Let’s say you’ve just approved a major ERP overhaul, maybe you’re moving to SAP S/4HANA, or finally modernizing a patchwork of legacy systems. Either way, one of the first questions to hit the table is deceptively simple:
“Are we going public cloud or private cloud?”
Seems like a technical choice, right? Infrastructure. Hosting. A line item.
But here’s the thing: the cloud model you choose isn’t just a platform decision, it’s a bet on how your entire ERP program will operate for the next decade.
And if you make the wrong call? It doesn’t break everything right away. It just quietly slows you down, erodes flexibility, and locks you into workarounds that weren’t part of the plan.
We’ve seen companies try to course-correct midstream. It’s messy. Costly. And it forces compromises that ripple across testing, compliance, and rollout timelines.
That’s why this is one of those calls you really want to get right the first time.
Why the Cloud Decision Locks You In Early
Too often, teams approach cloud strategy like a quick checkbox: vendor preference, budget cap, maybe a lightly debated slide in the architecture deck. But when you’re talking about ERP transformation, especially SAP infrastructure decisions, they become deeply embedded in everything.
We’re talking:
- Environment strategy
- Data movement
- Testing velocity
- Governance workflows
- Compliance and rollback paths
What starts as “we’ll re-evaluate the cloud model later” quickly turns into “we’ve already built everything around this, changing it now would stall the entire program.”
Public vs. Private Cloud: The Real Tradeoffs
There’s no universal “right” answer, but each model brings its own set of tradeoffs — and they matter more than most people think.
Imagine asking:
Which is a better car: a Honda family van or a Land Rover?
Silly question, right? It depends what you’re trying to do — go grocery shopping with your family, or cross a rugged landscape.
Cloud infrastructure is the same. One option gives you more flexibility and control, but may require more internal effort to manage and scale. The other is faster and lighter, but might limit your ability to customize or adapt later on.
Here’s how that plays out in ERP:
Why ERP Makes This Choice Even More Consequential
For SAP S/4HANA, cloud infrastructure isn’t a backdrop; it’s part of your transformation architecture. It affects how quickly you can build, test, validate, and roll out.
Here’s what sits directly on top of your cloud decision:
- How many environments you need (and how fast you can spin them up)
- How you handle custom objects, extensions, and integration points
- Whether your automated testing and data migration pipelines can actually run efficiently
- How change control is managed across multiple business units or geographies
- Whether your compliance team can sleep at night
And none of this happens in a vacuum. Once your team starts building, you’re locked into a cloud reality, whether or not it fits your actual use case.
Where LeapGreat Fits Into All This
At LeapGreat, we’ve re-engineered how ERP transformation begins. Instead of months of blueprinting and blind configuration, we deliver a fully working SAP system in 7 days, built with your real data, aligned to your processes, and ready for hands-on validation.
Not a demo. Not a sandbox. A system your team can actually test, refine, and trust.
But here’s the catch: even that speed won’t save you if the cloud foundation is mismatched.
That’s why we help teams make the cloud decision early during Phase Zero when the cost of change is low and the insights are high. You don’t have to guess whether public or private is the better fit. You get to test it.
And you’ll know fast:
- Wrong cloud model? You’ll feel the friction immediately in environment spin-ups, data loading, and test cycles.
- Right cloud model? You’re already accelerating before development begins.
We call this approach FrontLoad™, and it’s how we de-risk ERP from the start.
Choose with Full Context, Not Just Preference
There’s no universal winner in the public vs. private cloud debate, but there is a right way to choose: with context, validation, and transparency.
Don’t rely on abstract tradeoffs or “what worked for them” logic.
Validate cloud strategy against your actual ERP workload, with your data, your users, and your rollout goals in mind.
Because once you’re deep into development, the cloud model becomes the rails everything else runs on. And changing that mid-program?
That’s not just inconvenient. That’s expensive, demoralizing, and completely avoidable.
Let’s Talk: Is Your SAP Program Ready for Public Cloud?
Your infrastructure decision will shape the pace, cost, and risk of your entire S/4HANA program. But technical fit isn’t enough; readiness comes down to timing, governance, and business alignment.
Join us for a fast-paced, 45-minute LinkedIn Live panel with SAP leaders who’ve seen how Public Cloud decisions play out, for better or worse.
Date: Thursday, November 13, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM ET / 8:00 AM PT
Location: LinkedIn Live
Topic: SAP’s Future Is Public Cloud. Are You Ready for It?
Panelists:
- Sana Asher – ERP transformation specialist with deep S/4HANA experience
- Patrik Fiegl – SAP program leader with global delivery expertise
- Bernhard Lang – SAP delivery executive, Co-founder of LeapGreat
You’ll hear what the DDA misses, where teams trip up, and how to make cloud decisions you won’t regret.
Register now to join live or receive the on-demand recording.
