Network Performance Realization

Deploying SAP into a complex, networked environment can be full of unexpected challenges.  IT staffs don’t want to be the bottleneck in the SAP deployment process, yet they can’t afford to put a new application into the network and have it fail to perform. Few organizations have unlimited resources to staff a specialized capacity planning group for application deployment and even fewer can afford to throw away corporate dollars to over-build their network "just in case."

To ensure a successful implementation the following questions need to be answered before deployment: Is there enough network capacity to meet end user performance expectations? What happens if end user performance is still poor after upgrading the network? When will bandwidth need to be upgraded to avert a future bottleneck? What should remote and local users expect for acceptable service levels?

Description

Compuware combines experienced IT professionals with the strengths of Vantage, Compuware’s premier performance management technology, to confidently deliver the Network Performance Realization service offering. Quick and easy to implement, the process facilitates effective communication between application developers, network planners, server administrators and the business units these groups support. Understanding the performance relationship between SAP and the supporting infrastructure is key to making informed planning decisions.

The IT professionals begin by assessing the current network topology and utilization. Next, they create user profiles for the different types of users who will interact with SAP. These profiles detail how often various transactions will be executed by an end user. They also identify where the end users are physically located and where the SAP servers are distributed in the network. From here, a deployment model is built to represent the basic network topology and user distribution. Results and recommendations from the analysis inspire confidence in the people responsible for the deployment.

Benefits

Many variables affect the performance of SAP in a complex, networked environment, and a little bit of contingency planning can go a long way towards avoiding unnecessary and costly upgrades while simultaneously assuring that end-user response time expectations are met. You also receive a peek into the future to understand how growth will affect your bandwidth requirements and your end users’ satisfaction.

Deliverables

For each representative business location, you will receive a user profile response time prediction and bandwidth recommendations to ensure SAP performs to end users’ expectations. You will also receive a WAN traffic use analysis so you can see which other applications are competing for the same bandwidth. Finally, you will see which network variables affect performance so you can make informed decisions about infrastructure upgrades.

Duration

Approximately six to seven work weeks but can be tailored to meet the needs of the customer.