Powering the Move to RISE with SAP with IBM Power Virtual Server

Over the past year, RISE with SAP has gained increased traction among organizations looking to modernize their ERP systems and streamline business processes. According to the latest SAPinsider research report, nearly two-thirds of respondent organizations are now familiar with this offering, reflecting its growing adoption and relevance. In 2024, SAP sharpened its focus on positioning RISE with SAP as a key innovation platform, reinforcing its importance in driving cloud ERP transformation for customers. The offering now includes embedded AI scenarios designed to speed up processes and enhance decision-making, powered by SAP’s generative AI assistant, Joule, which is available in both the Public and Private Editions of SAP S/4HANA Cloud.

While SAP envisions a future where most customers adopt public cloud for their ERP deployments, IBM is supporting this vision now as it announced the upcoming release of RISE with SAP on IBM Power Virtual Server. RISE with SAP will soon be available on IBM Power Virtual Server, offering IBM Power customers a faster and simpler way to transform their ERP systems. This collaboration between IBM and SAP aims to help businesses transition their on-premises ERP setups to the cloud more smoothly while enabling AI-driven business processes.

More importantly, this announcement completes IBM’s RISE with SAP offering. Before this announcement, IBM was unable to offer a hyperscaler-based RISE with SAP deployment. This was confusing for customers and conflicted with SAP dedicated cloud ERP approach, but IBM only offered an off-premise solution outside of the RISE with SAP framework despite being a RISE with SAP Premium Supplier. IBM’s announcement will now allow the company to help their customers better shape their SAP journey. This may include some components remaining on-premise, some in the cloud outside of RISE with SAP, and others now within RISE with SAP.

On-premises to the cloud in just 90 days

RISE with SAP on IBM Power Virtual Server is a new hyperscaler solution designed to streamline the migration of SAP S/4HANA Cloud from on-premise IBM Power Systems to the cloud in just 90 days. A cloud version of IBM Power server platform, it helps businesses quickly transition their local SAP ERP systems to the cloud. This enables them to modernize processes and improve agility. IBM Power Virtual Server offers a streamlined solution for enterprises running SAP workloads on IBM Power servers. It enables faster and less risky migrations to the cloud, reducing SAP S/4HANA migration time to within 90 days. With over 10,000 businesses already using IBM Power hardware for SAP, this solution supports their transition to RISE with SAP using SAP-certified instances on IBM Cloud. The consistent architecture and high performance of IBM Power processors make migrations from on-premises Power systems to IBM Power Virtual Server 15-25% faster and less risky than moving to x86 environments on other clouds.

IBM’s Investment program for RISE with SAP

Migrating SAP workloads to the cloud is complex, with challenges like long timelines, high costs, and integration hurdles. To address this, IBM has also launched a tailored investment program for RISE with SAP on IBM Power Virtual Server, offering support for assessments, migration, and cloud integration of SAP and non-SAP workloads. The program includes the IBM Transformation Suite for SAP Applications, which streamlines transitions to SAP S/4HANA with automated assessments, data migration, code analysis, and testing. Additionally, IBM offers a buyback program for eligible on-premises Power servers to help clients maximize their investments.

IBM Power servers are designed for reliability and security, making them ideal for running business-critical applications and handling sensitive data. By moving SAP ERP data to Power Virtual Server on IBM Cloud, businesses can leverage cloud platform services to build AI-powered applications, integrating SAP and non-SAP data with robust governance. This enables a seamless transition to Cloud ERP on a platform known for unmatched reliability and built-in security.

What this means for SAPinsiders

Plan Your ERP Transition Now
The end of mainstream support for core SAP Business Suite applications is fast approaching. While some may view 2027 as a flexible deadline with extended maintenance as an option, customers using SAP ECC 6.0 enhancement packages 1-5 face a stricter deadline at the end of 2025, with no extended maintenance available. Additionally, organizations running SAP S/4HANA versions released before 2020 may already be in extended maintenance, as those versions had only five years of standard support. To avoid potential disruptions and resource constraints, it is essential to start planning your ERP strategy now and act swiftly. Delays could lead to significant challenges due to limited availability of consulting resources.

Download SAPinsider’s research report on RISE with SAP here.

Plan and Budget for Your SAP S/4HANA and Cloud ERP Transition
To ensure a successful move to SAP S/4HANA or RISE with SAP, start by fully understanding the cost model. This includes not just the migration itself but also hidden costs such as data transfer fees, additional licenses for tools like SAP BTP or Signavio, and access to AI features like Joule. At the same time, partner with experienced consultants or service providers who can guide you through the complexities of the transition. They can assist with solution deployment, optimizing workflows, adapting custom code, and project management. A knowledgeable partner can also help evaluate infrastructure providers and the advantages of moving to cloud ERP. Acting early and seeking expert guidance will help avoid delays, control costs, and ensure a smoother transition to your next ERP system.

Leverage IBM Power Servers for Mission-Critical Workloads
Maximize reliability, security, and modernization by running mission-critical SAP HANA and ERP workloads on IBM Power servers or Power Virtual Server on IBM Cloud. Leverage industry-leading uptime, robust built-in security features, and cloud integration to streamline operations and enable innovative, AI-powered solutions.