Realizing and Operating Enterprise Systems

1
Realizing and Operating Enterprise Systems
2
Objectives

• Outline the realization phase
• Discuss transition approaches
• Describe enterprise system operations from go
  live to support

3
Installation steps

• Size the system
• Decide on installation type
• Check on installation requirements
• Install and configure hardware, network and base
  software
• Design file layout
• Install central instance
• Define database
• Build and load database

4
Configuration

• Modifying plain vanilla enterprise system to
  support organization
• Industry specific settings
• Unique characteristics of particular industry or
  market segment
• Company specific settings
• Unique characteristics of company

5
Interfaces

• Programs that that allow enterprise system to
  exchange data with legacy systems
• Inbound and outbound
• Almost always custom-built

6
Authorizations
Roles

• Manager

• PurchasingAgent

• Employee

Manager
Purchasing Agent
Employee
Business Processs
7
Change levels in SAP
Customer
Enhance
-
Customizing
develop
-
ments
ment
user exits
R/3
-
Customer programs
user exits
Applications
(SAP Standard)
user exits
Modification
R/3 Basis
System Software
8
Data conversion

• Need to transfer historical or legacy data to new
  system
• Requires custom programs
• Similar to interfaces
• Usually one-time uploads

9
Transition approaches
Direct Cutover
New
Old
Parallel Transition
Old
New
Phased Transition
Old
New
Pilot Transition
Old
New
10
Testing

• Unit or function testing
• Includes data conversion programs, interfaces,
  and authorizations
• Occurs throughout realization phase
• Integration testing
• Final step before go live

11
Go live and support

• Quality assurance checks and evaluations
• Optimization and refinement of the production
  environment
• Follow-up training and assessment of end-user
  needs
• Refinement of systems administration procedures
• Project review

12
Summary

• Outlined the realization phase
• Discussed transition approaches
• Described enterprise system operations from go
  live to support