As digital transformation accelerates, businesses running SAP workloads are under pressure to modernize, increase agility, and reduce costs—without disrupting operations. That’s where SAP on AWS enters the picture, delivering cloud-scale power and flexibility for one of the most critical enterprise platforms in the world.

This guide will walk you through the basics of SAP RISE, the benefits of running SAP S/4HANA on AWS, and what it takes to migrate from a legacy setup to a fully managed, cloud-native environment.

📦 What Is SAP RISE?

RISE with SAP is SAP’s strategic offering to help enterprises simplify their move to the cloud. It bundles together software, infrastructure, and managed services into one subscription-based package—designed to accelerate digital transformation.

What’s Included in RISE with SAP:

SAP S/4HANA Cloud (public or private edition)
SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP)
Embedded tools for automation, monitoring, and analytics
Technical migration services
Access to industry best practices and business process intelligence

By packaging infrastructure, operations, and transformation guidance into one offering, SAP RISE enables companies to modernize with less complexity and faster ROI.

☁️ Why Run SAP on AWS?

SAP and AWS have maintained a strategic partnership for over a decade. AWS offers the most complete, secure, and scalable infrastructure for SAP workloads.

Benefits of SAP on AWS:

Unmatched Scalability
Instantly scale compute and storage based on demand. AWS supports large-memory EC2 instances (up to 24 TB) for even the most demanding SAP workloads.
High Availability & Disaster Recovery
Leverage AWS regions and availability zones for built-in redundancy and business continuity.
Cost Optimization
Pay only for what you use, reduce overprovisioning, and take advantage of AWS tools for budgeting, forecasting, and reserved instance pricing.
Security & Compliance
AWS meets global compliance standards and provides encryption, role-based access control, and automated monitoring—all crucial for SAP systems.
Integration with AWS Services
Extend SAP with AI/ML, data lakes, analytics, and IoT using native AWS services like SageMaker, Redshift, and Glue.

🔄 Key Steps to Migrating SAP to AWS

Moving SAP to the cloud isn’t a lift-and-shift project—it requires planning, precision, and the right partners. Here’s how to do it right:

1. Assess and Discover

Identify your current SAP landscape: system versions, custom code, integrations, data volumes.
Use tools like AWS Migration Readiness Assessment (MRA) and SAP’s Readiness Check for S/4HANA.

2. Choose the Right Migration Path

Brownfield (System Conversion): Upgrade existing SAP ERP to S/4HANA with existing data and processes.
Greenfield (New Implementation): Build a new S/4HANA environment from scratch, modernizing business processes along the way.
Hybrid Approach: Migrate critical systems first, then phase in others over time.

3. Select the Right AWS Architecture

Determine your region, instance sizes, and storage layout.
Consider HA/DR needs and whether to use AWS services like Elastic File System (EFS), Elastic Load Balancer, or Backup.

4. Perform the Migration

Use SAP and AWS tools such as SAP Software Provisioning Manager, AWS Migration Hub, and CloudEndure.
Validate workloads and run parallel testing to ensure business continuity.

5. Optimize and Operate

Implement continuous monitoring, automated patching, and cost optimization tools.
Integrate with AWS CloudWatch, AWS Systems Manager, and Amazon Inspector for governance and visibility.

🧰 Managed Services That Support SAP on AWS

SAP RISE customers gain access to a suite of managed services, whether provided by SAP, AWS, or an SAP-certified partner.

These services include:

OS and DB Management
Automated updates, backups, and failover management.
Security & Identity Services
Role-based access controls, IAM integrations, and compliance auditing.
Monitoring & Performance Optimization
Real-time dashboards, proactive alerting, and autoscaling recommendations.
Application Lifecycle Services
Support for upgrades, new module rollouts, and testing environments.

📈 Real-World Business Outcomes

Organizations that migrate SAP workloads to AWS typically see:

50–75% reduction in infrastructure costs
30–40% faster time to market for new digital services
Improved uptime and system performance
Streamlined compliance audits with centralized logging and monitoring

From global retailers to Fortune 500 manufacturers, companies across industries are using SAP on AWS to modernize faster and unlock new capabilities across the enterprise.

🧭 Final Thoughts: SAP, Simplified on AWS

Running SAP on AWS—especially through RISE with SAP—is more than a migration. It’s a transformation.

By combining SAP’s powerful business logic and process management with AWS’s unmatched infrastructure and cloud innovation, enterprises can unlock new levels of agility, scalability, and security. Whether you’re upgrading legacy ERP, deploying S/4HANA, or launching entirely new business models—SAP on AWS gives you the platform to move fast, stay secure, and evolve with confidence.