BTP as Shared Service: sovanta supports regio iT in establishing an SAP BTP CoE
SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) is becoming increasingly important for our client regio iT. As a municipal IT service provider and host of various IT and SAP services, regio iT enables its customers to access modern SAP cloud applications via BTP. But extending traditional SAP operations to the cloud introduces new organizational and operational requirements – from cost control and a scalable account structure to clearly defined roles and responsibilities to ensure the full range of services can be offered and managed effectively. To meet these new demands, a BTP Center of Excellence (CoE) was set up to first explore the key questions and then establish and maintain a solid foundation for SAP BTP operations. As a specialized SAP BTP partner, sovanta is guiding regio iT on this journey through its CoE Starter Program, moving step by step through the different modules required to establish a functioning BTP CoE.
Roadmap to CoE: Starting with a Workshop
The journey begins with a proven format: the Roadmap to CoE Workshop. In this session, sovanta’s BTP experts take a close look at regio iT’s current setup – examining the organizational structure, the existing IT infrastructure, and the SAP landscape. This thorough assessment forms the foundation for a customized roadmap that outlines which CoE elements should be addressed, in what order, and provides initial guidance on how to proceed. Importantly, regio iT doesn’t have to tackle this roadmap alone.
Immediately following the workshop, the sovanta CoE Starter Program takes over, leading the team through a 12-week journey – one module per week. Each module is designed to dive deep into a specific topic and includes an interactive knowledge session, a dedicated “Strategy Hour”, and a “Review & Decide” session to ensure tangible outcomes. Rather than a standard training format, this program offers an intensive, hands-on consulting experience aimed at real-world implementation within the SAP BTP environment.
This was regio iT’s CoE roadmap
The first modules focused on foundational organizational topics. From there, the program picked up momentum and immersed into more tailored development areas:
#1 BTP STRATEGY
Defining a clear, overarching vision and strategy for using SAP BTP across the organization.
#2 OPERATING MODEL & ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Designing an effective operational model based on existing CoE structures and industry best practices. Also: defining the roles and responsibilities necessary for efficient BTP use.
#3 PLATFORM OPERATIONS
Hands-on guidance on the operational management of SAP BTP – including subaccount creation, support structures, and monitoring.
#4 ACCOUNT MODEL
An in-depth look at the hierarchical structure of a Global Account, including directories and subaccounts. This module explains how organizations manage resources, landscapes, and authorizations within the BTP.
#5 COST CONTROLLING
Creating cost transparency across BTP services and resources. Includes BTP-native tools for cost tracking, forecasting, and analysis, plus integrating third-party analytics to ensure cost-efficiency and financial sustainability.
#6 REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE
Overview of example use cases and integration scenarios, helping the team identify fitting reference architectures for their needs.
#7 CLOUD ALM FOR OPERATIONS
Using SAP Cloud ALM to monitor and manage the BTP platform efficiently.
#8 APPLICATION RUNTIMES & SAP PROGRAMMING MODELS (CAP/RAP)
An overview of the available BTP runtimes – Cloud Foundry, Kyma, and ABAP – and the relevant programming models (CAP and RAP) for building solutions within them.
#9 IDENTITY MANAGEMENT & PLATFORM SECURITY
Insights into managing users, roles, and authorizations – plus best practices for securing the platform.
#10 CLOUD INTEGRATION (CPI) & API MANAGEMENT
Best practices for using SAP Cloud Integration (CPI) and managing APIs – including documentation, governance, and monitoring.
#11 CI/CD & CLOUD TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT
An overview of options for release management via SAP’s Cloud Transport Management and CI/CD tools. This module explores deployment pipelines and tools that support a streamlined, non-developer-centric release process.
#12 APPLICATION SECURITY, DEMAND MANAGEMENT & TRAINING
This module explains the essential steps involved in the security of an application on SAP BTP. Strategies for collecting and analyzing stakeholder and user insights, defining project requirements and prioritizing demand for SAP BTP projects are defined.
Ready to make confident decisions across all BTP services
The ultimate goal: by the end of the twelve-week program, the regio iT team is fully equipped to establish a BTP Center of Excellence within the organization – enabling them to deliver SAP BTP as a secure, scalable, and service-oriented platform. Each week concludes with clearly defined action items based on the respective module and an analysis of any gaps that need to be addressed. It quickly becomes evident that a CoE requires a variety of roles, such as Solution Architects and Administrators. These roles are defined and staffed within regio iT, ensuring that the right expertise is in place. In parallel, processes are realigned, and clear responsibilities are assigned.
Another key element is the implementation of a well-structured account model. Consisting of multiple global accounts, subaccounts, shared services, and clearly defined service areas, this model ensures transparent cost structures and supports the long-term success of regio iT’s business strategy. Together with the regio iT team, sovanta’s BTP experts developed and refined these structures, providing hands-on guidance throughout the process. All results were carefully documented, and recordings of all sessions remain available to regio iT for future reference. With the foundation now firmly in place, regio iT is set up for success – and ready to fully leverage the potential of its SAP BTP Center of Excellence.
Would you like to know more about BTP CoE?
Please feel free to contact us. You can also download the success story here:
