SAP acquisition SuccessFactors has far-reaching implications for its cloud strategy

If 3.4 billion acquires SuccessFactors transaction success, SAP's http://www.aliyun.com/zixun/aggregation/13638.html "> The cloud-computing development strategy will eventually take shape – but so far the effectiveness of the strategy is not obvious.

    Earlier this month, SAP announced it would buy SuccessFactors, a cloud-based Human resource management program provider. SAP expects the deal to be completed by early 2012.

    In recent years, SAP has not proposed a cloud development strategy. The company's cloud-based business ByDesign ERP (Enterprise resource Planning) suite goes back to 2008 and is now being reused. This year, the highly hyped package was finally released. SAP claims that in October 650 customers had ordered the business ByDesign Kit, which is expected to reach 1000 by the end of the year.

    In addition to the ERP service, SAP is developing a range of applications for specific enterprise features, some of which are similar to successfactors products.

    Analysts point out that the combination of the two lines poses a big challenge to SuccessFactors CEO Lars Dalgaard. Upon completion of the acquisition, Lars will lead SAP's business in the cloud area.

    "This will be a daunting task," said Ray Wang, an analyst at the Constellation Institute, "but Lars is gifted in the field of cloud computing." Previously, SAP executives were working on the communication between cloud computing and existing technology. It's going to help him a lot. "

   " SAP builds new platforms too quickly, "added Martens from the Forrester Institute, adding," They need to be more rational now, otherwise there will be problems in the run-in between platforms. "

    Martens says SAP is aggressively promoting business bydesign, dour OnDemand and other SAP products, or will SuccessFactors Software as a future flagship product will become a very interesting aspect.

  &nbSp; In an interview, SAP's joint president, Bill McDermott, called Dalgaard's Addition "a dose of adrenaline for SAP's cloud business." "We think Lars is the best leader in cloud computing-and many people feel the same way." After Lars joined, he found out what he liked and disliked and made suggestions. "

    Wang says he admits that Dalgaard and his team will bring a lot of key cloud computing knowledge to SAP, but their knowledge must be shared with more enterprises.

    Analysts say it is unclear whether companies such as Oracle will be interested in acquiring SuccessFactors. Martens said that, although not carefully considered, but he thought the possibility is small, because Oracle has previously made the HR software as the new fusion applications core. So if Oracle bids for SuccessFactors, its real purpose is to convey misleading information to the market.

(editor: Heritage)