Inmarsat’s finance, supply chain, and procurement systems were running on an on‑premises SAP ERP environment that had supported the business for more than a decade. While it was stable, it no longer aligned with the company’s strategy to accelerate cloud adoption. The key reasons for moving to the cloud were: 1. **Modernization and stabilization** Inmarsat wanted its SAP applications to run on a more modern architecture and infrastructure. As Tim Brown, Senior Director, Cloud and Operations (Group IT), put it, the primary goal was to stabilize and set up SAP on a modern environment and architecture. 2. **Improved reliability, security, agility, and performance** A due‑diligence study with Infosys and AWS identified that a cloud environment could offer better reliability, security, agility, and performance than the existing on‑premises setup. 3. **Cost optimization** Early results after migration showed a significant reduction in maintenance and licensing costs. The ability to scale infrastructure up and down with business demand also helps avoid over‑provisioning. 4. **Scalability and flexibility** Running SAP on AWS allows Inmarsat to scale resources in line with business needs, which is important for a global satellite communications provider operating across maritime, government, aviation, and enterprise markets. In short, the move was about reimagining a long‑running SAP landscape so it could better support Inmarsat’s growth, cost structure, and operational resilience.

Infosys and AWS worked with Inmarsat as a joint team to plan and execute the SAP cloud migration. **Infosys’s role** - **Lead systems integrator:** Infosys acted as the primary systems integrator, coordinating between Inmarsat and AWS and owning end‑to‑end delivery. - **Safe Passage methodology:** Infosys used its Safe Passage approach, part of Infosys Cobalt, to guide the migration. Safe Passage combines: - Proven best practices - Reusable tools and accelerators - A “rinse and repeat” process to reduce migration risk and shorten implementation time - **Technical execution:** Infosys handled key activities such as: - Technical upgrades of SAP systems - Migration to a new operating system and database - Code remediation - Integration testing - Multiple mock migrations to streamline cutover and go‑live **AWS’s role** - **Cloud platform:** AWS provided the target cloud infrastructure for Inmarsat’s SAP landscape. - **Professional Services collaboration:** AWS Professional Services worked closely with Infosys and Inmarsat to validate the architecture, support the migration plan, and help ensure the environment met requirements for reliability, security, and performance. **Scope and timeline** - **24 systems migrated to AWS**, with **10 systems upgraded** as part of the move. - Operating system migration from **Solaris 5.1 to Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7** for selected systems. - Database migration from **Oracle 11.2 to IBM DB2 11.5** for **five systems**. - High Availability configured for **four mission‑critical systems**, including SAP ERP Central Component (ECC). - The entire program was delivered in about **seven and a half months**, on budget. Together, Infosys and AWS helped Inmarsat rethink its SAP foundation, moving from a long‑standing on‑premises setup to a cloud‑based, more flexible environment with managed risk and a structured migration path.

Although the migration is still relatively recent in the context of Inmarsat’s 40‑plus‑year history, the company has already seen several clear benefits from moving SAP to AWS with Infosys. **1. Performance improvements** - **~40% faster dialogue processes** for SAP systems, improving the responsiveness of interactive user transactions. - **~10% improvement in response to SAP requests**, contributing to a smoother user experience for business teams. **2. Cost and efficiency gains** - **Significant reduction in maintenance and licensing costs** compared with the previous on‑premises setup. - Ability to **scale infrastructure up or down** with business demand, which helps align IT spend more closely with actual usage. **3. Operational resilience and availability** - High Availability configured for **four mission‑critical systems**, including SAP ECC, to support high uptime for core finance, supply chain, and procurement processes. - A modernized stack (Red Hat Enterprise Linux and IBM DB2 for selected systems) that is easier to support and evolve. **4. Faster, more predictable change** - Infosys’s Safe Passage methodology, combined with mock migrations and thorough integration testing, helped ensure a **smooth cutover and stable operations** on the new platform. - The entire migration and upgrade program was completed in about **seven and a half months**, giving Inmarsat a relatively quick path to value. Overall, Inmarsat has reshaped its SAP landscape into a more scalable, cost‑effective, and performant environment that better supports its role as a global mobile satellite communications provider.