Product Information
SAP Cloud Platform Environments – Cloud Foundry Vs Neo
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I published this blog first in Feb 2019 when there were two environments in SAP BTP – Neo and Cloud Foundry. At that time, it used to be called SAP Cloud Platform. Since then, the platform has evolved a lot. BTP now has three major environments – Cloud Foundry, ABAP and Kyma. Neo is going to sunset. I have published a new blog on this topic – SAP BTP Environments – Cloud Foundry Vs ABAP Vs Kyma |
In this article, I will explain the difference between Neo environment and Cloud Foundry environment in SAP Cloud Platform.
Note: SAP provides FREE trial account for both Neo and Cloud Foundry. Refer to below articles to know more about it.
- Get a free trial account on SAP Cloud Platform Neo environment
- Get a free trial account on SAP Cloud Platform Cloud Foundry environment
SAP Cloud Platform provides two different development environments: Cloud Foundry and Neo. The availability of different environments provides choices for technologies, runtimes, and services when using SAP Cloud Platform, thereby allowing for great flexibility in your development process.
Cloud Foundry Environment
SAP Cloud Platform Cloud Foundry environment contains the Cloud Foundry Application Runtime, which is based on the open-source application platform managed by the Cloud Foundry Foundation.
Application developers can use the Cloud Foundry environment to enhance SAP products and to integrate business applications, as well as to develop entirely new enterprise applications based on business APIs that are hosted on SAP Cloud Platform.
The Cloud Foundry environment allows you to use multiple programming languages such as Java, Node.js, and community/bring-your-own language options.
For more information on regional availability of the Cloud Foundry environment, see Regions and API Endpoints Available for the Cloud Foundry Environment
Neo Environment
SAP Cloud Platform Neo environment contains SAP propriety runtime. Neo is a feature-rich and easy-to-use development environment, allowing you to develop Java, SAP HANA XS, and HTML5 applications. You can also use SAPUI5 to develop rich user interfaces for modern web-based business applications.
The Neo environment also lets you use virtual machines, allowing you to install and maintain your own applications in scenarios that aren’t covered by the platform. A virtual machine is the virtualized hardware resource (CPU, RAM, disk space, installed OS) that blends the line between Platform-as-a-Service and Infrastructure-as-a-Service.
For more information about regional availability of the Neo environment, see Regions and API Endpoints Available for the Neo Environment
Difference between Cloud Foundry and Neo
Which SAP Cloud Platform environment shall I use?
Based on the use case and business need, you can choose which environment is most suitable for you.
Use Cases for the Cloud Foundry Environment
Application developers can use the Cloud Foundry environment to enhance SAP products and to integrate business applications, as well as to develop entirely new enterprise applications based on business APIs that are hosted on SAP Cloud Platform.
The Cloud Foundry environment allows you to use multiple programming languages such as Java, Node.js, and community/bring-your-own language options.
We can use Cloud Foundry environment for micro-services-based applications, for Internet of Things and machine learning scenarios, and for developing applications using SAP HANA extended application services, advanced model (SAP HANA XSA).
Use Cases for the Neo Environment
Neo is a feature-rich and easy-to-use development environment, allowing you to develop Java, SAP HANA XS, and HTML5 applications. We can use the Neo environment to develop HTML5 and complex Java applications and for complex integration and extension scenarios.
Central Cockpit
To be able to administrate the two environments in a unified way, SAP provides one central cockpit.
The central cockpit is a Web-based user interface for administrators, providing access to a number of functions for configuring and managing applications and connecting them to services on the cloud platform. It can be used to manage resources, services, security, monitor application metrics, and perform actions on cloud applications.
A typical Cloud Platform cockpit looks like below.
You can access and use trial account cockpit for free. To know more refer to Get Started with SAP Cloud Platform
SAP Cloud Platform ABAP Environment
Recently, there has been one more environment got added to the SAP Cloud Platform – ABAP Environment.
ABAP in SAP Cloud Platform is SAP’s new Platform as a Service (PaaS) offering for ABAP. Since many years, ABAP has been the foundation for SAP’s on-premise solutions. With ABAP in SAP Cloud Platform, ABAP developers can make use of their existing ABAP know-how to develop and run ABAP applications in the Cloud.
Customers and partners can build extensions for ABAP-based products like SAP S/4HANA Cloud as well as develop new cloud applications. ABAP in SAP Cloud Platform is also an option to transform existing ABAP-based custom code or extensions to the Cloud.
To know more on ABAP Environment, please refer to following blog posts:
- Overview of ABAP in SAP Cloud Platform
- ABAP in SAP Cloud Platform – Frequently Asked Questions
- SAP Cloud Platform ABAP Environment
Migrate Applications from Neo Environment to Cloud Foundry
When you migrate an application from the Neo to the Cloud Foundry environment following documents could be helpful.
Migrate SAP Cloud SDK Based Applications from SAP Cloud Platform Neo Environment to Cloud Foundry
Best Practices for Adapting SAP Cloud Platform Applications to the Cloud Foundry Environment
Thank you for the explanation.Thanks Marcelo Rodrigues
Thank you !
Very clear, thank you.
Do you think HANA 2.0 will be available on NEO (in the short future)?
Thanx
Hi Gerard Gerrits ,
Thanks for the feedback.
Regarding the availability of HANA 2.0 in Neo, I am not sure. However, even if Neo supports HANA 2.0, Cloud Foundry should be preferred.
Any specific reason, why you are looking for HANA 2.0 in Neo?
Regards,
Raja
Hi Raja
Thanks for the blog post. I am wondering why Cloud Foundry is preferred? For all use cases?
Thanks,
Philippe
Very useful information. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Supriya. Glad you liked it.
Hi,
Thanks for de explanation. Maybe you can give us some advice:
We want to use CPI (instead of On-Prem PO), in a standard On-Prem SAP ERP <> SuccessFactors scenario. Where whould we run this CPI, on CF or NEO?
We don't use any other SAP Cloud Platform service currently.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Marc,
As per strategic directions, you should be running CPI in CF.
Regards
GK
Hi,
Neo Environment's not available anymore
Hi Antonio
Are you saying that Cloud Foundry is now the only option for SAP Cloud Platform?
Regards,
Jacob
Hi,
Some applications are still only existing in Neo. Some services as for example IPS are not yet available in CF only in Neo.
Regards
Dear Antonio and IT/SAP colleagues,
I'm a SAP SuccessFactors PM, I'm little bit confused. My system Integrator developed a custom application for my HR (released end 2020) in NEO sys with HANA DB in Foundry. Today, the System Integrator is telling me ... that "NEO" will be (soon) end-of-life ... and everything have to be moved everything to Foundry Environment.
Antonio, do you confirm that ... "Neo Environment's not available anymore" .. but from when?
Is there any official SAP statement about the NEO Environment disposal? somewhere in the KB/SAP LaunchPad?
I thank you in advance, best regards
Paolo
Dear Guru
We are planning to migrate our ERP to AWS cloud , we have currently Ariba, Sucessfactor connected to ERP using cloud connector ,,….is there any white pape which illustrate deployment of cloud connector in AWS and what the SAP recommendation for such deployment
Thank you for the explanation
Thank you for the clear explanation!
but I have one more question:
Wenn I create a new Subaccout, I have no choice to define "Cloud Foundry" as Environment. Is it normal? Or what is the reason?
Nice information!.
Thanks
Hi Everyone,
why I can’t see more "Multichain" in the Service Marketplace (Cloud Foundry).
It’s no longer available in trial account? Or maybe it is available only in some Country?
Thanks,
Majdi
Thank you Raja Prasad Gupta
Thank you Raja,
I just have a question, are both enviroments compatible to work with on-premise solutions?
Regards
Thank you for easy explanation
Dear Raja
Hope all well, can you please help me with the links?
Help document on CF Migration
Best Practices for Adapting SAP Cloud Platform Applications to the Cloud Foundry Environment
thanks
Lakshmi 🙂
Hi,
How do we identify the version i'm using is Neo or Cloud Foundry.
Is it possible to differentiate via URL or in Cockpit
Please clarify
Thanks,
Dinesh
Hi Dinesh,
Not sure if this will help you, but in the SAP Cloud Platform Cockpit/SAP BTP Cockpit (https://account.us2.hana.ondemand.com/cockpit), we are seeing the environment listed for our tenants (i.e. Subaccounts). See the following example:
Regards,
Jeremiah
Hi Raja Prasad Gupta
Good blog, clearly articulates the differences and scope of both Neo and Cloud Foundry.
I have a question in the diagram showing the differences you have mentioned for CF - programming languages supported by SAP - Java and Node JS, what about ABAP, HTML 5 that Neo supports? And the others you have mentioned earlier - PHP, Python, etc.? Please can you check and kindly update?
Another point - as this blog was written 2.5 years ago - the statement "SAP provides FREE trial account for both Neo and Cloud Foundry" needs to be updated, as SAP has stopped providing free trial accounts for Neo sometime last quarter of 2020 if I am not mistaken.
Thanks
Arijit Das
Hi Raja,
Thank you for this information on Neo and CF.
I have one question, when we say migration from Neo to CF I believe there is two aspects to it
can you also give some details or references on how to migrate customer from Neo to CF?
Correct me if my understanding is wrong, Thank You!