Real-Time Computing

Chris Hallenbeck and Richard Pledereder
SAP AG

Advances in hardware over the last two decades have enabled us to completely rethink what is possible with enterprise software, particularly when we think about it in terms of the incredible explosion of data happening all around us. Today's machines can bring large amounts of main-memory, and lots of multi-core CPUs to bear on massively parallel processing of information very inexpensively. When we saw this happening, we realized that we could architect a platform from the ground up that would enable true real-time computing.

The result was HANA -- a modern data platform that puts OLTP and OLAP together, doing massively parallel multi-core processing on one copy of data that is all in main memory. This is a radically simplified architecture that kills batch programs, captures data, and powers interactive and instant analytics on transactional data -- in real-time. A complex question can be posed to real-time operational data, instead of asking pre-fabricated questions on pre-aggregated or summarized data. HANA also integrates text processing with managing structured data, in a single system. And it scales simply with addition of more processors or more blades. Thus various types of applications, across a company's lines of businesses, and across application types, can all be run off a single, elastically-scalable hardware infrastructure: a grand dissolving of the layers of complexity in enterprise landscapes. And we can do this in every imaginable delivery model; it is entirely up to the customer. The business impact of this breakthrough innovation is significant. With this platform, every decision is informed in real-time at the time it is needed, collaboration is live and unencumbered, the ways of accessing and interacting with data are limitless. There are no more aggregates, no more delays, no questions that go unanswered. With HANA, businesses can now truly run in real-time.

Slides:

Download the slides for this presentation in PDF format.

About the speakers:

Vishal Sikka, SAP AG CTO, was originally schedule to speak. Unfortunately Vishal will not be able to do so because of pressing business commitments beyond his control. Chris Hallenbeck and Richard Pledereder who have been directly involved in the development of HANA will step in and present the material.

	Chris Hallenbeck is Vice President, Database & Technology Solution Management at SAP AG. Chris leads HANA Solution Management for analytics and application development. He has spent most of his career working on big data engagements and applying algorithms to solve today's business problems.
	Richard Pledereder is SVP, Engineering, HANA Data Management at SAP AG. Richard is responsible for the development and delivery of data management products and technologies. This includes components of the HANA Real-Time Data Platform, as well as the SAP Sybase data management products ASE, IQ and SQLAnywhere.

Contact information:

Chris Hallenbeck and Richard Pledereder
SAP AG