SAP announce updates to HANA Cloud Platform

SAP have announced updates to the SAP HANA Cloud Platform, including a range of new capabilities and features to enable organisations to better integrate and extend their SAP software environments.

SAP HANA Cloud Platform provides a fast, reliable and simple platform-as-a-service to build entirely new cloud applications, extend existing on-premise and cloud applications, and integrate cloud applications with SAP customers’ digital core.

Updates in the spring edition include an API hub, pre-built extensions for applications based on SAP S/4HANA, enhancements to the extension package for SAP SuccessFactors solutions in SAP HANA Cloud Platform, new lines of business and mobile apps from partners, and added services for SAP HANA Cloud Platform. Updates to the SAP HANA App Center include improved navigation and sorting capabilities and a self-publishing app capability for partners. Additionally, visitors can get started with user-based packages for SAP HANA Cloud Platform with a simple digital purchase on the SAP Store.

“It’s crucial for our broad ecosystem of customers and partners to drive transformation and innovation in the cloud,” said Björn Goerke, executive vice president and corporate officer, SAP. “The latest updates to SAP HANA Cloud Platform give companies the flexibility, choice and efficiencies needed to innovate and drive growth across their entire business.”

Additional Capabilities

Extensions to SAP HANA Cloud Platform enable customers to easily add functionality to cloud solutions from SAP, as well as integrate these with SAP on-premise solutions. Included in the extensions are built-in capabilities for user single sign-on and access governance, a common user experience, and automatic provisioning of services for SAP HANA Cloud Platform into cloud solutions from SAP. New extensions include:

Extensions for SAP S/4HANA: Building on the digital core provided by SAP S/4HANA, these extensions empower customers to use SAP HANA Cloud Platform to quickly and easily customize, personalize and extend SAP S/4HANA with new capabilities and new delivery methods to tablets and smartphones.

Extensions for SAP SuccessFactors solutions: The extension package for SAP SuccessFactors solutions in SAP HANA Cloud Platform makes it quicker and easier for companies to extend human resources HR capabilities, as well as integrate with existing business processes. The extension package includes administration of SAP HANA Cloud Platform in the extension center for SAP SuccessFactors solutions and the ability for apps built with SAP HANA Cloud Platform to consume SAP SuccessFactors intelligent services, as well as workflow integration between SAP HANA Cloud Platform and SAP SuccessFactors solutions.

Additional Services

New services highlight SAP support of open source software, expedite integration of SAP apps, enable innovation of new Internet of Things IoT apps, power predictive apps and accelerate deployment of apps to any device with modern, role-based user interfaces. Highlights of the new services are:

SAP API Business Hub: The new beta version of SAP API Business Hub plans to provide easy access to different sandbox APIs of SAP HANA Cloud Platform and other business applications from SAP. Customers, partners and developers will be able to search the hub for available business services, publish new business services to the hub and collaborate with others to develop and exchange innovative business services.

Cloud Foundry beta services: In support of open systems and open source software in the cloud, SAP delivered the beta edition of SAP HANA Cloud Platform, starter edition for Cloud Foundry services. This beta edition supports various Cloud Foundry buildpacks and services including Java, Node.js, HTML5, MongoDB, Redis, PostgreSQL and RabbitMQ. These services, becoming available through the SAP HANA Cloud Platform cockpit, are planned to enable developers to create new and innovative Cloud Foundry-based applications that run on SAP HANA Cloud Platform.

SAP Fiori, cloud edition: SAP has also expanded its cloud-based user experience UX services with the availability of SAP Fiori, cloud edition, including the SAP Fiori mobile service and third-party integrations. These powerful cloud services help simplify, streamline and mobilize the user experience of SAP Business Suite applications. With SAP Fiori, cloud edition, users have a full demo-to-production cloud environment to experience, extend and run SAP Fiori apps and SAP Fiori launchpad — while consuming business data securely from on-premise SAP apps.

iOS SDK: SAP and Apple recently announced plans to deliver a new SAP HANA Cloud Platform software developer kit exclusively for iOS that will provide businesses, designers and developers the tools to quickly and efficiently build their own iOS apps for iPhone and iPad, based on SAP HANA Cloud Platform.