SAP HANA is on the cutting edge of in-memory database technology. If you’re an existing SAP user and are looking to migrate to SAP HANA, you should be considering IBM Power to take your SAP HANA infrastructure to the next level.
It is a known truth that the amount of data flowing through large companies continues to grow, with no signs of stopping.
Data growth at scale means vast increases in the need for analytics. Analytics that need access to in-memory database management solutions like SAP HANA.
To access this stored data quickly, it’s placed in Random Access Memory (RAM) or flash memory. In-memory processing allows for data analysis in real time. This, in turn, enables faster reporting and better decision-making for the business.
Yet, organizations keep picking infrastructure today that is not ready for the needs of tomorrow
Even companies that recognize that data growth will never stop, keep pushing for larger and more complex installs.
These installs, paired with lower utilization rates, are the opposite of what SAP HANA allows you to do as an in-memory database! In an ideal situation, you’d be able to build a flexible framework that scales along with your organization. That flexibility eliminates the need to plan support of any future growth in your initial outlay.
To build this type of infrastructure means to build it in a way that makes the most of the utilization. And, there are three key areas you should be evaluating and planning for: Resiliency, Availability, and Scalability (RAS).
In-memory database solutions need a different mindset than traditional large-scale databases.
In the old model of capacity planning, more redundancy meant a stronger underlying infrastructure. But, SAP HANA resides in-memory so any reboot can cause significant slowdowns as the data loads back into memory.
As a result, you need systems that have best in class RAS features and 99.999% uptime, along with predictive failure analysis to help prevent downtime, to begin with.
Click here to answer SIX questions that determine if IBM Power will fit your SAP HANA implementation self-assessment.
The Land Rover Analogy: how to get power that steps up – wherever your needs are
When you think about it, the Land Rover is a ridiculous vehicle. Capable of drag racing, insane-angle climbing, and true off-road flexibility – all in what is effectively a luxury family vehicle. It steps up to whatever your needs are.
In an ideal world, your server infrastructure operates on the same type of philosophy. It performs equally well in high-performance scenarios and balances easily across a high dynamic fabric cluster.
This is due, like the Land Rover, to the nearly obscene power packed into the form factor. Power Series chips run EIGHT threads per core (instead of two threads per core from other vendors), have FOUR times the memory bandwidth (crucial for an in-memory application) and SIX times the processor cache. This means that whether you need your servers cruising along at highway speeds or pushing out extreme 4×4 power, IBM Power is ready for whatever you can throw at it.
Because SAP HANA is an in-memory application, the more you can use your existing infrastructure in creative ways the happier SAP HANA is.
Thanks to IBM’s PowerVM virtualization technology and SAP HANA’s provisioning layer, you are able to consolidate resources onto fewer machines. Also, when failovers happen, you can make the most of the partially-used resources (like test environments).
Then, you can continue to maximize your resources, without always needing to dedicate pre-installed hardware and software for every new scenario.
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We believe SAP HANA on IBM Power Systems holds huge potential. In fact, below is a Slideshare that offers SIX REASONS WHY SAP ON POWER8 HAS HUGE POTENTIAL. Also, we have a rapid self-assessment of SIX short questions that determine if IBM Power will fit your SAP HANA implementation self-assessment.
Click here to view our Slideshare with SIX REASONS WHY SAP HANA ON IBM POWER HAS HUGE POTENTIAL
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