IT technologies change both our private and business environment. New solutions enable the creation of tools that could be found only in science fiction books just a few years ago.
The emergence of new systems is possible through the use of technologies that significantly increase the speed of data processing and storage capacities. In addition, this happens in parallel with their miniaturization. In 1999, the Intel Pentium III processor was able to process 2.054 million operations per second. The modern Intel i7 processor is able to perform 238.310 million operations within the same time! Also, memory capacity and its performance have increased enormously – the amount of memory that we have today in an average smartphone, was inaccessible for an average PC user just a few years ago due to high costs and advanced technology.
However, there is still an area of computer architecture that has made the least progress against this background – the speed of drives. Until recently, most data saved in databases of business systems were stored on drives, which by their nature have a longer duration of read and write operations than RAM. It was a limitation for the speed of the whole database. Even if the processor enabled the processing of data in less time, the drive system was not able to provide data so efficiently.
The awareness of this limitation was the basic reason for creating the concept of in-memory databases, in which all the data from the database are stored in the memory of a server. Of course drives are still present, however they are an element ensuring security for the database, which is located entirely in the server memory (in-memory database).
Several years passed between the first ideas and the market launch of SAP HANA. Today HANA is a core technology used as a basis for running other SAP business solutions, from the data warehouse to ERP transactional systems, which was until recently perceived as a futuristic solution.
Thus, SAP HANA is not just a “new toy" in the IT world, but a revolutionary change that as a result of an enormous increase in the processing speed opens up new opportunities previously unavailable because of the time needed to process data. This revolution is happening before our eyes and is constantly raising new questions about SAP HANA. They are put by both our customers who already use SAP solutions, and companies considering the implementation of new solutions from this manufacturer. Below are answers to frequently asked questions.
Is HANA just a new database, or other elements of my SAP system are changed as well?
SAP HANA is primarily a database, but due to the fact that data are stored only in the server memory, you need servers with a special structure, in particular, a very large amount of memory, to be able to run this database. SAP issues certifications for hardware manufacturers, proving that a particular server model in a given configuration can be used to run SAP HANA on it. They are collected in the so-called SAP HANA Hardware Directory.
From the point of view of end users of the SAP system other than administrators, there are not many changes – the same transactions are still available, but their execution time may be much shorter (some reports are executed even from a few hundred to a few thousand times faster!). There will be also new possibilities. The changes of major importance to the user can occur only when the company decides to change its existing SAP ERP to SAP S/4 HANA – the latest ERP system from SAP.
Can I run SAP HANA on the servers that I have had for several years?
It is possible to create the so-called Tailored Data Center (TDC) architecture, where you can use the infrastructure that you already have. However, before this configuration can be used for the SAP production system, it must be confirmed by SAP in a special audit procedure.
What are the main advantages of SAP HANA?
Undoubtedly, the greatest advantage of SAP HANA is the reduction of the execution time of individual operations, especially those that took a lot of time previously, e.g. settlement of accounts, reporting on large volumes of data. However, the transition to HANA (change of the database itself) also allows for easy migration in the future to the successor of SAP ERP – S/4 HANA – which opens up further possibilities for companies related to access to the latest technologies. In addition, the HANA database itself can be used as an environment for the development of custom applications, including those created in the cloud (the environment for creation of such applications is SAP HANA Cloud Platform).
The benefits that you can expect switching to SAP HANA, are included in the Business Scenario Recommendation (BSR) report. If you are interested in conducting such a study, please contact BCC (now All for One Poland).
My SAP systems run on other databases than HANA. Will I be forced to change them?
Periods of maintenance for various releases of SAP systems and databases are available in the SAP service system in the form of the SAP Product Availability Matrix. According to the SAP policy, individual products are maintained by the manufacturer during certain periods as part of mainstream or extended manufacturer’s maintenance (SAP Standard Support or SAP Enterprise Support, SAP maintenance). So you can check to which year a particular release of the system will be maintained by the manufacturer.
Can I use HANA if my SAP systems are virtual machines?
Yes, since a relevant release of SAP patches it has been possible to run SAP systems operating as virtual machines on the HANA database.
I have a server infrastructure, which I bought recently. Will I be able to use it if I switch to HANA?
According to the answer to the earlier question – it is possible to use the existing server infrastructure as part of the architecture of systems based on SAP HANA.
What does the process of transition from my “old" SAP to HANA look like?
This process is called migration and it is similar to other migration processes between databases or operating systems of servers, and SAP upgrade processes. First, non-production systems are migrated, tests of various business processes and transactions are carried out, change adaptations are made, and only after the confirmation of correct operation of processes is the production system migrated.
How long does the process of migration from the “old" database to SAP HANA take?
The entire migration project for the SAP ERP system may take approx. 6-9 months, and for data warehouse systems even less. In order to precisely estimate the amount of work required, and thus the time needed to complete it, an analysis of the system must be carried out. To be able perform the migration, you need an appropriate level of EHP. It is possible to make an upgrade to EHP and migration to HANA in a single step.
If I use HANA for ERP, will I still need a data warehouse?
Some functions that could be previously run in the data warehouse only can be accessed directly from the ERP system; for example, online reporting from the ERP system will be possible, and you will be able to use a set of predefined reports through the SAP HANA Live. However, it is still recommended to use Business Intelligence solutions to perform certain tasks, especially due to the possibilities offered by SAP BI tools based on HANA. A precise answer to this question requires an analysis of the scope of use of your BW system.
Is the implementation of the system on HANA different from the implementation of the SAP solution on a different database?
From the perspective of the course of the project there is no difference between the implementation on SAP HANA and the one based on other databases.
If I switch to HANA, will I have to train my SAP users and administrators on the new technology?
If the migration covers the database only (and it is not a change from SAP ERP to S/4 HANA), all transactions previously used by end-users will continue to work (many of them much faster). The training may cover new possibilities. We recommend training the administrators on the new database.
Are data secure despite being stored entirely in memory? What happens if there is a problem with power supply?
The architecture of the SAP system based on HANA is designed in such a way so that the data are secure. This architecture still contains drives, however they are not used to store data entered by users on a current basis, but to secure the data stored in the memory. Therefore the architecture protects against breakdowns that may be caused by a power failure, as in the case of other databases. For companies that want to be provided with a higher level of security, we propose running an additional stand-by system. This solution is supported as part of the SAP HANA architecture.
Is HANA dedicated only to large companies using SAP ERP? What about users of SAP BusinessOne?
Both SAP ERP and SAP Business One can run on SAP HANA. We encourage customers to get acquainted with the offering of SAP Business One on HANA in the Cloud at All for One Data Centers.
Considering that SAP HANA is such an innovative technology, are there specialists with the relevant competence already available on the market?
BCC (now All for One Poland) is one of the first companies in the world to have led the projects of migration of SAP systems to the HANA platform. We have a team of experienced consultants with certificates proving their competence in all aspects related to the technology and work in the systems based on it. Our readiness to offer services related to this platform is confirmed not only by consultants’ certifications, but also the certificates awarded to All for One Data Centers: Certified SAP HANA in Operations Services and SAP Certified in Hosting Services, which give customers the confidence that the BCC outsourcing services meet the high requirements of the manufacturer also in the field of SAP HANA.