SAP now requires Unicode for all installations:

"As of SAP NetWeaver 7.0 Installation Package SR3, SAP will no longer support new installations of Non-Unicode systems. This means that SAP ERP 6.0 has to be installed on Unicode starting with this release level of the installation package." -- SAP AG

The IDES system also will only be available as Unicode:

"SAP ERP 2005 IDES is now available on Unicode (only)! (July 2006)" -- SAP AG

SAP also requires 64-bit hardware for all future installations of Netweaver software.