SAP Commerce Cloud is a power-packed digital commerce platform that fully controls and maintains successful, effective, and same-commerce experiences on online and offline platforms – web, mobile, POS, and social media. SAP Commerce Cloud, as a part of SAP Customer Experience solutions, provides tools for product content management, order management, and customer service.

The platform has developed from a traditional on-premise product to a cloud-based one, which provides core functionality and the possibility of optimizing it for contemporary e-commerce. This evolution of hybris web development has created a lot of enhancements in performance, scalability, and security, which can trigger business choices related to SAP Commerce on-premise vs cloud solutions as well as to the updates represented by the new platform’s releases.

SAP Commerce Cloud Version 1 (CCv1)

SAP Commerce Cloud v1 (CCv1) was the first attempt by SAP to move existing businesses away from on-premise solutions by making a strategic step towards a cloud-based e-commerce environment. CCv1 came with a number of features aimed at making the most of cloud advantages while keeping some of the on-premises concepts intact. However, as frequently happens with products of the first generation, CCv1 had some inherent drawbacks, which influenced its efficiency, expansibility, and usability.

Main Characteristics of CCv1

• Deployment Model

CCv1 had a single-tenant cloud platform, meaning that the served customers ran their own instances in the cloud that was completely separate from other clients. While SAP managed the infrastructure, businesses could further optimize their operations by leveraging SAP outsource services.

• Technology Stack

Instead of opting for a fully cloud-native design, it relied on learning-based virtualization techniques making it inflexible to scale.

• Core Functionality

CCv1 was a significant reworking of SAP’s on-premises solutions, maintaining many of the original functions but needing extensive intervention for updates, scalability, and administration.

Limitations of CCv1

• Limited Scalability

Flexibility for scaling was easier to manage over the on-premise infrastructure, but it was still largely manual, which at times caused potential downtime and slowdowns.

• Complex Updates

V1 and V2 updates in SAP for CCv1 often involved significant downtime due to the manual nature of the process. The added complexity results in reduced functionality and responsiveness.

• Customization Challenges

The architecture of the platform did not allow for easy integration or adaptation of new unique features that businesses could implement on the platform.

• Higher Costs

Cost of operations was raised owing to the need for dedicated infrastructure and manual management, along with the enhancement of the operational complexity of the business.

• Security Concerns

Although the cloud-based model provided more security than on-premises setups, issues such as the absence of automation patching and vulnerability management were risky.

Due to these issues, SAP decided to deprecate CCv1 and encouraged customers to move to SAP Commerce Cloud v2 (CCv2) to get more updates, support, and enhanced features.

SAP CCv2

Staring at CCv1's shortcomings, SAP introduced SAP Commerce Cloud v2 (CCv2), a far improved version with new features that remove all CCv1's limitations. CCv2 is intended to take advantage of every modern, cutting-edge technology that the cloud environment has to offer businesses and give them a more elastic and secure computing infrastructure.

Main Features of CCv2

• Cloud-Native Architecture

SAP CCv2 included adding the ability to utilize cloud-native architecture, such as Docker containerization and Kubernetes orchestration. This was useful for improving the scalability and performance based on the need and amount of resources required.

• Automated Scaling

While CCv1 does not have this feature, CCv2 has the capability of autoscaling of resources depending on traffic needs and thus can provide higher performance during high load without explicit configuration.

• CI/CD Integration

Dissimilar to the CCv1 that was mainly based on manual work, the CCv2 introduced CI/CD processes that helped to deploy new updates and features rather quickly and with no significant errors.

• Microservices Architecture

CCv2 introduced a microservices based architecture wherein mini-services can be updated or replaced individually without impacting the rest of the chain enhancing flexibility.

• Enhanced Security

Improved security features were added in CCv2, including automated patching, advanced encryption, and built-in compliance with industry standards, addressing the security concerns seen in CCv1.

• Global Reach

The platform improved content delivery and localization features, supporting businesses with global operations more effectively.

Advantages of CCv2

• Improved Scalability

CCv2 enhances the scalability since it leverages a cloud-native approach and automated scaling, thus enabling businesses to regulate their resources according to different demand levels.

• Reduced Downtime

The introduction of CI/CD pipelines and automated scaling in CCv2 enhanced and made the deployment process faster, and the removal of downtime during updates showed that the system is more responsive.

• Lower Operational Costs

When compared to the previous version, the inclusion of automated management and the removal of manual intervention allowed CCv2 to decrease operational costs thus be more cost-efficient.

• Enhanced Flexibility and Customization

Modularity was incorporated into CCv2 through microservices, whereby it became easy to modify, remove or add features and integrations.

• Improved Performance and Security

CCv2 introduced those improvements that made it a more powerful and secure product for businesses than the previous version.

Comparing v1 and v2 Updates in SAP

To fully grasp the evolution from CCv1 to CCv2, it's important to compare the two versions across several key aspects. This comparison highlights the improvements and added features in CCv2 that make it a more compelling choice for modern e-commerce needs.

Before focusing on changes between CCv1 and CCv2, a few issues need to be clarified to better understand the process. These insights compare the weaknesses and strengths of CCv1 and CCv2 to stress the features that would be valuable in present e-commerce.

Deployment Model

• CCv1

Used single-tenant-based on conventional virtualization where it had to be managed physically. These factors added more complexity and reduced the flexibility that otherwise would be inherent in relatively more modern options of cloud architecture.

• CCv2

Included another deployment model that is native to the-cloud and containerized by means of Kubernetes to allow for the self-service and optimization of resources. It shifted the center of gravity to scale better and to require less intervention by people.

Development and Deployment Process

• CCv1

Scaling was done more or less manually, and the CI/CD integration was minimal. It also made a cyclic process take more time to complete its cycle and, most of the time, incurred more time when equipment was being changed.

• CCv2

CI/CD pipelines were included with the alteration of the development lifecycle to address the problems of deployment, scalability, and updating. This enhanced the rate of deployment, docketed it, and added responses to it, all of which have made it faster and more efficient.

Flexibility and Customization

• CCv1

The system had a defined structure that did not allow easy change or addition to new features.

• CCv2

The implementation of the microservices architecture in CCv2 enhanced flexibility to afford extension and enhancement of new features.

Cost and Scalability

• CCv1

Higher cost of operation as compared to the fully automated next version due to the level of manual control and low scalability. This put additional pressure of financial demands on the businesses.

• CCv2

Included cost optimization with automatic scaling and new cloud foundation, decreasing overall operational costs and offering flexibility.

Performance and Security

• CCv1

While performance optimization was relatively restricted, there was an increase in possible downtime and security problems.

• CCv2

It brought improvement in areas like automated patching that boosted the general speed of the system, as well as responsiveness and security from compliance with immensely vast industry standards.

Transitioning from CCv1 to CCv2

Due to the overall enhancement in SAP CCv2, many organizations are planning to transition from CCv1. This switch is an evolutionary step and a significant advancement to a new and advanced system of e-commerce.

Reasons for Migration

The main drivers for implementing CCv2 are increased scalability, lower operational expenses, higher flexibility, performance, and security. Also, since CCv1 has reached the end of its lifecycle, businesses must upgrade to CCv2 to access updates, security patches, and support.

Challenges in Migration

Upgrading from CCv1 to CCv2 can be complex since the architectures have been changed, and existing customizations should be brought in. It also entails the need to train employees on the use of new tools and processes, which would also make the migration process longer. As a result, there are certain difficulties at the initial stage of migrating to CCv2 but, in the long run, the advantages are obvious – an increased performance and scalability of the platform, as well as the reduction of costs.

The Migration Process

The migration process typically involves the following steps:

• Assessment

Assess the present setup of CCv1 and determine if there are any limitations that can be observed in the migration process to CCv2.

• Planning

Enhance a clear migration plan, including timing factors, resources, and risk factors to manage in the process. This planning phase may involve deciding whether to use SAP Commerce on-premise vs cloud environments.

• Testing

It is important to test the migration on a replica system, or a test system that is not containing any production data in order to clear any problems that may occur before the actual migration.

• Execution

Gradually move data, services, and business tailoring of CCv2 according to the schedule to avoid disruption of operations.

• Validation

Properly check the migration to make sure that all functions run as would be expected in a production environment.

Migration Timeline

How and when migration will occur depends on the intricacy of the preexisting configuration and the degree of tailoring desired for users. Some migrations may last several weeks, while others may last several months. What I found most important is a check-and-validate approach, which, in return, helps in preparing for a successful migration to CCv2.

Conclusion

The upgrade from SAP Commerce Cloud v1 (CCv1) to SAP Commerce Cloud v2 (CCv2) reflects a major shift in e-commerce platforms and technologies. CCv2 mitigates some of CCv1’s shortcomings by incorporating cloud-first architecture that employs microservices, which enhances the system’s extensibility, modularity, and protection. Organizations that adopt SAP CCv2 as their new implementation can benefit from lower costs, enhanced efficiency, and easier identification of customized changes to be implemented throughout the process.

Although migrating to a new version can be cumbersome, the advantages offered by CCv2 make migration a necessity for any organization planning to remain relevant in the ever-evolving e-commerce environment. Understanding the differences between SAP Commerce on-premise vs cloud and the key improvements highlighted in the v1 and v2 updates in SAP will help businesses make informed decisions and successfully navigate the transition to the next generation of SAP Commerce Cloud.