Hybrid Cloud Architecture Diagram

This diagram illustrates a hybrid cloud architecture involving the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) deployed on Azure Cloud Foundry. It showcases how end-users access SAP systems securely through cloud platforms and data centers, with traffic managed across multiple regions. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the components and flow:

End User & Application Client

On the far left, the diagram represents the end users who interact with the system through various devices and platforms, which include:

1. iOS
2. Android
3. Windows
4. Desktop

These application clients can access SAP services via web or mobile applications, and the architecture supports cross-platform usage.

Traffic Manager

Between the application client and SAP Business Technology Platform, the Traffic Manager acts as a load balancer. It directs traffic to the appropriate Azure Cloud Foundry region based on factors like proximity, load, or latency. This ensures users have fast and reliable access to the SAP services, improving performance and availability.

SAP Business Technology Platform (Azure Cloud Foundry)

The SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) is hosted across multiple regions to provide redundancy and global availability: Azure Cloud Foundry (Europe) and Azure Cloud Foundry (US East).

Each of these regions includes two major components:

1. Launchpad: This is the user-facing interface that provides access to various SAP applications and services, acting as the main entry point for users.
2. Connectivity Service: This service facilitates communication between the Launchpad and the secure systems located in the customer’s data center. It enables remote connectivity to internal SAP systems through a secure tunnel.

Secure Tunnels

The Connectivity Service establishes a secure tunnel to ensure that communication between the SAP BTP (in the cloud) and the on-premise SAP system (in the customer’s data center) remains encrypted and protected. This is critical for maintaining data privacy and integrity as the information travels through the internet and the firewall. Each Azure Cloud Foundry region has its own secure tunnel to communicate with the data center.

Your Datacenter

On the far right, the architecture connects to the user’s on-premise data center via the secure tunnel. This data center hosts the SAP System, which may include legacy SAP environments or customized solutions.

A Cloud Connector acts as the intermediary that securely bridges the gap between the cloud-based SAP services and the on-premise SAP system. The cloud connector is essential for secure, controlled, and reliable access to the SAP system behind the firewall.

Firewall Protection

The diagram indicates the presence of a firewall, protecting the on-premise data center. This adds an additional layer of security, ensuring that only authorized traffic from the secure tunnels of the cloud environment can reach the internal systems.

Flow Summary

The end user accesses the Launchpad through the traffic manager, which routes the request to the appropriate Azure Cloud Foundry region. The Connectivity Service within the Cloud Foundry region establishes a secure tunnel to the on-premise SAP system through the Cloud Connector, allowing users to interact with internal systems while keeping the communication encrypted and secure.

Customize this diagram

This architecture is typical for organizations that need to integrate cloud-based services with on-premise systems. It leverages multi-region cloud deployments for scalability and performance while maintaining secure communication with sensitive systems located in private data centers.

This diagram provides a comprehensive overview of how an SAP Business Technology Platform can operate in a hybrid cloud environment, ensuring global accessibility and robust security. The use of traffic management, secure tunnels, and cloud connectors allows seamless interaction between cloud and on-premise systems while maintaining data integrity. You can take this architecture as a solid foundation and customize it to fit your organization’s specific needs, whether it's adding more cloud regions, incorporating additional security layers, or integrating with other services to enhance functionality. This base diagram serves as a flexible starting point for designing a tailored hybrid cloud solution.