In an era where environmental responsibility is paramount, global health giant Pfizer has taken significant strides towards reducing its carbon footprint while simultaneously enhancing its IT infrastructure. The company’s recent migration to SAP S/4HANA on IBM Power platforms marks a pivotal moment in its journey towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
The Challenge: Unifying a Complex IT Landscape
Following years of growth and acquisitions, Pfizer found itself managing a diverse array of business systems and software. This complexity posed challenges for global reporting and resulted in substantial administration and support costs. The need for a unified, efficient IT architecture became evident.
The Solution: IBM Power and SAP S/4HANA
After careful consideration, Pfizer chose IBM Power as its mission-critical server platform for SAP applications. The decision was driven by the platform’s robustness, reliability, and ability to support complex applications at scale.
Key advantages of the IBM Power platform for Pfizer include:
1. Scalability: The ability to scale up rather than out, reducing complexity and management overhead.
2. Virtualization: Leveraging IBM PowerVM to manage over 500 virtual servers efficiently.
3. Performance: Achieving over 160,000 input/output operations per second during migration.
4. Sustainability: Power10 servers deliver up to twice the energy efficiency of previous systems.
Red Hat Ansible Automation
Pfizer has significantly benefited from deploying Red Hat Ansible Automation:
– Rapid Provisioning: Tasks that previously took a week now take just a couple of hours.
– Streamlined Management: Automation has simplified the management of large numbers of virtual servers.
– Increased Efficiency: Accelerated configuration and deployment processes have led to overall improved operational efficiency.
IBM Power Private Cloud with Dynamic Capacity
Pfizer has leveraged IBM Power Private Cloud with Dynamic Capacity to maximize its infrastructure flexibility:
– Resource Optimization: Creates a centralized pool of compute, memory, and storage resources across all servers.
– Flexible Scaling: Enables automatic resource allocation and charging on a minute-of-usage basis.
– Simplified Management: Provides a single interface to assign optimal configurations to applications.
– Cross-Data Center Flexibility: Allows workload distribution across data centers without resource limitations.
“With IBM Power Private Cloud and Dynamic Capacity, there is no need to micromanage resources, because there are no limits on what you can run on any server. Whatever is in your pool spans across all your servers, even across data centers, which gives you the freedom to run workload wherever you want.“
Scott Groth Director, ERP Platform Engineering & Emerging Technologies
Pfizer
Sustainability Benefits
Pfizer’s use of IBM Power has significantly contributed to its sustainability goals:
1. Energy Efficiency: Power10 servers are up to twice as energy-efficient compared to previous systems, while potentially delivering up to double the compute scalability.
2. Reduced Carbon Footprint: The compact server footprint enabled by virtualization has led to reduced carbon emissions.
3. Renewable Energy Transition: By reducing power consumption through server consolidation, Pfizer is better positioned to achieve its goal of running on 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
4. Versatile Workload Management: A single Power10 server can run multiple operating systems and workloads (HANA, ABAP, Java, Oracle), further reducing the need for additional hardware.
The Implementation: A Collaborative Effort
Pfizer engaged IBM Consulting and Schneider-Neureither & Partner (SNP) for the 18-month migration program. The team used SNP’s CrystalBridge software and IBM’s Rapid Move methodology to ensure a smooth transition to SAP S/4HANA.
The Results: Tangible Benefits and Future-Ready Infrastructure
The migration to SAP S/4HANA on IBM Power has already yielded significant benefits:
– 73% reduction in ledgers (from 15 to 4) by implementing SAP Universal Journal
– 5% improvement in order-to-cash cycle time
– Reduction of ERP database size from 75 TB to 5.5 TB
– 20% cost avoidance forecast for new projects
– Future Streamlined month-end closing processes
Looking Ahead: Cloud Integration and Innovation
Pfizer is now exploring IBM Power Virtual Servers (PowerVS) to further its cloud strategy without compromising on the benefits of the Power architecture. The company is also eyeing advanced AI solutions, such as the watsonx platform, to drive future innovations.
“IBM Power10 aligns with Pfizer’s corporate environmental, social, and governance objectives, delivers highly efficient SAP S/4HANA solutions, and offers a strategic route to cloud computing in support of a healthier tomorrow.“
Scott Groth summarizes the impact
As Pfizer continues its mission to bring breakthroughs that change patients’ lives, its robust and sustainable IT infrastructure powered by IBM and SAP will play a crucial role in supporting a healthier future for all.
Credit:
Scott Groth – Director, ERP Platform Engineering & Emerging Technologies, Pfizer
Source & Further Material
Original case study by Scott Groth, Director, ERP Platform Engineering & Emerging Technologies at Pfizer
Read Scott Groth’s detailed account, direct from the IBM website here
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