A homogeneous database as well as sound data quality are essential for the long-term functionality and reliability of every data warehouse.
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In-Memory SAP HANA
Realise with SAP HANA Realtime-Reporting,
tailor-made offers
as well as leaner processes.
Eva Kasser
Management Consultant
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Why In-Memory SAP HANA?
Integration
Agility in business processes begins with integrated data. SAP HANA represents a well-coordinated appliance (hardware and software components geared to ensure optimum performance), which persistently improves data storage and access to your data.
Cost reduction
The resources previously required to create a suitable data model for any particular analytical function and to maintain it as well can now be used to generate new business using tailor-made offers as well as leaner processes.
Fast Time-to-Market Delivery
Data models are thus modelled as views in an agile manner. This makes for faster time-to-market development as well as avoiding additional strain on warehouse management.
Scalable
Thanks to the deployed SAP in-memory technology, the scalability of the appliance is virtually unlimited. Data are processed in parallel and data storage is column-based rather than row-based.
Realtime-Reports
Data can be used in REAL TIME as and when required. Data are only stored repeatedly within SAP HANA if they have undergone fundamental modifications, if audit requirements demand it, or if this will drastically reduce the number of required joins. Otherwise, only the derived characteristics or key figures are determined on the fly.
In-Memory SAP HANA - Functionality
SAP HANA offers further functionalities in the data models whereby the derivation and processing of data are pushed down to very fast database functions. In conjunction with the parallel processing, this permanently eliminates the bottlenecks that affect classic data processing.
As previously announced, SAP has developed SAP HANA into a modern foundation for numerous different types of application. SAP HANA thus offers functions for text analysis, for performing calculations of and with spatial data, as well as an extensive library of algorithms for data mining.
The technology was initially introduced in the so-called ‘sidecar’ approach. This allowed customers to test its practical suitability in a productive environment. Subsequent steps followed in logical sequence, developing SAP HANA from an additional database into an integral application component. It becomes clear in this context that what SAP HANA has to offer is not limited to the performance features of the database. Comparisons with other in-memory databases are therefore inadequate. Integration was and remains SAP’s great strength.
SAP HANA makes data and results available to the applications (SAP’s own, third-party SAP or non-SAP applications) via a wide array of standard interfaces, thus ensuring seamless integration into the existing application landscape now and in the future.
We have been able to demonstrate the level of maturity reached by SAP HANA in different solutions implemented for customers. As the development of SAP HANA involves short cycles, it is worth comparing present-day requirements with the plans for further development and the possibilities offered by SAP HANA and produce a business case on that basis. This can realistically only be done on a case by case basis, as it will be necessary to consider the individual company’s requirements, its licensing situation and the required hardware and to analyse the potential benefits. Take advantage of our experience in this field.
SAP HANA and SAP Business Warehouse
A good example of the integration of the new platform with an existing SAP product is the SAP Business Warehouse. Thanks to its template-style structure, the SAP Business Warehouse was able to benefit extensively from the new functions at a very early stage:
- Planning functions
- Complex calculations (transformations) pushed down into the database
- Absence of formal restrictions (InfoObject-based modelling in all areas)
- Persistence is partly expendable (no separate data storage required for the reporting)
- Possibility of reporting based directly on data in operative tables (or replication of these tables, which would involve only modest development work)
Since the launch of the SAP HANA database, the SAP Business Warehouse has not only been released for SAP HANA (Release 7.3) and optimized for SAP HANA (Release 7.4 and 7.5), but integration and optimization have now progressed to such an extent that SAP will be focusing exclusively on SAP HANA in connection with its Data Warehouse in future. BW/4HANA is the next generation of the SAP BW on the market, and it has only been released for SAP HANA. With S/4HANA, SAP is currently in the process of also renovating and optimizing the ERP suite for HANA.
SAP HANA will change your business for the better: real-time operation, so that new requirements can be implemented very speedily. This demands a clear idea of the opportunities so that the appropriate prerequisites can be established.
In conclusion a look at where the development is heading: In future, it will become possible once again to run all applications (SAP ECC, SAP CRM, SAP BW, etc.) on one appliance and to work with one physical database. Does this prospect appeal to you too and encourage you to make your application landscape ready for the future?
This could involve the following:
- initial or further development of BI Governance
- further development of Data Governance
- a proof of concept for SAP HANA in your landscape
More Information
SAP makes available to you one of the leading enterprise data warehousing platforms that can be installed on all common database systems
One of the most important components of modern decision support systems.
Our Approach
Due to the diverse changes resulting from the introduction of SAP HANA, you should consider different introduction scenarios (from a Big Bang scenario to SAP HANA as the basis for new applications).
To ensure the success of this undertaking, it is important to involve all those affected at an early stage. SAP HANA will change the way the entire IT community works, from hardware to Basis administration, from application development to user experience.
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