SAP HANA: The smart person’s guide

If you want to work with data, you need to get your basics right. When someone says that, it essentially means that your database should be top-notch to say the least before you can even contemplate about big data or venturing into that foray. Hence, keeping yourself updated with the latest databases becomes necessary and it is here SAP’s latest intervention is important. SAP’s latest marvel, HANA or High performance Analytics Appliance has the potential to become extremely important and respected in the big data circle. While it requires extensive knowledge to get around HANA, there are certain titbits you cannot do without.

Introducing SAP HANA

It is essentially a database management system which, through in-memory processing, reduces disc reading workloads and quickens the data processing to a different level. It also sorts the data quickly in columns with relational attributions and all of these are done without taking much hassle. Its in-memory facilities help it in many ways; for example, it allows simultaneous calculations of transaction and analysis so that results can be delivered and reported in real-time basis. It is also extremely open to further developments and all sorts of suggestive interventions.

Fields of influence

HANA surely will be having an impact on many fields given its facilities, but it is important to take a look at its influencing features before any conclusion can be drawn. Since it can deliver both real-time analytics and applications, there are hosts of operations it can influence. Analytical prowess will be reflected on data warehousing, operational reporting, predictive analysis of data etc. As for applications, core process acceleration, reporting of sense-response circuits and optimization are some of the major fields of impact. HANA can be used, in short, by anyone who wants the result right here right now.

How it shook up the scenario?

Of course, SAP is claiming a lot of features that has been already mentioned and it is yet to be deployed fully to test its potential. But, if true, it can surely revolutionize what you still understand by database since traditionally, such simultaneity and real-time operation is unimaginable as there are many intermediary steps. In short, data tuning, preparation or even pre-aggregation seems redundant once HANA arrives which is no less than saying database has a new meaning with HANA. Surely, data crunching is going to be real fun from now on.

When did all these happen?

HANA came into being in 2010 as a locally installed platform and shifted to cloud in 2012. SAP business suite saw HANA in 2013 and it had its private cloud in the same year. 2015 saw the emergence of S/4HANA which is a complete package with HANA databases in full flow that puts SAP in competition with some of the biggest names in database providers. Oracle, for example, has been giving tough competition through its 12C since 2013 and the debate is on about who is the fastest. So, if you want to test that, install SAP HANA immediately through one of the popular cloud hosting sites like AWS or Azure.