Here goes the first post from SAPPHIRE'06, (These posts are just going to be a brief hit, But i am going to flesh them out more when i get time, now i running between one on ones and key notes, I cant beleive i still havent hit the Conference floor, i need to get there...out fast!!!!)

Day 1:

Sapphire 2006, Got kicked off yesterday with a Key note by Bill McDermott, President and Chief Executive Officer & Leo Apotheker, President, Global Field Operations and was recently named to the Executive Board of SAP AG.

Highlights from the Bill Mcdermott key note:


- Industry is moving to "Standardization" similar to the Auto Component / Railways.
- Currently too much reliance on the quick fix approach.
- One size doesnt fit all / Quick fixes wont work
- Products....SAP Analytics/ duet / CRM on Demand


He brought up the CIO/EVP Bob De Rodes Home Depot....An early adopter at DUET...Talked about the SAP Financial Implementation they are doing, and highlighted they used it for Creative touch interior department - End to end. They are one of the first candidates to check out DUET, And they are really quite happy with the results. (Felt he probably took it too far with the Chainsaw sending an email analogy).

Than Leo Apotheker came up to drive home the point that most companies need to "Embark on the ESA Journey NOW",

Couple of the highlights from his talk/presentation were
- 10-20% less hardware / 20-50% less Maintenance & Support cost / 20-50% Less Customization (Siemens Case Study, CFO Tech Stat, Sept 2005)
- Critical Success Factors: Effectiveness of people (Info when needed) / Processes that are nimble enough(Enterprise Services) / Infrastructure that is ready

He brought up Gary Butler CEO Elect ADP came on to talk about the Global View Partnership...HR outsourcing , he announced Microsoft becoming customer (95000 People ). Quite interesting.


Day 2:

I just got out of the key note by .....Henning Kagermann, the theme of his presentation was "Making IT Strategic", some of the highlights from his talk was :

- 2007 the SAP roadmap will be complete
- Move from Reporting to Business Performance Mgmt
······At the Design Stage, 100% Compliance thru one system, (Not 1 for business & 1 for Compliance)
······At the Implementation Stage, Adoption 5times faster, Thru the Netweaver / ESA approach
······At the Use Stage, Double productivity , Along with Deeper personalization
······At the Operate Stage, Cut TCO, Look at options of proactive maintenance
······At the Change Stage, Speed of change 10 times faster, Not a project based long term approach
- Multiple UI options
······Netweaver Portal
······Duet (Integrate ERP Data into Office Applications)
······Mobile (Decoupled )
······Project Muse (Which depending on Adoption could become the standard SAP interface)
- Empower the user
······DUET
······Enterprise Search / Analytics
······xApps / Mobile Apps
- Drove home the point on standard enterprise business processes (2010 - There will be a network of Business processes with connectivity across), saying differentiation / innovation is going to be driven by Composite applications / xApps - E.g Machette.

.....More later

Prashanth Rai

Tag(s):SAPPHIRE06, SAP