SAP, Microsoft deliver developer tool

Infoworld ^ | /12/2005 | John Blau, IDG News Service

[KwasiOwusu]

SAP and Microsoft announced the availability of a new portal development kit, delivering on a promise made last year to integrate their Web services-based technology platforms.

The kit, with the unwieldy name Portal Development Kit for Microsoft (Profile, Products, Articles).Net within SAP (Profile, Products, Articles) NetWeaver, aims to help programmers use Microsoft's Visual Studio.Net 2003 development tools to build portal applications on SAP's NetWeaver middleware, application server, and integration platform.

In May, the two companies announced a cooperation agreement aimed at reducing friction for customers who have to work with both .Net and NetWeaver but don't want to work with bridges. Customers of both companies demanded tighter integration.

Almost two-thirds of all new SAP installations are deployed on Microsoft's Windows operating systems, with more than 40,000 SAP installations currently running on these systems -- more than all other platforms combined, according to SAP.

[formercalifornian]

I don't really understand all this geek stuff, but is this Microsoft trying to get business from Linux or open source fans? Or is this something else entirely?

[XMLViking]

Interesting....

I'm not huge on the SAP system and have not frankly done that much with it. But what I do know is that SAP consultants make a ton of money. I wounder if this will put a crimp in thier style? I'm assuming that MS is looking at this as a toe dip into the ERP environment.

I for one would like to see how this comes out. I have not heard too much about MS's aquistion of Great Plains..... how about you? Are they doing ok with that product line?

p.s. I'm an MS/Java consultant...hehehe

[XMLViking]

SAP is an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution. It's for mid to big sized business. It's VERY expensive to install and maintain. But like all things in this fast paced world...a necesity if your in the afore mentioned category.

SAP people make VERY big dollars consulting....and I'm assuming that this is MS's way to make it easier to develop product for SAP instead of spending $120 hour on some SAP guru.

[djf]

Lotsa SAP horror stories out there. Computer people do sometimes screw up, but if you mess up with SAP, you're talking seven or eight figures...

[An.American.Expatriate]

Hey Kwasi!

Just out of curiosity - how many of the those SAP Installations are on redundant systems?

[KwasiOwusu]

"But what I do know is that SAP consultants make a ton of money"

They do.
And most SAP installations (over 60%) are in Windows servers)

"I'm assuming that MS is looking at this as a toe dip into the ERP environment"


Microsoft is already in ERP, but so far they have limited themselves to serving companies with a user base of only 1000 or less.
So SAP is safe for the most part..for the mean time, since most of SAP's business is with the biggest businesses.
How long before Microsoft attacks SAP's costumer base? I have no idea, but I think it shouldn't be longer than 5 years.
We'll see.

" I have not heard too much about MS's acquisition of Great Plains.."

Its going great. Same guy from Great Plains(Doug something or the other) is now in charge of all Microsoft Business Solutions.

[XMLViking]

Microsoft is already in ERP, but so far they have limited themselves to serving companies with a user base of only 1000 or less. Hmmmm I'm not sure where you are going with that one. Are you talking about a product line? Small Business???? I have not used it...but I was assuming it was just a menagerie of existing MS products. Am I wrong here? I'm an MS developer of enterprise solutions but...they are pretty much all custom developed solutions....ie. using best patterns and practices but custom none the less. So MS has an existing ERP solution? Eric

[KwasiOwusu]

" Hmmmm I'm not sure where you are going with that one. Are you talking about a product line?"

Microsoft Business Solutions are business management software and services that help small and mid-size organizations automate processes, make more profitable decisions, and accelerate growth

Go here.

http://www.microsoft.com/businesssolutions/

Its all there.

[XMLViking]

Does anyone actually use that?

I have not heard of many that actually use that product line.
Probably because of what I do. I'm not around the small to mid sized business usually. I'm too freaking expensive! LOL

I'm interested in SQL Server 2005 very nice....

[KwasiOwusu]

"Does anyone actually use that? "

Yep. $160 Million worth of business last quarter.
On track for over $640 Million in sales at least this year.


http://www.microsoft.com/msft/earnings/FY05/earn_rel_q1_05.mspx

Go to the Microsoft site, you'll find all the answers to the questions you asked so far( and probably all your future questions too) on there.