RISE with SAP 2026 adoption is accelerating as cloud and on-premises deployment models reach near parity for the first time. SAPinsider’s tracking shows S/4HANA Private Cloud usage at 26%, nearly level with traditional on-premises deployments at 29%, a convergence that reshapes the migration conversation from whether to adopt cloud toward how quickly a given landscape can get there.
This shift strengthens SAP’s positioning of RISE as the preferred path for organizations still deciding between a like-for-like technical upgrade and a managed cloud subscription. The decision carries governance implications that extend well beyond infrastructure choice.
Why RISE with SAP 2026 adoption matters beyond infrastructure
Organizations moving to RISE inherit a managed cloud model that changes how customizations, integrations, and data governance are handled relative to a traditional on-premises landscape. This affects planning for S/4HANA implementation phases, particularly around the clean core principle SAP promotes alongside RISE adoption.
ASUG and DSAG joint research indicates S/4HANA Private Cloud usage rose to 33% of companies surveyed, up from 11% the previous year, while Public Cloud usage grew from 6% to 13%, indicating that cloud convergence is a broader trend than RISE adoption alone.
How RISE changes the technical and governance model
Under RISE, SAP manages the underlying infrastructure, shifting more responsibility for data quality and governance onto the customer’s own validation and reconciliation processes rather than infrastructure-level controls, an emphasis explored in SAP migration strategies for S/4HANA transition.
Organizations pursuing RISE are more likely to adopt SAP’s clean core approach, which limits custom code and pushes extensions to the Business Technology Platform, a shift with direct implications for master data governance covered in data governance tools evaluated for 2025.
A framework for evaluating RISE against alternative paths
Assess landscape complexity honestly
Organizations with heavily customized code or complex integrations across dozens of surrounding applications tend to face greater friction with RISE’s managed model, as those integrations require reassessment under clean core principles.
Model total cost against consulting scarcity
RISE bundles infrastructure, licensing, and some managed services into a subscription model, which can reduce exposure to the consulting rate increases affecting technical conversions, as discussed in S/4HANA migration challenges.
Plan governance around a managed infrastructure model
Because SAP manages infrastructure under RISE, governance and validation responsibility concentrates more heavily on data-layer controls, following the model outlined in SAP data governance tools.
Comparison Overview
| Deployment Model | 2025 Adoption | 2026 Adoption | Governance Implication |
| On-premises | Majority share | 29%, still substantial | Full customer control over infrastructure and data layer |
| S/4HANA Private Cloud | 11% | 33% | Shared responsibility; customer controls data governance |
| S/4HANA Public Cloud | 6% | 13% | Standardized processes; clean core strongly encouraged |
| RISE with SAP (managed) | Growing | Nearly level with on-prem in overall cloud usage | SAP manages infrastructure; customer owns data quality controls |
Cross-functional gaps in RISE adoption decisions
RISE decisions are frequently made at the infrastructure and procurement level without full input from the teams responsible for data governance, leaving validation and reconciliation processes to be redesigned after the deployment model is already contracted.
This gap is closely related to the CIO consolidation trend of unifying fragmented cloud and legacy environments, discussed in CIO consolidation trends, where governance frameworks often lag behind infrastructure decisions by several project phases.
Conclusion
RISE with SAP 2026 adoption reflects a broader convergence between cloud and on-premises models rather than a single vendor preference. The governance and data quality implications of a managed infrastructure model deserve the same planning attention as the infrastructure decision itself.
Organizations evaluating RISE can review Datavapte’s data governance approach for SAP cloud transitions to understand how validation responsibilities shift under a managed model.
FAQs
Q: Is RISE with SAP worth it for existing customers?
A: It depends on landscape complexity and cloud strategy; organizations with heavy custom code should assess clean core implications before committing, while those seeking a bundled, managed model often find RISE reduces infrastructure overhead.
Q: What is driving the SAP cloud convergence in 2026?
A: S/4HANA Private Cloud usage has grown from 11% to 33% of companies surveyed, nearly matching on-premises adoption, reflecting easing reluctance to move core ERP to the cloud.
Q: Does RISE with SAP include data governance tools?
A: RISE manages infrastructure, but data quality, validation, and reconciliation remain the customer’s responsibility and typically require dedicated governance tooling.
Q: What is clean core and how does it relate to RISE?
A: Clean core is SAP’s principle of minimizing custom code within the core system, extending customizations via BTP instead; it is strongly encouraged for organizations adopting RISE or public cloud.
Q: How does RISE affect migration cost?
A: RISE bundles infrastructure and some managed services into a subscription, which can offer more predictable costs compared to fully custom on-premises technical conversions.
Yogi Kalra
CEO, DataVapte
Yogi Kalra is the CEO of DataVapte and a leading SAP migration expert with over 28 years of experience delivering zero-risk SAP transformations. He specializes in preventing data disasters during complex S/4HANA transitions and is the author of more than eight books on various modules of SAP ECC and S/4.
LinkedIn Profile
