In a world where data is everywhere but rarely fully leveraged, industrial companies using SAP face a real challenge: how can they effectively connect their data without falling into the trap of silos? Data Mesh and Data Fabric offer a modern solution designed for scalability, governance, and agility.

Data Mesh vs. Data Fabric: Two Approaches, One Goal

Although often confused, these two architectures follow very different logic:

  • Data Fabric centralizes data through an intelligent infrastructure that automates integration, quality control, and security, relying on metadata.

  • Data Mesh, on the other hand, is built on a decentralized philosophy: each business domain becomes the owner of its own data, with shared governance.

 Simply put: Data Fabric = intelligent, centralized fabric / Data Mesh = distributed, empowering network.

A Smoother Interconnection with SAP S/4HANA

These architectures are transforming how SAP interacts with the broader IT ecosystem:

  • SAP S/4HANA is no longer an isolated block: it integrates continuously with external sources (IoT, CRM, legacy systems…) via automated pipelines or APIs.

  • Data Fabric provides a unified access layer to both SAP and non-SAP data.

  • Data Mesh encourages business teams to co-create reusable data products with IT, even outside the SAP landscape.

The result? No more waiting until the end of a project to access useful information. Data flows faster, decisions come quicker.

Tangible Benefits for Governance and Agility

  • Scalability: These architectures support growing data volumes without bottlenecks.

  • Reinforced governance: Traceability, quality, and compliance (e.g. GDPR, SAP GRC) are embedded by design.

  • Business autonomy: Teams can safely create, access, and manage SAP data without depending entirely on IT.

By rethinking data management with Data Mesh or Data Fabric, industrial companies can move from a rigid SAP setup to a dynamic, interconnected, and governed SAP environment.

Want to learn more about integrating these approaches into your existing SAP ecosystem? Let’s talk. Contact the ArtimIS experts.