Pros and Cons of SAP HANA
There are two sides to every technology, and SAP HANA is not exempted, so before you commit to one, make sure you gather all the necessary information to make a sound decision. Although it is famous for its extraordinary features, it has its shortcomings. However, if implemented correctly, it can be a precious tool for your company. It will help you make better decisions, capitalize on new entrepreneurial opportunities, and completely transform your organization.
Advantages of SAP HANA
The fact that database market leaders such as IBM, Microsoft, Teradata, and Oracle are SAP’s in-memory concept, should give consumers confidence and verify SAP HANA’s superior capabilities.
Real-time Analytics
It allows companies to make decisions based on real-time information as transactions, data processing, and analysis be made within the shortest time possible without interfering with everyday business processes. Companies that use SAP HANA do not have to use hard drives because storage occurs in the RAM.
When businesses combine the drastically increased speeds with HANA’s in-built business intelligence functionalities, they can execute real-time processes. SAP HANA can react to swiftly react to events in your company and take the necessary actions to overcome challenges or profit from opportunities.
Supports rows and column tables
SAP HANA database optimizes the tables organized in columns for high-performing read processes but also offers excellent write operations performances; superior data compression saves memory and facilitates speedy calculations and searches. Additionally, you can only find some SAP HANA features like partitioning in column tables.
Column tables are ideal for huge tables with massive updates, while row tables work best for small tables with regular single updates; however, row tables have better insert and update performance. Column tables have higher rates of data compression, eliminates the need for additional indexes and materialized aggregates, simplifies parallelization, and offers higher column operations performance, which results in proper utilization of the CPU caches.
Allows parallel operations
Unlike in traditional databases, SAP HANA facilitates running several operations simultaneously, which increases the operation manifold’s speed. You can perform data aggregation and integration from multiple data sources and applications without interrupting any ongoing company operations. Additionally, you can use a persistent data repository to store business insights and recover them from the same location in a system breakdown.
Scalability
Every business aims to grow and expand its operations, which require proper preparation. Migrating to SAP HANA will aid your growth because, as your company expands, you can comfortably raise the size of your SAP HANA solutions accordingly. The largest certified SAP HANA configuration reaches 168TB RAM, so you have massive to grow your business’ SAP warehouse.
The dynamic tiering offers a cost-effective method of extensive data management. Frequently used data stays in memory while the rest automatically move to the disk when you run low on space. Combining this feature with HANA’s superior compression capabilities can achieve three to five times footprint cutback.
Versatility and flexibility
HANA’s excellent compatibility with other hardware, software, and databases is one of its most significant benefits. It puts it in the category of the most resourceful data solutions because it allows your team to perform broad analytic capabilities without abandoning their trusted interfaces. HANA is also compatible with various systems.
Cons of SAP HANA
As mentioned earlier, every technology has its drawbacks. Due to the frequent SPS updates and releases of SAP HANA’s versions, the older versions become outdated quickly. That presents challenges to clients as they have to spend a lot of time updating and set continuously aside money to buy the new updates.
Organizations that use hybrid HANA solutions, running the solutions partly in-premise and in-cloud, experience low functioning. It is only compatible with SUSE Linux or SAP-certified hardware, so it presents problems for users who will operate it with other hardware because of the high licensing costs.
Developers who continue to apply the old ways of handling database technologies fail to realize HANA’s full potential. Many of them only utilize it for its fast in-memory database, missing out on the other vast functionalities and features. The inter-module functions are one reason to invest in SAP HANA, but it is least understood.
SAP HANA helps businesses of all sizes, operating in over 25 industries to function better. Companies benefit from HANA’s business intelligence, resource planning related services, and applications.