However, several other users were more hesitant about adopting the technology, wondering just what it would entail or fearing they would have to abandon their existing investments in Microsoft .Net technology.

Just what NetWeaver is has yet to be fully defined, said Stanley Ezzell, vice president of strategic initiatives at Wellborn Cabinet Inc. The Ashland, Ala.-based based furniture maker has successfully deployed a set of ERP applications through the SAP BusinessOne program, which is tailored to medium-size businesses. Ezzell has done customizations with his R/3 application and doesn't want to lose them if he consolidates his stack on NetWeaver.

"What NetWeaver really means to the R/3 customer, I don't know," he said. Ezzell was also unclear about just what migration path he would have to take to get mySAP ERP 2005 if he wants to migrate.

"For me to go and say to my company, 'We've spent millions on this, and guess what, we'll spend more millions for that,' I might be calling looking for another job," he said. For now, he plans to hold off making any moves until he has a higher comfort level with SAP's plans.

SAP executives have made it clear they won't force any customers to NetWeaver and have stressed that it's an open, industry-standard-based architecture.