Sizing for Hana 2.0 Machine Learning Implementation

[#1]

We are currently on Hana 2.0 SP05 and planning to implement the Hana Machine Learning Algorithms (specifically PAL).

What guidelines are available for sizing the capacity for the SAP Hana PAL implementation?

[dvankempen]

Hi Shankar,

SAP HANA Cloud requires an additional vCPU (3 instead of 2) for running the scriptserver process (but so does the document store). Application Function Libraries (AFL) of which the Predictive Analysis Library (PAL) is part is a database implementation for machine learning (statistical analysis). PAL does not require GPUs. Usual sizing recommendations apply

• https://help.sap.com/products/SAP_HANA_PLATFORM/eb3777d5495d46c5b2fa773206bbfb46/d4a122a7bb57101493e...
• https://blogs.sap.com/2020/08/26/sap-hana-sizing-essentials-a-quick-guide-to-hana-sizing-for-license...
  

To my knowledge there is no sizing document specific to PAL but let me ask around a bit

[former_member767298]

Thank you for your response and for checking further if any sizing guideline is available specific to PAL.

• Is Script server process mandatory to use the PAL Algorithms OR is it required only for specific scenarios?
• Does the Script Server just an additional service to be setup on the existing Hana Server Nodes OR does it need to be setup in a separate server?

[dvankempen]

Hi Shankar,

One step back: we interact with relational database management systems (RDBMS) using SQL (Standard/Structured Question/Response Language). Often, processing logic is required (IF ... THEN ... ELSE). For this each RDBMS adds its own procedural language: SQLScript for SAP HANA, T-SQL for Microsoft SQL Server, PL/SQL for Oracle etc.

Sometimes, processing requires too much resources (i.e. either you have to wait a long time or you will have to spend a lot of money for the request). For those scenarios, some RDBMS make it possible to execute compiled code (C/C++). Side effect, a minor bug can crash the database kernel. Production down. For this reason, external procedures are executed in a separate process. In case of SAP HANA, we call these Application Function Libraries (AFL). PAL is a subset of AFL.

To answer your question:

• Is the script server process mandatory? Yes (per above)
• or is it required for specific scenarios? It is required when you execute AFLs (like PAL).
• Is the script server an additional service? Yes
• or does it need to be setup in a separate server? The scriptserver is added to the tenant that requires it.

As documented

• Add or Remove Services in a Tenant Database

See also

• SAP HANA Machine Learning Overview | SAP HANA Platform

For a gentle introduction into the topic of SAP HANA architecture, see

• SAP HANA 2.0 An Introduction