Ensure Your Company's Success with EAM

Enterprise Architecture Management

At present, almost every company is facing mounting challenges as a result of ongoing digitalization. However, the resultant growing complexity becomes manageable when you adopt a holistic EAM approach.

While new technologies such as IoT, Big Data, and in particular artificial intelligence offer companies a wide range of opportunities, they also have a profound impact on organizations. The success of corporate strategies is thus increasingly determined by the design of the IT landscape. A successful alignment of business and IT therefore relies on bringing a company's information technology in line with its strategic goals and requirements.

Close integration of the corporate strategy and IT activities presents a major challenge for many companies. What's more, companies often lack an overview of the entire landscape, including processes, value flows and data. Against this backdrop, concepts for the holistic management of business and information processes are becoming increasingly important. A company's entire performance infrastructure is the main focus here. Enterprise Architecture Management (EAM) has become established as an important management discipline to address these challenges and issues. By mapping business structures and relationships, EAM underpins the strategic business planning of an enterprise and development of the supporting information technology. The focus here is not only the current status of the enterprise architecture (ACTUAL), but also, in particular, the planned future architecture (TARGET) and the necessary action to achieve this.

The Enterprise Architecture Management

Because EAM creates a global understanding of the relationships between corporate strategy, business model, and supporting IT, it facilitates and accelerates the preparation and planning of transformation projects. Therefore, through this holistic and structured approach, Enterprise Architecture Management also provides valuable support during the transition to SAP S/4HANA.

What Is Your Cloud Requirement? It's All About Having the Right Cloud Strategy

The development of a clear cloud strategy is also critical to the success of your company and requires careful planning and consideration of requirements, resources, and corporate goals. The choice between a public cloud, private cloud or hybrid cloud solution depends on the company's specific requirements and needs. The following considerations play a role here:

- Public Cloud
A public cloud is a cloud solution that is operated by a third-party provider and is accessible to everyone. The public cloud offers a flexible and scalable infrastructure and may be more cost effective than a private cloud solution. However, it is important to note that the public cloud offers less control than a private cloud solution.

- Private Cloud
A private cloud solution is built and operated specifically for a particular company or organization. It offers more control and security than a public cloud solution because it is operated within the company's own network.

- Hybrid Cloud
A hybrid cloud solution combines public and private cloud infrastructures and enables companies to distribute applications and data between both cloud types. A hybrid cloud solution combines the flexibility and scalability of a public cloud solution with the control of a private cloud solution.

The Deployment Models of the EAM

Therefore, a thorough analysis of the IT systems and business objectives helps to define the best cloud strategy in each case. An important aspect here is to weigh up the corresponding costs and risks to ensure that the cloud strategy is in line with the company's overall IT strategy.

Well Connected Through Integration and Interfaces

Seamless integration – not just of cloud solutions – into the existing IT landscape is crucial to ensuring smooth collaboration and the effective exchange of data and information. It is important to define interfaces and standards that will facilitate interoperability between the various systems and platforms. Taking legacy systems into consideration and planning migration strategies also helps to facilitate integration.

Cost Trap: Indirect Use

Indirect use refers to the use of software via an interface or middleware that is not provided by the software manufacturer. Other applications or systems access the software without the user interacting directly with the software or having purchased a license for it.

Typical Example from an SAP Context

If, for example, a company operates its own CRM system and this communicates with SAP software via an interface, the CRM system indirectly accesses the SAP software. In this case, the company must purchase an additional license for this indirect use. Consequently, a license audit at the end of the year can result in high additional payments. It is therefore essential to carefully check the (SAP) licenses in advance of any large integration project.

IT Security

The consideration of IT security aspects is another essential factor in the context of holistic EAM. The primary concern is to protect data and systems against unauthorized access and manipulation. Technical measures such as encryption and firewalls as well as organizational measures such as training and awareness campaigns are important here.
We must also keep an eye on compliance regulations and data protection laws.

You too can benefit from using EAM to make your IT architecture agile and flexible in times of rapid and sometimes unpredictable change! Our experts will be happy to accompany you on this journey and work with you to ensure your company's success.

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