Saudi Aramco Selects Sun Microsystems for Massive ERP Overhaul

Strategic Insights -

Saudi Aramco, the largest oil producer in the world, has partnered with Sun Microsystems and Abdulla Fouad Co. to implement one of the largest SAP R/3 enterprise resource planning (ERP) projects to date. The Business Systems Integration Program, managed from Saudi Aramco's Dhahran headquarters, aims to consolidate business applications and provide a single consistent view of the Saudi Aramco enterprise and its resources. This project will support a fully integrated oil business with worldwide affiliates for approximately 20,000 users, leveraging the robust Solaris operating environment and the highly scalable and reliable Sun Enterprise 10000 server, commonly known as "Starfire." The SAP R/3 deployment will be powered by Sun Microsystems' Solaris and the Starfire server, selected after a lengthy internal evaluation process that began in 1996.

Key Takeaways:

  • The partnership between Saudi Aramco, Sun Microsystems, and Abdulla Fouad Co. will implement one of the largest SAP R/3 ERP projects to date, serving approximately 20,000 users worldwide.
  • The Business Systems Integration Program aims to consolidate Saudi Aramco's business applications, including financial, human resources, sales & distribution, and project systems, into an integrated SAP R/3 application suite.
  • Sun Microsystems' Solaris and the Starfire server were selected after a lengthy internal evaluation process that began in 1996, citing superior performance and professionalism of Sun's support personnel as key decision criteria.
  • The installation will be managed by the Sun/Abdulla Fouad customer care center in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, and its Dubai-based regional headquarters.
  • Sun Microsystems has invested heavily in the Middle East and is working closely with SAP to implement the ERP project, leveraging their expertise and partnership to meet the client's requirements.
  • The SAP R/3 deployment at Saudi Aramco will be the latest example of the close cooperation between Sun Microsystems and SAP, with Sun ranking No. 1 in customer satisfaction worldwide by SAP customers.

Statistics:

  • The SAP R/3 ERP project will serve approximately 20,000 users worldwide.
  • Sun Microsystems has shipped over 500 Starfire servers to customers in 37 countries as of June 1998.
  • The Starfire server provides up to eight Dynamic System Domains, a unique feature that enables network managers to dynamically allocate system resources according to application demands.
  • Sun's Solaris operating environment and the Starfire server will power the SAP R/3 deployment, leveraging the system's scalability, reliability, and high availability features.

Sources:

  • Saudi Aramco Selects Sun Microsystems: SAP R/3 Deployment to Power Business Systems Integration Program
  • M2 Presswire, September 16, 1998
  • Sun Microsystems: The Network Is The Computer
  • Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: SUNW)
  • SAP AG: SAP R/3 and All SAP Product or Service Names