Unlocking Business Agility with Intel & SAP: Boosting SAP Performance and Innovations
Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- The Power of Intel Architecture in SAP Solutions
- The Three Pillars of Intel Advantage for the SAP Landscape
- Intel Optane Technology for In-Memory Computing
- Choosing the Right Hardware Architecture for Your SAP Landscape
- Sizing and Sourcing the Hardware
- Deployment Model: On-Premise or Cloud?
- Virtualization Options with VMware
- Selecting a Hardware Partner
- Landscape and Cluster Strategy
- High Availability and Disaster Recovery with Intel Advantage
- Conclusion
The Power of Intel Architecture in SAP Solutions
In today's fast-paced digital world, businesses need a reliable and efficient infrastructure to run their SAP landscape. That's where Intel architecture comes in. For the past decade, Intel has been partnering with SAP to develop and optimize solutions for running SAP HANA and other SAP products. With Intel's powerful Xeon processors and innovative Optane Persistent Memory technology, businesses can experience faster insights, improved data processing, and the ability to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities.
1. Introduction
Welcome to our TechEd session! This year, we have something special to share with you. We will be showcasing the power of Intel architecture in driving SAP innovations and how it can help your business thrive in the digital age. I'm Jan Krueger, the global technical lead at team SAP at Intel Corporation, and I'm excited to take you on this journey.
2. The Power of Intel Architecture in SAP Solutions
Intel architecture has been at the forefront of powering SAP innovations for the last decade. Our collaboration with SAP has resulted in the development of in-memory computing and the optimization of SAP HANA on Intel Xeon processors and Intel Optane Persistent Memory technology. This partnership ensures that businesses can achieve agility, high return on infrastructure investments, and the ability to run their SAP landscape at its best.
3. The Three Pillars of Intel Advantage for the SAP Landscape
The Intel advantage for the SAP landscape is built on three essential pillars. First, Intel Xeon processors offer a broad portfolio of SAP-certified systems, enabling businesses to select the best hardware for their specific needs. With offerings from 12 OEMs and over 1,300 different Intel power appliances and TDI systems, businesses can Scale from small to large systems, whether they prefer bare metal or virtualized environments, or even the infrastructure of Microsoft Azure or AWS.
Second, Intel Optane technology enables businesses to process more data in-memory than ever before. This technology is not only beneficial for SAP HANA but also for many other independent software vendors (ISVs) who leverage Intel Optane technology to bring larger amounts of data closer to the point of execution. The result is faster processing and the ability to stay ahead of the data, enabling businesses to make smarter decisions faster.
Third, Intel's Artificial Intelligence portfolio empowers the SAP landscape to utilize the power of AI and machine learning processes whenever and wherever needed. With advancements such as bfloat16, Intel Xeon processors accelerate AI models and pipelines. Additionally, Intel offers a range of optimized products, including FPGAs and Habana accelerators, for training and inference requirements. The integration of Intel AI technologies into the SAP landscape opens up new possibilities for businesses to harness the power of AI and drive innovation.
4. Intel Optane Technology for In-Memory Computing
One of the key advantages of Intel architecture for the SAP landscape is Intel Optane Persistent Memory technology. While it is widely known for its role in enabling in-memory computing used by SAP HANA, Optane Persistent Memory technology also has applications across the entire SAP landscape. Many ISVs are leveraging this technology to improve data processing, cache optimization, and more.
Intel Optane Persistent Memory comes in three modes: AppDirect Mode, Memory Mode, and Mixed Mode. In AppDirect Mode, applications can directly access a persistent memory region with near DRAM performance. SAP HANA utilizes Optane AppDirect Mode as part of its hot memory, ensuring that the column store remains intact even after a power outage, eliminating the need for cold storage reloading.
Memory Mode, on the other HAND, offers volatile memory that enables high density systems with up to 4.5 terabytes of memory per socket. These systems drive consolidation and efficiency by hosting multiple workloads on a single host. Memory Mode systems are supported for hosting the SAP application tier, non-production tier of SAP HANA, and can also be used in conjunction with virtualization technologies like VMware.
Mixed Mode combines the benefits of both AppDirect Mode and Memory Mode. It allows for persistency in applications like SAP HANA while still providing the flexibility to use high-density memory systems. Intel Optane technology, therefore, applies to the entire SAP landscape, enabling businesses to optimize their infrastructure for performance or total cost of ownership (TCO) based on their specific needs.
5. Choosing the Right Hardware Architecture for Your SAP Landscape
Selecting the right hardware architecture for your SAP landscape requires careful consideration and planning. There are several factors to keep in mind, such as sizing and sourcing the hardware, determining the deployment model (on-premise or cloud), and considering virtualization options with VMware.
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When choosing a hardware architecture, it's important to follow SAP's sizing guidelines to ensure that SAP HANA, NetWeaver, Business Warehouse, S/4, and other solutions work optimally. Intel and SAP have worked together to ensure that the hardware choices Align with the workload needs, providing the greatest flexibility.
6. Sizing and Sourcing the Hardware
To determine the hardware requirements for your SAP landscape, you need to conduct a sizing exercise. This exercise will tell you how many SAPS, storage, and compute performance you will need for your workload. Once you have determined the sizing, you can start sourcing the hardware.
For on-premise deployments, there is a wide range of SAP-certified systems available, either as appliances or TDI (Tailored Data Center Infrastructure) at the SAP hardware directory. This directory is the go-to place for finding the right hardware partner. You can also use published benchmarks to compare the performance of different systems and make an informed decision.
If you are considering a cloud deployment model, both Microsoft Azure and AWS offer a wide range of SAP Infrastructure as a Service certified instances powered by Intel Xeon processors and Intel Optane technology. These instances range from small VMs to large bare metal systems, giving you the flexibility to choose the best instance for your workload. With Intel-based instances, you can maintain cloud readiness and easily migrate your SAP workload between different cloud service providers.
7. Deployment Model: On-Premise or Cloud?
The next important decision to make is whether to deploy your SAP landscape on-premise or in the cloud. Both options have their advantages, and the choice depends on factors such as your business requirements, budget, and IT strategy.
If you have an on-premise installation paired with SAP services, running your SAP landscape on Intel systems can provide the best performance. However, as cloud adoption continues to grow, you may decide to move from an on-premise to a cloud deployment model at a later stage. The good news is that with the wide range of available SAP-certified platforms, you can easily migrate your workload to the cloud while maintaining the performance and reliability provided by Intel Xeon processors and Intel Optane technology.
8. Virtualization Options with VMware
Virtualization is an additional option to consider when deploying your SAP landscape. Intel, VMware, and SAP have collaborated to ensure that the advantages of Intel Xeon and Optane technology are fully enabled throughout the VMware ecosystem, allowing SAP solutions to benefit from virtualization.
VMware has been supporting Optane Persistent Memory technology in memory mode since 2019, and SAP HANA is supported on VMware with Optane AppDirect mode for production systems. This means that you can leverage the benefits of Intel technology in your virtualized infrastructure, creating a homogeneous environment for all your workloads, including SAP HANA.
9. Selecting a Hardware Partner
When it comes to selecting a hardware partner, it's essential to choose one that is SAP certified and offers a wide range of options to meet your specific needs. Whether you opt for on-premise or cloud deployment, there are several hardware partners that have been certified by SAP and offer Intel-based systems.
For on-premise deployments, the SAP hardware directory is the best place to find a wide range of SAP-certified systems, including appliances and TDI configurations. This directory allows you to compare the performance and specifications of different systems, helping you make an informed decision.
When considering a cloud deployment, both Microsoft Azure and AWS offer a variety of SAP Infrastructure as a Service certified instances. These instances are powered by Intel Xeon processors and Intel Optane technology, ensuring high performance and scalability for your SAP workload.
10. Landscape and Cluster Strategy
The landscape and cluster strategy is crucial for optimizing performance and latency or maximizing cost efficiency. With Intel Xeon processors and Intel Optane technology, businesses have the flexibility to design their SAP landscape in a way that aligns with their unique needs.
For businesses that prefer a scale-up solution, Intel Optane Persistent Memory technology in AppDirect mode can be used to build a SAP HANA system with a large hot memory footprint. This allows for faster insights by providing access to more historic data. On the other hand, businesses can also leverage Intel Xeon processors and Intel Optane Memory technology in memory mode for their non-production environment, driving cost optimizations and consolidation of workloads.
For businesses that require HANA column store persistency, an Intel Xeon and Intel Optane system can be used to enable fast restarts, reducing maintenance windows and improving system uptime. The combination of these technologies drives operational efficiency and enhances end-user satisfaction.
11. High Availability and Disaster Recovery with Intel Advantage
The Intel advantage, available in both on-premise and cloud architectures, enables businesses to implement high availability (HA) and disaster recovery (DR) strategies. With Intel Optane Persistent Memory technology, businesses can leverage multi-target replication, achieving improved TCO and continuous synchronization of data. Regardless of whether the HANA instance runs on-premise in your own data center or within a cloud instance, data remains fully synchronized.
These HA and DR strategies provide businesses with peace of mind, knowing that their SAP landscape is protected and resilient against unexpected disruptions. Intel's powerful technologies enable businesses to build future-proof environments that not only deliver high performance but also maximize uptime and data integrity.
12. Conclusion
In conclusion, Intel's powerful architecture offers businesses a flexible and optimized infrastructure for running their SAP landscape. With the three pillars of Intel advantage – Intel Xeon processors, Optane technology, and AI portfolio – businesses can achieve faster insights, increased data processing capabilities, and the ability to leverage AI and ML power wherever and whenever needed.
By carefully considering the hardware architecture, deployment model, virtualization options, and selecting the right hardware partner, businesses can build an SAP landscape that meets their specific requirements. The Intel advantage, combined with SAP solutions, provides businesses with the flexibility needed to thrive in the digital age.
Thank you for attending our TechEd 2020 session. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to our team. Have a great day!
Highlights:
- Intel architecture powers SAP innovations for the last decade
- Intel Xeon processors and Optane technology drive the Intel advantage for the SAP landscape
- Optane Persistent Memory technology enables in-memory computing and cache optimization
- Choosing the right hardware architecture is crucial for SAP landscape optimization
- Sizing and sourcing the hardware is an important step in the deployment process
- On-premise and cloud deployment models offer flexibility and scalability
- Virtualization options with VMware enhance SAP landscape performance
- Selecting a certified hardware partner is key to success
- Landscape and cluster strategy optimize performance and cost efficiency
- HA and DR strategies with Intel advantage ensure high availability and data integrity
FAQ:
Q: What is the advantage of using Intel architecture in SAP solutions?
A: Intel architecture, with its powerful Xeon processors and Optane technology, offers businesses the ability to achieve faster insights, improved data processing, and leverage AI and ML capabilities within their SAP landscape.
Q: How does Intel Optane Persistent Memory technology benefit the SAP landscape?
A: Optane Persistent Memory technology enables in-memory computing and cache optimization, allowing businesses to process more data in-memory than ever before. It provides both performance and cost efficiency advantages.
Q: Is virtualization supported in the SAP landscape with Intel architecture?
A: Yes, Intel has collaborated with VMware and SAP to ensure that virtualization options are fully supported in the SAP landscape. Businesses can leverage the benefits of Intel technology across their virtualized infrastructure.
Q: How do I select the right hardware partner for my SAP deployment?
A: When selecting a hardware partner, it is important to choose one that is SAP certified and offers a wide range of options to meet your specific needs. The SAP hardware directory is a great resource for finding certified systems and comparing their performance and specifications.
Q: How does Intel advantage support high availability and disaster recovery strategies?
A: Intel Optane Persistent Memory technology enables businesses to implement high availability and disaster recovery strategies by leveraging multi-target replication and continuous data synchronization, ensuring data integrity and minimizing system downtime.
Q: Can I migrate my SAP workload between different cloud service providers?
A: Yes, you can easily move your SAP workload between different cloud service providers, as long as they are using Intel Xeon processors and Optane technology as the foundation. This provides you with the flexibility to build multi-cloud environments and maintain high performance and scalability.
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