In the area of data warehousing, SAP offers several solutions with which companies can implement a binding, central data source. In the latest product generation, these are the following systems:
All three solutions enable the integration of data from SAP and non-SAP systems. Apart from this, however, the systems differ in their target group and approach. Let us therefore take a closer look at them.
SAP HANA (as Data Warehouse)
The high-performance SAP HANA in-memory database is used for numerous applications - including as an "in-memory data mart". In contrast to traditional data warehouses, reports can be accelerated by a factor of 100 to 1,000 with HANA. The technology is also suitable for use in conjunction with the SAP Business Warehouse business intelligence solution.
As a DWH, SAP HANA is particularly suitable for companies that are looking for a flexible, customizable solution, require high performance and want to perform advanced evaluations. The system can be provided either locally or in the cloud.
SAP BW/4HANA
SAP BW/4HANA is also completely based on the in-memory database HANA. However, the focus is particularly on processing very large volumes of data in real time. Among other things, BW/4HANA can be used to analyze data from SAP systems and third-party systems as well as geodata, sensor data (IoT), Hadoop data and unstructured data live. This makes the DWH solution suitable for the following scenarios, for example:
SAP BW/4HANA is the successor of the classic SAP Business Warehouse. Unlike the predecessor system, BW/4HANA is independent of NetWeaver. Data modeling has been greatly simplified with the "Data Flow Modeler" tool. BW/4HANA can also be operated either on-premise or in the cloud.
SAP Data Warehouse Cloud
SAP Data Warehouse Cloud is aimed at companies that want to enter data warehousing quickly and without high costs. It is a fully managed service, so there is no need to invest in your own server hardware.
SAP Data Warehouse Cloud also provides the advanced functionality of HANA. Its scalability allows companies to start with a small environment and expand as demand grows. Due to the wide range of connectors, all common data sources (SAP and non-SAP) can be integrated. The templates that are already included in the delivery make data integration into the cloud data warehouse even easier.