Four Paths to Value with SAP Access Control in the Cloud Rapid-Deployment Solution

Recently SAP released a new rapid-deployment solution that enables customers to use SAP Access Control in the Cloud Appliance Library (or CAL).  The solution can be easily accessed through the SAP Store ( https://store.sap.com/sap/cp/ui/resources/store/html/SolutionDetails.html?pcntry=US&sap-language=EN&pid=0000008847) and hosted in your Amazon Web Services account.  Note that this is a full AC 10.1 image running on a HANA database!

But why would I want it?  How would I use it?  I would argue that there are really 4 paths to value:

First, consider using the Access Control 10.1 image as a “demo”.  Maybe you’re just curious about what’s included, or how the interface looks or what the RDS brings in terms of pre-configured content.  The Cloud Appliance Library is a relatively pain-free way to demonstrate the value of the AC RDS.  You can easy follow along with the demo video on You-Tube to see how to navigate the application and to understand what is included in the image and in the RDS.  The demo even includes a brief overview of how to use Amazon Web Services, the SAP Cloud Appliance Library and the SAP store.  If you want to see the AC demo in a full ERP environment, you can even follow along through a demonstration using the Enterprise Foundation Extended image in the CAL / SAP Store as well.  Two ways to win!!

Maybe you want to use your CAL image for a proof of concept. This an especially powerful use for the image because you may choose to connect Access Control directly to your data before you make the decision either to procure or allocate hardware or maybe you want to better understand the scope of your deployment Access Control.  DO you want to model Risk Analysis and Remediation, Emergency Access Management, Business Role Monitoring, User Access Requests or some combination of these activities?

This brings up a third possibility.  Maybe you want to conduct a conference room pilot to truly understand the scope and scale of your Access Control problems.  Maybe you can quickly run a Segregation of Duties report and find few issues perhaps that this is something that only needs to be run quarterly or annually.  Think of your CRP or POC as a “health check” against your existing governance risk and compliance controls.  If everything is fine, great – we’ll see you in a year when we run the check again.  On the other hand, if there are problems – its better to find out now before its too late!

Of course, you may choose to run Access Control in the Cloud forever and never move your implementation to on-premise.  Either way, your data is secure in your own image in the SAP Cloud until YOU decide to migrate the solution on YOUR timeline – if ever.

Four paths to GRC value.  What are you waiting for?