SAP ArchiveLink Integration
Native binding to SAP's document archiving APIs. Inbound documents and aged transactional data archive through SAP-certified ArchiveLink protocols.
SAP Cloud Archive
OpenText Core Archive Implementation Services
RISE with SAP and GROW with SAP migrations stall at the content workstream. The legacy on-premise ArchiveLink content server cannot move to the SAP cloud cleanly — the architecture does not translate, the integration is bespoke, and the records retention policy lives in a different system. OpenText Core Archive is the SaaS archive certified for S/4HANA Public and Private Cloud. It is the SAP-supported destination for the ArchiveLink content store, with SAP ILM integration for retention policy and customer-owned encryption keys for security. BCS implements Core Archive alongside the SAP migration so the archive cutover lands with the SAP cutover, not after.
SAP-certified destination
ARCHIVELINK ON CLOUD
Native SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud and Private Cloud integration. The ArchiveLink content store moves to cloud SaaS on the SAP-supported path.
HANA storage cost relief
OFFLOAD AGED TRANSACTIONS
Closed transactions and aged documents off-load from the HANA in-memory database to managed cloud archive. HANA storage cost drops.
Customer-owned keys
ENCRYPTION CONTROL
Bring-your-own-key encryption gives the customer control over archive data. Compliance and regulator-readiness stay with the customer.
Architecture
Five Layers Of OpenText Core Archive For SAP
A cloud-native SAP archive built for the RISE / GROW destination
The legacy on-premise ArchiveLink content server architecture worked for ECC. It does not translate to the SAP cloud reality. RISE with SAP and GROW with SAP require a cloud-native archive that integrates through SAP ArchiveLink, SAP ILM, and CMIS APIs on the SAP-supported path.
Core Archive is OpenText's purpose-built answer. SaaS multi-tenant cloud archive. Native ArchiveLink. Native ILM integration for retention policy. CMIS API for non-SAP access. Customer-owned encryption keys for security. The migration question is timing and sequencing, not whether to use Core Archive.
01 - SAP ArchiveLink Integration
Native ECM binding to SAP archiving
Native binding to SAP's document archiving APIs. Inbound documents from SAP business objects land in Core Archive; aged transactional data archives via ArchiveLink protocols. The integration is SAP-certified.
02 - SAP ILM Integration
Information lifecycle management
Native SAP ILM (Information Lifecycle Management) integration. Retention policies defined in SAP ILM enforce against the Core Archive content. Legal holds, retention rules, and disposition orchestrate from the SAP side.
03 - CMIS API
Open access for non-SAP applications
Standard CMIS API for non-SAP application access to archived content. Information Archive, Documentum, Extended ECM, and third-party systems can read archived content through CMIS without SAP-specific code.
04 - Compliance Dashboard
Audit trails and reporting
Audit trails, legal hold management, retention policy reporting all surfaced in a compliance dashboard. The records team sees retention state across the archived estate without running SAP queries.
05 - Customer-Owned Encryption Keys
Bring-your-own-key security
Bring-your-own-key encryption gives the customer control over archive data encryption. The customer holds the key; OpenText cannot read the archived content without customer authorisation.
Why Core Archive
The Four Scenarios That Move Core Archive From Consideration To Programme
Core Archive programmes start when one of four operational realities forces the decision.
01 - RISE migration in flight
The SAP migration cannot complete without the archive workstream
The RISE with SAP migration is in flight. The SAP team escalates that the legacy ArchiveLink content store cannot migrate to the cloud cleanly. Core Archive is the SAP-supported destination. The archive workstream needs to be sequenced inside the SAP programme, not after it.
02 - GROW migration scope
The GROW with SAP fit-to-standard programme needs an archive plan
GROW with SAP is the destination for the mid-market migration. The fit-to-standard adoption excludes custom code and on-premise infrastructure. Core Archive is the SAP-supported SaaS archive that fits the GROW programme model.
03 - HANA storage pressure
The HANA database is hitting in-memory storage limits
The S/4HANA database is approaching capacity. The SAP team identifies that 60-70% of the database content is closed transactions and aged documents that legal/tax retention requires preserving but operational use does not need. Core Archive off-loads the aged content; HANA storage cost drops.
04 - Compliance archive consolidation
Multiple SAP archive platforms need to consolidate
Post-merger integration or multi-region SAP consolidation surfaces multiple SAP archive platforms. The CIO needs one SAP archive estate with one retention policy and one audit trail. Core Archive becomes the consolidation destination.
Business Impact
Who Benefits From The Core Archive Implementation, And Through Which Operational Lever?
Core Archive has an SAP-led buyer panel. Each accordion names the specific lever.
Head Of SAP BasisRISE / GROW migration delivery, HANA cost
For SAP Basis, Core Archive resolves the archive workstream that otherwise blocks the RISE or GROW migration. The HANA storage cost reduction is a secondary win.
- RISE / GROW migration completes with the archive workstream on the SAP-supported path.
- HANA in-memory storage cost reduces as aged transactional data off-loads.
- ArchiveLink cutover lands with the SAP cutover on one programme plan.
CIOSAP-supported archive destination
For the CIO, Core Archive is the cloud-native archive that retires the on-premise content server without bespoke integration. The SAP support contract covers the integration boundary.
- On-premise ArchiveLink content server retires; SaaS archive replaces it.
- SAP support covers the integration boundary — one support relationship for the SAP estate plus archive.
- Multi-region SAP archive estates consolidate onto one cloud archive.
Chief Compliance OfficerRecords retention, legal hold
For Compliance, Core Archive integrates with SAP ILM for retention policy enforcement. Records governance runs against the archived content with audit trail integrity.
- SAP ILM retention policies enforce against the cloud archive automatically.
- Legal holds applied through the standard SAP ILM workflow protect archive content from disposition.
- Audit retrieval against historical SAP transactions returns supporting documents from Core Archive.
CFOHANA storage cost, audit retrieval
For the CFO, HANA storage cost reduction is direct opex. Audit response for SAP-supporting documents becomes a faster, lower-effort retrieval.
- HANA storage cost reduces as aged content off-loads.
- Audit retrieval for SAP supporting documents becomes a fast managed query.
- Tax and statutory retention executes automatically against archive policy.
CTOArchive architecture, customer-owned keys
For the CTO, Core Archive's SaaS architecture with customer-owned encryption keys means the security posture stays with the customer while the operational burden moves to OpenText.
- SaaS multi-tenant architecture with customer-owned encryption keys.
- Native CMIS API for non-SAP application access to archived content.
- 99.9% availability target with 8-hour RTO and 1-hour RPO.
Head Of Records ManagementCloud retention enforcement, statutory archive
For Records Management, the SAP-archive integration to ILM means retention policy that was previously enforced in on-premise infrastructure now enforces in the cloud archive natively.
- Retention policy enforcement migrates from on-premise to the SAP-supported cloud archive.
- Disposition workflows execute against the archive on policy schedule.
- Records governance for SAP-tied content lives with the rest of the records programme.
Chief Data OfficerArchive data semantics, AI grounding on historical data
For the CDO, archived data is increasingly relevant for analytics and AI grounding. Core Archive exposes content through CMIS so analytics and AI tools can retrieve archived content for context.
- Archive content accessible through standard CMIS for analytics tools.
- Information Archive can ground Aviator on archived content for historical query.
- Cross-product archive consolidation possible through the CMIS API.
Chief Strategy OfficerM&A SAP integration, archive consolidation
For Strategy, M&A integration in SAP-heavy organisations surfaces multiple SAP archive estates. Core Archive becomes the consolidation destination with retention policy harmonised in SAP ILM.
- Multiple SAP archive estates consolidate onto Core Archive.
- Retention policy harmonisation happens through SAP ILM with audit trail.
- Legacy SAP archive platforms retire on a defined timeline.
Capabilities
Components Of OpenText Core Archive
Five product components organised across SAP integration, retention, access, security, and operations.
SAP ILM Integration
Native SAP ILM integration. Retention policies defined in SAP ILM enforce against Core Archive content automatically. Legal holds and disposition orchestrate from the SAP side.
CMIS API
Standard CMIS API for non-SAP application access. Information Archive, Documentum, Extended ECM, and third-party systems read archive content without SAP-specific code.
Compliance Dashboard
Audit trails, legal hold management, retention policy reporting in one dashboard. Records team sees retention state across the archived estate.
Customer-Owned Encryption Keys
Bring-your-own-key encryption. Customer holds the key; OpenText cannot read the archived content without customer authorisation.
S/4HANA Public And Private Cloud Support
Native integration with both S/4HANA Public Cloud (GROW) and Private Cloud (RISE). Same archive estate serves both SAP cloud deployment models.
99.9% Availability And 1-Hour RPO
Service-level commitments: 99.9% target availability, 8-hour RTO, 1-hour RPO. The SaaS operating model handles the availability burden the on-premise archive used to carry.
How BCS Implements This
The Six Workstreams — What BCS Owns, What The Client Owns, When Each Runs
A Core Archive programme typically runs 12-20 weeks alongside the SAP migration. BCS sequences six workstreams against SAP Activate phases.
01Weeks 1-3
Archive Estate And Migration Scope
The on-premise ArchiveLink content store is inventoried. Document volumes, link relationships to SAP business objects, retention state, and storage growth rate are mapped. The migration scope is sized.
BCS owns: archive inventory tooling, link reconciliation. Client owns: SAP Basis access, ArchiveLink content server access.
02Weeks 3-7
Core Archive Tenant Design
Core Archive tenant model designed for the SAP estate geography, data residency, and acquired-entity considerations. SAP ArchiveLink configuration mapped to the destination tenant.
BCS owns: tenant architecture, ArchiveLink mapping, data residency design. Client owns: data residency requirements, SAP Basis sign-off.
03Weeks 5-12
SAP ILM Retention Policy Migration
SAP ILM retention rules from the legacy estate migrate to the Core Archive integration. Policy harmonisation across business units happens before configuration. Legal hold mechanics activated.
BCS owns: ILM policy migration, harmonisation runbook. Client owns: records committee sign-off on harmonised policy.
04Weeks 8-14
Content Migration In Waves
Aged transactional data and ArchiveLink content migrate in waves. Reconciliation against SAP transactional data validates that document-to-business-object linkages survive migration. The wave sequencing aligns to the SAP cutover plan.
BCS owns: migration engineering, reconciliation tooling. Client owns: SAP team sign-off per wave.
05Weeks 10-16
Encryption Keys And Anugal Access
Customer-owned encryption keys provisioned and exchanged with OpenText. Anugal IGA extends access governance over archive retrieval rights. Compliance dashboard configured for the records team.
BCS owns: key provisioning, Anugal policies, dashboard configuration. Client owns: key custody and rotation procedures.
06Weeks 14-20
Cutover Alongside SAP Cutover
The Core Archive cutover lands with the SAP RISE / GROW cutover. Symphony orchestrates the joint cutover. Aged transactional data off-load from HANA executes per the schedule once Core Archive is live. Legacy ArchiveLink content server decommissions on a defined timeline.
BCS owns: joint cutover orchestration, off-load execution. Client owns: SAP and records team sign-off on cutover criteria.
About BCS
BCS — The Agentic System Integrator For Content
Content programmes that ship as an operating model, not an event
BCS implements Core Archive as part of the broader SAP and OpenText practice. The Core Archive team runs alongside the SAP RISE / GROW programme team — the archive cutover and the SAP cutover land on one plan with one accountability line.
The agentic system integrator model means three operating platforms travel with every Core Archive programme.
Anugal
Archive access governanceIdentity governance over archive retrieval rights, particularly for cross-organisation audit and regulator retrieval. Access certification covers archive-specific rights alongside the broader SAP and content estate.
deKorvai
SAP master data alignmentSAP master data validation before content archives. Vendor master, customer master, material master are validated so the document-to-business-object linkages survive migration into the archive accurately.
Symphony
Joint SAP + Archive cutoverJoint cutover orchestration for the SAP RISE / GROW cutover and the Core Archive cutover. One workflow, one validation gate, one rollback path across both estates.
Recent Updates
What Has Changed In Core Archive In 2026?
Three updates that shape the Core Archive conversation in 2026.
Native S/4HANA Public Cloud and Private Cloud integration
Core Archive integrates natively with both S/4HANA Public Cloud (GROW) and Private Cloud (RISE) through SAP ArchiveLink, SAP ILM, and CMIS APIs. The integration ships supported by both SAP and OpenText.
Source: OpenText Core Archive for SAP99.9% availability target, 8-hour RTO, 1-hour RPO
Core Archive SaaS service-level commitments — 99.9% target availability, 8-hour recovery time objective, 1-hour recovery point objective. The operational burden the on-premise archive used to carry moves to OpenText.
Source: OpenText Core Archive overviewSAP ECC mainstream maintenance ends 31 December 2027
The ECC mainstream maintenance deadline drives the RISE / GROW migration timeline for most enterprises. Core Archive is the SAP-supported archive destination for the migration. The archive workstream needs to sequence inside the SAP programme, not after the 2027 deadline.
Source: SAP RISE programmeFrequently Asked Questions
The five questions that decide the Core Archive programme.
Why not stay on the on-premise ArchiveLink content server?
The on-premise architecture does not translate to RISE or GROW with SAP. The cloud SAP deployment model does not support the legacy ArchiveLink content server architecture. Core Archive is the SAP-supported cloud destination. Staying on-premise means staying on ECC, which mainstream maintenance ends in December 2027.
How does Core Archive differ from Information Archive?
Core Archive is SAP-specific cloud SaaS for SAP ArchiveLink content and SAP transactional data. It is the RISE / GROW with SAP archive prerequisite. Information Archive is the broader general-purpose application-decommissioning archive that handles ECC, JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, mainframe, and custom systems. They serve different programmes. Some enterprises buy both: Core Archive for the SAP cloud, Information Archive for the application retirement programme.
Who holds the encryption keys?
The customer. Core Archive supports bring-your-own-key encryption so the customer holds the keys. OpenText cannot decrypt the archived content without customer authorisation. The customer's key custody and rotation procedures govern access.
How does the SAP ILM integration handle our existing retention policies?
SAP ILM retention policies that already exist in the legacy SAP estate migrate to Core Archive integration during the programme. Policy harmonisation across business units typically happens as workstream zero — legacy inconsistencies are reconciled into one defensible policy before the migration begins.
What is the commercial engagement model?
Most Core Archive engagements run as fixed-milestone delivery (12-20 weeks) sequenced alongside the SAP RISE / GROW migration. Discovery is priced separately. The team typically includes a programme lead with SAP archive experience, two to three Core Archive engineers, an SAP Basis-aware engineer, a records and ILM specialist, an identity engineer running Anugal, and a cutover lead.
Scope The Core Archive Implementation In 30 Minutes
BCS runs a 30-minute readiness session covering the SAP RISE / GROW migration state, the on-premise ArchiveLink estate, the SAP ILM retention policy state, the HANA storage growth pattern, and the joint SAP-plus-archive cutover plan.
30-minute discovery session*