The end of SAP Solution Manager maintenance is a reality that no SAP customer should ignore. For a long time, Solution Manager was seen as a hallmark of reliable and efficient SAP operations. The Change Request Management (ChaRM) module in particular was crucial to the success of most SAP Basis teams.
With the end-of-life announced for 2027, SAP customers are now faced with the choice of migrating their processes to the cloud or buying a grace period via extended maintenance. However, a growing number of companies are also opting for an unconventional but promising third option.
SAP Solution Manager – A look back
Until now, companies have often used SAP Solution Manager (SolMan) to manage large system landscapes and implement their application lifecycle management strategy (ALM strategy).
So SolMan served us well, but as it aged, its weaknesses became more apparent. These include lengthy implementation, high maintenance, limited usability, and limited integration options.
Maintenance for SAP Solution Manager will end soon, in 2027. You could, in a best-case scenario, extend maintenance to 2030, but only if you pay an additional Extended Maintenance fee.
SAP Cloud ALM is claimed to be an alternative solution. Although the solution has been available for some time, it does not provide an adequate replacement for SolMan, as the range of functions is hardly congruent with its predecessor.
SAP Solution Manager phased out:
What are the alternatives?
Option 1: Keep using Solution Manager
For companies with mainly on-premises system landscapes, SAP Solution Manager remains a reliable solution during the transition period. It offers proven functions for managing traditional IT landscapes and helps to stabilize existing processes. This option is particularly useful for companies that are not planning to migrate to the cloud in the short term or whose IT infrastructure is heavily geared towards on-premises. SolMan is still a good choice when:
- Complex system landscapes: Scenarios such as dual landscape maintenance are not currently supported by SAP Cloud ALM.
- Strict governance requirements: Companies with special compliance requirements often need functions that are only available in Solution Manager.
- More specific functions: If certain functions, such as ChaRM, are still required to the same extent as before.
Option 2: Migrate to modern ALM solutions
With the transition to the cloud, modern ALM platforms are becoming increasingly relevant.
SAP Cloud ALM is the preferred ALM solution for companies with a cloud-first strategy. It offers many functions that are similar to SAP Solution Manager, but do not cover its entire range of features. Third-party solutions often need to be integrated for specific requirements.
SAP Focused Run, on the other hand, is specially designed for companies with highly complex, resource-intensive landscapes. This solution offers features that are based on the familiar capabilities of the Solution Manager. It is ideal for companies with extensive monitoring and security requirements that go beyond the capacities of Cloud ALM.
Option 3: Third-party solutions
Not every company will find the optimal answer to its ALM requirements in SAP’s own solutions. Especially for companies with individual or extended requirements, it is worth looking at third-party solutions.
REALTECH’s product range provides a robust and flexible solution for companies looking for a replacement for SAP Solution Manager. With SmartChange, you can easily control your SAP change and transport management. The existing ChaRM change documents can be easily transferred thanks to the tool-supported, automated migration solution, ensuring a smooth transition.
SmartChange also enables integration into common ITSM tools such as Jira or ServiceNow. Alternatively, SmartITSM is a comprehensive ITSM solution that serves as a fully-fledged replacement for the Solution Manager’s ITSM.
SmartChange: Your ideal SolMan replacement
Imagine an innovative solution that efficiently automates the deployment of SAP change requests (SAP Transport Requests). With SmartChange, you get a powerful add-on for SAP ERP and S/4 HANA systems that can be used both on-premise and in the cloud.
Thanks to simple implementation and no additional administrative effort, SmartChange enables smooth and effective management of your SAP changes.
With SmartChange, you enjoy the benefits of seamless integration, simplicity and flexibility that the tool offers. It is faster and simpler than Solution Manager, but does not lose out in scalability, flexibility and stability in any way.
The open web service API also enables easy customization and integration, while continuous enhancements and updates provide high predictability and future-proofing, including the upcoming integration with SAP Cloud ALM. In a nutshell, here’s how you benefit from SmartChange:
With its Clean Core certification and outstanding suitability for use in hybrid environments, SmartChange offers a future-proof solution that provides guaranteed support even for SAP systems whose maintenance ends in 2027.
By fully automating transport management, SmartChange not only simplifies your workflows, but also integrates seamlessly into your existing ServiceNow or Jira environments.
Time to look for SolMan alternatives
Now that the end of SAP Solution Manager is approaching, it’s the perfect time to switch to SmartChange. With our support, the transition will be smooth and easy. Take a look at the comparison of ChaRM and SmartChange and discover the benefits of the change.
FAQs: SAP Solution Manager Successor
SAP Solution Manager, also called SAP SolMan or just SolMan, is an intelligent platform for application lifecycle management software (ALM). ALM, in turn, consists of tools and processes that help manage the lifecycle of a software product – from development to product design to product retirement.
SAP Cloud ALM is a comprehensive application lifecycle management suite for customers using cloud solutions. To this end, it offers comprehensive implementation and operational functions and covers relevant areas such as process, test, deployment and task management. In the operating area, it supports companies in business process monitoring, health monitoring and user and performance monitoring.
SAP Cloud ALM is often seen as the official successor, but it has some weaknesses. Important functions are missing, especially for companies that continue to operate on-premises landscapes. Areas such as IT Service Management or Change Request Management (ChaRM), which are heavily used in SAP Solution Manager, are currently not fully mapped in Cloud ALM. These limitations make it difficult to view the new SAP ALM solution as the sole alternative to SAP Solution Manager.
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