Product Information
SAP Remote Access and Connectivity (SAP RAC)
“The content of this blog is outdated. For latest updates, please check the new SAP RAC Blog”
Are you an SAP partner or ISV(Independent Software Vendor) looking for SAP system access to a variety of SAP-maintained systems to:
- Develop ABAP Add-ons
- Develop on SAP Cloud Platform
- Test integration to SAP Applications
- Explore SAP Applications and their features
What is SAP RAC Service?
SAP RAC (Remote Access and Connectivity) offers partners a quick and easy way for highly-flexible, low-cost and no-maintenance SAP system landscape. This service enables subscribers some ready-to-use SAP business solutions that can be instantly accessed to kick-start SAP projects or test their own products’ integration.Subscribers can opt for the latest SAP solutions – such as SAP S/4HANA,SAP HANA,express edition,SAP Global Trade Services etc.Most of the SAP systems available with SAP RAC include the extensive database of IDES (Internet Demo and Evaluation System).They can choose between exclusive-use or low-cost shared systems.
Traditionally,ISVs/partners systems set-up required special expertise and infrastructure investments.Below example (Fig.1 ) depicts how SAP RAC is efficient compared to traditional systems set-up.
Fig. 1 Traditional SAP system set-up vs SAP RAC
Benefits:
- SAP RAC offers a professionally hosted and maintained landscape of fully configured SAP IDES systems addressing the needs of ISVs/partners. For SAP S/4HANA from 1909 version only Fully Activated Appliance is available
- Less maintenance cost for partners as the system set-up and maintenance is done by SAP RAC team
- Simplifies integration testing of your interface to SAP solutions and saves time on your certification project
- Provides easy access and is available via the internet anytime, anywhere and unlimited usage time within service period
- Dedicated e-mail support for connectivity and other system issues
- Systems hosted on both cloud and on-premise servers
- SAP RAC exclusive/premium systems can additionally be used to connect to the partners’ SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) account and IDES data can be used for testing purposes
Fig. 2 Key benefits of SAP RAC
Available SAP Systems in SAP RAC:
SAP RAC offers almost all latest SAP on-premise solutions.Few of the mostly used applications are listed below
- SAP S/4HANA
- SAP BW/4HANA
- SAP ERP
- SAP NetWeaver
- SAP Process Integration
- SAP CRM
- SAP SCM
- SAP for Retail
- SAP Solution Manager
SAP RAC subscriptions and pricing options:
The below are the two SAP RAC subscription options available.
- SAP RAC Standard: This offers shared hosted systems.Shared systems generally allow for testing any type of standard SAP integration to open and released SAP APIs.
- SAP RAC Premium: This offers an exclusive, well-managed SAP environment with quality support for remote testing and development. It is an ideal service for software vendors who wish to do extensive system customisations that would not be possible in a shared environment.You can develop and own the IP.
Both SAP RAC Standard and SAP RAC Premium are very cost effective as vendors do not require hardware/resources to administrate the system and also they need not require to procure the system licenses, the access fee is all they incur and can do away with their high cost in-house system maintenance.
If you are not sure on which one fits for your purpose please refer the below “popular use cases” section. (Fig. 4) explains the SAP RAC subscription options’ price and features.
Fig. 4 SAP RAC subscription options for system access
Sign up now:
After reviewing the SAP RAC subscription options (please see above), choose the subscription option that is appropriate for your needs.
1. Request contracts at SAP RAC application form
2. Select the required SAP solution.
3. SAP RAC will send you the contracts.
4. Once we receive your signed contract, our SAP RAC support team will contact you immediately to help you with the system access.
Popular use cases:
The below are the most popular use cases we have encountered while working with software companies. If you do not find a particular scenario described here, please provide your comments, so that we can come up with suitable scenario
Example of Usage |
Type of Integration |
Suitable RAC Flavor |
| Integrate SAP Cloud Platform Applications(using SAP systems as backend ) | SCP Integration | ALL |
| Integrate Leonardo/Machine learning applications(using SAP as backend) | SCP Integration | ALL |
| Integrate IOT or Analytics applications(using SAP as backend | SCP Integration | ALL |
| Interface integration with SAP NetWeaver/SAP Application | Standard Communication:RFC,BAPI,SOAP etc | Standard |
| Integration using Java or .Net connectors to SAP Applications | SAP Connectors | Standard |
| Build XI Content (data structures, interfaces, mapping programs, integration processes) | Process Integration | Standard |
| ABAP coding for creating own reports, transactions, etc. | ABAP Development | Premium |
| Deploying own Java application on NetWeaver AS Java | Java Development | Premium |
| Develop mobile offline applications using NetWeaver Mobile | NetWeaver Mobile | Premium |
| Connect from mobile applications(using SAP as backend infrastructure) | Mobile Apps | ALL |
| Develop Mobile applications | Mobile Apps | Premium |
| Design business process using SAP’s Enterprise Services | ESOA | Standard |
Testimonial:
“We are very happy and satisfied with the services and commitment of SAP RAC. Especially the uncomplicated and quick reaction of the staff overwhelms us again and again. For example, if we need any snapshots or want to go back to old system stalls, an email is sufficient and usually things are available on the same day. Therefore, we are really satisfied” Hubertus von Malsen-Ponickau, Managing Director, mformatics GmbH
Questions?
If you have questions about use-cases, or whether this service is right for you? Please provide your requirements to SAP RAC team.
Very well written and comprehensive blog-post!
Interesting option, indeed! How is this positioned against e.g. CAL environments? Would you please advise about when to use which? Thanks in advance!
Excellent! I shall point our partners to this post!
Thank you Lakshma reddy . Very useful , will keep in touch for this in few months of my start of work for Build partnership with SAP. I am currently official member of SAP Open Ecosystem .
Sure Pradeep, you can write to me or RAC-SUPPORT@SAP.COM when you are ready for SAP system access
SAP Remote Access and connectivity gives deep business insights on all critical business areas with endless possibilities.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful blog post.
Can you please advise how can remotely connected SAP Systems affect performance.
Hi Osman Syed
The systems are hosted in SAP owned data centres ,users don’t have to install VPN to access our systems remotely which means there wouldn’t be any latency or performance lag while accessing the system. To connect to our system you just have to provide us the IP of user which we will white list in our router & web-dispatcher. Only whitelisted IP user can able to access the system.
What would be the most appropriate SAP System in SAP RAC for EDI integration purposes?
We want just to build a connection to interchange files by using SOAP API:
https://api.sap.com/package/SAPS4HANACloud?section=Artifacts
Thank you
Hi Xavier
It would SAP RAC Standard please refer the "Fig. 4 SAP RAC subscription options for system access" for price details.
Please let us know if you wish to have a discussion
Hello Lakshmareddy,
I'm referring to the proper choice of the below list:
for EDI integrations.
Thank you
Very good blog.
Would you see the use of RAC system access as a viable solution for a small PE build partners. Obviously RAC premium system would be required to develop in, but would this be the most cost-effective over a couple of years?
Thanks
Hi Nigel,
Yes, RAC system access would be cost-effective over couple of years for small PE build partners as they do not have to manage & Host a SAP system themselves and hire resources on-site with Basis plus DBA skills. Instead they only have to focus on their development projects.
You can write to me or RAC-SUPPORT@SAP.COM for more information.
Regards,
Ashish
RAC Team
Thanks Ashish – Can you contact me directly nigel.williams@mymqi.com ?