Should i continue with SAP Basis or Jump to another SAP module?

[Former Member]

Hello All,

I am working in an SAP Basis support project (its 24x7) for a reputed organisation where I joined as a fresher and have around 1n half yrs of SAP basis support experience. But I am not able to tolerate with night shifts due to health problems and some of the colleagues tell that most of the sap basis projects are 24x7 and will have night shifts even if I join other organizations. Is this true? If it is so should i continue with SAP Basis or jump to another SAP module?

Response will be highly appreciated.

Regards,

Abdul

[Former Member]

Hello Abdul,

It is an uncomfortable truth that Basis folks tend to have to work when others don't. The business runs on the system so the maintenance and such (Basis work) has to happen nights and weekends. It is by no means universal, however, and some shops are better than others about allowing work/life balance for Basis folks. Smaller shops tend to be open 8 to 5 and often can tolerate longer outages. Even at smaller shops, though, you will be expected to generally be available at night for emergencies and often upgrades and other activities will take place on weekends (but you'll get comp time off during the week typically when your done).

Whether you can find a job that is primarily day work with only occasional pager duty/weekend work is going to be determined by your local job market and what positions open up in a timely fashion and whether or not you can sell yourself into the role.

I hope this helps!

Best regards,

  --Tom

[Former Member]

Thanks for prompt response Tom. I Appreciate it.

The reply was helpful.

I am in an dilemna now whether to continue with Basis or move to another module. As i can no longer work at night.

Also this is really important for me as i will be making an career changing decision. I Would like more suggestions on this.

Regards,

Abdul

[Former Member]

Dear Abdul,

this happens in BASIS, thats why, they tend to get hire wages than any other role because of it (depending on your negotiations or company Tech slabs). If I come on weekends, I do easily get my holidays right after finishing my work.

BASIS is an excellence role, but if you have decided something in your mind, no one can change it. Do what ever you do, but think twice before switching. If you are good in Operating Systems, Networks, DBs, Systems architecturing, geeky stuff, then there is no better role than this. All careers have their advantages.disadvantages. If you switch to ABAP (second face of technical), u get a lot of code instead of night shifts! If you shift to functional (any), you will have to face the client/end user and you must fulfill their desires as per their requirements, always, either or!

its up to you mate!

regards,

[Former Member]

Hello All,

I am state of confusion now whether to opt for SAP security or SAP BI? Which of these modules will not have shifts? which has better scope SAP security or SAP BI?

would appreciate response from those who have shifted from SAP Basis to SAP security /BI. Please share your experiences.

Thanks in advance

[Colleen]

Hi Adbul

Basis is typically the main area that has night shifts. The other areas my have them for go-lives. As Thomas mentioned, system administration activities, like patching and offline backups, need to take place outside of business hours when users are not on the system or planned outage for low-usage time.

Security and Functional positions typically do not require after hours. HOWEVER, this is going to depend on your organisation or system you work on AND where you are located!

I have, for example, managed a global security team that had shift workers in India. As a multinational support team we had to provide service 24/7. I had three teams around the world for a follow-the-sun support model approach (so they got to work day shift for their location). But I also had three shifts for my India-based team. In India it was a night shift but the users were on the other side of the world and for them day time (and end users during their day need a password reset regardless of your night). You worked the hours to support the business. Not sure where you are located and/or if you provide support to such a company. And the team leader, well you learn to answer a phone call half asleep and then resume being comatosed until the next time it rings.

If you have health issues, have you attempted to discuss this with your supervisor to see if there is a way to work different shifts? There may be an alternative solution to changing career path.

End of the day, if you do switch to a different area it will depend on the end user working hours as to whether it equates to a night shift or day shift for you.

You may be able to search for a Basis role for a different company and provide after hours support for them (i.e. your day is their night) if you are lucky to find such a role.

Regards

Colleen

[balaji_parsewar]

Hi Abdul,

Shifting to another module is simply wasting 18 months experience you have gained. More over its difficult to accommodate with other module without prior knowledge & skills.

Suggest you to look for organization where there are no night shifts or very less night shifts.

Balaji

[abhijeet_singh2]

Hi Abdul,

How are you ?

Since You are working night shifts i assume you must be based out of Asia Pacific region.

Since its more of a Work life balance question.

I would request you to negotiate with your manager on it. May be he can offer you a rotation shift or something like that.

But before taking any further step do take following things into consideration :-

1. What role are you in ? with 1 and 1/2 yrs of experience I am sure Client wouldn't have offered you for more then Monitoring or if lucky Level 2 support. If its monitoring job then you can easily switch to other domain, no much loss.If Its level 2 then SWITCH JOB.

2. What kind of learning or Exposure you are getting at present. Best way to know is what is your market value. Give few interviews you will get to know the value of your skills.

3. Work of a Basis guy while in Support will never be peaceful, Thats something i can assure you.
you can look for SAP Security Job if you want peaceful life, but will have to compromise with the Career Growth. Try to get out of Support, look for Implementation and migration jobs. It will be not available with biggies like IBM, HP etc (at least at your experience level) but you can try your hand with smaller consultancies or start ups. Working in start ups at anytime is better then working with biggies for career development. It will help you change your career plan.

4.  Getting into Functional require managerial background, I don;t know if you are MBA or graduate.

Getting into ABAP is possible but there is no point riding an Old horse when SAP itself has moved into Java and Cloud.  Still if you want you can consider it.

Thanks

Abhijeet

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Message was edited by: kishan P

[Former Member]

Thanks all for your valuable reply Arshad, Balaji and Abhijeet.

Hello Abhijeet,

I am fine.How about you?

Appreciate your elaborated reply. I am based in India.

1. I am an SAP basis admin with more then level 1 now,  I am involved in troubleshooting performance issues, system monitoring, , start/stop of SAP systems, Transports, clent and system open/close,  adding datafiles, providing OSS connections-developer and object keys etc...

2. Learning is good. But lot of work pressure with working for 12-13 hrs daily.

3.  Do you mean SAP security does not have such a career growth as compared with basis?

    Also want to know does SAP security has night shifts and same amount of pressure as basis?

    (or ) Will i get a job in SAP basis where there is no 24/7 support?

4. I am btech with EC background.. I am not interested in going into ABAP. I want to know abt SAP BI? which is better SAP BI or SAP security?

Thanks,

Abdul

[former_member184893]

Hi Abdul,

I totally understand your mindset after reading your all queries and comments...

See actually if you decided to shift from Basis its good choice because once its decided means with painful circumtances you cannot concentrate or show any interest further there....but one main thing here don't ever resign your current job without getting any offer in hand or try to make good relationship with your manager and convience him whether you have any possiblity to shift in other module.

Here, I would recommed you to go SAP BI or SAP HANA for which you can have good future and also good openings in market.

For more information about SAP HANA... Check this below link

http://scn.sap.com/community/training-and-education/certification/blog/2012/10/29/preparing-for-hana...

Thanks

Nayeem..

[abhijeet_singh2]

HI Abdul,

Here are my answers for your each point

1. There are 3 levels in support, Level-1 means Customer Care, Level -2 means Mid level or the 1st level for Technical experts, then Level -3 support where highly skilled experts or say SME's are involved. So never in any interview say you were into Level 1 support . Because the manager who takes the final round of interview (THE guy with whom you bargain your hike ) in India don't know the SAP jagrons but he surely knows these SLA and ITIL related facts. Infact my manager still don;t know how to spell SAP

2. Job of basis guy is very challenging. I have been through it personally. I know you miss one server in monthly maintenance and then you see yourself floating in escalation mails. What i will suggest you to sail through it is, try to learn from your seniors, how they are going through it. Key thing you will see that they just stick to the job role and they do not put extra unless and until they have been asked for it. So don;t slog for 13 hours a day. Never. Instead use that time for learning or preparing for certifications. In SAP industry certification pays.

3. Security indeed is very peaceful job, as your work will not be as sensitive (read escalations) as its in Basis. Your work will range from "password resets for users", "security audit report" to IDM consultant. If you put your best feet forward then you might also be Security Admin. Also there is Implementation, upgrade or migration projects. Check within your firm or in other firms.

4. SAP BI or SAP Security. You can't compare two jobs nor you should ever. Anyway If you want to Switch SAP BI, you will have to study the reporting, OLAP data Administration and Business Warehouse Accelerator (BWA).  You must be having BI Functional team in your office. They are your best teachers. Spend a lot of time with them. Ask questions.  Since you are a basis guy you will have access to all the transactions like rsa1, rsrv etc. So you can try them in sandbox systems of your client.  This is how I learned BI Administration, applied for an BI Administration opening and switched as BI Administrator.

End of story.

Thanks

Abhijeet

<<removed point-asking by moderator>>

Message was edited by: kishan P

[Colleen]

Thats something i can assure you.
you can look for SAP Security Job if you want peaceful life, but will have to compromise with the Career Growth.

Really?!?! Wow - compromising on career growth for specialising in Security?  Have you seen the future of technology and Cloud based solution as well as all the global issues out there of unprotected systems and customer data being stolen? Security is quite important and more than just SU01 and PFCG. You may start out in that space but career growth in the security specialty has so much more to it that password resets.

3. Security indeed is very peaceful job, as your work will not be as sensitive (read escalations) as its in Basis. Your work will range from "password resets for users", "security audit report" to IDM consultant. If you put your best feet forward then you might also be Security Admin. Also there is Implementation, upgrade or migration projects.

okay sensitive escalations in security that can be time critical and security is not always peaceful:

• works sites potentially losing $millions each hour as their staff cannot complete mandatory training or swipe card letting them into the site (I got stuck with that once updating senior management constantly).
• fraud has occurred on the system and you need to investigate and resolve immediately.
• issues with Single-Sign-on and access management so user cannot do their jobs - again no system access slows down business which hits the $ (or whatever the currency is).
• peaceful - just ask a security person to describe audit season to you

So don;t slog for 13 hours a day. Never. Instead use that time for learning or preparing for certifications. In SAP industry certification pays. 

In my books I'll hire the person who goes the extra mile and improves my systems over the person that just improves themselves with a piece of paper. The extra time on the system will set up for a better career path with practical knowledge than a bit of paper will - especially if you have an onsite client interviewing. I see the difference when I ask interview questions: the person with the bit of paper regurgitates the steps on configuring something whilst the person who put the hours in tells me when the steps work and don't work and why they approach a problem a certain way.

Certification is not a guarantee for pay - you need that experience.

Regards

Colleen

P.s don't ask for reward points unless you want interactions with the moderators.

[Former Member]

helo abdul.i m a b.tech ece fresher.i want 2 knw from where have u done sap basis course?there are many insitutes which are sap certified and non certified.fees difference is there b/w these intitutes.will u suggest me to do a sap basis course from non certified institute??

[Former Member]

Hello ppl,

I just joined a MNC and i am workin in SAP Security but everyone undermines me whenever i tell them i am into security...is it not a good start up to be in security??