How to start application development on SAP platforms

To get an SAP system where someone could evaluate possibility of SAP platforms, to try new ideas or just simply to play with it is quite difficult to have. It is one of main obstacles and real pain point for new developers or start-up companies that would like to start with development for SAP. Even with possibilities like cloud computing this stays an issue. Within the year 2013 we have seen some things coming from SAP which may to improve the current status quo.

First of all instead of offering trial version of SAP system as downloadable software (like it was miniSAP in past) there is a push of the software to the cloud. In the cloud developers can try out the software without need to install it. This also contributes to the simplification of whole process.

However or luckily few of offerings are still on-promise basis. By this developers can save on cloud provider fees. I personally hope that this will remain for long time. I know a lot of developers which do not have money to use cloud based offerings. Providing only cloud based solution only SAP would close their software for such a people e.g. students.

FOR DEVELOPERS:

Currently there are following SAP offerings for developers. Here I recognize between cloud and on premise offerings:

On premise:

ABAP based SAP NetWeaver:

SAP NetWeaver ABAP Trial 7.02 SP11 Win 64 bit Version, 3.387 GB

SAP NetWeaver AS ABAP 7.03 SP04 64-bit Trial, 3.912 GB

All of them downloadable via ABAP subspace at Developer center on SCN: http://scn.sap.com/community/developer-center/abap

SAP Sybase Adaptive Server:

SAP Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise v15.7 SP100

ASE Express Edition for Linux

SAP Sybase IQ:

SAP Sybase IQ 16 Express Edition

SAP Sybase IQ 16, 30-Day Trial Evaluation

SAP Sybase ADS (Advantage Database Server):

http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-35105

SAP Sybase SQL Anywhere:

SAP Sybase SQL Anywhere 16 Developer Edition

SAP NetWeaver Gateway:

SAP NetWeaver ABAP Trial 7.02 SP11 Win 64 bit Version with  SAP NetWeaver Gateway 2.0 SP4 30 day trial, see details at: tinyurl.com/BWoHTrial

PowerBuilder:

PowerBuilder 12.5.2 trial

SAP Event Stream Processor:

30 day evaluation

SAP 3D Visual Enterprise:

SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Viewer SDK 7.1

BI Software:

SAP Lumira 30-Day Trial

SAP Crystal Dashboard Design 2013

SAPUI5:

Evaluation Package for UI Development Toolkit for HTML5

Cloud:

HANA:

Free 30-day SAP HANA Trial

SAP HANA, developer edition (currently SAP HANA Version SPS6, Revision 68) hosted over following could providers: CloudShare, Amazon Web Services, KT ucould biz, SmartCoupt PT

SAP HANA Cloud Developer Edition

SAP NetWeaver Application Server ABAP 7.4 hosted by SAP could servers

SAP BW Powered by HANA:

SAP NetWeaver BW 7.3 on SAP HANA SP06 with SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.0 SP07

SAP Mobile Platform:

SAP Mobile Platform Version 2.2 SP2

SAP Sybase Adaptive Server:

SAP Sybase ASE on Amazon AWS Cloud

SAP Mobile Platform:

SAP Mobile Platform 2.2 SP2 Dev Edition

SAP Mobile Platform 2.2 SP2 30 day trial

SAP NetWeaver Process Orchestration:

90 day trial

SAP NetWeaver Gateway:

SAP Netweaver Gateway Service Consumption System

BI Software:

SAP Lumira Cloud Beta

FOR START-UPS / COMPANIES:

There is a program so called PartnerEdge Program which enables companies to maintain relation with SAP. There are following certain areas so called innovation packs in which companies can establish cooperation:

currently: Mobile apps, Integrated apps, Cloud apps, Business Intelligence, Apps for SAP Business One and Big Data

There are several models under which you can establish the relation. For example participation in the program within first year can be even for free. See all the details at sapadpc.com e.g. overview here.

Closing words: as everything within our life’s is being constantly changing also the links provided here may get changed over the time. Therefore always refer to developers.sap.com for the latest changes/updates.