Organizations using composable architectures with third-party support achieve above-average performance 83% of the time versus 27% for traditional approaches
Rimini Street, Inc., a global provider of end-to-end enterprise software support, managed services, and innovation solutions, and the leading third-party support provider for Oracle, SAP, and VMware software, today announced research findings around the SAP roadmap.
In an in-depth study and interactive interview of 455 IT and business leaders, SAP customers voiced concerns over the push toward subscription-based S/4HANA and the strategies business leaders are adopting to drive innovation and growth.
The data revealed that while nearly all SAP customers surveyed find it difficult to make a positive ROI case for S/4HANA, many are instead choosing a multi-vendor composable ERP strategy. This allows them to integrate best-in-class solutions and emerging technologies more rapidly, preserving flexibility, cost, and roadmap control while enabling faster business outcomes.
SAP policy volatility and cost concerns fuel customer demand for alternative paths to control and agility
SAP’s push to convert all perpetual licensees to subscription models is causing alarm among its customers. A total of 83% say they do not fully understand SAP’s latest migration policies and deadlines, while 84% express concern about the current messaging and its impact on their operations.
The constant shifts in deadlines, packaging options, transition programs, and even product names are adding to the uncertainty felt by customers. This makes strategic planning more difficult—but also encourages exploration of alternative ERP strategies.
Furthermore, 83% of respondents see clear value in composable approaches for faster access to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), while 94% highlight the freedom to choose best-fit solutions for each business need.
“It’s good to see so many SAP customers now fully embracing the idea of open composable architecture and the use of loosely coupled third-party solutions to meet ERP needs,” says Dale Vile, distinguished analyst at Freeform Dynamics. “This business-led, rather than supplier-led approach, has been commonplace in other areas of IT for a while, as it pays dividends in terms of flexibility, control, and access to new innovations.”
Multi-vendor strategy and third-party support help SAP customers achieve above-average performance
While 77% of respondents say they are open to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) in principle, many express reservations about SAP’s current approach. A total of 92% cite escalating and unpredictable subscription costs as a significant concern, and 95% say building a positive ROI case for S/4HANA is challenging.
As a result, SAP customers are increasingly adopting a multi-vendor, composable ERP strategy. About 78% expect to leverage innovations from multiple vendors to advance ERP functionality. The open, composable model provides the freedom to select the right solutions for each business need, avoid vendor lock-in, and accelerate adoption of emerging technologies such as AI—all while strengthening competitiveness and maintaining agility.
Notably, organizations combining open composable architectures with third-party support report above-average performance 83% of the time, compared to just 27% for traditional approaches.
“As SAP customers navigate costly forced migration decisions and the loss of valuable perpetual licenses, we’re seeing a decisive shift toward composable ERP strategies that deliver faster innovation and real business value,” said David Rowe, chief product and marketing officer at Rimini Street. “Rimini Street clients are leveraging our third-party support and optimization solutions to extend the life and value of proven SAP releases, freeing up critical funds to adopt emerging technologies such as AI and maintain control over their roadmaps.”
Access the full report, Plotting Your Course to Future Success with SAP, to learn how to advance your SAP roadmap strategy.
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