A Customer Success
from the Experts in
Business-Critical ContinuityTM.
Founded in 1972 as Systems Applications and Products, SAP AG is the world’s
largest business software company and the third-largest software supplier
overall. With over 41,000 customers, SAP employs 39,300 people in over 50
countries.
SAP’s global data center management group has tackled various business
issues with Avocent solutions over the past six years, reducing hardware and
operational costs, improving data security, streamlining server management,
improving employee productivity and giving data center staff across the
globe the ability to manage any server from any location. By partnering with
Avocent, SAP has grown and streamlined its global infrastructure management
capabilities as Avocent technology has progressed—from analog switches to
analog-digital hybrid switches to leading-edge KVM over IP digital switches with
centralized DSView 3 management software.
Company
SAP
Location
Newtown Square, Pennsylvania
Type of Business
Software/Technology
Web site
www.sap.com
Applications
DSViewTM 3 management software,
DSRTM KVM over IP switches,
ACS advanced console servers
Challenge
• Need to administer server systems from
anywhere to anywhere in the world
• Provide the best possible security for customer
applications and data hosted by SAP
• Deliver optimal infrastructure management
services to internal and external constituents
• Enable global data center management from a
central location
Solution
SAP has partnered with Avocent since 2001,
advancing with the Avocent technology
innovations—from early analog switches to
today’s leading digital switches
Results
• State-of-the-art global data center
management
• Hundreds of monitors eliminated via remote
server management technology
• Significant labor cost savings via productivity
gains
• Ability to access any Windows-based or serial
device through one interface
• Extra layer of security ensures protection of
customer data within third-party hosting
service
With Avocent, SAP today employs a state-of-the-art global data center
operation. With streamlined, secure server access through a Web browser and
a common interface—DSView 3 software—the company has enjoyed significant
productivity gains and reduced labor costs. With Avocent technology that
isolates users from the server network, SAP’s data center customers—both
internal and external—enjoy the highest standards of data security.
“Avocent is always one step ahead of the competition.
As a result, SAP has stayed on the leading edge of
infrastructure management, which has made us a
better, stronger, more competitive company.”
– James Armstrong, Senior Infrastructure and Data Center
Management, SAP.
Challenge
SAP has enjoyed rapid growth in recent years, and with growth comes a variety
of data center management challenges. SAP’s data center management team
has always focused on delivering optimal, secure infrastructure management
services to both its internal and external customers. Since many SAP customers
utilize the company’s on-demand business software (hosted on SAP servers),
data security is a major priority—and key selling point—for the company.
As infrastructure management technology has evolved in recent years, SAP
has set lofty objectives to take advantage of the most recent technology.
SAP deployed Avocent KVM technology in 2001, overcoming the limitations,
inefficiencies and security risks prevalent in data center management before
Avocent invented KVM over IP. Later, SAP adopted an analog-digital hybrid KVM
solution, eliminating hundreds of CRT monitors stationed throughout server
rooms, while also eliminating complex cabling and reducing electricity costs.
A Customer Success
from the Experts in
Business-Critical ContinuityTM.
With the more recent arrival of digital KVM over IP technology, SAP
wanted to eliminate the geographical barriers associated with global
server management.
With DSView 3 software, SAP has what Armstrong calls a “one-stop
shop” for accessing any Windows-based or serial device across the
globe.
“We had a vision of administering server systems from anywhere and
to anywhere in the world—through a single interface,” says James
Armstrong, senior infrastructure and data center management.
“Avocent is always one step ahead of the competition,” says
Armstrong. “As a result, SAP has stayed on the leading edge of
infrastructure management, which has made us a better, stronger,
more competitive company.”
Leveraging the power of the Internet, the global data center team
wanted to access any SAP server in the world through a Web browser.
Solution
Avocent has addressed SAP’s business issues through the years with
market-leading solutions “every step” along the way. By partnering
with Avocent, SAP has grown and extended its global infrastructure
management capabilities as Avocent technology has progressed—
from analog switches to analog-digital hybrid switches to today’s
DSR KVM over IP digital switches with centralized DSView 3 software.
SAP also uses Avocent ACS advanced console servers to manage
serial devices.
“At every phase of our infrastructure growth and development,
Avocent has delivered market-leading products to help us meet our
objectives,” says Armstrong. “They were the first company to deliver
a robust digital product, and they have a feature set that keeps them
ahead of the pack.”
“SAP is a ‘museum’ for the progression of
Avocent technology over the past six years.”
– James Armstrong
Results
“With Avocent technology, we’ve streamlined and unified global
data center management at SAP,” says Armstrong. “For example,
with DSView 3 software, we have a common global interface
with built-in security protocols worldwide. I can set up a server
environment in South America from my desktop or even from home.
A colleague in Europe can access a server network in India.”
With streamlined global access, the company has enjoyed significant
productivity gains and reduced labor costs.
“We’re operating more efficiently. We’re able to do more with less.
Our data center labor force is not growing at the same rate as the
business,” he adds.
With Avocent KVM over IP switches and integrated DSView 3
software, SAP’s internal and external data center customers can take
advantage of unsurpassed data security.
“Avocent technology allows us to isolate our servers. In other words,
we can work on a server without physically accessing the customer’s
network and the customer’s data.”
Such advanced technology and barriers to entry keep data safe,
whether the data belongs to SAP or a customer. This extra measure
of security is a selling point that’s often mentioned when customers
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