Global management software provider, SAP view their high-performance analytic appliance or HANA as their game changer that would help them leapfrog the database market. Listening to their customers’ concerns over keywords like real-time, predictive analytics, big data, cloud, mobility and so on, SAP embarked on initiatives around real-time data platform which helped over 400 customers.
SAP VP of technology and data base in Southeast Asia, Suraj Pai said, “With this platform we helped over 400 customers in a short time to uncover business possibilities that were cost-prohibitive, and have gained competitive advantage in the market.
“We expect businesses around retail, healthcare, utilities, hi-tech, logistics, amongst others to benefit tremendously from this in this year. Real time predictive analytics, smart metering, genome analysis, loyalty management, sales forecasting, trade promotion, profitability analysis are examples of use cases customers are benefiting from the deployment of SAP HANA. “
In short, SAP believes that it helps their customers create their unified data strategy while protecting and extending their existing investments.
Suraj explained that in 2011, SAP decided to double their addressable market. In addition to focusing on SAP’s core areas – suite, middleware (via SAP NetWeaver), and analytics (via SAP BusinessObjects solutions), the German-based company also entered into three new areas – database, mobile, and cloud.
Suraj said, “With the Sybase acquisition last year, we bought assets in all of the three new areas. While database is the core business of Sybase, we also bought key assets for mobility (Afaria and Sybase Unwired Platform) and the cloud (Sybase 365). Sybase 365 reaches more than three billion subscribers and hundreds of billions of messages are exchanged on Sybase 365 platform.”
SAP has been very busy this year as well, having articulated the five markets they want to compete in namely applications, analytics, mobile, cloud and technology & database.
According to the VP, with the Sybase acquisition, they now have its capabilities and together with SAP’s in-memory technology; HANA; they now have the ability to be a leader in the database market.
He stated, “SAP HANA will be a key enabling technology for our solutions in all five markets,” and also added, “In Southeast Asia in particular, we see markets like Indonesia as strong, Singapore is strong, Malaysia is strong and clearly the emerging markets are also coming up, like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Vietnam in the next wave of growth in the next five years.”
Suraj observed, “Ability to ingest, store, process and present Big Data in real-time is what customers are looking for.Quite a few companies are yet grappling with the huge influx of structured, unstructured and semi-structured data (in various spheres of volume, velocity and variety) and make meaningful analysis to benefit their business.
Customers are in various states of addressing this problem which is expected to accentuate with greater velocity in the next two years. SAP
has the right technology tool sets to provide end-to-end integrated solution: data service, BI, mobile, and in-memory computation.”
He reiterated SAP is helping customers address the full cycle with their complete real-time database platform, services to implement and educate.
“SAP has shown 16 quarters of consistent growth in the Asia Pacific region. The voice of the customer is strong on innovation and collaboration,” Suraj concluded.
