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SAP HANA

SAP HANA: The In-Memory Database Powering the Intelligent Enterprise

As the foundation of SAP S/4HANA and SAP’s broader technology portfolio, SAP HANA has transformed how enterprises process, store and analyze data in real time. SAPinsider research on SAP S/4HANA implementation consistently finds that improved performance and real-time data access are the top benefits organizations report after migrating to SAP HANA-based platforms.

What Is SAP HANA?

SAP HANA, originally the High-performance Analytic Appliance, is a column-oriented in-memory database released in 2010. It supports both transactional and analytical workloads on a single data copy, eliminating the latency of traditional disk-based databases. SAP HANA serves as the exclusive database for SAP S/4HANA and underpins SAP Business Technology Platform, SAP Analytics Cloud, SAP Datasphere and other SAP cloud solutions. It can be deployed on-premise, in the cloud or in hybrid configurations, and supports machine learning, AI and advanced analytics natively.

What Use Cases Are Referenced?

Digital Transformation with SAP S/4HANA explains how SAP HANA serves as the next-generation in-memory relational database technology for SAP, enabling the improved interface, performance and real-time data management capabilities of SAP S/4HANA.

Protect Your SAP HANA Environment covers security considerations for SAP HANA deployments, including how organizations safeguard their high-performance in-memory database environments against threats while maintaining performance for analytics and transactions.

Information Management Options in SAP HANA Smart Data Quality examines how SAP HANA’s native smart data quality and smart data integration capabilities enable organizations to manage data quality and integration directly within the HANA platform.

Managing Hidden Risks in a Technical SAP S/4HANA Migration addresses the security, compliance and governance risks that organizations face when moving to SAP HANA-based S/4HANA in technical migration scenarios as the 2027 ECC maintenance deadline approaches.

What SAPinsider Research Supports This Topic?

SAPinsider SAP S/4HANA Implementation Guide identifies SAP HANA as the advanced multi-model in-memory database enabling real-time data management, high-speed analytics and scalable operations at the core of every SAP S/4HANA deployment.

SAPinsider Data and Analytics Themes for 2026 highlights SAP HANA’s continued role as the foundation for SAP organizations’ data strategies, underpinning AI-enabled analytics, self-service visualization and real-time decision-making across SAP environments.

Best Practices for Virtualizing SAP HANA This part 3 of a 4 part series of presentations hosted by SAPinsider and sponsored by VMware, SAP, and Intel VMware Product Manager/Field Architect, David Gallant and VMware SAP Alliance Manager, Richard Lichenstein presented this live at the Simplify and Automate SAP HANA one-day forum. This presentation discussion provides how to achieve faster time-to-value, better […]

Feb 23, 2016

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1 minute read

Live from SAPinsider Studio: SAP’s Irfan Khan and Jayne Landry on SAP HANA, Analytics, and the Roambi Acquisition Irfan Khan, CTO of SAP Global Customer Operations, and Jayne Landry, Global VP and GM for Business Intelligence, joined SAPinsider’s Ken Murphy at the BI-HANA-IoT 2016 conference to discuss insights shared during the event keynote. Topics of this discussion include: The importance of the Roambi acquisition – just announced at the event! – for SAP […]

Feb 16, 2016

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7 minute read

SAP HANA Then and Now: A Smarter Way to a System of Insight The recent Forrester Research survey “Evolve Your Business Intelligence To Systems of Insight” defines a system of insight as one where traditional business intelligence (BI), agile BI, and big data converge to “deliver actionable insights necessary to win, serve, and retain customers.” It should come as no surprise to the SAP customer that – as […]

Feb 4, 2016

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4 minute read

Demystifying SAP HANA and Its Potential Impact on Your Business This is part 1 of a 4-part series of videos hosted by SAPinsider and sponsored by VMware, SAP, and Intel. SAP’s Venkata Giduthuri answered critical questions about SAP HANA and looked at the potential and possibilities that SAP HANA can bring to your company. This presentation was presented live of the Simplify and Automate SAP […]

Feb 4, 2016

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1 minute read

Information Management Options in SAP HANA: Smart Data Integration SAP HANA is a pivotal platform that can completely transform an enterprise, but without quality data SAP HANA only yields fast trash. Traditionally, tools such as SAP Data Services have been used to confront this problem. Now, SAP HANA holds capabilities to transform and cleanse data in real time from many sources. See how these […]

Feb 3, 2016

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7 minute read

Real-Time Operational Reporting with SAP HANA Live Get an overview of the hundreds of SAP HANA Live (formerly part of the Composite Analytic Framework, or CAF) views that you can use to enable real-time operational reporting and analytics. Using this approach, companies can use standard views directly as data sources for reporting. This approach also enables companies to form an alternative foundation […]

Jan 27, 2016

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18 minute read

Live from SAPinsider Studio: Epson America on BI, Building SAP HANA Business Case Abishek Uppal, BI Project Leader, Epson America, joins SAPinsider Studio at the 2015 Reporting & Analytics event in Las Vegas to discuss the company’s business intelligence (BI) use and roadmap. This is an edited transcript of the discussion: Ken Murphy, SAPinsider: Hi, this is Ken Murphy with SAPinsider, and I’m here at the SAPinsider Reporting […]

Jan 26, 2016

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5 minute read

A Conversation With Robb Neuenschwander: Lead Technical Architect at Target As the Lead Technical Architect for Target, the second largest retailer in the U.S. with an international presence, Robb Neuenschwander is tasked with managing and optimizing a vast and complex infrastructure. In this video, he explains how Hitachi and SAP HANA have helped Target face some of their biggest IT challenges, and scale to meet […]

Jan 5, 2016

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1 minute read

SAP HANA Security Part 1: The Difference Between Run-Time and Design-Time Roles The basics about SAP HANA security can be a somewhat confusing topic, even for experienced users. However, there are some terms and concepts that users must understand in order to properly set up security in SAP HANA. In the first of this two-part series about SAP HANA security, gain an overview of two ways for […]

Oct 7, 2015

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10 minute read

Colgate-Palmolive Combines Its Trade Promotion Planning with SAP HANA As a producer of some of the most recognizable personal and home care brands in the world, Colgate-Palmolive is consistently exceeding the expectations of its global customer base. This statement holds just as true for the technology the company uses; it has consistently been a pilot customer for SAP applications that eventually become mainstream solutions. […]

Apr 1, 2013

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6 minute read