Next-Gen Azure Modernization Delivers Peak Performance and Future-Ready Scalability  

Challenge

Protera’s client has a large, complex SAP environment—consisting of 27 SAP landscapes and 86 SAP systems—that was experiencing SAP performance issues that were negatively impacting user experience, including slow transaction processing times and poor database response. In addition, the client has ~1,200 non-SAP workloads that would also benefit from optimization on Azure through enhanced security, higher performance, and improved resiliency. 

Our client recognized that they needed to modernize their SAP and non-SAP landscapes to not only improve performance, but to adopt a scalable, future-proof SAP ecosystem to accommodate future growth.  

• High maintenance costs and degraded performance at on-premise data center prompted the client to investigate an Azure cloud solution 

• Required expert SAP on Azure migration specialists to architect the highly complex landscape of ~1600 servers by selecting the optimal Azure VM series for each workload 

• Business needed a modern infrastructure to provide the security and scalability needed to support future growth and handle increased workloads 

Protera Solution  

Protera analyzed the landscapes and developed a migration strategy in two workstreams:  SAP and non-SAP. With an 18-month migration timeline, Protera developed a phased approach that included proof-of-concept, performance testing, and an application and database readiness assessment.   

Protera’s cloud migration team created a detailed, step-by-step migration playbook that included network design to minimize latency and incorporated high availability and disaster recovery. 

Protera architected a best-in-class SAP ERP on HANA deployment in Azure, harnessing the potential of Azure's new Intel-powered Mv3 series for high memory and superior performance. With a combination of white-glove service, our custom migration modules—ProDiscovery and ProMigrate—and end-to-end automation (Terraform and Ansible), the journey to the cloud was efficient, cost-effective, and aligned with strategic business goals. 

• Deployed one of the largest SAP HANA-certified VMs on Azure (M-series Mv2 & M3).  

• Utilized a combination of Microsoft and SAP technologies including Azure Migrate, HANA system replication, and Oracle RMAN. Terraform and Ansible leveraged for landing zone, server builds, configuration, and system replication. 

• Developed automation for Virtual Machine Scale Sets (VMSS) for auto-scaling SAP application servers   

• Enabled Multi-Site HANA System replication, including on-prem copy-back for various business needs.   

• Executed the project within the prescribed migration timeframe, with zero business disruption. 

Outcomes 

Through rigorous project planning, iterative mock runs to validate the efficacy of the migration approach, and a multi-tier replication setup, Protera completed the migration of ~1,600 systems in an 18-month project, with separate workstreams for SAP and non-SAP. Performance testing post-migration showed up to 96% transaction timing improvement across the board for the top 55 out of 68 SAP transactions. 

• Top 4 Business Transactions – Average Response Times 58.75% faster 

• 99.99% uptime achieved with real-time failover and log shipping with minimal performance impact  

• Implemented Zonal HA/DR, providing near zero RTO/RPO, with multi-node HANA cluster using Availability Zones & STONITH fencing for cluster failover. 

• Seamless failover across regions with no business disruption. 

• No data loss during migration (<5 min failover time). 

Future-Ready 

The Azure migration, led by Protera, provides our client with an Azure footprint optimized for scalability, standardization, performance, and security. The new platform removes the risk of end-of-life hardware from IT planning and delivers a target platform for mission-critical enterprise workloads, such as SAP Applications, to meet next generation requirements.