Re: SAP on AS400?

[Evan Harris <spanner@xxxxxxxxxx>]

It definitely runs on the iSeries. I decommissioned an 830 that had 
SAP running on it prior to being migrated to a pSeries/db2 combo. 
Another bunch of guys here run it in an AIX partition alongside some 
traditional iSeries apps.

I believe there is an SAP application express iSeries on offer for at 
the moment, or at least that's what I understood from one of the 
presentation I saw from IBM today (although that might not be the 
official name)

IBM also were telling me about an iSeries SAP implementation that has 
just been completed for 7-11 in Melbourne, Australia which they 
seemed to think was significant. In my case, this was of great 
interest to me as there is an account that I am close to (which is 
not mine) that is currently evaluating the platform that they want to 
run SAP on (migrating from BPCS). From what I can gather the iSeries 
guys (IBM) have gone hard out to try and get this done on iSeries 
even though it is up against a pSeries/db2 offering which I confess 
kind of shocked me although it remains to be seen how it plays out.

Maybe they've finally learned that if it gets implemented on pSeries 
it's a short step to Solaris, or Windows, or whatever, whereas the 
iSeries might be easier for IBM to defend over the longer haul 
(presuming they haven't already been completely outflanked). I guess 
we will see if it is too little too late, but I have to say (again) 
that the iSeries guys I spoke to were much more determined to win an 
iSeries sale rather than just an IBM sale ("we can do any of the 
platforms you want...") which is quite a change from what I have seen 
the last few years.

For my money, if your people want to go SAP, I say you should embrace 
the change wholeheartedly and try to get it implemented on the 
iSeries if at all possible. More chance of that if you get involved 
than if you oppose the whole idea. Obviously you will need to decide 
for yourself  how far along the decision is and make your choice 
appropriately but if you can keep the doors open...

Hope this helps and good luck with whatever it all brinsg your way.

Regards
Evan Harris

At 01:29 p.m. 11/10/2005, you wrote:
> The best description I've ever heard of a SAP installation process 
> is  line from Animal House "Cost millions of Dollars and
> thousands of lives..." :)  Granted, it's a figure of speech, but, if 
> it's done right, as I understand it, an SAP installation will be a
> slow and expensive process.
>
> I'm told it does run on AS/400(iseries, i5....), but I would put 
> money that you'll be using a unix (probably AIXL or HPUX) to 
> implement it, if you're not lucky enough to stay on i5/os...
>
> Don in DC