Oracle 12c Database

If we go by the announcements made by Oracle’s Larry Ellison, Oracle’s latest version of database (expected name is Oracle 12c database) is about to be released within few days/weeks. By the time world is awaiting the official launch, we thought of gathering the bits and pieces of information available about Oracle 12c database, just to get started with what can be expected from this so called Cloud optimized database version of Oracle. Here are some quick talking points as available on different websites (reference links provided).

Faster and Efficient

• "First multi-tenant database in the world." 12c is what Ellison (Larry Ellison, CEO, Oracle) calls a "container database." It's function is to hold lots of other databases, keeping their data separate, but allowing them to share underlying hardware resources like memory or file storage.
• With 12c, Ellison promises that Oracle databases will get faster, saying that compared to the current database, Oracle 11, 12c "uses one-sixth as much hardware and runs five times as many databases."
• The new hardware version (Exadata x3) can run a mind-boggling amount of data in memory in real time.  With this new hardware you "can ask a question and get an answer at the speed of thought," Ellison said. Ellison claims that with x3, enterprises won't need to buy traditional storage from companies like EMC or Hitachi anymore.

Read the complete article here: http://www.businessinsider.com/larry-ellison-oracle-has-invented-a-new-kind-of-database-2012-9

Easy, Convinent and Resource Friendly

•  Database 12c also makes much more efficient use of hardware resources, saving companies money, Mendelsohn (Andy Mendelsohn, Senior vice VP, Oracle) said. For example, it incorporates a "heat map" feature that tracks how frequently different chunks of data are used, allowing customers to archive rarely accessed information on lower-cost mediums.
• Database upgrades and patches are made simpler than in the past thanks to the pluggable database concept, Mendelsohn said. "When you [patch] that one container database, you effectively patch all of them."
• Backup and recovery efforts benefit as well, allowing administrators to back up the system as one unit but recover at the pluggable database level.

Read the complete article here: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9231944/Oracle_sheds_more_light_on_database_12c_Exadata_X3

Appliance based 

• A new Exadata Database Machine to be announced (now already announced) at Open World will undoubtedly exploit the database virtualization capabilities of the 12c database.

Read the complete article here: http://www.informationweek.com/software/information-management/oracle-12c-database-open-worlds-centerpi/240008073

Besides these, there are also some information snippets about the new auto-optimizer feature, that would change the way databases work: 

Oracle Database Optimizer: An Insider’s View of How the Optimizer Works

[Taken from: http://www.oracle-base.com/blog/2012/10/06/oracle-openworld-2012-day-5/ ]

Oracle database 12c is the first step on the way to making an adaptive, or self-learning optimiser.

Alternative subplans are precomputed and stored in the cursor, so no new hard parsing will be needed as part of the adaption of an already executing plan. Statistics collectors are included in the plan execution. If the collectors cross a threshold, the plan might switch during execution from a nested loops to a hash join.

Information gathered by the optimizer, may prompt automatic creation of column groups, so next time stats are gathered, the extended stats will be gathered.

But besides these direct factors about Oracle 12c, there are some more facts that could frame some more pieces about the estimated wire-frame. 

Oracle Cloud: Oracle had recently launched its own clouds, and the new database version should be in full sync with these clouds. And as name already suggests, Oracle 12c (here 'c' stands for cloud) would be a cloud optimized product, and might be readily available for the cloud users in form of pre-configured machines (as provided by AWS).

Acquisitions:  Recent acquisitions of Taleo, SelectMinds,  Collective Intellect, Eloqua, Virtue etc. suggests that Oracle is planning to develop its own stack of cloud-based applications. In future not so far, Oracle might be planning to provide cloud based CRM or ERP apps to compete against its current major threat SAP HANA. 

   

Conclusion

A proper validation/confirmation of this information can be made with the official release from Oracle, but from the information available so far, it seems that Oracle is planning to launch something big. Oracle, as a market leader in databases, is facing lots of expectations from its customers, and since Oracle has taken good time to launch its next release of database, it must be planning for a good surprise not only for its own customers, but also for its competitors.

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When I traveled through time using SAP HANA!!

(This blog first appeared on SCN website http://scn.sap.com/community/developer-center/hana/blog/2013/02/12/when-i-travelled-through-time-using-sap-hana) 

When I traveled through time using SAP HANA!!

Yes! SAP HANA can make time travel happen. Literally!!

During our exploration of SAP HANA, we found that SAP has made time travel possible via SAP HANA. This is because SAP HANA runs on SAP In-Memory Computing Engine, which provides support for History Tables. These tables, known as 'HISTORY COLUMN' tables, have session type as ‘HISTORY’ and they support time travel queries.

‘Time travel’ queries are the queries against historical states of the database. In a way, it allows to fetch the historical values (say, some inventory statistics for date 1 Jan 2011 in the table CURRENT_INVENTORY), without actually having to load the data from backups taken on 1 Jan 2011.

This concept (and specially this emotional touch of TRAVELLING through time) caught us, and we ended up exploring this concept in the following manner. All the steps and information sources were duly documented, so that other interested enthusiasts can also enjoy this experience in their own labs.

Following is the basic procedure for using Time Travel Queries in SAP HANA:

1. Create History Tables
2. Turn Auto Commit Off
3. Keep track of commit IDs (or connection IDs) dealing with the History tables
4. Execute Time Travel Queries on the History Tables

For more details about these steps, see the blog http://scn.sap.com/community/developer-center/hana/blog/2013/02/12/when-i-travelled-through-time-using-sap-hana 

Conclusion

For demonstration purposes, implementing time travel seems to be bit easy task. But in real life scenarios, implementation would be much more complex, and would demand entire new set of plans and designs for fully utilizing this new concept.

We would love to hear more about real life scenarios where this concept could make a real difference. So do provide your feedback and suggestions about this topic.

References

·         0204 - Modeling - Time Travel Example.pdf, available as a zipped content at http://www.experiencesaphana.com/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadBody/2171-102-4-4396/SAPHANA_TechnicalDocumentsV2.zip

·         http://help.sap.com/hana/html/sql_select.html

·         http://help.sap.com/hana/html/sql_create_table_history_time_travel.html

SQL Server Learning Tree

We are working towards developing a Center of Excellence around Application Platform and Database technologies. For the efforts, in continuation to my previous blog on SQL Server Learning framework, we are planning to work on preparing a complete SQL Server Learning Tree. This would be a generic learning framework, covering the most common topics irrespective of any version number, but assuming the latest version information in case of any conflicts. This tree has many branches (i.e. areas of SQL Server that we want to explore more, like deployment, operations, management etc.). Each branch will have several leaves (the topics to read, like for deployment branch, we can have installations, setup, configuration etc.). A rough sketch for such tree is already prepared as a startup.

Would like inputs on making this more versatile and adaptable to different categories of people having various expertise levels.

Smartsheet : An Innovative Online EPM Tool !!

One of my hobbies is exploring new technologies and comparing them with existing ones. It means you find yourself with a new technology every other couple of weeks or so. And I love this kind of work!! Here are some glimpse of something i recently explored: Smartsheet!!

‘Smartsheet’ is an innovative technology, an online project management, collaboration and file sharing tool, very easy to learn and handy to use. It can be used to track and manage projects, event schedules, task lists etc. It is available as 30 day free trail, but it has a great internal mechanism to make users understand and learn things so fast, that anyone can manage to work with it as a professional within three days. Already a user of excel and project, this time reduces to just one day. Simple to adopt templates, familiar (Excel looking) tools, good connectivity options with existing applications (Excel, MS Project, Google Spreadsheets, Box), and direct export/publish options makes it real easy-to-use tool.

Combining these with the additional options for Sharing and Collaborating with teams do provides it an additional advantages for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and allows them to overcome their own limitations of resources and infrastructure. Though large and established enterprises having whole setup for their own sharing and collaboration infrastructure might find little use of it (I din’t find any options to plug it in with IBM Lotus Notes / Microsoft SharePoint / Microsoft Outlook etc.). With such integration options, it might become an additional handy option for project management within teams/departments of large enterprises also. 

Quick options for publishing and online forms for information gathering also provides an additional edge over other similar tools in market. Even the enterprise level publishing and reporting tools needs complex configurations and deployment, which gives this tool extra points for its time-saving innovation. The ‘Smartsourcing’ concept, still need more exploration, so would be covering that later. But besides that too, there and many-many more options (like sending specific rows via email, working with multiple collaborators, Mobile access etc.) that users would want to explore on their own.

Few limitations observed/noted as provided in Smartsheet->Help section:

• Size limit of the working (new) sheets: Max limits - 5000 Rows, 200 Columns, 200,000 Cells.
• Size limit for imported sheets: Max limits - 5000 rows, 100 columns.
• Max size of file that can be uploaded : 30 MB (Free collaborators), 250 MB (Licensed Users)
• No Integration with any presentation tool: To give a presentation about the project schedule, you would have to externally use some third party tool.

Some useful links users can use in-handy:

• Smartsheet getting started: http://www.smartsheet.com/help/getting-started
• Help: http://www.smartsheet.com/help

If you give it a hands-on and want to share your feedback, i would love to hear that. So please post your feedback/comments about this tool.

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SAP HANA Certification Pathways

(Same content also cross posted here: http://scn.sap.com/community/hana-in-memory/blog/2013/01/10/sap-hana-certification-pathways )

While exploring SAP HANA technology related certifications, we identified that SAP HANA provides two possible streams for certification:

1. For Technical consultants:
   1. Exam: C_HANATEC_1 (80 questions, 180 minute)
   2. Certificate awarded: SAP Certified Technology Associate - SAP HANA 1.0
   3. Topics: Data Provisioning, Installation, Security and Authorization, System Architecture Design, System Architecture Implementation
2. For Application consultants:
   1. Exam: C_HANAIMP_1 (80 questions, 180 minute)
   2. Certificate awarded: SAP Certified Application Associate - SAP HANA 1.0
   3. Topics: Business content, Data Modeling, Data Provisioning, Optimization, Reporting, Security and Authorization

Certification pathways

[Source: https://training.sap.com/us/en/certification/]

Classroom teaching Pathway:
The following diagram shows a possible SAP HANA certification pathway via classroom teaching programs available from SAP. (Detailed information is available here: https://training.sap.com/us/en/certification/ )

Figure 1. SAP HANA Certification Path via classroom training

Hyperlinks:

Course-HA100: https://training.sap.com/us/en/course/ha100-sap-hana-introduction-classroom-097-us-en/

Course-HA200: https://training.sap.com/us/en/course/ha200-sap-hana-administration-and-operations-classroom-097-us-en/

Course-HA300: https://training.sap.com/us/en/course/ha300-sap-hana-implementation-and-modeling-classroom-097-us-en/

Exam-C_HANATEC_1: https://training.sap.com/us/en/certification/c_hanatec_1-sap-certified-technology-associate-sap-hana-10-g/

Exam-C_HANAIMP_1: https://training.sap.com/us/en/certification/c_hanaimp_1-sap-certified-application-associate-sap-hana-10-g/

E-Learning Pathway:
The following diagram shows the possible SAP HANA certification pathway via e-learning programs available from SAP.

Figure 2. SAP HANA Certification Path via e-learning

Hyperlinks:

Course-HA100R: https://training.sap.com/us/en/course/ha100r-sap-hana-introduction-e-learning-097-us-en/

Course-HA200R: https://training.sap.com/us/en/course/ha200r-sap-hana-administration-and-operations-e-learning-097-us-en/

Course-HA300R: https://training.sap.com/us/en/course/ha300r-sap-hana-implementation-and-modeling-e-learning-097-us-en/

Exam-C_HANATEC_1 (this is the same exam as above classroom exam, just repeating link again): https://training.sap.com/us/en/certification/c_hanatec_1-sap-certified-technology-associate-sap-hana-10-g/

Exam-C_HANAIMP_1 (this is the same exam as above classroom exam, just repeating link again): https://training.sap.com/us/en/certification/c_hanaimp_1-sap-certified-application-associate-sap-hana-10-g/

Training details

A complete list of all SAP trainings is available at: https://training.sap.com/us/en/search?query=hana.

The following trainings are available and recommended (as shared by one user here):

• OHA10 : It’s a self-paced training; all the material is provided online. Obviously some content overlaps with HA100 but extra and latest content is available. This is nice to have (and not a must have) training for passing the certification exam.

This is a self-paced e-learning option, costs $500.00

• TZH300: A remote classroom training, the course contents includes: how to do transformations using SLT, advanced modeling with HANA Studio, importing-exporting objects, join types, advanced SQL Scripts and CE functions etc.

This is a remote classroom training option, costs $1300.00

Completely self-motivated learning

One person completed the certification without trainings, but just reading the content and doing Hands-On practice. The list of relevant material is available here: http://scn.sap.com/community/hana-in-memory/blog/2012/08/27/my-experience-on-hana-certification

Resources (some content taken from this link):

1. A good repository of all SAP HANA relevant links is available at this link: http://scn.sap.com/community/developer-center/hana/blog/2012/11/30/the-ultimate-set-of-hana-related-links-from-sap.
2. A good collection of videos on practical demonstration of most common SAP HANA activities: http://www.saphana.com/community/resources/hana-academy
3. Go to http://www.saphana.com/community/solutions and play around. Go to the “Test Drives & Demos” section and spend some time playing with all the “test drives” available. Might not help for the exam but definitely gives an idea of how stuff works.
4. Some really useful videos: Hana Modeler (29 mins, gives very good overview of data modeling in HANA), Demo of Business Objects 4.0 tools
   consuming data from HANA (13 mins, if you are not used to Information Design Tool (IDT), its a good watch).
5. If you have access to an HANA system and some extra time, a lot of guides especially for reporting tools are available here: http://help.sap.com/hana_appliance.
6. You can also request access to an HANA system from SAP. All FAQs related to this access are here. 

Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Certification Paths

(Same blog posted first at: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/15266.microsoft-sql-server-2012-certification-paths.aspx )

Few months after the release of SQL Server 2012, Microsoft provided the pathway to gain label of an expert in SQL Server 2012. This is again a three-level certification-based career path, where you can give the exams to demonstrate your skills in designing, building, and maintaining the next wave of cloud-ready database and information solutions via SQL Server 2012.

A pictorial view of the entire pathway is given below:

Figure 1. SQL Server 2012 Certification Pathways

As a foundation, the Microsoft Certified Solution Associate (MCSA) certification can be achieved by giving following three exams:

70-461: Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012
70-462: Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Databases
70-463: Implementing a Data Warehouse with Microsoft SQL Server 2012

On the next level, there are two options for obtaining Microsoft Certified Solution Expert (MSCE) certification: Data Platform Solution Expert, and Business Intelligence Solution Expert.

The 'Data Platform' exams are:
70-464: Developing Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Databases
70-465: Designing Database Solutions for Microsoft SQL Server 2012

The Business Intelligence exams are:
70-466: Implementing Data Models and Reports with Microsoft SQL Server 2012
70-467: Designing Business Intelligence Solutions with Microsoft SQL Server 2012

The top level examinations for Microsoft Certified Solution Master (MCSM) has two exams, for which training courses and exams are not available yet.

88-986: MCSM: Data Platform Knowledge exam

88-987: MCSM: Data Platform Lab exam

Also, to upgrade from a Professional-level SQL Server 2008 certification to a Professional-level SQL Server 2012 certification, you must successfully pass three exams, rather than five. The details about the upgrade exams are also available at the respective exam links.

SAP HANA with more cloud options

Since my last blog post on SAP's innovation spree about SAP HANA and then SAP HANA on AWS, SAP continues to further expand its strong application service portfolio by joining hands with more cloud vendors. After launching its HANA cloud services on Amazon Web Services (AWS), SAP now provides SAP HANA One Developer edition on KT ucloud, CloudShare and Portugal Telecom’s SmartCloudPT. And these service providers seems to be providing the SAP HANA as a Service (sounds interesting !!) even at lower price marks than AWS.

The detailed list of provided services and charges are available here: http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-31722

But for a quick reference, a summary of cloud service offerings (taken from above mentioned link) are provided in below table:

Cloud Partner	Description	Instance Types	Price
Amazon Web Services	Amazon provides a secure, scalable, and highly elastic cloud infrastructure for running SAP HANA. With AWS there is no need to procure IT infrastructure weeks or months in advance, but it can be done within minutes. It can also be scaled based on workload or on-demand, and pay only for the resources used. There is no SAP charge for the SAP HANA One developer edition license, only AWS account usual charges apply. The AWS flexible and open platform supports a wide variety languages and operating systems so you can choose the development platform or programming model that best suits your needs. Utilize other AWS cloud infrastructure services as well as a host of other third-party development tools already available on AWS. AWS provides a massive global cloud infrastructure that allows you to quickly innovate, experiment and iterate.	2 vCPU's, 17.1GB RAM 154GB disk 4 vCPU's, 34.2GB RAM 154GB disk 8 vCPU's, 68.4GB RAM 154GB disk	starting from $0.55 / hour
CloudShare	Get SAP HANA One, developer edition in the cloud – with CloudShare. Flat $137 per month cost - no overages, no time limits Includes SAP HANA Server and pre-configured developer environment (24 GB RAM). No IT, no VPN are required	4 vCPU's, 22 GB, 150 GB disk Plus one remote desktop with Windows 7, 1 vCPU, 2 GB, 20 GB disk (HANA studio, client, additional tools)	$137 / month
SmartCloudPT	SAP HANA One, developer edition in SmartCloudPT provides simple and immediate access to a configured SAP HANA development environment, with community support from SAP, running on the enterprise-grade SmartCloudPT infrastructure. The service fee is prepaid using a credit card and can be renewed at the end of each month. Fixed monthly pricing for the service starts at 159€/month for a 16GB RAM cloud instance. Unlike other public clouds, pricing is fixed per month and fully inclusive, with no hidden costs or surcharges! All environments run on the latest, enterprise-grade infrastructure and come with 24/7 instance availability.	4 vCPU's, 16GB RAM, 200GB disk 6 vCPU's, 32GB RAM, 300GB disk	starting from €159 / month
KT ucloud biz	Take a personal SAP HANA One, developer edition on kt ucloud within 5 minutes Can be accessible all over the world, geographically very close to east and south east Asia On-demand provisioning of HANA VM instance to the maximum size of 16vcore/128G Both hourly and monthly payment can be available as requested 4VM-clustered HANA landscape as well as 1VM (16vcore/120G) on one physical host is now available	2 vCPU's, 16GB RAM, 90GB disk 4 vCPU's, 32GB RAM, 140GB disk 8 vCPU's, 64GB RAM, 230GB disk 16 vCPU's, 128GB RAM, 420GB disk 16 vCPU's, 120GB RAM, 420GB disk on dedicated server	starting from $0.286 / hour

 

Also,  very good comparison of pricing between SAP HANA appliance vs SAP HANA service on AWS cloud is made by Bill Ramos in his interesting blog post here.
This comparison is based on the fact that SAP HANA One Developer edition is provided FREE of charge by SAP for 1 month trial basis. So there are no charges for using SAP HANA on cloud, only the standard cloud usage charges applies.