Niche markets for Basis administrators/technical architects
What is he next niche market for SAP Basis administrators/technical architects? I have 6 years SAP Basis experience (3 years with maintenance/contracting and support and 3 years with big-5 consultancy on project implementations). I am SAP and ORACLE DBA certified, but now I am contracting again, because there is no permanent positions that pay almost as much as 3 years ago! Has SAP Basis become a commodity skill? What skills are the best to go for and use in the marketplace?
Yes, Basis is becoming a bit of a commodity. You want to build on these Basis skills by responding to the shift in the focus of enterprise technology. You want to get all the EAI experience you can get your hands on, you want to get all the security experience you can, especially web-based security, and you want to learn everything you can about SAP's new web-based architecture, based on its Web Application Server technology. The term "Basis" may eventually go away, but the person who can tie all systems together, including SAP, in a heterogeneous application environment, is not going to go away. Choose your projects wisely - try to find companies that are headed in the most interesting directions, even if it means extra travel and lower rates. You won't regret the skills you gain.
Yes, Basis is becoming a bit of a commodity. You want to build on these Basis skills by responding to the shift in the focus of enterprise technology. You want to get all the EAI experience you can get your hands on, you want to get all the security experience you can, especially web-based security, and you want to learn everything you can about SAP's new web-based architecture, based on its Web Application Server technology. The term "Basis" may eventually go away, but the person who can tie all systems together, including SAP, in a heterogeneous application environment, is not going to go away. Choose your projects wisely - try to find companies that are headed in the most interesting directions, even if it means extra travel and lower rates. You won't regret the skills you gain.