To get the maximum out of both your CMMS and APM (see article here for the differences between the two) with regards to proper asset management, an integration between the two is necessary. Spartakus APM, as a cloud-based platform, easily integrates with many CMMS to bring the following advantages:
- The ability to directly create work order requests in CMMS from Spartakus.
- Avoid duplicate entry of work order data between the two platforms.
- Facilitate the management and monitoring of corrective actions.
The following article develops more specifically on the SAP connector.
Overview of the workflow
Currently, our certified SAP/Spartakus connector uses the following process. Our in-house development team can, however, add more functionalities upon request.
What connector do I need?
If your organization already has an SAP connector in its architecture, it will be possible to connect to it using custom APIs (to be developed accordingly).
Otherwise, Spartakus Technologies works with a third-party provider to provide a bidirectional connector between Spartakus APM and SAP: NLINK. The core benefits of using NLINK are the simplicity of deployment, speed and flexibility of changes, and the robustness and ease of ongoing support.
When co-deployed with Spartakus APM, customers enjoy the advantage of a holistic system designed, deployed, and supported by a single, trusted vendor.
Network diagrams of our NLINK connector
NLINK is typically deployed on the corporate network and must be provided with network access to both the system(s) it is integrating with and to SAP.
When SAP ECC or SAP S/4HANA is deployed in the cloud, most deployments connect the corporate network to the cloud network via a VPN which allows all of the traditional SAP connectivity methods to be used.
This approach also provides the flexibility of seamlessly supporting subsequent moves of the SAP system to a different cloud provider and/or relocation to a traditional on-premises deployment.
In the case of SAP S/4HANA Cloud, connectivity to SAP is restricted and only possible via secure web services. Consequently, the connectivity methods are greatly reduced.
NLINK architecture
The architecture diagrams below show the various SAP connectivity options available for the different types of SAP systems.
ON-PREMISE:
SAP HANA CLOUD
Conclusion
Delivered in different ways depending on your specific needs, this connector installs in minutes and requires no custom coding to deploy. Used worldwide for almost 20 years, this certified connector works with any version of SAP and requires no installation or modification to the SAP system.
This connector will be installed on your servers and will communicate securely with Spartakus to exchange notification #s, work order #s and system statuses.
Once installed, it is necessary to do a “mapping” of the functional locations to ensure optimal communication between the two systems.
This connector is a versatile tool that can be deployed in various ways to meet your specific needs. It can be installed within minutes and doesn’t require any custom coding. It has been used globally for nearly 20 years and is certified to work with all versions of SAP without the need for installation or modification to the SAP system.
The installation of this connector takes place on your servers and establishes secure communication with Spartakus for the exchange of notification numbers, work order numbers, and system statuses.
Once installed, it’s essential to perform a “mapping” of functional locations to ensure optimal communication between the two systems. In summary, this connector provides a practical and proven solution for data integration between SAP and Spartakus, without the need for significant modifications or custom coding. This makes it an effective choice for improving communication and information management between these two systems.