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Mobility, an Edward Scissor-hands?

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CIOL Bureau
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MUMBAI: Acquisitions like Sybase or Syclo, changes in NetWeaver etc are some dice dots that keep reminding the industry that SAP is betting really big on a new shift. Sudesh Prabhu, senior director, pre-sales, Business Solutions, Database and Technology, SAP is understandably excited about the mobility blitzkrieg. Here, he gives a view of the new world as he sees it, and how is it changing platforms, portfolios and pickle-jars at SAP.

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What do you listen when you hear the word ‘mobility’?

Mobility has been a refreshing change for us, from serious big-ticket projects to new applications being created. We have added a lot of value elements, like in specific cases of many industries in this area. Syclo’s acquisition points that out again that SAP’s mobile strategy is largely about adding new solutions to transform a customer’s experience. We continue to invest in platforms because it is a strength and we have also looked at other aspects like security and adoption seriously. We also have a good range of services around it, like m-commerce and m-advertising.

Will this shift, as reinforced with Sybase or NetWeaver let both kind of users walk simultaneously?

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It’s the platform for now, and for future. SAP NetWeaver gateway is a transition point, and users get the same data, architectures and engines. They have more choices. Sybase users have continuity.

So, some chops or add-ons might happen in SAP’s portfolio? What will you continue to preserve?

Well, NetWeaver Mobile as a development platform has been removed because there was a silo area was not relevant. But data orchestration and Gateway have been retained. Earlier there was one development environment with Sybase. That was sufficient, but we realized that there are some best-of-the-breed tools, so we have added these interfaces and environments as an add-on choice for consumers. Yet, s/he will be able to leverage and customize the platform. After the acquisition we have to ensure our pedigree on applications is taken care of, while ensuring that customers get to adopt some applications.

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How will mobility shape up for enterprise users? Would it take a Big Bang approach?

The good thing about mobility is that it can extend up to the last mile and can really drive lot of new competencies. As an effective extension to existing IT, it will turn out to be a great idea. For instance, pushing real-time reports to a boss, regardless of the user’s physical co-ordinates. As you can guess, a lot of transformation and innovation is possible around it. But will it mean complete IT? No, not except for small organizations. But, it’s surely a good bang for the buck, even if not the big bang yet.

It isn’t easy keeping pace with all the BYOD, consumerisation or rapidly shrinking PLCs (Product Life Cycles) of many gadgets. Will it make a deep cut in how a CIO used to work?

It’s about being asked and given a choice. All these changes, require a good device solution and a proper mobile strategy. Consumerisation essentially means that people get used to a lot of core applications available all the time. It’s not an add-on, it is essential to IT. Business spending on mobile projects is witnessing triple-digit growth rates, and it shows how organizations are seeing mobility as an integral part of their IT. It’s because of immediate impact on productivity and decision-making. That’s a good thing for CIOs.