Best practices for migrating data from SAP HANA to Snowflake - Ideas2IT (2023)

Data migration is the process of moving data from one source to another. In most cases, this data will be moved from SAP HANA to Snowflake. Because? Because both systems offer great advantages that you could mention.

For example, migrating data from SAP HANA to Snowflake can help you improve performance, optimize your data warehouse, and access more data faster. To help you get started with data migration, this blog provides a step-by-step guide that covers all the essential details.

Whether you're moving data from SAP HANA to Snowflake for business reasons or just want to make your data warehouse more efficient, keep reading!

What are the benefits of migrating to SAP HANA?

Migrating data from SAP HANA to Snowflake can be a great way to improve the performance and scalability of your organization. You not only achieve greater security and compliance, but also higher performance and lower data storage costs. Additionally, the migration process is typically seamless and requires no downtime or service interruptions.

SAP HANA Data Migration to Snowflake: A Step-by-Step Guide

Data migration from SAP HANA to Snowflake is an important step in transforming your business. In this guide, we walk you through every step of the data migration process, from planning to execution. Be sure to follow our best practices to ensure a smooth migration and successful Snowflake deployment.

Why move data from SAP to Snowflake?

Data migration from SAP HANA to Snowflake is a critical step in achieving business agility. The cloud-based platform ensures that your data is available when you need it most, while the integrated data migration tool makes the process easy and efficient. You can migrate your data gradually, reducing the risk of errors along the way.

Step 1: Analyze: What does it take to get to Snowflake?

Moving data from SAP HANA to Snowflake is a complex process that requires careful planning and execution. To ensure a smooth migration, start by evaluating what needs to be transferred and creating a plan for the migration. Use Snowflake's powerful migration toolkit to speed up the process and make the transfer as easy as possible. Be sure to discuss what data needs to be transferred before beginning the migration process. There are a variety of tasks that need to be completed, such as: B. Data cleansing and depersonalization.

Step 2: Low-level design/execution plan

A data migration from SAP HANA to Snowflake is a big task and it is important to plan for the best possible outcome. This is where a low-level design/execution plan comes in handy. It should include a detailed description of the tables and columns to be moved and the expected performance impact. In addition, the plan should include a schedule for the migration and a list of all user transactions that need to be captured and processed in advance. Last but not least, always test the migrated data before completing the transfer! In this way, you can ensure a smooth and successful data migration from SAP HANA to Snowflake.

Step 3: Set up Hana and Snowflake accounts

The data migration process is finally done! Now is the time to put everything into action. The first step is to follow the instructions to create a Snowflake account. After that, you need to connect your HANA database to Snowflake. Make sure all your deployment configurations are up to date to match those of your old system. Once everything is set up, the data migration can begin!

Step 4: Create an SAP data extractor

It's important to note that data migration is a time-consuming process, so make sure you have the right tools and expertise. To make the process even easier, consider using a data extraction tool. This allows you to easily and efficiently transfer all the data you need from SAP HANA to Snowflake. The final step in data migration is to create an SAP data extractor. In this way, you can easily access and analyze the migrated data.

Step 5 – Create Snowflake Tables

In this last step of the data migration process, we need to create a migration script for the Snowflake tables. Make sure you have a plan for how to structure your tables once they're in Snowflake, and be aware of any dependencies between them. Also, make sure you're using an ETL process that exports and imports the data in its most consumable form.

Step 6: Upload to Snowflake

In Step 6: Loading data into Snowflake. Before you begin, it is important to back up your SAP HANA database. Next, create a staging area in Snowflake for your data. Once you've exported your data, add it to your new stream in Snowflake. Make any necessary adjustments and then export the data to Snowflake. Finally, load the data into the staging area and make sure it works as expected. If everything goes according to plan, you can move on to the next phase: integrating the data into your business applications!

Step 7: Do it according to plan

You no longer have to worry about data migration. With Snowflake, it's easy and simple. In this final step, make sure everything goes according to plan. Avoid last minute surprises and make sure you have all the necessary tools and resources ready before you start. For the migration process, please follow our detailed steps and create a migration schedule to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible. Make sure you have all the data you need before you start – data migration can take a long time, so make sure you're prepared!

Step 8: Optimizations

Then identify and remove duplicate tables, optimize union queries, and more. This minimizes the data to be moved and improves overall performance. Ultimately, one of the best practices for data migration from SAP HANA to Snowflake is to perform optimizations. This helps you optimize the data warehouse tables for faster data retrieval and reduce the load on the data warehouse.

Can I use a tool?

Migration is never easy, but with the right tool, it can be made much easier. When it comes to data migration, there are many different tools available, so it's important to choose the right one for your needs. Make sure you have a good understanding of the tool before you start, as well as a timeline and plan for how long the migration will take.

What should be included in a data migration plan from SAP HANA to Snowflake?

When planning a data migration from SAP HANA to Snowflake, it's important to first determine what data is required. Once this data has been identified, it can be evaluated in terms of its impact on users and businesses. Lastly, governance and security measures must be implemented during the migration process to ensure a successful outcome.

Should I use an external consultant for my data migration project?

Yes, it may be helpful to hire an outside consultant to help you with your data migration project. There are many different tools and methods for data migration, so it is important to choose the one that best suits your needs. An experienced data migration consultant can guide you through all migration steps, from planning to execution. This can save you a lot of time and energy and make the process smoother and more efficient.

What are common issues when migrating data from SAP HANA to Snowflake?

There are a few important things to keep in mind when migrating data from SAP HANA to Snowflake. One of the most common problems encountered during data migration is data corruption. To reduce the risk of data corruption, it is important to follow established best practices for database development and implementation. This means making sure that all data is entered correctly in both tables and fields, uses the correct data type, and undergoes trial and error testing before proceeding with the migration.

Another problem that can arise during data migration is incompatibility issues between software modules. For example, if a table in SAP HANA is linked to a table or view in Snowflake, there may be issues migrating the data. These issues can include errors caused by differences in the formats of the two databases, and incompatibility issues between software modules. To minimize the risk of data migration issues, it is important to pay close attention to these three tips:

1. Make sure all data is entered correctly in both tables and fields - use the correct data type
2. Perform trial and error testing before beginning the data migration and try different methods to see if there are compatibility issues.
3. Look for links between tables and views if there are links

How can I minimize the impact of data migration on my business?

There are several important steps you can take to minimize the impact of data migration on your business. First, carefully plan your data migration process to avoid potential disruption to your business operations. Be sure to use coordinated tools and processes throughout the data migration process to minimize disruption and ensure a smooth transition for everyone involved.

Also, identify and account for any dependencies between your SAP HANA and Snowflake data sets to avoid unexpected issues during the migration process. Continuously monitor migrated data against expected results, as well as updated KPIs or other performance indicators to ensure successful project completion.

Diploma

By following the step-by-step guide outlined in this blog, you can ensure a successful data migration from SAP HANA to Snowflake. By analyzing your data needs and designing a low-level execution plan, you can load your data into Snowflake on schedule. A data migration can be quite challenging, especially for a company that has never had to go through such a migration before. At Ideas2IT we take care of data migrations between a variety of different data storage structures. Our technicians are certified in Snowflake Data Warehouse Management and are here for you.Contact Usfor a consultation to see what Ideas2IT can do for you.