A portfolio bundles products and/or services. You cannot buy BTP but you can buy or try any of the parts that make up the platform from the 
SAP HANA, SAP HANA Cloud, SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud, SAP HANA enterprise edition, SAP HANA Cloud Services, SAP HANA Service, SAP Cloud Platform, , ... Confused? Here is a cheat sheet. Find any term missing? Please add as comment. Any good? Post us a comment, share on social media, and/or give a like. Thanks! Latest update: Oct 4, 2021 - Updated Fact Sheet |
SAP
Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung - the name says it all.
The world's largest provider of enterprise application software.
https://youtu.be/MpfQcYzMIzw
For pronunciation advice and other inside information, visit
Fact and Figures
For the Corporate Fact Sheet, visit SAP Company Information.
Corporate History
For corporate history, see SAP History.
https://videos.cdn.sap.com/vod/2016/sap-40-years-of-innovation-complete-version.mp4
SAP Terminology and Glossary
For the single source of truth on SAP terminology, see the terminology database and glossary.
- SAP Glossary (hana)
- SAPterm | SAP Terminology database
SAP Business Technology Platform
SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) is a portfolio that bundles different technology portfolios:
- Database and Data Management
- Application Development and Integration
- Analytics
- intelligent Technologies
The concept of a business technology platform was introduced after the acquisition of Qualtrics, as illustrated below, where the business technology platform brings together experience data (X) and operational data (O), with intelligence inserted into the four product portfolio pillars.
From the archive: the 2019 edition of BTP
Learn More
- What is SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP)? | sap.com
- Business Technology Platform | SAP Community
Intelligent Enterprise
The Intelligent Enterprise is a concept and strategy.
At SAP, we are enabling our customers to become Intelligent Enterprises by integrating data and processes, building flexible value chains, innovating with industry best practices, providing our customers the ability to understand and act on their customer, partner, and employee sentiment, and how to manage their environmental impact — to grow more resilient, more profitable, and more sustainable.
Intelligent enterprises are integrated enterprises that use data to feed their intelligence.
Learn More
- The Intelligent Enterprise | sap.com
- Intelligent Enterprises Are Integrated Enterprises | SAP strategy and road map towards an integrated intelligent suite
The Intelligent Enterprise with the Business Technology Platform and the Intelligent Suite as presented at SAPPHIRE NOW 2020 Reimagined.
The Intelligent Enterprise was initially presented as a framework with intelligent technologies bringing together technology (Digital Platform), business processes, and applications (Intelligent Suite).
2018 edition of BTP
The Digital Platform, comprised of Data Management solutions and Cloud Platform has since evolved into the Business Technology Platform with Intelligent Technologies as one of the four pillars.
SAP Leonardo (2017-2019)
SAP Leonardo was presented as a portfolio (Digital Information System) with software and services for Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, blockchain, analytics, and Big Data technologies. Conceptually, these technologies are now part of the Business Technology Platform. Although still present in product names and elsewhere, the SAP Leonardo brand is no longer actively used (like SAP NetWeaver).
SAP Leonardo Machine Learning Foundation is now part of SAP Data Intelligence.
Learn More
- Intelligent Technologies | sap.com
- SAP Leonardo Centers
- SAP Community Topic: SAP Leonardo
- What Is SAP Leonardo? | SAP News, 2017
Multicloud, Hybrid Cloud, Hyperscalers, Embrace
A multicloud architecture references the use of separate and/or multiple cloud providers for infrastructure (IaaS), platform (PaaS) and software (SaaS) services to avoid becoming dependent on a single vendor. Hybrid cloud references the deployment model, mixing public, private, and on-premises,
Multicloud (at the time, multi-cloud) was introduced in 2017 when Cloud Foundry was added as application development and runtime environment to the SAP Cloud Platform adding Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud (2018), Alibaba Cloud (2019), and IBM (private) Cloud (2019) as IaaS alternatives to SAP, the original exclusive infrastructure provider of the platform.
These infrastructure provides are often referenced at SAP (and elsewhere) as "hyperscalers".
After a strategic partnership with Google (2017), SAP launched the "Embrace" project at SAPPHIRE NOW 2019 to promote migration to hyperscaler clouds. This was followed by an Embrace on Azure go-to-market partnership with Microsoft.
Learn More
Illustration: Multi-cloud: beyond the buzzword by ivan.mirisola
SAP HANA
SAP HANA is an in-memory database. The official product name is SAP HANA, platform edition.
Standard edition, enterprise edition, runtime edition, and express edition are license editions (same software), see Feature Scope Description for SAP HANA.
Product information
- Product page: SAP HANA
- Documentation: SAP HANA Platform
Release information
- First released November 2010 as appliance; in 2012 for on-premise installations (TDI)
- As SAP HANA One available on public cloud (2012)
- As cloud edition available as
- SAP HANA Service (VM-based) 2018
- SAP HANA Cloud (container-based) 2020
- Product Availability Matrix: SAP HANA 2.0 - Latest version SPS 05 (June 2020)
Learn More
- SAP Community Topic: SAP HANA In-Memory Computing
- SAP Press: SAP HANA 2.0 – An Introduction
- Blog: What does HANA mean?
https://youtu.be/cP4UiV8imqI
SAP HANA, express edition
SAP HANA, express edition is a streamlined version of SAP HANA that can run on laptops and other resource-constrained hosts.
Release information
- First released in 2016. Updates released with the platform edition.
Learn More
- SAP Developers: SAP HANA Express
SAP HANA One (2012-2018)
SAP HANA One is SAP HANA hosted on public cloud (VM-based).
Release information
- First released in 2012. No longer available.
- SAP HANA, express edition provides a similar offer.
- AWS Marketplace: SAP HANA One
SAP HANA Service (2018-2020)
SAP HANA Service is a VM-based managed database service (DBaaS).
Official product name is SAP Cloud Platform, SAP HANA Service.
Product information
- Documentation: SAP Cloud Platform SAP HANA Service
Release information
- First released in June 2018
- For availability, see the SAP Cloud Platform Regions and Service Portfolio
- Related: SAP HANA Cloud
SAP HANA Database Management Suite (2018-2019)
The SAP HANA Database Management Suite was a portfolio of data management products including SAP HANA, SAP Data Hub, SAP Enterprise Architecture Designer, and Big Data Services.
Similar capabilities are now offered by SAP Data Intelligence.
Learn More
- Introducing the SAP HANA Data Management Suite (SAP News, 2018)
- A Look Inside the SAP HANA Data Management Suite (SAP News, 2018)
SAP HANA Cloud
SAP HANA Cloud is a container-based managed database service (DBaaS).
Product information
- Product page: SAP HANA Cloud
- Documentation: SAP HANA Cloud
Release information
- First released in April 2020
- For availability, see the SAP Discovery Center
- Related: SAP Cloud Platform, SAP HANA Service
Learn More
https://youtu.be/5DyGzbkdpSQ
SAP HANA Cloud Services (2019-2020)
SAP HANA Cloud Services was introduced at SAPPHIRE NOW 2019 as a portfolio brand containing three cloud services on the SAP Cloud Platform.
SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud
SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud (HEC) is a private cloud service for hosting SAP (HANA) applications: Infrastructure + Managed Services + Subscriptions or BYOL (Bring-Your-Own-License).
Product information
- Product page: SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud
Release information
- First released 2013
SAP HANA Live
SAP HANA Live, prior knowns as SAP HANA Analytics Foundation (SHAF), provides virtual data models (VDM) for operational real-time reporting on SAP HANA using SAP Crystal Reports, SAP Lumira, SAP BusinessObjects Explorer and other BI tools. Also marketed as SAP Fiori Analytical Applications and SAP Smart Business.
Product information
- Documentation: SAP HANA Live for SAP Business Suite
Release information
- First released 2013
- Technically, HANA-based Analytics (HBA) used SAP HANA XS classic model, deprecated with SAP HANA 2.0 SPS 02 (2018) but with continued support for this release.
SAP Analytics Cloud
SAP Analytics Cloud is a managed service for analytics (SaaS).
Product information
- Product page: SAP Analytics Cloud
- Documentation: SAP Analytics Cloud
Release information
- First released as SAP Cloud for Planning (2015), later SAP Cloud for Analytics, and SAP BusinessObjects Cloud (2016)
- For availability, see the SAP Cloud Platform Regions and Service Portfolio
- Related: SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence suite
Learn More
- SAP Community Topic: SAP Analytics Cloud
- Blog: Analytics with SAP
SAP Analytics Hub
SAP Analytics Hub is a catalog that allows users to browse any analytical assets made available through the enterprise (on premise, cloud, or within a non-SAP analytics tool).
Product information
- Product page: SAP Analytics Hub
- Documentation: SAP Analytics Hub
Release information
- First released in 2017, licensed separately from SAP Analytics Cloud
SAP Data Warehouse Cloud
SAP Data Warehouse Cloud is a managed data warehouse service (SaaS) that extends the SAP HANA Data Warehouse and SAP BW/4HANA on-premise solutions.
Product information
- Product page: SAP Data Warehouse Cloud
- Documentation: SAP Data Warehouse Cloud
Release information
- First released in 2019.
- Related: SAP BW/4HANA
Learn More
- SAP Community Topic: SAP Data Warehouse Cloud
- Blog: Data Warehousing with SAP
SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP)
SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) is SAP's platform-as-a-service (PaaS) with the platform services hosted from four environments:
- ABAP
- Cloud Foundry
- Kyma (Kubernetes)
- Neo
in 2021, SAP stopped using SAP Cloud Platform as platform brand to avoid confusion with the SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP). For an overview of the major changes to the names of SAP Cloud Platform offerings, see |
Learn More
- SAP Business Technology Platform | SAP Community
- SAP Business Technology Platform | SAP Developer Center
- SAP Business Technology Platform | sap.com
- SAP Business Technology Platform | Documentation
Environments
The SAP Business Technology Platform bundles a number of PaaS application runtimes (environments) and services. For an overview of the services, see the SAP Discovery Center.
For an explanation of the different environments, see
Neo
The Neo environment is a proprietary PaaS hosted from SAP datacenters and evolved to the initial SAP NetWeaver Cloud and later SAP HANA Cloud Platform. This environment targets HTML5, Java, and SAP HANA XS applications.
As of 2020 the Neo environment is no longer available for new customers.
Cloud Foundry Environment
The Cloud Foundry environment is based on the open-source application platform managed by the Cloud Foundry Foundation. It was added to the SAP Cloud Platform in 2017 (GA).
- Blog: Cloud Foundry and SAP
ABAP Environment
The ABAP environment allows you to create extensions for ABAP-based products, such as SAP S/4HANA Cloud, and develop new cloud applications. You can transform existing ABAP-based custom code or extensions to the cloud. It was added to the SAP Cloud Platform in 2019 (GA).
The ABAP environment is based on the latest ABAP platform cloud release that is also used for SAP S/4HANA Cloud.
- SAP Community Topic: SAP Business Technology Platform ABAP Environment
- Blog: Getting Started with ABAP in the Cloud – Update
SAP Data Intelligence (SAP Data Hub)
SAP Data Intelligence is a container-based data management solution. It is available for on-premise installation and as service (SaaS).
The product started as Data Hub. As cloud offering it was branded as Data Intelligence. In version 3.0, product and service continued as Data Intelligence.
Product information
- Product page: SAP Data Intelligence
- Documentation:
- SAP Data Intelligence (f.k.a. SAP Data Hub)
- SAP Data Intelligence, cloud edition
- Product Availability Matrix: SAP Data Intelligence 3.0 (2020)
Release information
- First released as SAP Data Hub (2017). SAP Data Intelligence (SaaS) released 2019.
- Integrates SAP Leonardo Machine Learning Foundation, first released 2017.
- Integrates SAP (HANA) Vora, first released 2015.
Learn More
- SAP Community Topic: SAP Data Intelligence
- SAP Developers: SAP Data Hub
SAP Business Application Studio
SAP Business Application Studio is a browser-based integrated development environment (IDE) provided as SAP Cloud Platform Cloud Foundry service.
Product information
- Product page: SAP Business Application Studio
- Documentation: SAP Business Application Studio
Release information
- First released October 2019 (beta); GA February 2020.
- Next generation of SAP Web IDE
Learn More
- SAP Community Topic: Business Application Studio
- Blog: SAP Business Application Studio – Info Blog by nirm.kol
https://youtu.be/ulukOikw53I
SAP Web IDE
SAP Web IDE is a browser-based IDE provided as SAP Cloud Platform Neo service for full-stack SAP application development. The edition for SAP HANA is restricted and focussed on the development of SAP HANA-based applications.
Product information
- Product page: SAP Web IDE
- Documentation: SAP Web IDE | SAP Web IDE for SAP HANA
Release information
- First released in 2014 as SAP River Rapid Development Environment (RDE), renamed to SAP Web IDE later that year.
- Related: SAP Business Application Studio
Learn More
- SAP Community Topic: SAP Web IDE
- SAP Developers: SAP Web IDE
ABAP
Allgemeiner Berichts-Aufbereitungs-Prozessor, also Advanced Business Application Programming. ABAP is a programming language developed by SAP for the development of business applications in the SAP environment (as defined in the documentation).
Three programming models have evolved:
- Classic ABAP
- ABAP programming model for SAP Fiori
- RESTful ABAP Programming Model (RAP)
Product information
- Documentation: ABAP
- Related: SAP NetWeaver, ABAP Platform
Release information
- First released 1983
Learn More
- Blog: ABAP Platform – Part 2 – New programming models by juan.tena
- Blog: Getting Started with the ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model by carine.tchoutouodjomo
- SAP Community Topic: ABAP Development
ABAP Platform
The ABAP platform is the integration and development platform for ABAP-based SAP solutions exclusive to SAP HANA. Unlike SAP NetWeaver, it not available as separate product.
Product information
- Documentation: ABAP Platform
Release information
- First released 2018
- Related: ABAP, SAP NetWeaver
Learn More
- Blog: ABAP Platform – Part 1 – Evolution from SAP Netweaver by juan.tena
- SAP Community Topic: SAP Cloud Platform, ABAP Environment
- SAP Developer: ABAP Platform
SAP NetWeaver
SAP NetWeaver Application Server (AS) is the integration and development platform for SAP applications.
SAP Business Suite applications, SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse (BW), Portal, and Process Integration and Orchestration (PI/PO) are components of the SAP NetWeaver platform.
BASIS is the original kernel of SAP R/3. WebAS web-enabled the platform. NetWeaver added Portal, business intelligence and warehouse, process integration, development tools, etc.
| in 2015, SAP stopped using NetWeaver as platform brand to avoid confusion with the SAP HANA platform. The ABAP stack of the NetWeaver platform is now called the ABAP Platform. |
Product information
- Product page: SAP NetWeaver
- Documentation: SAP NetWeaver
Release information
- Product Availability Matrix: SAP NetWeaver 7.5 - RTC 2015
- Previous version(s): NetWeaver 7.4, 7.0, 2004, WebAS.
- First released 2004 (originally developed by TopTier, acquired by SAP in 2001)
- Related: ABAP Platform
Learn More
- Blog: SAP NetWeaver 7.5 – One common foundation for SAP Business Suite and SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition
- Blog: ABAP Platform – Part 1 – Evolution from SAP Netweaver
SAP S/4HANA (Cloud) | ERP
SAP S/4HANA (SAP Business Suite 4 SAP HANA) is an enterprise management solution. Successor of SAP R/3, ERP, ECC, specific to SAP HANA.
The codeline for SAP S/4HANA and SAP S/4HANA Cloud, product and service, are the same. Depending on the degree of standardisation or flexibility desired/required, there are four approaches (deployment options / consumption models) ranging from standard software-as-a-service (SaaS) to traditional on-premise datacenter installation.
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud, essentials edition (ES) - multi-tenant, hence highly standardised
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud, extended edition (EX) - single tenant, thus more flexible
- SAP S/4HANA AnyPremise (on-premises)
- SAP-managed private cloud (see HEC)
- Private cloud managed by third-party cloud service provider
- Corporate datacenter
Product information
- Product page: SAP S/4HANA
- Documentation: SAP S/4HANA | SAP S/4HANA Cloud
Release information
- First released 2015
- Predecessors: SAP Business Suite powered by SAP HANA, SAP ERP 6.0, SAP ECC 5.0, SAP R/3
- For on-premises, see the Product Availability Matrix: SAP S/4HANA 1909 - RTC 2019
- For SAP S/4HANA Cloud, see the What's New viewer. A new release is planned for each quarter. For this year: 20-02, 20-05, 20-08, and 20-11.
Learn More
- SAP Community Topic: SAP S/4HANA Cloud
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud and On-Premise Deployment Options
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud Customer Community - s4hanacloud.community.sap
SAP BW/4HANA
SAP BW/4HANA is a business warehouse (BW) solution specific to SAP HANA.
Product information
- Product page: SAP BW/4HANA
- Documentation: SAP BW/4HANA
Release information
- First released 2016.
- Product Availability Matrix: SAP BW/4HANA 2.0 - RTC 2019
- Related: SAP Business Warehouse, powered by SAP HANA (2012), SAP Data Warehouse Cloud (2019)
Learn More
- SAP Community Topic: SAP BW/4HANA
SAP Customer Experience | CRM
SAP Customer Experience (CX) brings together customer data, experiential and operational data, and the power of intelligent technologies across sales, marketing, commerce, and service to deliver engaging and trusted experiences.
Product information
- Product page: SAP Customer Experience
- Documentation: SAP Customer Experience
Release information
- The portfolio suite was initially launched in 2018 as SAP C/4HANA.
- What is SAP C/4HANA and why should you care? by gavinmooney
- Commerce, Marketing, and Service Cloud evolved from Hybris solutions.
- Sales Cloud evolved from Callidus Cloud, Hybris solutions, and SAP Revenue Cloud.
- Customer Data Cloud evolved from Gigya solutions.
Learn More
- SAP Community topics:
https://youtu.be/kRB-9tcpPtE
SAP Ariba
SAP Ariba provides procurement and supply chain collaboration solutions. They are listed together with SAP Fieldglass and SAP Concur as Network and Spend Management. Ariba solutions are
Ariba was founded in 1996 and acquired by SAP in 2012.
Company information
Product information
- Product page: Network and Spend Management
- Documentation: Ariba Connect
Learn More
SAP Fieldglass
SAP Fieldglass is a vendor management solution (VMS) that simplifies the process of procuring, managing, and optimizing flexible workforces.
SuccessFactors was founded in 1999 as B2B People and acquired by SAP in 2014.
The Fieldglass portfolio includes the services
Company information
Product information
- Product page: Network and Spend Management | Services Procurement and Contingent Workforce
- Documentation: Resources
Learn More
- This Is SAP Fieldglass - openSAP course (free)
SAP SuccessFactors
The SAP SuccessFactors HXM Suite is an evolved, cloud-based human resources management system (HRMS) with a focus on engagement and experiences.
SuccessFactors was founded in 2001 and acquired by SAP in 2012. At the time, the products were marketed as the Business Execution (BIX) suite, under SAP this became the Human Capital Management (HCM) suite and more recently, after the acquisition of Qualtrics Experience Management (XM) suite in 2018, the Human Experience Management (HXM) suite.
The HXM suite comprises the following categories and products
- Employee Experience Management (SAP Qualtrics products)
- Core HR and Payroll (SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central and related products)
- Talent Management (recruiting, onboarding, performance, compensation, and related products, including SAP SuccessFactors Learning, SAP Fieldglass Contingent Workforce Management and SAP Jam)
- Analytics (workforce analytics, workforce planning, and digital boardroom)
Company information
Product information
- Product page: HR and People Engagement
- Documentation: SAP SuccessFactors HXM Suite
Learn More
- SAP SuccessFactors Community (not the SAP Community)
https://youtu.be/Aujrnffhomg
SAPPHIRE NOW
SAPPHIRE NOW is SAP's annual business conference for customers and partners usually held in Orlando Florida. In 2019, 30,000 attendees from over 100 countries participated to hear about the latest innovations and to network with peers, joined by many more online. In 2020, the event was reimagined with an exclusive digital program.
The name goes back to the early days: SAP’s Perennial Highly Integrated R/2-R/3 Exchange (1989).
For the developers and technical consultants, the annual event is SAP TechEd.
Learn More
- Event: sap.com/sapphirenow
- Blog: SAPPHIRE NOW - overview of the last 5 years plus the last one reimagined
SAP TechEd
SAP TechEd is SAP's annual technology education conference for customers and partners held in three locations in the fall for 3-4 days. In 2019 it was held in Las Vegas (US), Spain, and Bangalore (India) .
In 2020, the event was virtual and free.
The SAP Technical Developers Conference was first held in 1996 in Orlando, Florida during SAPPHIRENOW.
Learn More
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Over the years, for the SAP HANA Academy, SAP’s Partner Innovation Lab, and à titre personnel, I have written a little over 300 posts here for the SAP Community. Some articles only reached a few readers. Others attracted quite a few more. For your reading pleasure and convenience, here is a curated list of posts which somehow managed to pass the 10k-view mile stone and, as sign of current interest, still tickle the counters each month. |
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