SAP Updates Application Maintenance Software

SAP is updating its software maintenance application designed to help administrators manage upgrades, patches and other changes to the company’s software.

Along with the changes to the application, called SAP Solution Manager, SAP said it will become the sole method for receiving maintenance updates to its mySAP Business Suite 2005 applications starting in April next year.

The product, which is free of charge to SAP customers, is “a dashboard that essentially serves as a gateway into SAP technology,” said SAP spokeswoman Angelika Pfahler. “It’s designed to help administrators keep constantly aware of changes and manage them accordingly.”

Release 4.0 will automatically keep administrators aware of changes and provide tools, services and best practices as part of a preconfigured maintenance management process, Pfahler said.

Due for release in January 2007, the application will initially be the primary source for all of the company’s maintenance updates. Starting in April 2007, it will become the only source for maintenance updates for mySAP Business Suite 2005 applications, while also serving as the source for maintenance updates for earlier releases.

Customers using the 3.2 release of SAP Solution Manager and receiving maintenance from SAP can receive an update to the earlier release that provides them with a limited set of the new features in version 4.0, the company said.

-John Blau, IDG News Service (Dusseldorf Bureau)

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