To address this challenge, I am excited to announce the release of a new SAP EarlyWatch Alert (EWA) check designed to specifically monitor and provide best practices for partitioning tables. This new check helps identify up to five of the most critical tables in your system that are (rapidly) approaching their capacity limit and offers recommendations for partitioning.

Key Features of the Partitioning Check

The SAP EarlyWatch Alert chapter, titled “Rapidly Growing Tables need to be partitioned,” is built with a proactive approach to safeguard your system’s performance. It focuses on tables identified by the SAP EarlyWatch Alert 2 Billion App, which predicts when a table is likely to reach its maximum capacity based on current growth patterns (for more details, see this blog). The partitioning recommendations used are mainly based on the SAP HANA Partitioning note 2044468.

This EWA Check helps by:

Identifying the top 5 most critical tables: The check analyzes tables flagged by the 2 Billion App as likely to reach the 2 billion row limit and evaluates the worst-case scenario (worst-case date) for when the table will run out of space.Providing SAP best practices for partitioning: For each critical table, the check lists recommended partitioning techniques based on SAP’s best practices, helping you implement the most effective strategy for continued use and system performance optimization.

The new SAP EWA chapter can be found in the SAP EWA report in section “SAP HANA Database – Size and Growth – SAP HANA COLUMN STORE – Rapidly Growing Tables need to be partitioned“.

However, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind:

The check is limited to up to 5 tables: Only the most critical tables are included, based on their potential to reach the technical limit soon.SAP Best Practices must exist for partitioning: Partitioning recommendations are only provided for tables for which SAP has established best practices. If no such recommendations exist, the table will not appear in this EWA chapter, even if it is critical.Check targets only non-partitioned tables: The focus is on tables that have not yet been partitioned but are rapidly growing and at risk of hitting the technical limit soon.

For tables that are critical but lack partitioning recommendations, you can still monitor their status in the SAP EarlyWatch Alert report under the chapter “SAP HANA Database – Size and Growth – SAP HANA COLUMN STORE – Largest Non-partitioned Column Tables (Records)“. This provides valuable visibility into tables that may need alternative solutions or future partitioning options. Additionally, you could also use the 2 Billion App in the SAP EWA Workspace to monitor the (rapidly) growing tables in your system(s) (for more details, see this blog).

The new check also categorizes the urgency of the alert using a color-coded system based on how soon the worst-case date is expected to occur:

Red Alert: If the worst-case date for at least one table is within the next two weeks, the SAP EWA report will generate a decisive red alert, indicating that immediate action is necessary.

Yellow Alert: If the worst-case date falls between two weeks and three months, a yellow alert is generated, advising that partitioning should be planned and executed soon.

Green Alert: If the table’s worst-case date is more than three months away, a green alert is triggered, signalling that there is time to monitor and prepare a partitioning strategy, but the risk is still present.

This tiered approach enables you to focus on the most urgent issues while planning for tables that may become problematic later. Below is an example of how this check would appear in your SAP EarlyWatch Alert report:

You can also use the SAP EarlyWatch Alert Solution Finder to search for (critical) alerts regarding partitioning by entering the text “partitioning” or “rapidly growing tables” in the Enter Search Term field. In this way, you can get an overview for your SAP system landscape and can also directly jump into the corresponding chapter in the SAP EWA report of the affected system (for more details, see this blog).

Why Partitioning is Essential for Rapidly Growing Tables

SAP HANA databases are designed to handle vast amounts of data, but even they have limitations. The 2 billion row limit in tables can be a critical threshold, especially for organizations experiencing rapid data growth. When a table hits this limit, it leads to dumps, which could result in business interruptions/downtime.

Partitioning allows you to split large tables into smaller, more manageable pieces (partitions), which optimizes data retrieval and storage. This method helps prevent tables from reaching their capacity, supports continuous system operations, and enhances overall database performance. But also, other Data Volume Management techniques such as deleting or archiving data can prevent tables from reaching the 2 billion limitation.

Without partitioning, systems are at risk of downtime as they hit the technical limit. This downtime can have a significant impact on businesses, potentially causing service interruptions, delayed transactions, and even lost revenue. By adopting partitioning techniques early, based on the proactive insights provided by the SAP EarlyWatch Alert Check, you can avoid these costly outcomes.

Stay Ahead with SAP EarlyWatch Alert

The “Rapidly Growing Tables need to be partitioned” chapter provides essential information for any organization looking to maintain optimal SAP HANA performance and avoid critical failures. By monitoring your most vulnerable tables and offering an overview about existing partitioning best practices, this check empowers you to take pre-emptive action, protecting your system from unexpected downtime.

I encourage you to regularly review your SAP EarlyWatch Alert report to stay informed about your system’s health. If you haven’t yet, now is the perfect time to look at this new SAP EWA chapter and make sure you’re on top of any tables that are growing too quickly. The insights and best practices provided can be invaluable in ensuring smooth, uninterrupted system performance. Additionally, turning on notifications for the 2 Billion App can be highly beneficial to detect any growing table, regardless of whether partitioning recommendations are available (for more details, see this blog).

Be proactive – read your SAP EarlyWatch Alert report today and on a regular basis to be able to safeguard your system with effective table partitioning strategies.

In today’s data-driven world, SAP systems continuously process large amounts of data, with some tables growing at a very rapid pace. These rapidly growing tables can pose significant risks if not properly managed, as they may soon hit their technical limits, particularly the 2 billion row threshold in SAP HANA (for more details, see SAP Note 2154870). When a table reaches its capacity, it can result in costly downtime and disruptions to critical business operations. This is where the partitioning of tables becomes a vital technique. Partitioning not only helps in maintaining the performance of large tables but also mitigates the risk of these tables reaching their technical limits, enabling continuous data growth without compromising system stability.To address this challenge, I am excited to announce the release of a new SAP EarlyWatch Alert (EWA) check designed to specifically monitor and provide best practices for partitioning tables. This new check helps identify up to five of the most critical tables in your system that are (rapidly) approaching their capacity limit and offers recommendations for partitioning. Key Features of the Partitioning CheckThe SAP EarlyWatch Alert chapter, titled “Rapidly Growing Tables need to be partitioned,” is built with a proactive approach to safeguard your system’s performance. It focuses on tables identified by the SAP EarlyWatch Alert 2 Billion App, which predicts when a table is likely to reach its maximum capacity based on current growth patterns (for more details, see this blog). The partitioning recommendations used are mainly based on the SAP HANA Partitioning note 2044468.This EWA Check helps by:Identifying the top 5 most critical tables: The check analyzes tables flagged by the 2 Billion App as likely to reach the 2 billion row limit and evaluates the worst-case scenario (worst-case date) for when the table will run out of space.Providing SAP best practices for partitioning: For each critical table, the check lists recommended partitioning techniques based on SAP’s best practices, helping you implement the most effective strategy for continued use and system performance optimization.The new SAP EWA chapter can be found in the SAP EWA report in section “SAP HANA Database – Size and Growth – SAP HANA COLUMN STORE – Rapidly Growing Tables need to be partitioned”.However, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind:The check is limited to up to 5 tables: Only the most critical tables are included, based on their potential to reach the technical limit soon.SAP Best Practices must exist for partitioning: Partitioning recommendations are only provided for tables for which SAP has established best practices. If no such recommendations exist, the table will not appear in this EWA chapter, even if it is critical.Check targets only non-partitioned tables: The focus is on tables that have not yet been partitioned but are rapidly growing and at risk of hitting the technical limit soon.For tables that are critical but lack partitioning recommendations, you can still monitor their status in the SAP EarlyWatch Alert report under the chapter “SAP HANA Database – Size and Growth – SAP HANA COLUMN STORE – Largest Non-partitioned Column Tables (Records)”. This provides valuable visibility into tables that may need alternative solutions or future partitioning options. Additionally, you could also use the 2 Billion App in the SAP EWA Workspace to monitor the (rapidly) growing tables in your system(s) (for more details, see this blog).The new check also categorizes the urgency of the alert using a color-coded system based on how soon the worst-case date is expected to occur:Red Alert: If the worst-case date for at least one table is within the next two weeks, the SAP EWA report will generate a decisive red alert, indicating that immediate action is necessary.Yellow Alert: If the worst-case date falls between two weeks and three months, a yellow alert is generated, advising that partitioning should be planned and executed soon.Green Alert: If the table’s worst-case date is more than three months away, a green alert is triggered, signalling that there is time to monitor and prepare a partitioning strategy, but the risk is still present.This tiered approach enables you to focus on the most urgent issues while planning for tables that may become problematic later. Below is an example of how this check would appear in your SAP EarlyWatch Alert report:You can also use the SAP EarlyWatch Alert Solution Finder to search for (critical) alerts regarding partitioning by entering the text “partitioning” or “rapidly growing tables” in the Enter Search Term field. In this way, you can get an overview for your SAP system landscape and can also directly jump into the corresponding chapter in the SAP EWA report of the affected system (for more details, see this blog). Why Partitioning is Essential for Rapidly Growing TablesSAP HANA databases are designed to handle vast amounts of data, but even they have limitations. The 2 billion row limit in tables can be a critical threshold, especially for organizations experiencing rapid data growth. When a table hits this limit, it leads to dumps, which could result in business interruptions/downtime.Partitioning allows you to split large tables into smaller, more manageable pieces (partitions), which optimizes data retrieval and storage. This method helps prevent tables from reaching their capacity, supports continuous system operations, and enhances overall database performance. But also, other Data Volume Management techniques such as deleting or archiving data can prevent tables from reaching the 2 billion limitation.Without partitioning, systems are at risk of downtime as they hit the technical limit. This downtime can have a significant impact on businesses, potentially causing service interruptions, delayed transactions, and even lost revenue. By adopting partitioning techniques early, based on the proactive insights provided by the SAP EarlyWatch Alert Check, you can avoid these costly outcomes. Stay Ahead with SAP EarlyWatch AlertThe “Rapidly Growing Tables need to be partitioned” chapter provides essential information for any organization looking to maintain optimal SAP HANA performance and avoid critical failures. By monitoring your most vulnerable tables and offering an overview about existing partitioning best practices, this check empowers you to take pre-emptive action, protecting your system from unexpected downtime.I encourage you to regularly review your SAP EarlyWatch Alert report to stay informed about your system’s health. If you haven’t yet, now is the perfect time to look at this new SAP EWA chapter and make sure you’re on top of any tables that are growing too quickly. The insights and best practices provided can be invaluable in ensuring smooth, uninterrupted system performance. Additionally, turning on notifications for the 2 Billion App can be highly beneficial to detect any growing table, regardless of whether partitioning recommendations are available (for more details, see this blog).Be proactive – read your SAP EarlyWatch Alert report today and on a regular basis to be able to safeguard your system with effective table partitioning strategies. Read More Technology Blogs by SAP articles

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