paricon Solutions
SAP Archiving &
GDPR-compliant Data Reduction
Whether you use the Data Reduction Framework (DRF) for targeted cleanup of your SAP systems or for selective, GDPR-compliant deletion and anonymization: you get maximum value at minimal implementation effort. By optimizing the solution for large-volume data processing, you see clearly measurable results immediately, staying GDPR-compliant, improving your data and output quality, and accelerating your processing workflows.
Companies that rely on SAP archiving with the Data Reduction Framework
The Challenge
Protection Requirements in SAP
Complex SAP landscapes store data over decades. Unstructured storage locations, module- and customer-specific tables, and a lack of transparency make any cleanup effort difficult. At the same time, GDPR requires the timely deletion of personal information, while auditors demand complete traceability.
Meanwhile, data volumes grow exponentially, driving up storage and license costs and putting S/4HANA migration projects at risk. Without automated processes, prolonged downtime and high manual effort are the likely result.
GDPR Penalty Risk (≤ 4 % of Revenue)
GDPR Penalty Risk (≤ 4 % of Revenue)
The Deutsche Wohnen case is only the tip of the iceberg. In June 2025, the BfDI imposed fines totaling EUR 45 million on Vodafone Deutschland for data protection governance and security shortcomings, and a Hamburg-based debt collection company paid EUR 900,000 for retaining personal data for up to five years beyond the statutory GDPR retention periods.
The cumulative total of European GDPR fines now exceeds EUR 5.88 billion (DLA Piper, January 2025). In 2025, the EDPB launched a coordinated enforcement action on the right to erasure (Art. 17). Without an automated GDPR data deletion policy with rule-driven SAP retention periods, organizations are walking knowingly into the same trap.
Data Volume Explosion
Data Volume Explosion
Storage in S/4HANA is expensive: SAP HANA is licensed in 64 GB blocks, and a typical 24 TB cloud system runs approximately USD 800,000 annually (industry estimate). Targeted SAP archiving and Data Reduction can eliminate 30 to 70 percent of database volume based on typical project results (SAPinsider).
One case study reports a 71 percent reduction in migration time following SAP data archiving before the S/4HANA cutover (SAPinsider). Less data means lower costs, faster migrations, and better performance.
Erasure Duty Meets Retention Duty
Erasure Duty Meets Retention Duty
Many SAP records contain personal data and may at the same time be subject to commercial or tax-law retention obligations. This is exactly where the conflict arises: delete data too early and you risk breaching documentation and retention duties; keep it stored without a clear purpose, deadline, and access logic and you create data-protection risks.
Blanket deletion or archiving is therefore rarely viable in practice. What matters is a selective, auditable rule set that governs, per business transaction, object, deadline, and dependency, whether data is retained, blocked, archived, anonymized, masked, or deleted.
up to 0 %
Storage Space Reduction
0 TB
Freed Storage Capacity
0 M
Records Deleted
The Solution
Data Reduction Framework - SAP Archiving &
Data Reduction
What Is the Data Reduction Framework?
The Data Reduction Framework is a fully ABAP-based SAP add-on for the selective blocking, deletion, archiving, and pseudonymization of personal and business-critical data in ERP, S/4HANA, BW/4HANA, and custom add-ons. It covers the complete data lifecycle – from initial localization through rule definition to audit-ready documentation – and complements or replaces SAP ILM where ILM lacks pseudonymization or flexible selection logic.
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GDPR-compliant data deletion, archiving & anonymization
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Source-agnostic – SAP & Non-SAP
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Complements or Replaces SAP ILM with More Flexible Logic
- Smart Search – scans tables, attachments, free text, and IDocs without data-model expertise and uniquely flags all GDPR-relevant data.
- Flexible Rule Set – supports deny/allow lists, retention periods, simulations, and version history; fully transportable across clients.
- Protection Measures – choose from deletion, blocking, archiving, pseudonymization, or masking at field or document level.
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Smart Search
locates sensitive data without data-model expertise
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Rule Set
with Deny/Allow Lists, Deadlines & Simulation
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Measures:
Deletion, Blocking, Archiving, or Anonymization
Why Data Reduction Framework?
Even the most modern SAP landscapes hit their limits when terabytes of historical data must be cleansed in a GDPR-compliant manner while releases run without modifications. The paricon DRF delivers the demonstrable value that standard ILM alone cannot provide – fast, scalable, and audit-ready.
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Fast Time-to-Value
Efficient identification and processing of deletion-relevant data using Smart Search and the Data Reduction Framework – including in historically grown SAP systems.
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Real-World Proof – Autobank:
Production data cleansing of an SAP Bank Analyzer system operated for over 10 years, including contract and transaction data – millions of records, completed in a matter of hours.
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Compliance built-in
GDPR-compliant archiving and physical deletion with full traceability and approval workflows for business units.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Here you will find answers to the most common questions about the Data Reduction Framework.
What Is SAP Archiving and Why Is SAP ILM Alone Often Not Sufficient?
SAP archiving refers to the offloading of data no longer needed from the SAP database. SAP ILM covers standard scenarios, but provides no anonymization and only limited selection logic. The DRF closes this gap with flexible rules for deletion, blocking, archiving, and anonymization, including in custom tables and add-ons.
How Does the DRF Support the GDPR Data Retention Policy?
Can the DRF Also Cleanse Customer-Specific SAP Tables and Add-Ons?
What protective measures does the DRF offer beyond deletion?
How much storage capacity and HANA license costs can be saved?
Is the Data Reduction Framework Clean Core compliant?
Still have questions?
Our experts are happy to help in person!
RELATED CONSULTING
The following consulting services support the use of this solution:
"I am happy to walk you through real-world examples of how our Data Reduction Framework enables flexible, high-performance deletion and archiving functions."
– Kujtim Ljaci, Data Reduction Expert
Book a no-obligation conversation now – we’ll show you the business case in your system.
