Sybase Unwired Platform: As a Service or On Premise?

As shown in this image, if you want to mobilize your SAP CRM system using Sybase, quite some extra servers are involved. Depending on your requirements, you can consider implementing the SUP inside your own SAP Landscape, or you can apply for a SAAS solution through a certified SAP Hosting Partner.

Let’s take a look at the different topics that might influence your decision:

Control

Typically if you use Sybase Unwired Platform as a service, you will have less control of the system than when you implement it on premise.

Ownership.

If you implement the servers inside your current SAP landscape, you are the owner, and thus have total authority over the servers.

Implementation.

An SUP As a Service implementation can be quicker and cheaper due to the reusability of components and experience of your hosting party.

Upgrades.

If you use Sybase Unwired Platform as a service, upgrades will be implemented for you. You won’t have to do this yourself.

Support.

If you use the Sybase Unwired Platform as a service, you will generally get support from the hosting party.

TCO.

Some of the software components in the landscape can be shared by several customers (this is called multi-tennant). This will reduce the TCO, and in this case thus the subscription fee.

Communication to the mobile device.

In order to enable the SUP to communicate to the mobile device (and vice versa!), certain changes should be made in the network. If you decide to go for a proper hosting solution, all you need is a VPN tunnel to your new SAP NW Mobile server. The rest is handled by the hosting party.

SUP SAAS, what do you get?

From an end-user point of view, it is not relevant that SAP CRM synchronizes with SAP NW Mobile, that SAP NW Mobile sends messages to the SUP via the Data Orchestration Engine and that the Sybase Unwired Platform communicates to the mobile phone via the Sybase Relay Server.

All the end-user wants is relevant information on the device, updates coming through correctly etcetera. The end-user is not concerned with all the servers that make the solution work.

If you want to mobilize your SAP system, ideally, you would find a hosting party that offers to host an SAP NW Mobile system, an SUP and a Relay server. You connect to the NW mobile system via a VPN tunnel.