SAP data archiving: Tips to prepare for seamless S/4 HANA migration

August 14, 2024 saradavis.2608

Introduction

Businesses today have more access to enormous amounts of data than in previous decades. This data aids in laying the groundwork for critical business decisions. However, it is crucial to handle this massive amount of data while making the necessary investments in data management systems to ensure that the business workforce obtains accurate data for decision-making. With SAP data archiving, organisations can easily manage and control data growth and improve the overall efficiency of business operations.

What is SAP data archiving?

Data archiving is an effective strategy for ensuring database resources are used effectively, optimising system performance, and managing data expansion within the SAP environment. Moreover, it helps organisations find a balance between holding onto significant historical data and maintaining an efficient and effective IT infrastructure.

Furthermore, SAP data archiving is a safe procedure that allows data to be stored and retained for an extended period. In fact, it offers secure spaces for keeping mission-critical data that can then be accessed whenever needed. Although archived data is no longer kept in the live SAP database, it can still be retrieved and analysed as necessary by using automated archiving software.

Importance of data archiving when migrating to S/4 HANA

The latest ERP software from SAP, S/4HANA, has a distinct design that sets it apart from traditional relational databases. Its in-memory processing and data column storage provide quicker, almost instantaneous analytics and computation. With an emphasis on internal and external data sources, this new ERP aims to give end users active help in real-time.

With the support of S/4HANA, businesses can transform into intelligent enterprises. Moreover, users gain a competitive edge and enhance customer satisfaction by being able to recognise and react promptly to changes in the business environment. Since it is a lean approach, businesses of various kinds may adopt it quickly. Nevertheless, despite all of its outstanding advantages, the SAP S/4HANA migration is a challenging procedure that requires precise and efficient data preparation.

Preparing your data

Only a tiny percentage of the massive volumes of data produced by businesses are still helpful. In fact, given the current economic environment, faster reaction times are essential for a successful business. As a result, eliminating irrelevant data is crucial as it might cause your ERP software to underperform. Thankfully, SAP data archiving is a robust and cost-effective solution that helps in dealing with such issues.

With an automated archiving software, all data and documents that are no longer needed for regular system operations can be archived. The data is deleted from the database during the deletion phase and is saved in “archive files” with read-only access. This is done in case there is a need to retrieve the data later on, such as for auditing purposes. As a matter of fact, it is essential to remember that S/4HANA relies heavily on traditional data archiving to control the size and expansion of the HANA database. Experts in data archiving state that data archiving eases the transition of organisations to S/4HANA by reducing the wrinkles in data transformation and migration.

Benefits of data archiving for S/4 HANA migration

Now that you have a good understanding of what SAP data archiving is and how it operates, you can check out the following benefits for a seamless S/4 HANA migration:

Limits the growth of the HANA database

One of the primary benefits of a data archiving software is that it controls the growth of the HANA database. In fact, the scalability of HANA memory has limitations and can also be costly. The expense related to the size of your database must be considered not only for data migration but also for recurring infrastructure expenses. HANA memory will become more and more necessary as your business expands. Remember, additional HANA memory will necessitate additional hardware infrastructure (processors, discs, etc.), and the associated expenses might quickly mount up as well.

Reduced migration times

The time periods are usually no longer than a weekend. The formula is simple: a migration can be finished faster if there is less data to be moved.

Reduced storage costs

The key here is to archive the data on an adequate server. In fact, an excellent archiving server will ensure a high data compression ratio. Secondly, storage costs will go down as a result of the data compression ratio. Actually, when businesses are moving from on-premises to the S/4HANA cloud, this becomes crucial.

An appropriately sized database will speed up the transfer process and help save money. In fact, to avoid needless expenses, it is far simpler to take this action prior to the move than it is after.

Improved performance

The reasoning for this is straightforward: when more data is stored in the database tables, the system is under more stress, which lowers performance. This might be the result of the system reading from or inserting data databases. On the other hand, unfavourable delays will result in a decline in customer satisfaction and system performance if this condition persists. By ensuring that only the data that is frequently needed is present in the database, automated archiving software helps to expedite access while improving and optimising day-to-day operations.

Legal and regulatory compliance

One of the primary goals of SAP data archiving is maintaining the accessibility of crucial data for tax and legal purposes while ensuring its retention. Data retention management, in addition to archiving, aids in achieving regulatory compliance, such as DART, SOX, GDPR, etc. As outdated data is removed and safely stored on the archiving server, it ensures that the necessary information is retained.

Seamless data migration

The more data there is, the more complicated the system becomes, and it can impact performance. When moving to S/4HANA, it is always recommended to move to a new system with relevant and controllable data. Moreover, automated archiving software classifies databases into relevant data that should be retained and removed. This makes it easier to ensure that crucial data is readily available and managed.

Wrapping it up

To sum up, SAP data archiving improves system performance, legal compliance, data quality, and many other aspects of your organisation. By leveraging the benefits of data archiving software, you can reduce the workforce, expense, and time required for cloud migration.

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