Migration of 20 years of history with SNP and IBM
ColombinaThe Challenge
The switch to S/4HANA is part of Colombina's strategy as part of its digital transformation process. The company intends to use it to accelerate initiatives in the areas of marketing, sales, trade and procurement that require the introduction of new technologies. Colombina's S/4HANA project - originally led by SNP partner IBM - initially started as a classic brownfield migration. Performance tests were carried out to determine the approximate downtime. However, the result was unacceptable to Colombina because of the associated economic losses. Finally, IBM proposed the SNP service and BLUEFIELD™ approach, but with a specific requirement: to preserve all source information (20 TB at that time) and complete the project with less than 48 hours of downtime.
At a glance
The Challenge
The switch to S/4HANA is part of Colombina's strategy as part of its digital transformation process. The company intends to use it to accelerate initiatives in the areas of marketing, sales, trade and procurement that require the introduction of new technologies. Colombina's S/4HANA project - originally led by SNP partner IBM - initially started as a classic brownfield migration. Performance tests were carried out to determine the approximate downtime. However, the result was unacceptable to Colombina because of the associated economic losses. Finally, IBM proposed the SNP service and BLUEFIELD™ approach, but with a specific requirement: to preserve all source information (20 TB at that time) and complete the project with less than 48 hours of downtime.
The Advantages
- Thanks to the BLUEFIELD™ approach and the potential for optimizing the downtime, the migration and conversion to SAP S/4HANA was completed
in less than 48 hours. - This project included the migration and enrichment of the delta, and the conversion of logistical and financial data.
The solution
To achieve this ambitious project, SNP designed a hybrid strategy to optimise its Bluefield™ approach. First, our data transformation platform, CrystalBridge, was used to identify the tables from the old ERP version. Then, using the CrystalBridge Client Migration component, SNP transferred all tables that did not have structure differences. Another element of our data platform, Transformation Cockpit, made it possible to migrate the tables that required filtering and data conversion..
Our partnership with IBM
SNP and IBM have been working together worldwide for many years. With the
introduction of the software-based selective transformation approach IBM Rapid Move for SAP S/4HANA, powered by CrystalBridge® - The Data Transformation Platform - both have taken the partnership to a new level. Since then, the joint project teams have implemented several projects with many successful go-lives. SNP has also trained a team of IBM experts from IBM's Client Innovation Centers. They have been certified to use the SNP software suite to support IBM Rapid Move projects around the world and contribute to the ongoing innovation and improvement of SNP transformation software.
About Colombina
Colombina is a global food company founded in Valle del Cauca, Colombia, with more than 90 years of experience in the market. It produces a wide range of well-known and respected product brands covering more than twenty categories. The company commercializes in 96 countries around the world through its 43 distribution centers and 7 production plants.
The Solution and Benefits
To achieve this ambitious project, SNP designed a hybrid strategy to optimise its Bluefield™ approach. First, our data transformation platform, CrystalBridge, was used to identify the tables from the old ERP version. Then, using the CrystalBridge Client Migration component, SNP transferred all tables that did not have structure differences. Another element of our data platform, Transformation Cockpit, made it possible to migrate the tables that required filtering and data conversion..
- Thanks to the BLUEFIELD™ approach and the potential for optimizing the downtime, the migration and conversion to SAP S/4HANA was completed
in less than 48 hours. - This project included the migration and enrichment of the delta, and the conversion of logistical and financial data.
„We decided to use BLUEFIELD, the SNP solution, because of its software-based approach and methodology which, by not impacting on the business, allows one to sleep peacefully.“
Jesus Antonio Brand
Corporate IT Director, Colombina
About Colombina
Colombina is a global food company founded in Valle del Cauca, Colombia, with more than 90 years of experience in the market. It produces a wide range of well-known and respected product brands covering more than twenty categories. The company commercializes in 96 countries around the world through its 43 distribution centers and 7 production plants.