Verizon and SAP have joined forces on developing new enterprise solutions using Verizon's network in combination with SAP's software and services.
A key element of the partnership is enabling applications to process data where its generated—for example, from an assembly line or retail shelf—in order to help businesses increase productivity.
From SAP's side of the equation, SAP is contributing its Leonardo Internet of Things (IoT) solution, SAP Edge Services and analytics, and computing and data management capabilities to the partnership
Verizon brings its software-defined networking (SDN), 5G, ThingSpace IoT platform, and Intelligent Edge Network (IEN) capabilities to the collaboration in order to help drive businesses' digital transformations.
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Verizon first announced its IEN two years ago as a means to move away from its TDM networking to a more simplified Ethernet-based network. The shift will also give Verizon a single management platform, while also lowering its carbon footprint by using less power and space.
SAP and Verizon are developing new cloud capabilities through global data centers and across the edge of the network, according Eric Stine, chief customer innovation officer, SAP North America. The combination of services and technologies will enable a new class of data analytics, management and services at scale to help businesses unlock new use casses while offering a better customer experience.
“Our ability to integrate our ThingSpace platform into the SAP Cloud portfolio provides a secure and agile way to deliver instantaneous, end-to-end operational analytics at the edge while lowering the cost of IoT management,” said George Fischer, president, global enterprise, Verizon Business Group, in a statement. “This combined solution is not just about massive IoT. We are also enabling computer vision, augmented reality, blockchain and machine learning using Verizon’s network.
"These are a truly comprehensive set of capabilities to help our customers better manage critical functions including asset lifecycles, supply chains, customer experiences, human capital and plant operations.”
At the Mobile World Congress Americas conference in Los Angeles this week, SAP and Verizon are demonstrating how the joint solution enables edge computing. The demonstration shows the condition of assets within a factory or warehouse. It executes business processes locally while providing visibility across the supply chain.
Environmental conditions, such as location, temperature, humidity and vibration, are processed and analyzed at the edge by Verizon’s ThingSpace-enabled Critical Asset Sensor (CAS) and SAP Edge Services in order to create real-time insights.
Combined with SAP Leonardo IoT, this enables aggregate time series analysis in context with master data, geo-location and condition-based monitoring for outbound logistics business processes. Those insights trigger two outcomes: the SAP Field Service Management solution generates an automatic service call, driving recommendations for the right technician to service malfunctioning assets, and the SAP Global Track and Trace solution, which enables the fulfillment of goods from the warehouse to the end customer.
Verizon’s ThingSpace platform also provides developers with the tools to build and deploy connectivity and manage data capture for channel-associated signaling (CAS) and hundreds of other certified IoT devices for the enterprise.
Verizon and SAP have a long-standing relationship, with Verizon using several SAP solutions as it works to consolidate more than eight disparate enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems across business units and geographies. On the flip side, SAP has picked Verizon to help build its next-generation global network.
Verizon and SAP didn't say when the enterprise services and applications would be available to end customers.