SAP HANA vs Snowflake: What are the differences?

Introduction

SAP HANA and Snowflake are both popular data warehousing solutions that offer various features and capabilities. However, there are key differences between these two platforms.

1. Scalability: SAP HANA is a columnar, in-memory database that is highly scalable and can handle a large volume of data. It allows for vertical scalability by adding more resources to a single server. On the other hand, Snowflake is a cloud data platform that provides virtually unlimited scalability through a separation of compute and storage. This allows for horizontal scalability by adding or removing compute resources as needed.

2. Architecture: SAP HANA is an on-premises or private cloud solution that requires hardware and infrastructure setup. It integrates databases, data processing, and application platforms into a single system. In contrast, Snowflake is a fully managed cloud service that eliminates the need for setting up and managing infrastructure. It is built on a multi-cluster, shared data architecture that separates storage and compute layers.

3. Concurrency: SAP HANA allows for high concurrency and supports parallel processing, enabling multiple users to access and work with the data simultaneously. It utilizes multi-core parallel processing and in-memory computing to achieve high performance. Snowflake, on the other hand, has a completely different approach to concurrency. It uses micro-partitioning and automatic query optimization to achieve concurrent, high-performance data access. Snowflake's unique architecture allows for seamless scalability and optimization of query execution.

4. Data Sharing: SAP HANA offers data sharing capabilities within its own ecosystem, allowing users to share data between different SAP HANA instances or environments. This enables collaboration and easy access to shared data. In contrast, Snowflake is designed for sharing data seamlessly across multiple organizations and ecosystems. It provides a secure and controlled way to share data with external parties using secure data sharing.

5. Pricing Model: SAP HANA follows a traditional licensing model where users have to pay for licenses based on the number of users or cores. Additional costs may be incurred for hardware and infrastructure setup. On the other hand, Snowflake follows a consumption-based pricing model, where users pay for the amount of data processed and the resources utilized. This allows for cost optimization and flexibility in usage.

6. Data Governance: SAP HANA provides robust data governance capabilities, including data classification, data lineage, and access control. It allows for fine-grained access control and auditing of data. Snowflake also provides comprehensive data governance features, including access controls, encryption, and auditing. It enables organizations to enforce data security and compliance requirements effectively.

In summary, SAP HANA is an in-memory, scalable database system that requires infrastructure setup and provides data sharing within its ecosystem. Snowflake is a fully managed, cloud-based data platform that offers virtually unlimited scalability, automatic query optimization, and seamless data sharing across ecosystems. The two platforms differ in terms of architecture, scalability, concurrency, pricing model, and data governance capabilities.