SAP Launches "HANA Enterprise Cloud"

SAP offers its in-memory database appliance HANA now also in a cloud version. Users can use the "HANA Enterprise Cloud" with their ERP, CRM or Business Warehouse solutions. Through partner companies, SAP also provides them as a managed service.

With the new company could offer quickly scale into the petabyte range, stressed Vishal Sikka, CTO and Executive Board of SAP, in a conference call. Applications could be accelerated through the cloud with real-time capabilities.

According to SAP, Sikka has worked for over two years to the cloud-based offering. The actual cloud service will be initially only from the Walldorf Group itself. However, at the Sapphire conference in Orlando and the Partner Summit, he will announce details about the Partner Program for Managed Services.

The new cloud offering does not mean the end of the HANA appliances that come from manufacturers such as HP, IBM, Fujitsu and Huawei, stressed Sikka. "We're talking about an open-plus-one strategy that opens up another option for users."

In a further step, it should then give the HANA cloud for users who want to pursue this in their own environment. Currently exists in SAP but this still does not match it. Future could all cloud services are based on the SAP HANA cloud, so Sikka.

The technological approach describes the SAP CTO with a "resilient infrastructure." The solution is achieved without virtualization technologies. They run directly on the hardware, to allow maximum performance. Nevertheless, it was possible through pooling, or cell configurations, add or subtract server resources. SAP generally have put a lot of work into tools and administration tools for the new service. Among other things, the cloud provides frame monitor for user-friendly provisioning of HANA cloud instances.

So that SAP may also be some technical problems that currently exist with HANA appliances address. So far, HANA was very difficult to use in virtualized environments, so the solution was restricted to physical hardware. Users who wanted to offer HANA several business areas, customers or tenants, therefore, had problems. With the new management layer SAP bypasses das. Also in their own interest, such as Forrester analyst Stefan Ried commented. Because otherwise could hardly introduce economically SAP HANA as a cloud service.

To use the HANA Enterprise Cloud, customers first need the appropriate software licenses for SAP Business Suite, SAP HANA, and SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse, as the manufacturer informs. It also existing licenses can be used. Then, SAP provides the necessary migration tools available. The service itself can subscribe monthly. The costs will be calculated depending on the size and scope of data and applications.