SAP has launched an Enterprise Services Community, a
collaborative programme to give its customers and partners input
into future development of the SAP platform.
The community has been launched with an initial membership of
more than 60 – including technology partners Adobe, CA, Cisco,
Infosys, and Research in Motion.
Members will be able to join ES Community definition and
advisory groups, set up to identify and address key business
challenges in specific industries or technology areas. They will
have early access to SAP’s new enterprise services to allow them to
build composite applications.
The first definition groups will cover the banking industry,
radio frequency identification (RFID) and geospatial information,
and mobile technologies.
The community will also include an “ES Ready” certification
scheme for independent software vendors and technology firms.
Shai Agassi, president of SAP’s product and technology group,
said, “In order for any organisation to thrive, there needs to be a
defined process for how SAP will engage with partners as well as
how partners will team with one another to deliver solutions. We’ve
built the community so each partner type – ISVs, systems
integrators, channel partners and others – can come to the table
and have representation.”
The ES Community launch follows a commitment given by the
company last year to set up a cross-industry community to define
enterprise services.