Logicalis US to CIOs: SAP HANA is Not a One-Size-Fits-All Proposition
(PRWEB) August 06, 2013 -- If information technology is the nervous system of the modern organization, high speed data analytics are the synapses that create a window into the inner workings of an enterprise as well as into its future. Carefully and intelligently implemented, the right data analytics platform makes it possible for executive management to actually see, for the first time, where the enterprise they are piloting is at any given moment in time. One of the most robust data analytics platforms available today is SAP HANA, an in-memory transactional database technology optimized for real-time SAP database query and reporting. To help IT pros examine SAP HANA, Logicalis US, an international IT solutions and managed services provider (http://www.us.logicalis.com), has created a number of tools, including a dedicated web site, to explain HANA, its appliances and what kind of enterprise HANA will best serve.
While the SAP HANA database accelerator is marketed as an “in-memory” solution, it requires dedicated, special-purpose servers and storage to hold a view of the data for persistence and high availability. These SAP HANA hardware appliances are available from several leading vendors; determining which brand and size are the right fit for a specific organization, however, is not an easy task.
According to Brett Anderson, Director of Enterprise Computing Solutions for Logicalis US, the agility of SAP HANA — and the fact that it is called an “appliance” — belies the complexity of implementing it into the IT environment. “Deciding on an analytics platform and then choosing an appliance to run that software is a complex decision that differs with each organization and its unique needs,” Anderson says. “Clients considering HANA need a partner that understands the entire converged infrastructure stack and that can deliver SAP HANA packaged with the technical expertise, consulting and services needed to create a complete solution that will yield meaningful business results.”
How to Choose a HANA Appliance that Fits
While the need for faster processing of analytics information will soon be ubiquitous, the size of the business intelligence appliance a company needs is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. There are, however, a number of SAP HANA options available from a variety of leading vendors to meet different companies’ unique needs and budgets, each with an exceptional ROI. These solutions are “fit-for-purpose” appliances which can best be described through a t-shirt-like sizing approach ranging from extra-small to extra-large. See a graphical representation of these sizes here.
A typical SAP HANA appliance consists of three parts:
1. Intel-based multi-core processors – based on standard CPU architectures including Xeon E7-2870, 4870, 8870, 2800, x86-E7, and x86-E7/blade
2. Low-cost, low-latency memory (RAM)
3. Data storage – often SAN, local storage or IBM’s GPFS file system
Clients may want to start out with a single-node HANA for development or test instances or move directly to a multi-node appliance that will allow them to scale out as their needs change; either way, choosing a partner skilled in SAP and HANA implementations will help IT pros make the right choice for their infrastructure and environment.
Want to Learn More?
• Explore Logicalis’ SAP HANA microsite.
• Get Logicalis’ free SAP HANA toolkit, which includes:
- An eBook, “The Need for Speed”
- An SAP HANA Overview Data Sheet
- IBM, HP and Cisco-Specific HANA Data Sheets
About Logicalis
Logicalis is an international IT solutions and managed services provider with a breadth of knowledge and expertise in communications and collaboration; data center and cloud services; and managed services.
Logicalis employs nearly 3,500 people worldwide, including highly trained service specialists who design, specify, deploy and manage complex ICT infrastructures to meet the needs of almost 6,000 corporate and public sector customers. To achieve this, Logicalis maintains strong partnerships with technology leaders such as Cisco, HP, IBM, CA Technologies, EMC, Microsoft, NetApp, VMware and ServiceNow.
The Logicalis Group has annualized revenues of over $1.4 billion from operations in Europe, North America, South America and Asia Pacific and is fast establishing itself as one of the leading IT and Communications solution integrators specializing in the areas of advanced technologies and services.
The Logicalis Group is a division of Datatec Limited, listed on the Johannesburg and London AIM Stock Exchanges, with revenues of over $5 billion.
For more information, visit http://www.us.logicalis.com.
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Lisa Dreher, Logicalis, http://www.us.logicalis.com/, +1 425-201-8111, [email protected]
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