You can't just think about the SAP system itself - you also have to think about where it's running. Infrastructure is a big deal when it comes to performance. Scalability. Cost. Flexibility. And being able to adapt to change on the fly.
That's why a lot of organisations are now looking at SAP on AWS and SAP on Azure as alternatives to traditional on-premise setups. But the main question isn't just "which cloud is better?" It's “how do we actually set up SAP in a way that supports the business?”
Let's break it down.
When we talk about SAP on AWS cloud and SAP Azure cloud, we're talking about running SAP systems on external cloud infrastructure - not on your own internal servers. This means organisations get to:
Scrap the hassle of maintaining hardware
Ditch the headache of managing their own data centres
Forget about handling infrastructure internally
Instead, they use:
Amazon Web Services (AWS) or
Microsoft Azure
to host and manage their SAP environments. This includes:
SAP S/4HANA
SAP ECC
SAP analytics platforms
Integration and extension tools
SAP becomes a lot more flexible. Scalable. And easier to maintain all round.
Traditional SAP environments often have a few major problems:
High infrastructure costs
Complicated upgrades
Limited scalability
Slow reaction times to business changes
Cloud platforms like AWS and Azure address these by offering:
You can scale up or down as needed - no need to worry about being caught out by a sudden spike in demand.
Deploy new environments fast - and easily.
Only pay for what you use - rather than owning all the hardware upfront. This is a big win for cost efficiency and saving cash.
Built-in redundancy and disaster recovery mean you don't have to worry about losing access to your data.
This makes it a lot easier for SAP to operate more dynamically.
SAP on AWS is designed to deliver top-notch performance and scalability. And with AWS, you get a global data centre presence - with 25 regions and 80 availability zones to support SAP deployments across the board.
The key strengths include:
AWS has an extensive network of data centres around the world. And in the cloud market, that global reach is a huge plus - because it helps you to scale, stay available, set up disaster recovery, and cover distributed SAP solutions.
Ideal for organisations running SAP workloads on AWS at scale - with variable demand. Plus AWS supports SAP HANA through SAP-certified instances like X1 and R5 - and both AWS and Azure keep their certification up to date for new HANA versions - which is a big plus for long-term SAP workloads.
Supports large-scale SAP environments - which means you can improve operational efficiency and make life easier for SAP applications on AWS infrastructure.
You've got a wide range of services and configurations to choose from.
AWS is often the choice for organisations that need:
High performance
Large-scale deployments
Flexibility across regions
And with its broad portfolio of AWS services, you get secure, flexible operations for SAP applications across hybrid and regional deployments.
This includes compliance monitoring support - backed by 90 security standards and compliance certifications - plus automated updates for SAP applications.
SAP on Azure integrates beautifully with the Microsoft ecosystem. And Azure services support SAP workloads as part of a unified enterprise platform. Azure boasts over 100 compliance certifications - the largest portfolio - plus a 99.9% availability SLA for SAP workloads.
The key strengths include:
Seamless connection with Microsoft Teams, Office and Dynamics - plus Power BI for business intelligence on SAP data.
It's mostly used by large organisations.
If you're already an IT team that's used to Microsoft, you'll find it's a lot easier to manage SAP with Azure - and tools like Azure Monitor for real-time visibility and performance tracking - plus Azure Security Centre working alongside Azure Active Directory for better identity management.
Strong support for combining on-premise and cloud systems - with Azure Arc helping extend governance and management across environments.
For hybrid deployment scenarios - Azure Stack can extend Azure capabilities on-premise - and Azure Migrate is available for SAP migrations.
Azure is often the preferred choice for organisations that:
Already use Microsoft platforms
Need tight integration across systems
Prefer a unified ecosystem
Both platforms are strong. Each cloud provider supports SAP in different ways - and both AWS and Azure comply with ISO 27001 and HIPAA standards. Ultimately, the choice comes down to what your priorities are.
AWS focuses on:
Scalability
Flexibility
Global reach
Azure focuses on:
Integrating with Microsoft Tools
Working comfortably in recognised Enterprise Environments
Clouds that can support either Public, Private or Hybrid setups
In all honesty, the difference is less about capability and more about:
The existing technology landscape you already work with
The business needs you want to meet
Your Long-term Strategy
When you run SAP on AWS or Azure, it's part of a bigger Architecture that includes:
That's SAP S/4HANA and other SAP apps built on SAP HANA
Either AWS or Azure - that's the base you'll be building on
That's SAP BTP - Business Technology Platform - which helps you extend, integrate and get the most out of your SAP apps
Plus - it can also help you run a multi-cloud setup with seamless integration across AWS, Azure and other platforms - that's a big plus
It's estimated that over 85% of companies will be using a multi-cloud strategy by 2026.
That's where SAP Analytics Cloud comes in - with much stronger analytics capabilities for real-time data analysis
This all comes together to:
Create a connected system
Keep data flowing in real-time
Give you a much clearer view of what's going on
For SAP data, cloud services also come with more advanced analytics and predictive analytics too - and with Microsoft Fabric on Azure you can get real-time predictive insights
The Cloud infrastructure becomes the bedrock of everything
When done right - both platforms deliver some pretty clear benefits.
Your systems will grow with your business
New environments can be spun up super quickly
Less internal IT to manage, which can also help cut operational costs over time - for example AWS says SAP workloads can see a 59-71% cost saving over 5 years
Built-in backup and recovery capabilities to keep resilience and data integrity strong - and for HA/DR, SAP HANA system replication can chop down downtime and AWS Security Hub gives you a single view of your security
Systems are available wherever you need them - and with a global data center presence, you can set up SAP deployments across regions with more consistent availability and control
SAP just becomes easier to work with and maintain
Despite all the benefits - there are still some challenges to navigate.
Connecting SAP to other systems - and bringing together SAP and non-SAP data where you need to see the complete picture
Keeping data management on top of - and making sure data integrity is consistent and secure across SAP solutions
Cloud costs need to be actively managed
Your teams may need to pick up some new cloud skills
Cloud simplifies infrastructure complexity - but not system complexity
Even if you've got a well-designed environment - over time it will start to degrade.
Systems change
Integrations increase
Data grows
Without some management -
business processes become harder to control as complexity builds
Performance starts to slip
Complexity just keeps building
Cloud doesn't remove responsibility - it just changes how you manage it
Application Management Services (AMS) are a must in cloud environments.
They help with
System monitoring, with SAP Solution Manager alongside cloud-native tools for broader visibility
Cost optimisation
Performance tuning
Integration management
AWS Migration Hub can also help with migration planning and transition governance as part of AMS.
AMS makes sure:
Systems stay aligned
Issues get sorted out quickly
Improvements keep on coming over time
Without AMS, cloud benefits are just reduced
Choosing between AWS and Azure isn't just a technical decision
SAP consultancy helps you:
Define a cloud strategy that fits your business needs
Pick the right platform to help with a multi-cloud strategy
Design your system architecture around business outcomes
Avoid unnecessary complexity
This ensures:
Decisions align with business goals
Risk is minimised
Value is delivered
When cloud-based SAP is working smoothly:
Systems scale and respond well to load
Data flows across the organisation
Integration is seamless
Costs are under control
Performance is consistent
Teams are running more efficiently
Infrastructure fades into the background - and the business just runs more smoothly
SAP on AWS cloud Running SAP systems on Amazon Web Services infrastructure
SAP Azure cloud Running SAP systems on Microsoft Azure infrastructure
Cloud infrastructure Hosting on external servers instead of internal ones - delivered by a cloud provider through cloud services
Hybrid cloud A mix of cloud and on-premise systems - with multi-cloud as a related model
SAP BTP Platform for integration and extension
AMS (Application Management Services) Ongoing support and optimisation for SAP systems
What is SAP on AWS cloud? Running SAP systems on Amazon Web Services infrastructureWhat is SAP on Azure cloud? Running SAP on Azure basically means you're plugging your SAP systems into Microsoft's cloud infrastructure.
Which is better: AWS or Azure for SAP? Well that's a tough one. Ultimately, whether you choose one over the other comes down to what you already have set up, what you're trying to integrate with, and where your company is headed long term. The answer also has a lot to do with the specifics of your workload, how you need your systems to talk to each other, and what your compliance requirements are.
Can SAP run on both platforms? Yep, SAP is certified to run on both AWS and Azure, so you've got two solid options to pick from. And as an added bonus, Azure has got some SAP-certified VM sizes available, while AWS has certified instances for SAP HANA to boot.
Do cloud environments reduce SAP complexity? They can do a lot to simplify things at the infrastructure level, but they're still going to require you to manage them, so that's not going to just go away.
SAP on Azure or SAP on AWS isn't just a decision about infrastructure - it shapes the whole way your SAP environment performs out of the box. We're talking scalable systems, flexible platforms, and connected data.
Getting that right makes SAP so much easier to run, scale and evolve for some better business results. That's where we come in.