A Smooth-Running SAP S/4HANA Implementation Depends on Successful Sizing

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With support for SAP Business Suite ending in 2025, the pressure to make the move to SAP S/4HANA is steadily rising, and over 2,200 SAP customers are already using the solution. While there are many important considerations involved when it comes to ensuring a successful move, there is one in particular that is crucial — correctly sizing for the implementation. A failure to accurately size for the software risks poor performance and response times, and business could ultimately miss out on key benefits of the software.

Remember the last time you waited for an application to open? How long did it take before annoyance set in? One minute? 30 seconds? 10 seconds? In both our personal and work lives, the bar is high when it comes to the applications we use every day: we expect immediate access and seamless operation. The expectations are no different in SAP environments, and when it comes to the business-critical functionality of a solution like SAP S/4HANA, a slow response or unexpected downtime is more than just an annoyance. It’s a drain on your business.

So how exactly do you correctly size for an SAP S/4HANA implementation, and how is it different from traditional sizing? There are considerations specific to SAP HANA, for instance — with SAP HANA, memory is the main driver for sizing rather than CPU performance, which tends to be the main driver for traditional databases. Fortunately, you don’t need to navigate this undertaking all on your own — there are resources already available to help you that are specifically geared to this type of project.

SAP provides tools and guidance for sizing, including an SAP HANA-specific version of SAP’s Quick Sizer tool, configuration guides based on SAP’s Standard Application Benchmark results, and SAP’s Certified and Supported SAP HANA Hardware Directory. And at SAPinsider’s upcoming Basis & SAP Administration event, March 19-21 in Las Vegas, there is a session that walks you through exactly how to manage this task successfully using customer examples.

The pressure is on to make the move to SAP S/4HANA, and accurate sizing is essential to smooth-running software. With careful planning and use of the available tools and resources, you can ensure that your SAP S/4HANA implementation performs at the level your business needs to succeed.