HPE M0S64A Product Data Sheet

The challenge
• Decentralised organisational structure with heterogeneous database land­scape (SAP and DB2 databases)
• Performance problems in bulk data processing
• Data harmonisation as requested
Case Study
The University of Basel is accelerating its data warehouse via two HPE ConvergedSystem 500s for SAP HANA
The solution
• Migrate the central SAP Business Data Warehouse onto two HPE ConvergedSystem 500s for SAP HANA
• Design and realisation of the migration jointly with Sapify AG, the University of Basel and partner-company Niederer Engineering AG
• The project was completed one month before the scheduled deadline
The result
• Considerably greater performance in processing of large data volumes
• Generation of complex analyses and reports with the push of a button from the data cockpit
• Easy usage of data from dierent sources with no time-consuming pre­aggregation
• Analysis results from future data models partly realisable in near real­time
• Faster results with smaller data volumes
The University of Basel faces fierce competition in recruiting the most talented individuals and attracting funding from public and private donors. And like most higher education institutions, the university is a complex organisation consisting of dierent interest groups and cultures. The need for the SAP Competence Center (SAPCC) to exhibit max imum ‘business’
eiciency and structural heterogeneity poses an enormous challenge, particularly with regard to bulk data processing. The decisive question is: how can large amounts of data for reports and analyses from diering data sources be processed significantly faster in the central SAP Data Warehouse? The answer: SAP HANA on two HPE ConvergedSystem 500s.
Case study
University of Basel
“The project was an enormous success. The tremendous cooperation
between Uni Basel, Sapify AG and Niederer Engineering AG meant the SAP HANA data warehouse was able to go live a month ahead of schedule.”
– Christoph Wyss University of Basel SAP Competence Center
Page 2
Customer portrait
University of Basel – a top university with an international reputation
Founded in 1460, the University of Basel is a full university with seven faculties that oers bachelor, master and doctorate degree pro grams. Presently the University of Basel has around 13000 matriculated students and doctoral candidates and roughly 3000 full-time personnel, two thirds of which approximately are academic sta. Life Sciences, Image Science, Nanoscience, Sustainability and Energy Research and European and Global Studies are the university’s strategic research and teaching priorities. The re search work of Uni Basel regularly puts the insti tution among the world’s top 100 uni versities in international rankings. The university has a modern, high-performing IT, the hardware for which is mostly based on HPE products in the SAP environment. The administration strategically utilises SAP and maintains its own SAP Competence Center, certified as a Customer Center of Expertise, with 10 sta members who ensure operation and perform further development of the SAP environment.
Initial Situation
Problems with high-volume data analysis
The University of Basel deploys SAP software in the administrative areas of resource management, finance and controlling, human resources and logistics. The University’s individual SAP modules deliver data daily to the central data warehouse based on SAP BI. In the past there have been recurring per formance problems in bulk data processing, as data did not flow unchanged into the data warehouse, but to be aggregated at first in ETL processes (Extract, Transform, Load). Christoph Wyss, project manager and developer at the SAP competence centre, responsible for data warehousing, has thus been looking into ways to accelerate bulk data analysis, together with long­standing SAP partner Sapify AG. Wyss: “SAP HANA is a promising new in-memory SAP database technology, and the hardware component HPE ConvergedSystem for SAP HANA is ideally designed for this technology. The decision to procure SAP HANA was speeded up by management’s need to update SAP Business Planning and Consolidation Tool to accommodate ‘SAP BPC embedded’, which requires SAP HANA.” HPE Gold Partner and university specialist Niederer Engineering AG was additionally brought on board as hardware expert.
Case study
University of Basel
Page 3
“The two HPE
Converged System 500s for SAP HANA allow processing and analysis of operational data on
nearly a real-time basis.”
– Christoph Wyss University of
Basel SAP Competence Center
Solution
SAP Data Warehouse migrated to HPE ConvergedSystem 500 for SAP HANA
After extensive pilot testing, which went well, Uni Basel’s SAP Data Warehouse was migrated over to two HPE ConvergedSystem 500s for SAP HANA. Arsène Gschwind of Sapify AG explains the advantages of the new tech nology: “HANA allows processing very large volumes of analytical and transaction data in real time. The performance gain is achieved thanks to in-memory technology, in which data are read directly from the RAM instead from a hard drive or flash storage medium. Another factor is column-oriented storage, which can render large sets of quantitative data with the same characteristics (columns) individually selectable in a highly flexible fashion for analysis.” Christoph Wyss of Basel University adds: “For us, HANA is thus a really interesting technology, as it no longer matters whether data are taken from an OLTP database system set up for business applications or from an OLAP database optimised for bulk data analysis – processing is extremely fast either way, as data pre-aggregation is no longer necessary.” Two HPE ConvergedSystem 500s for SAP HANA in the scale-up configuration were deployed as hardware. Niederer Engineering AG supplied plug­and-play appliances pre-configured and pre-tested for HANA, along with a comprehensive HPE service and support package.
Result
Substantially faster bulk data processing
The performance enhancement in processing of large data volumes realised by the HPE ConvergedSystem 500 for
SAP HANA is impressive: import processes that used to take nearly three hours are now done in 20 minutes. Project manager Wyss: “The tools we used for financial reporting required multiple conversion steps and involved media breaks. With HANA, users can run reports with the push of a button in nearly no time from a specially programmed data cockpit.” The two HPE ConvergedSystem 500s for SAP HANA aord Uni Basel better decision­making through processing and analysis of operational data on nearly a real-time basis. Planning and controlling processes at the University of Basel can be centralised and integrated through SAP BPC embedded (based on SAP HANA). Another advantage Wyss points out: “The high- performing and flexible HANA technology will help us consolidate our systems environment for greater uniformity.” Uni Basel’s SAP Data Warehouse specialist has nothing but praise for cooperation partners Sapify AG and Niederer Engineering AG: “The project was a huge success. We were done a month ahead of schedule. Sapify AG and Niederer Engineer ing AG were highly dedicated and competent migration partners, and were perfect complements to one another. We had someone to contact any time day or night when we needed it in the hot phase of the project.” As Sapify CTO Arsène Gschwind emphasises, there is a certain learning curve with the new in-memory computing solution by SAP and HPE: “The HPE HANA appliance was new territory for us. Niederer Engineering AG provided us the ultimate in support, immediately putting us into direct contact with HPE technical specialists – which proved highly valuable in the course of the project.”
Case study
University of Basel
Overview of the solution
Hardware
• 2 x HPE ConvergedSystem 500 for SAP HANA (scale-up) with 2 sockets each and 512 GB RAM
Software
• SAP HANA (High-Performance Analytic Appliance)
Partners
sapify AG
Bodenacherring 7 8303 Bassersdorf phone +41435374264
info@sapify.com sapify.com
“The HPE ConvergedSystem 500 for SAP HANA with
in-memory technology is capable of processing very large quantities of analytical and transactional data with great rapidity.”
Niederer Engineering AG
Roland Dietiker Gehrenacker 25 9030 Abtwil mobile +41796038343
roland.dietiker@bechtle.com niederer.ch
University of Basel
Petersplatz 1 Postfach 2148 4001 Basel
unibas.ch
– Arsène Gschwind, Sapify AG
Sapify AG
Sapify AG is an innovative technology and consulting firm for the entire spectrum of SAP technology services, from setting up individual hardware components in the data centre to managing SAP base components and 24 x 7 operation under an SAP technology out-tasking model. Sapify AG is currently building up cutting-edge hardware infrastructure at one of Switzerland’s most modern data centres in order to oer attractive outsourcing service models in future.
Niederer Engineering AG*
Hardware, software and services: for over 30 years, HPE Gold partner Niederer Engineering AG has been dedicated to providing productive, secure and cost­eective IT infrastructures based on HPE systems. Businesses and academic institutions benefit alike from the company’s proven consulting expertise, extensive experience, continuity and commitment to ongoing optimisation. Niederer Engineering AG is certified by HPE as a focused Higher Education Partner, providing support to universities and colleges.
Sign up for updates
Rate this document
* Niedere r Engineering was a cquired by the St. Gallen -based
IT systems e nterprise Bechtl e Switzerland AG on 01/01 /16
© Copyright 2016 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for Hewlett Packard Enterprise products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. Hewlett Packard Enterprise shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
4AA6-6251EEE, July 2016
Loading...