Modernizing ORNL’s SAP Environment While Protecting Mission Continuity

ORNL was already modernizing its SAP environment when its Compatibility Pack approached end of support, creating a compressed timeline for an H4S4 upgrade and removal of the legacy compatibility component.  

At the same time, ORNL needed to evaluate SAP Business Integration Builder (BIB) as a modern approach for data integration between SAP SuccessFactors and SAP S/4HANA. Open questions around BIB required additional discovery and ultimately led to a revised implementation path.

DivIHN led the H4S4 implementation and Compatibility Pack removal while working with ORNL, Infosys, and NS2 to evaluate BIB requirements. The team used sandbox testing, SAP Notes research, architecture workshops, ABAP/RICEF impact analysis, SAP Activate practices, structured project planning, RAID management, testing, and hypercare. 

As discovery clarified the requirements, DivIHN helped ORNL structure the effort into two phases. Phase 1 completed the H4S4 upgrade and removed the Compatibility Pack support risk. Phase 2 advances the BIB-based integration architecture between SAP SuccessFactors and SAP S/4HANA. 

DivIHN also brought specialized BIB expertise to the engagement and incorporated knowledge transfer to strengthen ORNL's ability to support the technology internally.

The H4S4 upgrade went live on schedule in December 2025 with zero production defects, while removing the end-of-2025 Compatibility Pack support risk. 

The effort also established a modern BIB-based integration path between SAP SuccessFactors and SAP S/4HANA and incorporated training and knowledge transfer designed to strengthen ORNL’s long-term internal BIB capabilities.