SAP HANA Azure Tutorial

Our guide will discuss the nature of SAP HANA Azure, who might find it useful, what you can use it for, and how it works.

Many developers choose to run their SAP HANA in-memory database in conjunction with Microsoft Azure. This pairing allows you to run applications in a cloud environment that covers one of the broadest global networks and includes a variety of built-in features that could prove useful to you.

What Do You Use SAP HANA Azure for?

This section will provide an overview of what the SAP HANA Azure platform can do for you and the various parties that might benefit from it.

Azure is a collection of cloud-based computing programs. This collection includes proprietary Microsoft technology that you can access or manage remotely as needed. In addition, it contains open technologies you can deploy in a virtual machine. These services complement the cloud-based nature of SAP HANA applications and give you greater freedom to be flexible when developing your business solutions. Azure doesn’t have an upfront cost for the end user and there is no delay when you need to provision resources. Because SAP HANA’s strength comes from its ability to retrieve and analyze data in real-time, this makes Azure an invaluable companion to SAP.

The overall scalability of Azure within SAP is another of its core strengths. A small start-up or a large company can utilize these services without any issues. If your company already uses a Windows Server, we would recommend SAP HANA Azure because of how easily it transitions. In short, Azure is a great solution for any company that wants to implement a complete or hybrid cloud solution to their business model.

Cost Control

This is one of the secondary benefits of using Azure on SAP and a great reason for you to consider using it. The platform can help you provision resources as you need them, and its cost is based on the resources you actually use rather than the storage space you allot. You shouldn’t need to plan an on-site center, perform costly hardware upgrades, account for floor space, or deal with server cooling costs. All of these savings can add up for you quickly.

Key Services

This subsection will discuss some of the primary uses of Azure on SAP in brief.

How Do You Use SAP Azure?

This section will detail how you can start using Azure in SAP and any requirements to know before you start.

Prerequisites

One of the main benefits of Azure is that it allows users to set up SAP HANA on Azure virtual machines. There are ways you can do this, but you need to have some basic knowledge of the process before you try it. Before you begin deploying SAP into an Azure virtual machine, you should know and understand the following:

• How to deploy virtual networks or single machines via the Azure portal or PowerShell.
• The command-line interface for cross-platform applications within Azure.
• SAP, SAP NetWeaver, and how to install both of them on-site.
• Operating SAP from within an Azure framework.

If you do not think you meet all of these requirements, we recommend starting with this planning and implementation guide that can bring you up to speed. Additionally, Azure is a subscription-based service. While we cannot take the time to go through account creation in this guide, the following video will walk you through creating a subscription account with Azure. Note that in most cases, Microsoft will offer a free trial account and a $200 credit for Azure.

Install the Command-Line Tool

Azure’s command-line tool allows you to run specific processes or complete certain tasks simply by writing code. This short guide from Microsoft will give you information on the latest command-line program, where to get it, and how to install it on various systems. You can also check the release notes for any patches, updates, or recommendations for the command-line as necessary.

This command-line tool looks and performs similarly to other command programs with which you may already be familiar. The commands you input will vary depending on the specific processes you need, but you should already be familiar with how this works before you deploy a new virtual machine or start building your next application.

Scalability

Moving critical SAP systems to Azure provides you with a flexible framework that can operate as a cloud solution. It can give you a full set of IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS solutions that further extend or enhance SAP’s own capabilities. You shouldn’t need to worry about meeting data or storage demands because you can now scale up or down as needed. Most other public vendors do not support block storage volume expansion the way Azure does.

Productivity

Another aspect of SAP HANA Azure’s unique nature among most cloud providers is in how it drives productivity. The platform offers a wide array of critical components that can maximize the return on your investments. Keep in mind that part of Azure’s appeal is in how it can integrate your SAP platform with Office. This means it is easier than ever for you to use programs like SharePoint to make complex tasks simpler and more efficient. You can also use Microsoft Analytics to visualize the data SAP is retrieving.

Security and Compliance

Microsoft is serious about protecting your data, and it includes the broadest compliance protocols of any cloud service out there. Even if your company or industry is regulated heavily, these protocols can help you migrate SAP HANA Azure to the cloud safely.

Conclusion

Azure is capable of opening new doorways for SAP HANA. It can…

• streamline processes
• make things easier
• cut down on starting costs
• save money in the long run
• and protect your valuable data

Please share your insights on SAP HANA Azure with us and our readers in the comments section.