SAP Migration · 6 min read · February 2026
RISE with SAP, public versus private cloud, and what each means for your data
By Thinklytics Partners, SAP S/4HANA Practice
RISE with SAP is the managed-cloud route, and it splits into two very different destinations. Public Cloud standardizes you. Private Cloud keeps your complexity. The choice shapes the data and code work.
Topics covered
- RISE with SAP
- S/4HANA Cloud
- Public Cloud
- Private Cloud
Frequently asked questions
What is RISE with SAP?
RISE with SAP is an all-in-one subscription that moves you off on-premises ECC into an SAP-managed cloud, bundling the S/4HANA Cloud license, infrastructure, and migration services into one commercial package. It re-platforms the commercial model as well as the system.
What is the difference between Public and Private Cloud?
Public Cloud is standardized software as a service where SAP manages everything and custom code is heavily limited, so you adopt standard processes. Private Cloud is a dedicated, customizable environment on a hyperscaler such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, which keeps room for specialized and regulated workflows.
Which one is right for us?
Public Cloud fits companies willing to adopt standard processes and retire most custom code. Private Cloud fits complex operators in pharma, energy, and manufacturing who need to keep regulated or specialized workflows. The deciding factor is how much of your current configuration must survive.
Does Public Cloud really allow almost no custom code?
It allows very limited extension, by design. The model is fit-to-standard, so heavy custom ABAP from your ECC years has to be retired, replaced with approved extension points, or rethought as a process change. That code review is a major part of a Public Cloud move.
How does the choice change the data work?
Public Cloud forces your data into standard structures, so cleansing and mapping to the standard model is heavier. Private Cloud keeps more of your shape but carries more of your legacy complexity forward. Either way the data has to be profiled, cleaned, and reconciled before it moves.
Is RISE the only way to S/4HANA?
No. You can still run S/4HANA on-premises or on your own hyperscaler contract outside RISE. RISE is the bundled, SAP-managed commercial route, and it is the one SAP is pushing hardest, but the data readiness work is the same regardless of how you buy.