Many businesses are reluctant to embark on the SAP S/4HANA journey because of the cost, complexity and potential disruptions to their everyday operations. One concern that stands out is the prospect of managing the change. It’s to be expected that end users will initially find themselves working at a slower pace as they get used to the new system’s modern features and interfaces.
On the other side of the spectrum, there’s an equally important consideration that many corporate decision-makers are overlooking: choosing the right infrastructure to support the new technology. Representing roughly 10% of the total project cost, infrastructure is often perceived as a banal or inconsequential component. But the truth is that poor infrastructure planning can trigger major cost and time overruns, not to mention frustration for everyone involved. With that in mind, infrastructure is something you want to get right the first time around.
What could go wrong?
Given the sense of urgency that now hangs over SAP S/4HANA projects, many business leaders are making hasty decisions. As a result, quite a number of businesses simply aren’t giving enough consideration to their infrastructure needs, while others are outsourcing their hardware planning to third parties with a vested interest in selling specific products. These biased “partners” aren’t actually developing tailored plans that meet their clients’ current and future needs. Some important factors they typically neglect to consider are data residency, supplier liability and the choice between on-prem, hybrid and cloud solutions.
“If you build your system around ineffective infrastructure, you’ll eventually have to rectify the issue—and that can be very costly,” says Dan Chase, a senior enterprise solution architect at R2i. “It’s a little like building a luxury home with faulty plumbing. Once you discover the problem, you suddenly have to pay for a lot more than just new pipes; you’ve got to cover the labour and materials needed to rip out and replace the walls and floors around them. Not to mention any other expenses related to delayed project delivery.”
When one problem compounds the next
Anyone working in the IT field knows there’s a serious shortage of qualified experts across the industry. This is doubly true for SAP S/4HANA specialists, who are in extremely high demand right now. Unsurprisingly, this means their insights come with a hefty price tag.
For anyone planning an SAP S/4HANA adoption initiative, one of the keys to keeping costs in check is to make judicious use of expensive consultants. If your project is stalled due to problematic infrastructure, you could end up paying for technical specialists’ time you reserved in advance, even if you’re not ready for their input. To make matters worse, these sought-after experts may no longer be available when you actually need them to step in, causing further delays and inefficiencies.
Getting it right the first time around
Seeking out sound, unbiased infrastructure expertise is a wise investment that can prevent your company from experiencing frustrating delays, wasted time and energy, and spiralling project costs. An independent partner will review your current IT infrastructure as well as trends in your industry and your company’s growth aspirations before proposing infrastructure solutions.
R2i prides itself on providing impartial cost assessments and infrastructure solutions. We help businesses maximize their time and resources with an SAP modernization roadmap designed to reduce the project’s impact on internal teams and mitigate any associated risks. Our experts also offer 24/7 support, so if something happens, you can talk to a real person who’s sincerely interested in resolving your issue.
Ultimately, we believe that IT infrastructure is a lot like the plumbing in your home. If it works well, you practically forget it’s there. But if there’s a problem, things get messy quickly.
Need help with your SAP S/4HANA implementation project? Our team of experienced professionals can help you plan your infrastructure and meet the 2027 deadline while minimizing disruptions to your business. 1-844-312-3007