SAP HANA: Handling Dynamic Select Column List and Multiple values in input parameter

In this document we will be discussing on how to handle multiple values passed in to filter condition using “REPLACE” Function in procedure and also Dynamic SQL using Execute Immediate.

Note: We followed this approach since our reporting tool is HTML5 web dashboards and we cannot consume Variables with "Multiple Values" for the same.

A) Problem Description:

--> How to handle multiple values in filter condition ?

Example:

If we have “Region” as a filtering criterion and we have 3 Regions namely: AMR, APAC and EMEA and the user want the flexibility to select the list of regions for which he wants to analyze the data.

Delta Backups

This blog will be about a new feature in HANA SP10, delta backups.

What is a Delta Backup?
Starting with SPS 10 delta backups were introduced, this feature allows users to perform backup and recoveries quicker. Delta backups only capture the data changed since the last backup or delta backup, meaning less log backups are read for a recovery.
There are two options available when creating a delta backup:
Differential Backup - stores all data changed since the last full backup.
Incremental Backup - Stores the data changed since the last full or last delta backup. These backups are smaller than the differential backups.

How to Create a Delta Backup?
First choose a user that has the BACKUP ADMIN authorization, in this case we will be using the SYSTEM user.
Right click on the system you would like to create a backup for

Bye bye "Standart Jobs function"

Standart Jobs function (transaction SM36) is obsolete in SAP S/4HANA for sap technical jobs. Instead of it, we have a new easy way: Technical Job Repository.

Technical Job Repository carries out the scheduling of periodic technical sap jobs in the client.

Also this mechanism is carried out automatically by the system. You do not need any interaction and scheduling, unlike the earlier Standard Jobs function in SM36.

New Job Repository function calls the transaction SJOBREPO.
SJOBREPO displays an overview of all job definitions delivered and scheduled by SAP in the technical job repository.
You can use SJOBREPO to change a job definition within certain limits or to completely deactivate it.

How to Guide for Tier Based HANA System-Replication

SAP HANA System Replication is used in most of the SAP HANA implmentation for HA or DR scnearios.

In this blog, is more for the technology consultants, a bit inclined to technical people.

I have installed three HANA instances with same SID and instance number. So won't be talking any thing on installing SAP HANA systems.

Hana security: Authentication model Kerberos/SPNEGO

In security , I’ll explain how to configure SAP Hana authentication method based on:

• Hana SSO with Kerberos authentication
• Single Sign-on with SPNEGO 

My configuration will be based on a single container database architecture with my internal network.

For my setup I’ll use my lab environment based on VMware, Microsoft Server 2008 R2, SAP Hana Rev 101 on SLES 11 SP3 and Windows 7 Enterprise.

Disclaimer: For my deployment I’ll issue local certificate with no outside exposure.

In order execution

• Register SLES server into DNS
• Step-by-step check on Hana server
• Create Hana Database service user in AD
• Register service Principal Name (SPN) in AD
• Generate the keytab file
• Configure Kerberos from Hana studio
• Configure SPNEGO for XS application

Computing rates using SAP HANA calculation view

When using SAP HANA for analytical purposes, it is interesting to have rates (interest, participation, benefit, etc) being computed by HANA, instead of BI tools, for performance reasons. It is very easy to use a calculation view to compute those rates.

Let's take an example the following calculation view, which is using one analytical view (called SALES) and one attribute view (called PRODUCT). There is a join in between the 2 views on PRODUCTKEY, and some objects have been added to output. I want to compute the benefit between the SALESAMOUNT and the TOTALPRODUCTCOST as a rate, the formula would be SALESAMOUNT/TOTALCOST*100 (to get a percentage) so I added the BENEFIT to the output of the JOIN; well this is a MISTAKE, let's see why!

JDE Date Conversion in SAP HANA

I spent some considerable time investigating for any standard option to convert the date from JD Edwards (JDE) standard "CYYDDD" date format to the humanly recognizable Gregorian Date, but there seems to be no known function available out of the box.

For those who are new to the concept of JD Edwards date (like me), here is a brief intro.

In JDE, the format for Date is C-YY-DDD. (C for Century, YY for the two digit year and DDD for a number between 1 to 365 (or 366 for leap year)) Since JDE was invented in the 20th century (obviously), I believe they started this format which supports for only dates starting year 1900, (as I understand, JDE does not support dates before the year 1900).

Here are a few examples of JDE dates and their equivalent Gregorian date.
115141 - May 21, 2015
102317 - November 13, 2002
99054 - February 23, 1999

Troubleshooting SAP HANA High CPU Utilisation

High CPU Utilisation

Whilst using HANA i.e. running reports, executing queries, etc. you can see an alert in HANA Studio that the system has consumed CPU resources and the system has reached full utilisation or hangs.

Before performing any traces, please check to see if you have Transparent HugePages enabled on your system. THP should be disabled across your landscape until SAP has recommended activating them once again. Please see the relevant notes in relation to TransparentHugesPages:

HUGEPAGES 

SAP Note 1944799 - SAP HANA Guidelines for SLES Operating System Installation
SAP Note 1824819 - SAP HANA DB: Recommended OS settings for SLES 11 / SLES for SAP Applications 11 SP2
SAP Note 2131662 - Transparent Huge Pages (THP) on SAP HANA Servers
SAP Note 1954788 - SAP HANA DB: Recommended OS settings for SLES 11 / SLES for SAP Applications 11 SP3

Troubleshooting Hanging Situations in HANA

Purpose
The purpose of this document is to instruct SAP customers on how to analyse hanging situations in their HANA system.

Overview
Analyzing hanging situations.

So what constituencies a hanging situation in HANA? When we talk about a hanging situation we generally refer to a whole system wide hang, as opposed to highlighting one specific activity, ie: queries or operations. This means we are going to look at the systems conditions (performance) which leads the DB to run slowly, or not at all in some cases.

Like all other software systems, SAP HANA relies on hardware to run its processes. Even when looking at the most basic single sever, single host, we can see many areas which over lap and interact with one another, in other words, when you see a hang do not just assume the cause is all related to HANA.

S4HANA Basics for a Technology Consultant

“S4HANA”, the new generation business suite has already arrived and am one of the lucky chaps to have a hands-on.

As you know there is lot of material on help.sap.com and SCN to provider a deeper insight on the product, I think I read all of it and want to put everything in this blog.  Well that was sarcasm, in this blog I will summarize my view point as a Technology consultant interested in technology stack and migration paths and scenarios.

Architectural changes:

“If we have many ways to achieve the very same thing, then we lack standardization on the product”
If you want to give me all the credit for the phrase then please....

Well not my words, I picked it form one of the speaker at a conference.  They really make sense.

Many people might disagree with the above statement but the argument I have is, we need to invest in many product which give me same functionality.
S4HANA is re-imaged business suite to re-image your business. SAP say they used  "principle of one" in building S4HANA.