Boost for Microsoft channel as SAP aligns with Azure

SAP has selected Microsoft as a preferred in-market cloud partner with a global network of system integrators tasked with helping drive customer adoption at enterprise level.

The alliance is centred around accelerating deployments of SAP S/4HANA and SAP Cloud Platform on Microsoft Azure, with the partnership spanning “conceptualisation to sales”.

Under the banner of project ‘Embrace’, SAP, Microsoft and a global ecosystem of system integrators will combine to offer “holistic bundles” designed to provide customers with unified reference architectures and strategic roadmaps in the context of cloud.

Microsoft will also re-sell components of SAP Cloud Platform alongside Azure, allowing businesses to “easily migrate” SAP enterprise resource planning (ERP) and S/4HANA customers from on-premises to public cloud.

“SAP’s decision to select Microsoft Azure as its preferred partner deepens the relationship between our two companies in a differentiated way and signals a shared commitment to fostering the growth of the cloud ecosystem,” said Judson Althoff, executive vice president of worldwide commercial business at Microsoft.

“This news also reflects our commitment to a customer-first mindset and supporting their cloud transformation, which continues to drive how we at Microsoft approach everything from partnerships to product innovation. It takes co-selling to a whole new level.”

SAP will lead with Microsoft Azure to move on-premises SAP ERP and S/4HANA customers to the cloud through “industry-specific” best practices, reference architectures and cloud-delivered services. This includes future deployment and migration of existing direct SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud customers leveraging hyper-scaler infrastructure.

“This partnership is all about reducing complexity and minimising costs for customers as they move to SAP S/4HANA in the cloud,” added Jennifer Morgan, co-chief executive officer of SAP. “Bringing together the power of SAP and Microsoft provides customers with the assurance of working with two industry leaders so they can confidently and efficiently transition into intelligent enterprises.”

According to Morgan, SAP will continue with its “longstanding policy of supporting choice” for customers who request alternatives based on business requirements.