SAP R/3 and Windows NT

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PREFACE:

The history of R/3 under Windows NT has been a triumph. Since its availability as a new platform for R/3 in 1994, Microsoft Windows NT has become the largest single platform. Today, Windows NT can post nearly half of all new shipments of R/3 to its account. This has also led to enormous changes in the hardware manufacturing scene. New R/3 hardware partners, such as Compaq, have suddenly appeared, while others have lost their importance. This development was not guaranteed. In the beginning, many long-term R/2 customers looked at it with suspicion, having just got acquainted with the idea of giving up well-proven mainframe solutions in favor of seemingly much less secure R/3 UNIX platforms. When in Summer 1993 SAP began to port R/3 to Microsoft Windows NT, it came as a cultural shock for many of them. At that time, Microsoft still had a kind of 'jeans and sneakers' image. I very well remember an IT manager who traveled across half of Germany to convince himself of the functionality on site. Unfortunately — and how could it have been otherwise? — the only active system was not available for a demo because of a transport order. What were the advantages that made many SAP customers rethink? In the end, all the advantages boil down to aspects of cost — the Total Cost of Ownership. The opportunity to work in a homogeneous system environment was and still is one of the main arguments in favor of R/3 under Windows NT. I have always called this the '1 for 3' formula. Windows NT can be employed for all three levels of a client/server infrastructure. This applies to the PCs (also known as the front-end or presentation) as well asto the R/3 application and database levels. A factor of at least equal importance was the cost of acquisition. In some cases, there were dramatic differences of up to two thirds between the 'traditional' platforms and the more recent R/3 NT platforms. These advantages for our SAP customers have always been the determining factor for my commitment. Never have I led, nor will I ever lead, crusades for 'esoteric operating system philosophies.' The actual customer advantage due to lower acquisition and operation costs, together with the simplified administration of the system environment, have always been important enough for me to commit myself personally and vigorously in favor of this development. The success of R/3 under Windows NT rests on many shoulders. Above all, I think of the first pilot customers who shared our vision of a simpler, more cost-effective R/3 world. It was their confidence which allowed us to start in the first place. On the other hand, many partners have paved the way to success with much conviction, motivation, and personal commitment. Also, ixOS has made a decisive contribution to this success with its contribution to quality assurance and assistance and service for the first customers.

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