PBS CBW NLS Vectorwise

Nearline Solution for SAP NetWeaver BW

with Actian Vectorwise

PBS Nearline Solution

with Actian Vectorwise as Nearline Database

As a leading provider of add-on solutions for SAP applications, PBS Software integrates the column-based
Actian Vectorwise as nearline database into the PBS nearline solution
portfolio for SAP BW. The new CBW
NLS Vectorwise provides comparable
functionality to PBS CBW NLS for
Sybase IQ. It contains the core Nearline Storage Interface services defined
by SAP plus extended services developed on the basis of experiences
made in many customer installations.
Examples of the extended services are
monitoring services, archiving services for PSA data, data export services
for audits or replication services for
master data and hierarchies. With
CBW NLS VW you can benefit from the
analytical Vectorwise features directly

within an SAP BW system. Due to a

special implementation close to the
underlying x86 hardware, database
queries are processed with much less
and more cost-effective resources
compared to other database systems,
so that Actian Vectorwise is well suited
for very fast and cost-efficient processing of big data volumes. This is proven
on the one hand by the results of the
Transaction Processing Performance
Council (TPC) achieved by Actian
Vectorwise for ad hoc queries in the
decision support area. On the other
hand, measurements in SAP BW systems confirm that the runtime of BW
queries can be speeded up by a factor
of up to 50 when using PBS CBW NLS
Vectorwise (see figure 1)

Acceleration of an SAP BW

100

Lifecycle Management with PBS CBW NLS Vectorwise

If you run an SAP BW system, the data
volume grows continuously over time.
The loading time increases and the
administration efforts rise. At the same
time, queries need always longer runtimes while the number of users grows
along with their requirements. Frequently forgotten in this situation is that, in
addition to current data which is often
accessed by users, there is also less current and rarely used data in many SAP
BW systems. You can significantly reduce
the size of a database in a BW system if
you store the data which is not so often
needed in a nearline database (see figure 2). PBS CBW NLS Vectorwise has fast
loading processes suited for mass data,
which enable an aggressive archiving.
This way, the size of the database can
in general be reduced by a factor 2 to
3 with archiving. Furthermore, using a
column-oriented database, data access
Reporting

Analysis

Reporting

will be very fast even when the data

is kept in the nearline database. As a
matter of fact, the data access in the
column-oriented Vectorwise is substantially faster than in a traditional database. Queries are up to 50 times faster
without the usage of aggregates. By
using PBS CBW NLS Vectorwise you can
avoid completely the setup and maintenance of aggregates and therefore
the administration of the BW system is
much easier. Another advantage is the
high compression of the columnoriented database, which leads to a
considerable reduction in the data volume of up to 90 percent and therefore to
a significant reduction of the operating
costs for data storage.
Please note that Actian Vectorwise can
only be used on hardware platforms
which are based on Intel x86Technology.
Analysis

query with PBS CBW NLS

Vectorwise
(29 million data records)

SAP BW

Figure 2: Unique reduction of the

load in a traditional database of
an SAP BW system by storing
data in the nearline system

SAP BW
SAP Nearline
Interface
PBS CBW
NLS
Vectorwise

Traditional DB without aggregates

50

PBS CBW NLS Vectorwise

x 50

5
120 s

2,4 s

Figure 1: Optimization of the runtime for a query in a traditional SAP BW database environment

Vectorwise runs on entry level x86 server
2

Information

Database

Database

Current and less

current data

Current
data

Vectorwise

Less
current
data

Data which is rarely needed can also be stored in ADK archives. The PBS ADK functionality is an integral part of the PBS nearline solution and can be used for PSA,
DSO and InfoCube data.
3

Cost Reduction

Reduction of Investment

of an SAP BW System

and Operating Costs when Migrating to SAP BW on HANA

Using PBS CBW NLS Vectorwise you can

control the database size of your SAP
BW system by storing less current information regularly in a nearline database.
Data which is rarely or no longer accessed
can be moved from nearline storage to
a file-based data archive. For an estimated data growth of 20 percent per year,
the data of an SAP BW system would

Reporting

Analysis

SAP BW

double after approximately 4 years.

Within an Information Lifecycle Management concept in conjunction with PBS
CBW NLS Vectorwise, you can prevent a
strong growth of the database by continuously removing the less current data
from the BW database (see figure 3).
This way, operating costs for data
storage can be reduced permanently.

SAP BW

4 years

SAP Nearline
Interface
PBS CBW
NLS
Vectorwise

Database

Vectorwise

Current
data

Less
current
data

Analysis

Reporting

SAP Nearline
Interface
later

PBS CBW
NLS
Vectorwise

Database

Vectorwise

Archive

Current
data

Less
current
data

Very few
or no
accesses

Figure 3: Growth of database, nearline database and archive after 4 years.

(Assumption: Database growth about yearly 20% (without ILM))

Thanks to downsizing a traditional

database before making the transition
to SAP HANA, you can simplify the
migration and save substantial costs
for hardware and SAP licenses. For an
SAP BW system whose data volume
has been reduced from 2.5 TB to 1 TB,

Data volumes SAP

only an in-memory space requirement

of 256 GB instead of 512 GB is needed
for a migration to an SAP HANA system. It is assumed that in a HANA system the data volume is compressed to
one fifth.

RAM for SAP HANA

[GB]

BW [TB]
2,5

512

256

256

Savings

Table 1: Reduction of the investment costs for SAP BW on HANA by decreasing the in-memory storage requirements. The assignment of the working memory to the data volume is made on the basis of SAP information
(Technical considerations when migrating an existing NetWeaver BW system to run on SAP HANA, http://scn.
sap.com/docs/DOC-30245). Assumption: about 2/3 of the data is removed from stock.

From cost aspects it should be noted

that the column-oriented Vectorwise
database runs on standard INTEL x86
hardware with lower operational
expenses in comparison to appliance
hardware needed for SAP HANA.
Reducing the memory size of the
HANA database through consequent

nearline archiving leads directly to a

significant reduction of license fees.
Halving the memory size of the HANA
database enables a significant reduction of the license fees. Should you be
using mirror systems, the saving effect
will multiply.
5

Benefits
When using an SAP HANA system over
years without removing data from the
in-memory database, the system will
grow considerably resulting in an
expansion of the memory. As things
stand, this will lead to a proportional
license fee increase for an SAP HANA
system. If you are using Information
Lifecycle Management with PBS CBW
NLS Vectorwise, you can constrain the

growth of the SAP HANA system and

analyze all data with short response
times. The less current data is on a
much cheaper nearline database,
which you can access fast and seamlessly thanks to the column-oriented
database technology. This way, you will
substantially reduce operating costs
for SAP HANA systems (table 2).

With the PBS nearline solution CBW NLS Vectorwise you can pursue an Information Lifecycle Management strategy with an aggressive data archiving in your SAP
BW systems:

Data volumes SAP

HANA [TB]
Start
After 4 years

1
2

RAM for SAP HANA

[GB]

256

512

256

Savings

Table 2: Evolution of data volume and memory for SAP BW on HANA

(Assumption: Growth of the SAP HANA system about yearly 20% (without ILM))

Licensing
The pricing model for the PBS software is based on the number of
SAP BW users, the so-called named
users. We offer hotline support for
PBS customers who have a maintenance contract. PBS focuses on the
software development. Our consulting partners will be more than happy
6

You can reduce the size of an SAP BW database significantly and in a short
period of time thanks to very fast loading processes suited for mass data. At
the same time, the system performance improves and the administration
efforts decrease.
The usage of column-oriented database technology secures a fast access to
nearline data even in the case of high data volumes. The access is much
faster than for a traditional database. Compared to a traditional SAP BW
system, the query runtime can be speeded up by a factor of up to 50.
When storing the data in the nearline database, the data is compressed by up
to 90 percent, which leads to significant cost savings.
Online and nearline data is completely integrated so that the operating does
not change for the user.
Extended services enable a detailed monitoring, the archiving of PSA tables
and the replication of master data.
Your investment costs for the migration to SAP BW on HANA can be reduced
substantially if you strongly cut down the size of a traditional database of an
SAP BW system with nearline archiving prior to the migration.
By removing continuously less current data from the in-memory database to
the nearline storage, the growth of the main memory in an SAP BW system
on HANA can be controlled, so that you will save considerable costs for main
memory and the associated software licenses when operating SAP HANA.

to offer you consulting and project

management services. PBS solutions
can be purchased directly from PBS
or from an appropriate authorized
partner. To obtain further information
and a complete list of partners,
please check our website.
7

PBS Software GmbH

PBS Software GmbH

PBS Software is a leading provider of add-on software for

PBS Software is a leading provider of

rage concept that enables completely
SAP solutions for areas like data archiving, extraction and
add-on software for SAP solutions for new ILM application scenarios together
areas
like data
and
withThe
the column-based
analytics
storage,
asarchiving,
well as extraction
system closings.
company has
beenserver
storage, as well as system closings. The
Sybase IQ.
known has
to be
anknown
expert
onancomplex,
integrated data access
company
been
to be
expert on complex, integrated data ac- PBS develops pragmatic ILM tools in
to both archived and nearline data in SAP applications for
cess to both archived and nearline data
close collaboration with SAP and supthan 20 years.
inmore
SAP applications
for many years. In
ports the new SAP ILM solution as an
addition to classical SAP data archiving, SAP SOFTWARE SOLUTION PARTNER.
PBS provides nearline storage solutions for SAP BW and
the extensive PBS solutions also sup- For further information:
port
SAPcolumn-oriented
BW-specific nearline database
sto- www.pbs-software.com.
ERPthewith
technology to manage

extremely large volumes of data. For this, SAP user companies can connect the analysis databases SAP Sybase IQ or
alternatively
PBS
Software GmbHVectorwise by Actian. Its data warehouse NLS
Schwanheimer Strasse 144 A
phone: +49 (0) 62 51 / 174 - 0
info@pbs-software.com
solution
hasGermany
been certified
NetWeaver
BW on HANA.
64625
Bensheim,
fax: for
+49 SAP
(0) 62 51
/ 174 - 174
www.pbs-software.com
Its so far unique NLS solution for SAP ERP was awarded an
Innovation Prize in 2012.
PBS is SAP Software Solution and Technology Partner.

Copyright 2010 PBS Software GmbH. All rights reserved.

None of the elements of this brochure may be reproduced or forwarded to other parties in any form or for any purpose without
the written permission of PBS Software GmbH. The information contained herein may be changed without prior notice. Microsoft, Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. IBM, IBM DR550, IBM TSM and SSAM are trademarks or registered trademarks of IBM Corporation. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S.A. and other countries. UNIX
is a registered trademark in the U.S.A. and other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open Company Limited. HP, HP-UX11
Apache are trademarks or registered trademarks of Hewlett-Packard Company. EMC, EMC Centera are trademarks or registered
trademarks of EMC Corporation. Hitachi, Hitachi HCAP are trademarks or registered trademarks of Hitachi Ltd. NetApp, NetApp
Filer are trademarks or registered trademarks of NetApp Corporation. Sybase IQ is a registered trademark of Sybase Inc. PBS ar Copyright
PBS trademark
SoftwareofGmbH.
All rights
reserved.
None
of the SAP
elements
of this
brochure
chive
add ons is a2013
registered
PBS Software
GmbH.
SAP, R/3, SAP
NetWeaver,
NetWeaver
Business
Warehouse,
may
be reproduced
forwarded
to other
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in any form
or for
anyaspurpose
without
theare
written
SAP
Industry
Solutions andorother
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and services
herein,
as well
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logos,
trademarks
orpermission
registered trademarks
of SAP AGGmbH.
in Germany
and other countries.
All other
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and
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mentioned
of PBS Software
The information
contained
herein
may
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changed
without
priorare the
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of their respective
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The information
contained
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is solely Corporation.
for informational
purposes.
notice. Microsoft,
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Software GmbH shall not be liable for errors or omissions with respect to the materials. The only warranties for products and
DR550, IBM TSM and SSAM are trademarks or registered trademarks of IBM Corporation. Linux is a reservices are those that are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing
gistered
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Torvaldsaninadditional
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and other countries. UNIX is a registered trademark
herein
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For further information: www.pbs-software.com.

in the U.S.A. and other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open Company Limited. HP, HP-UX11
Apache are trademarks or registered trademarks of Hewlett-Packard Company. EMC, EMC Centera,
EMC Celerra are trademarks or registered trademarks of EMC Corporation. Hitachi, Hitachi HCAP, Hitachi HCP are trademarks or registered trademarks of Hitachi Ltd. NetApp, NetApp Filer are trademarks
or registered trademarks of NetApp Corporation. Sybase IQ is a registered trademark of Sybase an
SAP Company. PBS archive add ons is a registered trademark of PBS Software GmbH. Vectorwise is a
registered trademark of Actian Corp.
SAP, R/3, SAP NetWeaver, SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse, SAP Industry Solutions and other
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registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and other countries.
All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.
The information contained in this document is solely for informational purposes.
PBS Software GmbH shall not be liable for errors or omissions with respect to the materials. The only
warranties for products and services are those that are set forth in the express warranty statements
accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an
additional warranty.

PBS Software GmbH

Schwanheimer Strasse 144 A
64625 Bensheim, Germany
phone: +49 62 51 / 174 - 0
fax:

+49 62 51 / 174 - 174

e-mail: info@pbs-software.com
www.pbs-software.com