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Mobilization of SAP ERP for Offline Access Using NetWeaver Mobile and Sybase SUP

Obaid Al Breki Harris S. Quddos

SUG-MENA,

May 31st, 2011

Agenda

• NDC Corporate Profile • SAP Implementation History at NDC • NDC Business Drivers & Pain Points • Functional Requirements & Business Scenarios • NDC’s Functional Mobile Roadmap • Mobile Technology Drivers & Trends • Building an Enterprise Mobility Strategy • MEAP vs Point Solutions • Mobility Design Considerations • Mobile Technology Solutions Evaluated • Where is SAP Mobile Strategy Headed – What we know today • SAP Mobile Platform Today • Mobile Development Process Flow • Tips for Planning an Effective Enterprise Mobility Implementation • Key Takeaways • Q & A

NDC Corporate Profile

• Formed in 1972

• Fully owned affiliate of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, with Headquarters in Abu Dhabi

• One of the largest drilling company in the Middle East

• Operates total of 28 Offshore and Onshore rigs and a Multi-Purpose Service Vessel

• Additional 13 Onshore and Offshore rigs are underway

• Approximately 3500 employees

• Approximately 850 SAP / Portal Users

• Services:

o Onshore Services

o Offshore Services

o Ground Water Research Program

o Directional and Horizontal

o Barge Services

o Wireline Services

o Logging Services

Symbol of Dynamism and Excellence

To be the regional symbol of excellence in providing quality and efficient Drilling, Workover and associated

Well Services

• Drill and Work over Oil, Gas & Water Wells

• No harm to Environment, People and Visible Commitment to HSE

• Maintain the Integrity of Assets

• Satisfy Clients by Providing Efficient and Quality Services

• Pursue Emiratization of positions

• Attract, Train & Develop with objective of providing integrated services

• Ensure good Financial Returns on Investments

• HSE Commitments

• Customer Focus

• Ownership

• Teamwork

• Leadership

• Empowerment

• Professionalism

Corporate Values

Mission

Vision

SAP Implementation History at NDC

MM

PM

HR

CO

PS

SAP R/3 ABAP 4

Release 4.6 c

FI Material

Management

Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling

Financial Accounting

Human Resources

NDC SAP 4.6c project kick off in 27 October 2001 and went live in September 1st 2002


MM

PM

HR

CO

PS

SAP R/3 ABAP 4 Release

4.6 c

FI Material

Management

Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

September 2002

MM

PM

HR

CO

PS

FI Material Management

Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

March 2004

Sales & Distribution

SD


4.6 c


MM

PM

HR

CO

PS


4.6 c

FI Material

Management

Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

September 2002

MM

PM

HR

CO

PS


Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

August 2004


SD


4.6 c


MM

PM

HR

CO

PS


4.6 c

FI Material

Management

Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

September 2002

MM

PM

HR

CO

PS


Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

February 2005


SD

AM

Asset Management


4.6 c


MM

PM

HR

CO

PS


4.6 c

FI Material

Management

Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

September 2002

MM

PM

HR

CO

PS


Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

December 2005


SD

AM

Asset Management

ECC 5.0


MM

PM

HR

CO

PS


4.6 c

FI Material

Management

Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

September 2002

MM

PM

HR

CO

PS


Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

May 2007

Funds Management


SD

AM

FM

Asset Management

ECC 5.0


MM

PM

HR

CO

PS


4.6 c

FI Material

Management

Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

September 2002

MM

PM

HR

CO

PS

ECC 6.0 EHP 2


Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

March 2008

Funds Management


SD

AM

FM

Asset Management


MM

PM

HR

CO

PS


4.6 c

FI Material

Management

Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

September 2002

MM

PM

HR

CO

PS

ECC 6.0 EHP 4


Plant Maintenance

Project Systems

Cost Controlling


Human Resources

December 2010

Funds Management


SD

AM

FM

Asset Management

SAP Post Implementation Projects

The following upgrades and implementations were done after Sep 2002. • Sales and Distribution Module (SD) • SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal 7.0 SP15 • Asset Management (AM) • Audit information system (AIS) • ECC 5.0 and then ECC 6.0 EHP 4 • Solution Manager (SM) • Workflow (WF) • Funds Management (FM) • 50+ NetWeaver Applications

• RIG Moves

• Occasional VSAT service disruption by Etisalat

• Crane Movements (offshore only)

• Regular IT System Preventive Maintenance

• Inability to update PM Work Orders during Rig Move

• Inability to release/approve PR/PO/WO when away from the office

• Inability to retrieve information from SAP for better decision making

• Work duplication caused by manual record keeping during system non-availability and data capturing of the same

• Delayed data capture that results in incorrect order status/reporting/KPI Reporting

• Loss of historical data sometimes not being captured due to system non-availability and human errors

• Additional workload for Planning Engineers where they have to handle all the PMWO for the rigs that are on the move

NDC Business Drivers & Pain Points

Non-availability of SAP System due to network outages caused by:

Resulting in the following pain points:

Proposed Solution and Benefits

• To provide an offline access solution wherein RIG users can carry out their day to day operational activities and later synchronize with SAP system

• Ability to release & approve requests anytime/anywhere (from mobile handhelds)

• Ability to capture data for employees at work sites

• Ability to track/display material availability and other assets/equipment details

• Elimination of any manual record keeping due to system non-availability

• Timely availability of order status and related information

• Faster completion of work orders and timely creation of notifications due to non-dependency of live system access

Proposed Solution

Benefits - Offline SAP Access Solution

• Creation/Update of Notifications

• Creation/ Update of Maintenance Orders

• Display Master data – Functional locations, Equipments, Materials

• Creation of Time Confirmations

• Approving of Purchasing Documents

• PR/PO Approvals

• Leave / Outgoing / Late Coming Approvals

• SAP Access Control Authorizations

16

Functional Requirements & Business Scenarios

Business Scenarios

Workflow Scenarios

NDC’s Functional Mobile Roadmap

Creating/Updating Notifications

Maintenance Material Management

Completion Confirmation

Creating/Updating Work Orders

PR Release

PO Release

Notification Report

Maintenance Material Management

Work Order Report

Updating of Master Data

Good Receipt and Good Issues

Material Transfer

HR

Maintain Time Management

Service Entry Sheet

Updating Measuring Documents

Finance

Plan vs. Actual Report

Funds Management Report

Hotel Reservation

HSE Observation

Training Attendance Confirmation

Time Justification/Leave Approval

2011

2012

2013

Workflow

PR/PO Approvals

PR/PO Approvals

Leave/Outgoing/Late Approvals

Display Master Data

Material Management

Physical Inventory

Evaluated Receipt Settlement

Mobile Technology Drivers & Trends

Industry Drivers Emerging Trends

Mobile Hardware Advancement –

• Dual core chips and high definition video in smartphones and tablets

• Faster and more powerful devices • Innovative use of smartphone sensors

to deliver intelligent automatic behaviors

1. Enterprises can now achieve more than they have ever been able to in the past

2. Willingness to adopt and deploy mobile technologies (i.e smartphones & tablets) to improve communication and collaboration among enterprises

3. Smartphones are becoming mainstream and an essential platform for product strategies

4. Continued growth in customized mobile apps and application based transactions

5. Continued mobile internet adoption 6. 2011 will be the year when we will see

tablets starting to trump laptops

New focus on mobile security due to increased risks that mobile access will introduce

1. Increased complexity (smartphones, tablets, multi platform) will put more pressure on better IT management

2. Need for centralized device management, and governance through a well planned enterprise mobility strategy

Handset Software Environments Multiply Physical Form Factors, Task Specific

Wider Set of Mobile Software Vendors More Development Environments Mature

“Defining a Mobile Architecture for Success”, 2008, Michael J. King, Gartner.

Mobility Challenges Device, Platform Application Diversity/Change Proliferation

Changes in Mobility Devices are happening at Phenomenal Pace

.

• How can we adjust and cope with these changes (develop and manage the proliferation of devices OSs, and Applications) in a dynamic way ?

• What is required ?

Thinking Out Loud – Questions which we asked ourselves at NDC ?

.

• Since mobile technology is changing so fast, how can we ensure we can keep pace and adapt to these changes ?

• Today our users want iPhone 4, and iPad2, but in a few years they might want PlayBook and Motorola XOOM ? How do I manage this ?

• We need rugged PCs on the field, but at our head office, we want to use tablets. How can we minimize the redundant development efforts ?

• How can we streamline our mobile development lifecycle, to adapt to technology changes without having to re-write our apps ?

• Should we allow our employees to bring their own device ? How can we control so many devices ? How can we keep track of which user is using which device and which version OS, and which apps and what data he should have ?

• How can we streamline the application deployment process to different devices and ensure that the right user has access to the right apps and right data and that he is connecting to the right back end for synchronization.

• Our RIG users should not have cameras enabled on their device, whereas at other sites cameras are allowed. How can we manage to enable and disable cameras on the fly with the push of a button ?

• What happens if someone loses their device with sensitive data ? • How can we ensure mobile security and establish mobile governance ?

More Thought Provoking Questions

• Do I require a device agnostic solution ? • Will I require a single device management console with

remote and over the air (OTA) access / provisioning for all device types ?

• Will I require an integrated security tool set common for all devices and mobile apps ?

• Will I require enterprise scalability ? • Which operating modes will my mobility solution need to

support (online over low bandwidth, sometimes connected, offline) ?

• What volume of data will need to be synchronized ? • What kind of network will I be working with ? (3G/4G,

EDGE, GPRS, WiFi, etc.)

10 Steps to Developing an Enterprise Mobility Strategy

1. Define all business goals and requirements 2. Build your business case and obtain buy in and support from your

Power Users and Top Management from the very early stages 3. Create a timeline for delivery based on scope/time 4. Create a preliminary budget 5. List the risks and policy tools 6. Quantify ROI Benefits and provide information needed to

determine if projected costs are aligned with desired value of the mobility implementation

7. Begin the vendor and technology selection process 8. Start with a test deployment (Pilot Project) 9. Expand to a wider roll-out using a phased approach 10.Rinse and repeat (continually evolve services to embrace new mobile technologies and functionality)

The Main Pillars of an Enterprise Mobility Strategy

Do I need a MEAP or Point Solution ? What’s the difference ?

• Only address select business needs (i.e field service) but not all enterprise needs

• MEAP solutions have operational and cost advantages over point solutions (lower admin, maintenance, and support costs), but initial investment in a MEAP is typically higher than point solutions.

• Lack of mobile application integration -> siloed business workflows

• MEAP solutions require investment in the platform and development of an initial application.

• Multiple tool sets for enforcing security • Integrated mobile applications allow greater flexibility in information sharing and security

• Requires maintaining a complex point solution roadmap to guide employees in their choice of devices, apps, and use cases

• Allows greater flexibility in expanding mobility through the organization

Gartner’s Rule of Three

1. Will you require 3 or more mobile apps ?

2. Will you need to support 3 or more mobile OS platforms ?

3. Will you need to integrate with 3 or more back-end systems ?

If answer to any of the above 3 questions is YES, then you need a MEAP solution.

NDC’s Mobility Design Considerations

• MEAP based device agnostic mobility solution • Ensure mobile platform selection will be fully compliant and in line with

future SAP support as per SAP mobile technology direction and roadmap (avoid any product solution that will soon approach its end of life support or where future compatibility may be in question or where SAP has stopped development)

• Online / Offline Synchronization w/SAP ECC 6 transactional data and support for workflow approvals under low network bandwidth with support for both “sometimes connected” and “offline” modes

• Robust platform that will allow enterprise scalability to expand additional mobile use cases over time. Build mobile technology that will be able to scale across different types of mobile use cases.

• Facility for remote device provisioning / management / administration • Solution should include an integrated mobile security tool set

NDC Key Mobile Technology Requirements

Analysis Results by Top IT Research Firms – Market Leaders for Enterprise Mobility

Mobile Technology Solutions Evaluated

• Fully aligned with SAP roadmap as SAP is heavily investing in this platform and has plans to release new mobility application solutions based on this platform

• Offers reliable and fully scalable architecture for optimal performance

• Future plans include full integration with current and future SAP products

• Out of Box solution offers only partial solution currently limited to SAP Field Services

• No out of box solution offered for HR, Finance, and other business areas

• There is limited joint release planning between the two vendors so far

• Not aligned with SAP future roadmap

• Antenna has limited cooperation with SAP

• Antenna has yet to define its SAP strategy and consolidate the different technology

platforms

• Antenna delivers limited upgrade tools and relies on 3rd party mobility management

tools for full landscape management

Syclo

SAP Sybase

Antenna Software

Other Solutions Evaluated (not meeting NDC requirements)

Where is SAP Mobile Strategy Headed? What we know today--

• Sybase Unwired Platform (SUP) will be the “go to” mobile platform and will be the core of SAP’s mobility platform going forward. SUP is the new standard for SAP mobility.

• NW Data Orchestration Engine (DOE) functionality will be retained and eventually be moved out of NW Mobile and integrated into SUP.

• SAP has recently at SapphireNOW 2011 (2 weeks ago) just released:

– The next version of Sybase Unwired Platform 2.0 to be integrated with NW Mobile DOE

– A new mobile SDK for their mobility platform

– 20+ industry specific mobile applications built on next generation platform

• NW Mobile 7.3 will be the last version to be released and will then reach end of life.

• Sybase Afaria will become SAP’s device management solution.

• SAP Mobile Asset Management (MAM) will not be developed further by SAP.

HTML5 in a mobile context involving SUP

• SUP 2.0 now offers the capability to build mobile apps using hybrid web container (HWC) – to build UI in HTML5/JS/CSS.

• HWC takes browser technology and wraps it around a native application while expressing the presentation and business logic in HTML/JS for portability of the app

• One of Sybase’s goals will be to help web developers become mobile developers with the help of the mobile SDK

• Sybase will save some mobile applications templates in HTML5 and make them available. This library will evolve over time.

Advantages:

– Achieve cross platform development capabilities – Reduce cost of building cross platform apps (native dev for each device

type) – Supports SSO and security

SAP’s Mobile Platform Today (SUP 2.0) • Richer SAP metadata availability to

the SUP • Associated design time tools to

enable future applications to be significantly customized without the need for any code changes on the device

• Sybase Unwired Platform (SUP

2.0) • Sybase DOE Connector (DOE-C) • SAP NetWeaver Mobile 7.1 • SAP NetWeaver Mobile Gateway

Key Features

This platform consists of:

Off

line

app

s

On

line

app

s

Mobile device

Sybase Unwired Platform

OData

OData MBO

RFC; BAPI

Afa

ria

Apps (native and/or container)

Reusable libraries

SDK OData SDK MBO

Content

DOE Content

SAP Netweaver

Gateway

Data Model Development

Back end Adapter Configuration

Distribution Model

Development

ESDMA Generation

)

Mobile Development Process Flow using SUP

2

7 3 5

4

6 1

Client UI Development

ESDMA Deployment

BAPI Wrapper Generation

Tips for Planning an Effective Enterprise Mobility Implementation

• Always think ahead – – Where is my company headed and what could I possibly benefit from in the

future ? – How do I expect my mobilization requirements to evolve in the future with

respect to what I require today ?

• Leverage your current development practices and existing in-house skillsets to minimize costs

• Plan for device management up front • Plan for security –

– How will you secure your devices ? – How will you align your mobile security policies with your IT security policies ?

• Figure out which part(s) of your application make sense for the device • A good user interface is very, very important –

– Have you taken any usability surveys ? What is the level of your users ? – What kind of UI do they prefer ?

• Use a local data store • Test, test and test !!

Key Takeaways

• Mobility is here. It is required and it is pervasive. • What is your strategy ? What is your plan ? • Focus on extending high value processes to the mobile

workforce – don’t focus on ever changing devices • Focus on delivering Quick Wins that will deliver high value to

your business • Start with the right infrastructure that provides flexibility and

scalability and plan to support a fast evolving mobility landscape

• Extend your existing ERP to the mobile workforce, don’t try to re-develop it

• Get more value out of your IT investments by extending it to mobile workers, partners, and customers

Questions & Answers