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SAP's HANA, calculation engine to scan billions of data in seconds
By Suman Ravikumar, SiliconIndia
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Thursday, 02 December 2010, 17:01 IST
Bangalore: SAP AG has unveiled High Performance Analytic Appliance (SAP HANA) software which is based on in-memory database computing. In this mechanism, the database system will primarily rely on main memory for computer data storage. And the fact is that main memory databases are faster than disk-optimized databases since the internal optimization algorithms are simpler and execute only fewer CPU instructions. Accessing data in-memory provides faster and more predictable performance than disk. In applications where response time is critical main memory databases are often used.
SAP HANA is the result of a robust co-operative program between SAP, key partners and their customers.
SAP also introduced the SAP BusinessObjects , a Strategic Workforce Planning application which uses the new generation in-memory applications built on SAP HANA.
As a part of the co-innovation program, SAP has used data from customers to demonstrate how particular business processes could improve by SAP HANA, and these customers are already seeing valuable results. Coca-Cola Hellenic, Future Group and Hilti are some of the key customers who provided their data for analysis.
"We participated in the co-innovation program of SAP HANA and saw how SAP in-memory computing can dramatically improve our processes" said Martin Petry, CIO, Hilti. "Hilti provided over nine million customer records to SAP. By loading these into SAP HANA, it was possible to comb about 500 billion point of sale records in a matter of seconds, versus the days it took previously to extract them from our data warehouse and SAP Business Suite. Thanks to the multi-core processing algorithms. We're looking forward to further explore the transformative impact of SAP in-memory computing on our business."
As the largest retailer with approximately 1,000 stores across India, Future Group needs real-time visibility into its sales data so it can better understand customer insights and plan business accordingly. SAP HANA has the potential to provide instant information about which products are selling, promotions that have been effective and stores that are most effective.
SAP HANA provides a foundation on which a new generation of applications can be built, enabling customers to analyze large quantities of data from virtually any source in real time. SA P Business Objects leverages the in-memory database and calculation engine, allowing managers to analyze complex calculations quickly and see how proposed organizational changes will impact the business. Managers and human resource executives get a complete picture of how their workforce can grow and change using predictive modeling. This allows them to make intelligent, data-based decisions about allocating or adjusting staff, as a result of an acquisition or enter a new market.
Working together with its partner and customer ecosystem, SAP plans in the next year to introduce new applications based on SAP HANA that will help utility companies manage power supply in real time, provide retailers more timely analysis of point-of-sale data and enable more accurate sales pipeline forecasting for all types of companies.
