Verizon to create next-generation global network infrastructure for SAP

Verizon has been chosen by SAP to build a next-generation global network. Verizon will consolidate and streamline SAP’s global network infrastructure for easier and more cost-effective network management. SAP’s end objective is improved internal connectivity and collaboration, a secure stable platform to support customer-facing applications, and a better experience for employees and customers around the globe.

“SAP has an extremely clear vision for its customers around the globe,” said George Fischer, President, Verizon Enterprise Solutions. “The world counts on SAP for mission critical applications that run their business, delivering intelligence across the enterprise in real time. That clarity of purpose is extremely important, as it makes it crystal clear where we need to focus our attention as well. This was a great opportunity for us to use Verizon’s innovative network solutions to build a future-ready infrastructure that can support SAP’s exponential growth. When a company is growing as quickly as SAP, the network is foundational. And network is at the heart of what we do.”

Historically, SAP’s in-house team looked after its global IT real estate, supported by a variety of different technology companies, including Verizon. Due to the exponential growth of its cloud business, SAP decided to consolidate management of its global network environment, using next-generation network technologies, including software-defined networking, to build in resilience and scalability while freeing its own people to focus on customer-facing activities. Verizon was chosen due to the company’s global reach, its expansive, secure and high capacity global network capabilities, and its technical expertise.

Moving its business to the cloud focused SAP’s attention on its global network infrastructure. Critical for cloud-based applications is a high-capacity, highly-available and secure network platform essential to running a global SaaS business.

“Secure, resilient global connectivity is crucial for our future business success and critical to running our business,” said Thomas Saueressig, Chief Information Officer and EVP of Global Cloud Infrastructure, SAP. “As we move more of our business to the cloud, our customers’ success depends on our ability to connect them to our applications, and to help ensure those applications deliver the highest standards of performance and security.”

Verizon now supports SAP in two key projects. First, Verizon is developing a new global network to link SAP offices around the globe, including data and voice services. Second, Verizon is providing highly-available, scalable and secure Internet connectivity to connect SAP’s customer-facing data centers around the globe – the platform that enables SAP’s cloud business.