Microsoft puts SUSE Linux at the core of the SAP database

“SLES for SAP Applications makes our complete deployment process way easier. It comes preconfigured with SAP requirements so we can deploy without having to take any extra steps. It also allows us to resize [VMs] without having to change any configurations. It’s quite easy to use and makes for a much better experience for everyone involved.” Elke Bregler, Principal Service Architect, Microsoft.

Microsoft’s internal SAP team is constantly looking for ways to innovate. Back in 2017 its fundamental challenge was how best to make the move from monolithic and outdated legacy compute methodologies to a more agile and cloud-centric vision of the future.

As its transformation gathered pace, open source technology became an integral part of the team’s strategy. It began to work with SUSE in the database layer; capitalizing on open source innovation by migrating databases to SAP HANA to optimize data processing and drive greater agility.

Elke Bregler (Principal Service Architect for SAP Basis) and her team at Microsoft chose SUSE for two main reasons. Firstly, SAP has trusted SUSE as a partner longer than any other open source company. In selecting SUSE, Microsoft felt reassured that the open source solutions they invested in were enterprise-hardened, robust and supported 24-7. Secondly, SUSE was the only Linux solution that supplied high availability support for SAP applications running in Azure.

With the selection of SUSE, Microsoft embarked on a journey towards high availability and world class support it has never looked back from.

The Road to High Availability with SUSE

SUSE’s enterprise solutions allow Microsoft to capitalize on the strengths of open source innovation safely, and with world-class support.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) for SAP Applications soon proved itself a highly available, easy to maintain and fast scaling database management solution. As a Premium Certified SAP Endorsed App, SLES for SAP Applications provides an environment for optimal SAP performance: reduced risk from service outages; less time and effort for system maintenance; and faster services deployment on premises and in the cloud for SAP solutions.

The deployment of SUSE Manager has reduced complexity with a single tool to manage Linux systems across a variety of hardware architectures and cloud platforms. In so doing SUSE Manager has helped to ensure compliance with internal security policies and external regulations, with automated Linux server provisioning, patching and configuration.

The addition of SUSE Consulting completed the picture for Microsoft, providing direct access to subject matter experts, which meant faster resolution times, mitigation of potential issues and the enablement of more precise planning for future projects.

Click here to find out more about how SUSE helps Microsoft to seamlessly run highly available SAP HANA systems.