business agility, technical innovation, and workforce efficiency.
Enter SAP Private Cloud Edition (PCE) — a solution that offers best of both worlds: the flexibility and scalability of the cloud with the added benefits of privacy, control, and security.
From infrastructure management to application hosting, data center migration, and more, SAP PCE empowers organizations to elevate their operations and accelerate their journey towards digital transformation in the long run.
This article will discuss the core components and capabilities of SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Private Edition and differences between public and private SAP services, as well as where our team of SAP consultants can come in to help.
Read on to learn more!
What is SAP Private Cloud Edition?
SAP Private Cloud Edition (PCE) is a comprehensive cloud computing solution that combines the benefits of modern, intuitive cloud technology with the privacy, control, and security of a dedicated private technology environment.
A private cloud environment enables companies to leverage the flexibility and scalability of the cloud, while also managing critical data and applications within a secure and isolated infrastructure. It offers a range of innovative business processes tailored to meet the specific needs of each organization, including infrastructure management, platform services, application hosting, and more.
With SAP Private Cloud Edition, businesses can enhance their agility, streamline operations, and drive innovation, while maintaining the highest level of data protection, compliance, and continuous innovation.
Public vs Private Cloud Solution — What’s the Difference?
On one hand, the SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Private Edition provides companies with a dedicated and secure cloud environment for deploying and managing their SAP S/4HANA software suite.
On the other, the SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Public Edition offers a shared cloud infrastructure where multiple businesses can access and utilize the SAP S/4HANA software suite in the same place.
Here are a few key differenced between the public and private S/4HANA Cloud offerings:
Public Cloud Edition
With the SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Public Edition, services are delivered through an open network for public usage, improving the efficiency, affordability, and accessibility of core business operations in a shared services environment.
The public cloud edition operates as a modern Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution, and it offers the ability for customers to leverage a multi-tenant environment to manage multiple different services at the same time, in the same place.
For public cloud users, any necessary customizations must be made through SAP Fiori apps or the SAP Business Technology Platform for more complex customizations. Users have no access to the SAP GUI, and they do not have the ability to modify source codes in the SAP ERP system.
The public edition requires users to use SAP as the default infrastructure provider for the SAP S/4HANA cloud, driving higher returns on investment (ROI) and reducing total cost of ownership (TOC) across teams.
Private Cloud Edition
In the SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Private Edition, operations are maintained on a private network protected by a secure firewall, enabling users to run services on a single tenant environment and improve control over their most important data sources. By purchasing an S/4 PCE license, your existing environment is moved to SAP’s own data center, simplifying the process of migrating your system to SAP S/4HANA.
While the private cloud edition does not operate as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution, users have full visibility and control over their internal operations through access to the backend system through SAP GUI and the ability to modify and customize source code in the SAP ERP system.
The private cloud edition also enabled companies to deploy the SAP S/4HANA Cloud on an infrastructure cloud provider of their choice, rather than leveraging SAP as the default provider, as is the case for the public cloud version.
This way, companies can ensure their SAP S/4HANA solution is set up to manage configuration and migration scenarios in the most efficient way possible.
Key Features of a Tailored Cloud ERP Solution
Here are a few of the main features included in a tailored-to-fit cloud ERP solution, like the SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Private Edition for business users across all industries:
- Streamline cloud ERP operations to manage and migrate data to and from your target SAP system
- Leverage a standard Service Level Agreement (SLA) to improve the availability and accessibility of your mission-critical systems
- Reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) through subscription-based usage models
- Transform upfront capital expenses to operating expenses for improved cost efficiency across the entire organization
- Use intuitive upgrade cycles and annual releases to stay within mainstream maintenance and optimize productivity at your own pace
- Analyze current IT infrastructure and visualize report results in an interactive dashboard through the SAP Readiness Check tool
- Leverage integrations with SAP NetWeaver, SAP Fiori, and Custom Code Migration to set up conversions, improve configuration capabilities, and drive better business transformation over time
Understanding Differences Between SAP PCE and SAP ECC
The SAP ERP Central Component (ECC) is a software suite that serves as the core module of SAP’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
It integrates various business functions, such as finance, human resources, supply chain management, and sales, into a unified platform, providing organizations with a comprehensive solution to manage and streamline their business processes.
Here are a few of the main features that differentiate SAP PCE from SAP ECC:
- Real-time insights and up-to-date business processes to support organizational growth and change across industry requirements
- Embedded analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to manage, automate, and optimize core business operations
- Out-of-the-box integrations with SAP Best Practices for a more consistent user experience across teams, departments, and company locations
- Centralized source of truth for important customer and organizational data, including customer management, employee scheduling, and production planning
- Annual base release of SAP S/4HANA to stay within mainstream maintenance and remain competitive across the SAP Cloud ERP landscape
Main Advantages of SAP Private Cloud Edition
Let’s take a closer look at the key advantages of SAP PCE for users across the SAP landscape:
Automated Business Processes
With automated service delivery and an intuitive cloud infrastructure, SAP PCE makes it easier for companies to reduce the time and manual effort required to complete new deployments and complete tasks related to master data management and integration between existing systems.
And, by leveraging business process intelligence and automation tools, companies are enabled to reduce cost overruns, limit manual intervention, and save valuable time and resources in the process.
Enhanced Data Security
Enhanced data security and cloud protection allows users to maintain the highest levels of security and ensure their most valuable data and processes are protected, no matter what.
With the SAP Private Cloud Edition, companies can not only improve security for their SAP S/4HANA landscape, but they can also maintain compliance with industry standards and evolving business and data security needs over time.
Efficient Cloud Transformation
External demands and changes across a company landscape make it difficult for companies to keep up with deployments and integrations that align with each change.
Cloud-based SAP solutions, like SAP PCE, simplify cloud transformation efforts and help companies support a comprehensive cloud model and reduce total cost of ownership across their existing SAP ERP system.
How Can We Help?
Whether you need help selecting an infrastructure provider that will meet your company’s unique business needs, additional support mapping clients to and from an existing development system and a new production system, or just an extra hand testing configurations in SAP GUI, Surety Systems is here to help.
Our team of senior-level, US-based SAP consultants has what it takes to handle any kind of project, from initial implementation to complex integration, release upgrade, optimization, and more.
Getting Started with Our Team
Interested in learning more about the key functions and features of SAP Private Cloud Edition or where our experienced SAP consultants can fit in your organization?
Contact us today to get started with our team!
