SAP Change Control Software - The Logical Glue Between SAP Dev and SAP Ops (Part IV)

[Former Member]

As we’ve discussed from the beginning of this series, SAP Dev and SAP Ops remain separate disciplines involving different skills and cultures, but by working together they can deliver better software, deploy it faster and run it more smoothly.  Better applications deployed faster translate directly to business value, and explain why DevOps as a practice has grown so influential.

DevOps is a philosophy as well as a practice, so it’s not surprising that what we see among our Rev-Trac SAP change control automation software customers is no two companies with the same philosophies or processes. The differentiating factors beyond the philosophy itself include how they execute automation and with which tools. Since DevOps is rooted in agile development, the tools and automated governance criteria they apply to achieve their specific DevOps goals make a substantial difference.

In any case, controlling change in complex enterprises is more important today than ever. Today’s typically mixed tool sets with “best of breed” software components have driven a growing interest in component integrations as an effective way to leverage existing processes and software investments. The potential need to integrate key components makes an open integration approach very important.

There are many excellent and innovative software tools for SAP systems but not as many for what we’re talking about here – SAP-specific DevOps integrations. The wrong choices here can raise thorny barriers to success.

I view the common denominator as whatever tool touches every stage of the software application lifecycle. In February we covered how ITSM’s increasing maturity as a discipline makes it a key to moving processes out of the old silos by integrating them across multiple business functions, making ITSM an important enabling technology.   But ITSM shares its business Ops importance with key Dev-side applications like component implementations and quality testing.

An effective system-wide integration of applications is with Rev-Trac change control software, as its hub will provide efficient automation of Dev and Ops processes with enforced testing and analysis for all changes. Visibility will increase into testing requirements, scripts and outcomes, since all are documented by the associated Rev-Trac change requests.

The ultimate benefits of DevOps integrations are clear. They reduce manual work, ensure change entities are linked properly and let you know in advance the effects that changes will have on overall processes. Auditability and visibility into testing both improve. You know a defect was tested, since Rev-Trac enforces all required processes.

The increased automation and improved governance enabled by a trusted SAP change control solution makes it possible to keep a rapidly changing SAP system resilient across the service lifecycle.