SAP will replace the traditional database layer underneath SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse (BW) with SAP HANA, to enhance query performance, provide faster data loads, and significantly reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) by simplifying and streamlining the IT landscape.
This move represents a complete thinking and renewal of the traditional database approach, according to Dr Vishal Sikka, member of the SAP executive board, technology and innovation platform for SAP AG.
The announcement was made at SAPPHIRE NOW and SAP TechEd in Madrid, where SAP also unveiled enhancements to the SAP HANA platform, such as adding more core foundational in-memory computing technologies through support pack 3, an information composer tool to enable business users to simply upload data directly into HANA, and improvements to the reliability, stability and performance of the platform.
One of the original applications to leverage HANA was SAP CO-PA Accelerator, and building on this, SAP has launched Customer Segmentation Accelerator software. Designed to allow marketing departments analyse and segment high volumes of customer data, it will be delivered as a rapid deployment solution for faster time to value, according to SAP.
In other technology announcements, SAP said it would deepen its relationship with partners EMC and VMware on virtualisation and cloud computing, and is currently evaluating options to deliver an end-to-end stack optimised for running mission-critical SAP applications.
As part of this engagement, SAP intends to evaluate the delivery of VMware vSphere-based virtual appliances, while SAP and EMC will explore collaboration opportunities around HANA to deliver “high-end system availability” and EMC’s fully automated storage tiering technologies.
“Customers are moving rapidly toward full virtualization, a critical step on the journey to the enterprise hybrid cloud,” said Paul Maritz, CEO of VMware. “Virtualizing mission-critical production databases and associated applications is a key part of this journey. With a full set of new product optimisations, professional services and joint customer support, we will be providing customers the assistance and confidence they need to virtualise their SAP landscapes — delivering faster time-to-value, lowering TCO and enabling the highest levels of service and availability to end users.”
