Walldorf/Baden, March 18, 1999
Where the Grapes Hang Lower
Walldorf/Baden, December, 1998
realTech attains founder award 1998
Walldorf/Baden, Stuttgart, December 1998
Baden-Wuerttemberg's Founders's Award for Young Enterprises
Baden-Wuerttemberg‘s founder’s award presented to young enterprises
Karlsruhe, December 8, 1998
Everything Under Remote Control
Walldorf/Baden, November 1998
realTech now supports SAP R/3 migration from MS SQL servers 6.5 to 7.0
Walldorf/Baden, November 1998
realTech offers Migration Services
Los Angeles, September 1998
realTech supports Technical Core Competence Center (TCC) of SAP AG
Walldorf/Baden, November, 1998
Supply Chain Running Smoothly
AC Research, 08.Oktober 1999
The End to Manual Work
TransportManager 4.0 from realTech is now available for system landscapes without a central transport directory
With the new TransportManager 4.0, you can automate complicated transports between R/3 Systems easier than ever. realTech AG presents this add-on at CeBIT ‘99 in Hannover (Halle 2, C 02). The new Release 4.0 now checks import tasks for freely definable security critical objects, and with its enhanced functionality, it can also be implemented in system landscapes that do not have a central transport directory. Here as well, you can control transports that take place after R/3 implementation between the development system, consolidation system, and production system.
At the right time in the right system
he TransportManager takes care of the transport of objects within R/3 Systems and distributes change assignments. This saves time costing manual labor and helps to avoid faulty or unintentional data transports. With the new version 4.0, the previously used Remote Connect was replaced with Remote Function Call (RFC) and the monitoring of the currently running imports was improved with the help of SAP graphics. Additionally, the new project oriented authorization concept simplifies the differentiation and management of transport assignments. Electronic signatures record who released certain transports and at what time. You can thus define, for example, that an employee who only works with the HR component (Human Resources) can only release HR transport assignments. As needed, you can now assign more than two release levels (in addition to acceptance and production) and can define as many import levels as needed. Other highlights are the new features for quality control with which you can, among other things, define security critical objects.
Manual labor is out
SAP R/3 on its own does have integrated standards for the automated distribution of objects, but the differentiated export of various clients in the same system often requires many manual steps. The steps can be automated with the TransportManager. Also, it is not always possible to implement the import-all principle of the SAP standard system. Only if fixed dates can be defined for a project, can you use the import all to transport to the production systems. These must be dates on which the consolidation system is in a consistent and running condition. It is not always possible to define a certain time frame, especially for large projects with a high requirement for additional developments.
Some of the Important Features
á Complete automation with diverse control options
á Definition of any number of transport levels
á Definition of several consolidation systems
á Entry of specific target clients
á Automatic generation of import scripts
á Result of current transports in overview
á Time saving start of all transports from the R/3 System
á Scheduling monitor for planning transport scripts
á Differentiated authorization concept
á Log of transport release simplifies analysis in the case of an error
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Where the grapes hang lower
Clusters guarantee the high availability of critical company data and applications in client/server architectures. The operation of SAP R/3 under a Microsoft cluster server requires an encompassing security concept. realTech GmbH offers complete services for the conception, installation, and maintenance of clusters.
Clusters provide stability
Clustering avails itself as a solution for saving data and applications and keeping them available for immediate use. Databases and applications are distributed over various servers. Should a server go down, a so-called cluster node will take over its duties within seconds (fail-over). Older systems had a stand-by system ready, a system that was not accessed during normal operation. Modern clusters work on the active/active principle, in that each node is assigned in normal operation mode to services, but the servers can take over the assignments of any node that should fail to function. The user may obtain information that the connection to the server is currently not available (based on the configuration) but remains connected to the network and can continue working a short time later, once the program has been taken over by a different server. If the R/3 System goes down, the user is prompted to log on again. If the database if affected by the server being down, the user will not notice the fail-over (if properly configured) and is thus able to continue working within seconds. The primary goal of clustering is to keep data and services available. With the Microsoft Cluster Server (MSCS), previously known under the name “Wolfpack”, data and services remain available if a server goes down nearly one hundred percent of the time.
The system expands as needed
Clustering has two additional advantages: With the ability to switch between services, upgrades can be carried out during normal operation. You are thus able to install new software and include new hardware components in the system at any time. Important data and applications can thus remain in operation, and normal operation continues undisturbed. MSCS, if properly configured, ensures “fail-back”, when the server that was down is restarted. The system automatically transfers all data and application that were previously on the server back to it, and work goes on as usual.
Many working as one
The special architecture of clusters allow the entire system to function as one entity. The user does not notice that there is a network in the network. The user is not concerned about which server he or she is accessing with the operation being carried out. Via high-speed storage, the assignments are automatically sent to the proper server, something the user does not see. A virtual unity is thus created, which ensures access to all data. This is usually accomplished via multi-hosted SCSI controllers or via FiberChannel.
Integrated in the operation system
MSCS is integrated in the standard Enterprise Edition of Windows NT 4.0. In previous proprietary systems clustering was carried out outside of the operating system, but now it is part of the operating system. This allows the use of all certified standard hardware platforms for the installation of clusters. With this setup using standard components, clustering is considerably more cost effective than was previously the case.
Sharing the load
With MSCS, you can distribute the work, thus improving performance since one server controls a complete database. Previously called the “Wolfpack,” this consists of two servers running on the nothing shared principle, that is, services and resources are only available on one node each. If more than two services are used or if functions from several servers are in use at the same time, this solution is currently not satisfactory. One problem, for example, is the performance of databases that are distributed over various servers: Only one user is allowed to make changes to a database field and to save the changes. Otherwise, the relationships between fields are no longer correct. In this moment, all other users in the system do not have access to this field. Microsoft promises to solve this problem in phase 2 of its cluster project. In Windows NT 5.0 Beta, this is not yet the case.
Reconciling hardware and software…
To ensure smooth functioning of a backup in the form of a cluster, you have to make certain that the hardware, software, and network architecture fit each other as well as the needs of the company and to be outfitted with the newest technical options. For such a complete backup solution, you should consult with a service provider with extensive experience using MSCS and with SAP R/3 know-how.
Laying out the network
When doing so, the consulting firm should not be limited to clustering but be able to take other security measures into consideration such backup, Restore, RAID, uninterrupted power supply, and so on. The configuration of the hardware and the network architecture are also decisive factors. Good technical SAP R/3 Consultants discuss the error tolerances of the hardware with the company as well as with the hardware suppliers and are able to explain the various advantages and disadvantages of various network configurations. realTech consulting GmbH in Walldorf, for example, provides an entire security concept that helps you avoid undesired surprises.
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realTech attains founder award 1998
realTech received Baden-Wuerttemberg‘s founder‘s award for exemplary start ups - putting ideas into action and economic success were decisive in the selection
Walldorf‘s realTech, a leading provider of services in conception, implementation, and operation of R/3 Systems received the first place founder award for young enterprises in Baden-Wuerttemberg as well as part of the 100,000 German marks in prize money. The state government and the Landeskreditbank Baden-Wuerttemberg awarded this distinction for the first time ever as part of the innovation congress in Stuttgart titled “Economics meet Science.” According to the promoters, the economic success played a decisive role in the selection, as did the company’s ideas and implementation, the personality of the entrepreneurs and the benefit to society.
Market leader within four years of its founding
Young companies that have been in business less than five years are allowed to participate in the competition. Around 350 companies participated in the contest. After a pre-selection, 17 companies were given the opportunity to introduce their companies. Eight first round candidates were selected from this group and were able to present their companies to the star-studded jury. realTech was convincing, since it had achieved a leading role in the market for technical R/3 consulting in just a short period of time. Markus Adam, Daniele di Croce, Rainer Schmidt, and Peter Stier, four former SAP employees founded the company four years ago. Since then, they have provided work to 180 employees in five countries.
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Baden-Wuerttemberg‘s Founder‘s Award for Young Enterprises
First Place
Four former SAP employees, Markus Adam, Daniele Di Croce, Rainer Schmidt, and Peter Stier founded realTech in December 1994. It was their goal to provide technical support for SAP R/3 customers, a support that was lacking. Walldorf was chosen as realTech‘s headquarters due to its proximity to SAP AG. Since then, realTech has provided its services for the conception, implementation, and operation of R/3 Systems. More than 150 customers worldwide put their trust in realTech‘s competence, a company that in less than four years has taken on a leading role in the R/3 technical consulting market. Additionally, realTech has developed its own solutions for the R/3 environment: theGuard! monitors R/3 Systems day and night. The TransportManager is an enhancement to the standard R/3 transport procedure. realTech also offers technical services for Microsoft BackOffice, Intranets, and the Internet.
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In 1997 realTech had reached sales of 17 million German marks and had nearly 100 employees in five countries at the end of the year. realTech was quickly able to compete in the international market: in 1995, the first subsidiary in the United States was founded. Continuing with their success, they founded subsidiaries in Italy (1996), Australia and New Zealand (1997), and England and Singapore (1998). By the end of the year 2000, 350 employees and 20 different sites will represent realTech worldwide.
The success of the company is based in part on the R/3 know-how of the founders, this knowledge being passed on to the employees, and on the lean organizational structure. Only every twelfth employee works in management or administration. The main mission and recipe of success for realTech is to provide the highest level of customer orientation at the lowest possible cost.
At the end of 1997, all company activities were brought together at the headquarters of realTech AG in Walldorf. This allows REALTECH to let its employees participate in their targeted success. In 1999, realTech plans to join the new market in order to achieve their lofty plans for expansion.
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Young, dynamic, and successful
Baden-Wuerttemberg‘s founder’s award presented to young enterprises
For the first time, the state government and state bank (Landeskreditbank Baden-Wuerttemberg) joined together to present a founder’s award to young enterprises in Baden-Wuerttemberg. The celebrated presentation of the award took place as part of the innovation convention as presented by the state government taking place in Stuttgart under the title "Business meets Science". In front of guests consisting of politicians, business leaders, and the media, the successful young enterprises were honored with prizes totaling 100,000 DM for their success and efforts in the state.
The first place award of 50,000 DM was awarded to REALTECH Consulting Holding AG of Walldorf. A company founded by four former SAP employees, Markus Adam, Daniele di Croce, Rainer Schmidt, and Peter Stier, it provides solutions for the conception, implementation, and operation of SAP Systems. In under four years, the enterprise has reached a leading position in the market for technical R/3 consulting and now has approximately 180 employees in five countries, according to Gštz Werner, manager of DM-Drogeriemarkt (a drug store chain in Germany) who introduced the company.
The second place award was presented by Martin Herrenknecht, manager of Herrenknecht GmbH, to HMReinraum-Technik of Donaueschingen, a young enterprise that joined the high-tech industry with its intensive research. The third place award and 20,000 DM was presented to the company Ralf Weber Elektrotechnik of Loerrach. Ralf Weber has succeeded in positioning his company in a difficult market through an unusually wide range of products and exceptional customer orientation, expounded Ursula Maier, manager of Maier Gesellschaft fŸr Mšbelbau, Innenbau und Gestaltung mbH, in her presentation.
Approximately 350 companies applied for the award. After a pre-selection, 17 enterprises were given the opportunity to personally introduce themselves. Eight of these enterprises were then selected for the final round, where they were able to present themselves to the star studded final jury.
The founder’s award of Baden-Wuerttemberg for young enterprises is an initiative of the state government and the Landeskreditbank Baden-Wuerttemberg Fšrderbank. Hans Dietmar Sauer, chairman of the board at L-Bank Fšrderbank said, "the award is to be a motor for new ideas and courageous doers". Companies who take the initiative and are willing to take risks should be supported for their efforts in the industry, trade, commerce, and service industries, since this ensures and expands the economic development and competitive edge of the federal state Baden-Wuerttemberg. The award will be presently annually. The organizer is Erwin Teufel, minister president of the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg.
Young enterprises that have been in business for no longer than five years are invited to participate. The economic successes of the enterprise play a decisive roll in the selection process as do the enterprising ideas and implementation, the personality of the entrepreneur, and the usefulness of the enterprise for society and the social environment.
Your contact for press-related questions:
Siegfried Melchior Director of the board’s secretary office
phone +49 721 150-1258
fax +49 0721 150-1090
Address of the Landeskreditbank Baden-Wuerttemberg:
Fšrderbank Schlossplatz 10/12, 76113 Karlsruhe, Germany
In 1997 realTech had reached sales of 17 million German marks and had nearly 100 employees in five countries at the end of the year. realTech was quickly able to compete in the international market: in 1995, the first subsidiary in the United States was founded. Continuing with their success, they founded subsidiaries in Italy (1996), Australia and New Zealand (1997), and England and Singapore (1998). By the end of the year 2000, 350 employees and 20 different sites will represent realTech worldwide.
The success of the company is based in part on the R/3 know-how of the founders, this knowledge being passed on to the employees, and on the lean organizational structure. Only every twelfth employee works in management or administration. The main mission and recipe of success for realTech is to provide the highest level of customer orientation at the lowest possible cost.
At the end of 1997, all company activities were brought together at the headquarters of realTech AG in Walldorf. This allows REALTECH to let its employees participate in their targeted success. In 1999, realTech plans to join the new market in order to achieve their lofty plans for expansion.
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Everything under remote control
New remote services for SAP R/3 from realTech – remote administration and remote monitoring of R/3 Systems at a fixed price
realTech of Walldorf is now offering its remote services for the administration and monitoring of R/3 Systems at a fixed price. Access is carried out via an ISDN connection or directly via the Internet. With this capability, R/3 customers can have maintenance and support measures implemented from an external location. The new services ensure a problem free operation of R/3 Systems and lower the total cost of ownership. Technical problems that could bring R/3 Systems to a standstill for hours or even days are quickly recognized and avoided through preventative measures. Additionally, realTech customers can obtain know-how about the remote consulting services on demand.
Always up to date
realTech checks R/3 Systems daily for error sources. The system overview includes CCMS alarms, database checks, R/3 system logs, dump analyses, and CPU use. This allows a quick recognition and prompt elimination of problems, increasing the availability and performance of R/3 production systems. The administrator’s standard tasks are carried out remotely by realTech. This includes the importing of hot packages, the updating of core patches, copying of clients, transports, printer settings, creating new users, and monitoring backups.
Alarm as a solution
Should the customer decide to go with Remote Monitoring Services, realTech’s monitoring tool, theGuard! will be set up, so that the realTech on-call staff is contacted immediately by mobile telephone in the case of serious system errors using SMS messaging. CCMS alarms are triggered, for example, should the following occur: ABAP short dumps, update interrupts, and SQL errors. The realTech consultant would then promptly take care of the problem. The availability of R/3 would thus be increased. The comprehensive free space monitoring using the Guard! ñ helps to maintain a problem free database operation. realTech offers three monitoring packages: the monitoring package for workdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the night monitoring package for 24 hour monitoring on workdays, and the full monitor package for 24 hour monitoring, seven days a week.
Reduce costs Remote Administration Services are available at a fixed price. The cost a company will incur can be calculated exactly. With remote services, there are no travel expenses for the R/3 consultant or down time costs due to waiting. This also has a synergy effect: the consultant can maintain more system landscapes, will recognize error sources, and be able to localize them quickly. You always have the most up-to-date information about the system status. Some employees will, however, need to be trained so that they are ready for certain support assignments.
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Pain free migration
realTech now supports SAP R/3 migration from MS SQL servers 6.5 to 7.0 - Protect investment in operating systems and databases
realTech system consulting GmbH now uses its years of experience working with SAP R/3 migration projects for the switch from MS SQL 6.5 servers to 7.0 servers. This provides R/3 users with the ability to put the integrated features of SQL 7.0 to use. Some of the main characteristics are the high ability to scale systems as well as the simplified set up of data warehouse, sales, and e-commerce solutions. Together with an improved integration with MS office, the new product promises higher productivity and advantages in the international market. As a SAP migration partner, realTech ensures a smooth beginning and guarantees R/3 users the protection of their investment.
150 Consultants active
ealTech plans and tests migrations together with their customers and SAP, so that critical IT projects can be completed on schedule. The know-how of the 150 realTech consultants covers standard R/3 operating systems (Windows NT, Unix) and databases (MS SQL Server 6.5 and 7.0, Informix, Oracle, Adabas D, DB/2). After migration, realTech makes certain that the necessary adjustments are made to the R/3 administration by checking, for example, the performance of the new operation system. Additionally, realTech prepares its employees in advance with training on all aspects of the migration.
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realTech offers migration services
SAP R/3 OS / DB migration – Why? How? Who?
Real business issues are forcing a growing number of existing SAP R/3 customers to consider a fundamental change in their R/3 infrastructure: migration to a different hardware platform, different database, or both. Customer objectives vary, but include reducing total cost of ownership, operational issues such as scalability or high availability solutions, and vendor preference – for example, Microsoft’s introduction of SQL Server 7.0 gives SAP R/3 customers a highly scalable, single vendor solution for operating system and database that has not been available in the past. Outsourcing vendors providing hardware, operating system, database, and R/3 administration services also point to significant cost reductions for providing these services on the Microsoft Windows NT platform – with the savings outweighing the costs associated with migration to this platform.
R/3’s clearly defined system and database interfaces are the cornerstones which facilitate this migration activity. Real technical subject matter expertise (including SAP R/3 architecture, source and target platform/operating system, source and target database, and the SAP OS / DB migration tools), coupled with a thorough understanding of a potential client’s infrastructure, operational processes, and service level objectives are the remaining ingredients to a successful operating system or database migration. Preparation includes identifying all external interfaces, acquisition of target hardware, physical database layout, and designing new solutions for operational support process such as interfaces to legacy systems, production scheduling, EDI, backup and recovery, and disaster preparedness. The migration process is then tested several times in order to optimize the configuration of the migration tools and plan the execution of the actual production migration. These activities are conducted by an SAP Migration Partner; SAP’s specialists then conduct a Going Live Migration Check to help ensure trouble free operation. Because migration is most likely not a repetitive activity for most customers, it is unlikely to be practical or cost-effective for a single customer’s technical support staff to develop the skillset required to successfully plan and execute.
As an SAP Migration Partner, realTech has extensive experience providing technical migration support services for numerous customers on a wide combination of source and target platforms and databases. We’ve developed information gathering tools which, coupled with SAP’s OS / DB Migration Service, allow realTech to deliver a realistic statement of work, accurate cost estimates, and a detailed execution plan. The results: organized, predictable, reproducible migrations. Our client engagements include, for example, the migration of a 200GB production database and full 3-tier R/3 change management system landscape – on time, within budget. realTech’s expertise in platform and database migration, coupled with our strong partner relationships with SAP, Microsoft, and platform vendors, make us the ideal partner to help you evaluate and implement this technical solution.
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Working in concert
realTech supports Technical Core Competence Center (TCC) of SAP AG with R/3 support - Services include Early Watch and GoingLive Check
realTech AG now supports SAP AG by providing first level services that consist of implementing and operating productive R/3 Systems. As part of TeamSAP Support, the Technical Core Competence Center (TCC) of SAP uses the technical know-how of realTech for the Early Watch and GoingLive Check services. The companies thus enhance their existing relationship: realTech has been an implementation partner, complementary software partner, as well as a migration partner of SAP.
Experience with large projects
Markus Adam, CEO of realTech AG explains, "Both Early Watch as well as the GoingLive Check have been put to use by R/3 users. Here, we put our experience to work by implementing and bringing R/3 Systems into operation, allowing the highest possible system availability, stability, and performance. From planning clear through to operation, realTech has supported over 200 SAP R/3 projects worldwide. Customers in Germany include the Deutsche Post AG, Bosch Telecom GmbH, and BASF. According to Markus Adam, "Our strength lies in the installation and support of complex R/3 Systems as used by global players. We make sure, for example, that the administration, distribution of objects, as well as the non-stop monitoring of systems proceeds as smoothly as possible at the lowest possible support costs."
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Supply chain running smoothly
The Internet is drastically changing the relationship between market participants. Until now, business processes in the supply chain connected to each other with a common, technical platform. The know-how for an Internet connection to ERP solutions such as SAP R/3 is in high demand.
The Internet has rung in a new era of intra-company relationships. A standard is now available that can be used as a common platform for the exchange of information between companies. Synergy effects that have not yet be realized can be utilized by participants in the logistics chain. A hotly debated topic among R/3 users as well as others is the question: how can the companies involved in a supply chain be networked together? Dealers, producers, and deliverers can enter times and amounts and can obtain the relevant information at the right time. R/3 applications have been available since release 3.1, so called R/3 Internet Application Components (IACs) for such use. IACs allow processes to be carried out electronically, and they are carried out in business-to-consumer, business-to-business markets, or even internally in a company, that is, in an Intranet.
End user in the picture
T he supply chain as created with the Internet can be used by the end user to obtain information regarding the availability and delivery time of a product. If an automated order and delivery process is combined with a performance enhanced logistical system, you are able to have dialog oriented market processing. This is the case with catalogued standard wares as well as with customer defined made-to-order processes. From the company‘s point of view, a customer‘s order per Internet starts the ordering process, which is instantly processed by an Internet-capable ERP system such as R/3. The goal is to create a sale that only has to be entered once and which increases the flow of data straight through to the delivery processing.
Business processes unified
The electronic supply chain ensures a new, market transparency in the business to business market from which the company will profit, especially the purchasing departments. Until now, massive amounts of data relating to offers were manually entered into the purchasing systems, but this information about supplies can now be accessed via the internet. And not only that, the information systems of the company purchasing division can be connected directly to the supplier catalogs, so that the orders automatically contain the current product and price information. New Internet transactions are also available, which synchronize the processes in two applications systems with each other: for example, an order in the customer's system is synchronized with a sales order in the supplier‘s system.
Human resources on the Internet
T he consequent use of Internet technology within a company can make certain that employees obtain the necessary information at the right time. Not more, but also not too less. There are also new possibilities in human resources, as the application area Employee Self Service in SAP R/3 shows: Here, employees can be connected to an R/3 System via Internet or Intranet and can manage their own personnel data or obtain needed information. One of the benefits is the simplification of the information and data management processes. Thanks to the simple, intui