If you look around for SAP security applications, you will quickly realize that there are not only solutions with different functional scope and depth but also different architectural approaches. Which one suits you best depends on the application and purpose.   

The integrated approach relies on a software architecture that tries to extend the SAP application’s technology stack with required capabilities to protect the crown jewelry. A particular advantage of this approach is that usually no additional hardware (or virtual appliances) is required. These are often forgotten in the cost analysis and the licensing costs and lead to a nasty surprise in the implementation project.   

In contrast, there is also an external solution that accesses the SAP application via an interface and attempts to read out the data necessary for security analyses. 

This approach advertises a reduced footprint on the application, which looking closely, is often not so small. External security applications are certainly an excellent choice for closed systems where customers cannot install plugins. However, this does not apply to SAP because, just like with operating systems, you can use additional add-ons. Since this article is about a security solution to protect SAP, it is crucial to note that additional software and appliances often introduce new attack vectors that the customer must analyze. If an attacker can exploit a vulnerability in a security solution, the solution becomes a problem for SAP security. So, check the selected SAP Security Solution for security vulnerabilities and standard security measures brute force protection (2FA), remote access, and update architecture.