Realigning Your SAP Data Architecture
What's next after SAP BW?
SAP BW is being phased out. Many existing BW environments will reach the end of their lifecycle in the coming years. Even though SAP will continue to support BW/4HANA for a few more years, innovation in SAP’s data strategy is now clearly taking place outside of BW.
However, the pressure to modernize stems not primarily from the end of support, but from SAP’s revised strategy and increasing demands on data architectures. This raises a key question for many companies: What role should BW continue to play in the future—and how can it be meaningfully integrated into a modern data architecture?
With our "SAP BW Modernization" package, we assess your current BW landscape and develop a roadmap for a future-proof data architecture—using SAP components such as Business Data Cloud, non-SAP solutions, or a hybrid approach.
The finite lifecycle of BW makes it clear that simply “carrying on as usual” or delaying the start of the project entails significant risks—both technical and organizational. Therefore, the following questions should be addressed promptly:
- What role should SAP play in the future?
- Where do SAP components make sense?
- Where might complementary or alternative approaches be appropriate?
This results in an architectural concept that is sustainable in the long term.
Your current situation
You are facing one or more of the following challenges:
- Support for SAP BW will end in the coming years
- You're planning a migration but don't have a clear vision of the end result
- Your data strategy is heavily focused on SAP—alternatives have not yet been evaluated
- Your BW landscape has evolved over time and is difficult to grasp
- Changes are time-consuming and involve many dependencies
- New requirements (e.g., real-time, AI, self-service) are difficult to implement
What you get
Upon completion, you will have:
- A transparent assessment of your existing BW landscape
- Options for the strategic direction of your future data architecture
- A Solid Basis for Decision-Making: SAP-Only vs. Hybrid Approaches
- A clear definition of BW's future role
- A roadmap for integration with the Business Data Cloud or alternative platforms
- Specific modernization and migration plans
Contents of the package
The package includes the following components:
- Analysis of the existing BW architecture
- Assessment of complexity, dependencies, and risks
- Analysis of usage by academic departments
- Evaluation of potential target architectures (SAP-centric or hybrid)
- Integration of Business Data Cloud and external platforms
- Defining the future role of BW in the broader context
- Development of a vision for the data architecture
- Development of a concrete transformation strategy (not a simple "lift and shift")
The value you get
You’ll gain clarity in good time and avoid having to make strategic decisions under time pressure.
They reduce risks, ensure flexibility, and establish a solid foundation for the period after the maintenance contract expires—both technologically and organizationally.
Procedure
The package follows a structured approach:
- Kickoff & Goal Setting
- Analysis of the existing BW landscape
- Evaluation of Strategic Options (SAP-only vs. hybrid)
- Definition of the Target Architecture
- Development of the Migration Strategy & Roadmap
- Presentation of Results & Next Steps
Duration & Format
- Duration: approx. 4–8 weeks
- Implementation: Workshops, system analysis, and architectural design
- Stakeholders: IT, Architecture, and selected departments as needed
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