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SAP HANA: Everything You Need to Know About this Application

November 23, 2022

SAP high-performance analytic appliance (HANA) is a popular database management system used in enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. The system stores data in memory, rather than on a traditional storage device. This makes it much faster than other database management systems.

SAP HANA is column-oriented, rather than organizing data by row, which can speed up certain queries—such as when you want to look through parts of many database objects at once. These queries are more common in business intelligence, so this design works well in the context of ERP.

Data sources can include documents and spreadsheets, public websites, mobile device data, sensor data from the Internet of Things (IoT), and essentially any other information. Whatever your use case, Approyo can help you get the most value out of SAP HANA.

SAP pie chart

Source: Shutterstock

What is SAP HANA?

Put simply, SAP HANA is an innovative technology to aid enterprises in extracting value from their data. Organizations use the system for all aspects of business intelligence, from forecasting and reporting to artificial intelligence and machine learning. It’s essentially a data management tool that boosts productivity throughout the company.

What Can the System Do For You?

SAP HANA shines when it comes to storing and retrieving data efficiently. Thus, the system helps you use your organization’s data quickly for on-the-fly decision-making and operations.

However, SAP HANA also offers other functionalities, such as maintaining a single source of truth—protecting you against inconsistent data. Some other ancillary benefits include:

  • Comprehensive tools: The system comes with web application development capabilities and sophisticated analytics. Graphical data modeling encourages teamwork to solve difficult problems.
  • Adaptability: While many of the features are geared towards analytical processing, you can also perform transactional processing on the same instance.
  • Power: SAP HANA isn’t just fast; it’s also strong. The parallel processing engine enables you to work with big data sets in real time.
  • Support for multiple users: Even if you have multiple employees using the database at various locations, the system will keep up with your needs. Continuous availability and monitoring protect you against risks.
  • Usable anywhere: You can run SAP HANA on your own premises, in a private cloud, in a public cloud—or in any combination you want.
  • Data consolidation: Instead of data silos and duplication, you’ll have a compact data repository. Easily combine data, whether on-premises or in the cloud.
  • AI Smarts: SAP HANA includes artificial intelligence and machine learning, so you’ll have more useful analytics to enhance business processes. Automation simplifies even the most complex tasks.
  • Security: A time-tested solution, the system includes extensive security features to protect your data and comply with regulations. For example, it supports identity and access management, encryption, and data anonymization.

SAP HANA Solutions

SAP HANA works as a database management system to support a wide variety of applications. These applications perform analyses or other functions, relying on SAP HANA as the core source of data. You can do real-time calculations to find what customers are buying or what stock levels you have, for example.

Given that SAP HANA can run in the cloud, many solutions take advantage of the cloud’s speed, size, security, agility, and cost. These include solutions made by SAP itself, such as SAP Analytics Cloud for real-time business intelligence, and SAP Digital Manufacturing Cloud for controlling a production process.

Approyo is certified by SAP for SAP HANA operations. We can assist you in deploying new SAP solutions, or in the architecture and implementation of your own solution. Whether you want a cloud app or a mobile app, we’ll deliver a fast and powerful solution fit for your unique needs!

Planning to Make the Migration?

In-Memory Computing

Source: Shutterstock

Are you ready to move your organization’s data from a traditional database to the speed of SAP HANA’s in-memory column-oriented system? The good news is, making the leap is a relatively straightforward procedure.

To start, decide what you want to migrate from your old systems. This involves choosing which data, code, and applications you want to keep, and which are no longer useful.

Next, you’re ready to decide where you want to run SAP HANA. Given its adaptability, you can run it on your local hardware, in a public or private cloud, or in some combination. Consider the relative costs and benefits, such as the expense, speed, and security of each of these options.

Third, determine how much memory you’ll need. This depends on the size of your database. It’s also important to develop a sense of the other resources you’ll need—how much processing power, network connectivity, and any other IT infrastructure.

You can make a rough estimate by counting the number of users, or you can find more precise numbers by using throughput measurements. An experienced SAP HANA firm like Approyo can help you assemble an appropriate sizing.

Now you’re ready for the migration! SAP offers the “Database Migration Factory” as a tool to simplify upgrades from earlier SAP products or any other databases. Again, working with a trusted partner like Approyo can ensure a successful migration.

After migration, you’re ready to test the deployment and go live. This completes the process, and leaves you with a faster and more secure database management system.

Upgrade Securely to SAP HANA with Approyo

SAP HANA is a column-oriented, in-memory database management system that improves productivity. Capable of running in the cloud, on-premises, or as a hybrid this system offers a range of benefits, from speed and power to security and adaptability.

There are many ready-to-use solutions for SAP HANA—and you can also develop your own! But the migration process, while straightforward, is always easier with some help. An experienced, reliable partner can also assist you with upgrades and any other services related to the database.

Approyo is a global leader when it comes to SAP HANA, with decades of experience and over a thousand environments managed. If you’re ready to make the jump, we’re ready to work with you to customize a solution that streamlines your business processes. When it’s time for you to level up your data management systems, contact Approyo!

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