The SAP HANA database department has a long history of research to support a variety of aspects of its product. Research interests comprise relational and non-relational databases, in-memory column-store databases, and distributed databases, as well as extensions of databases for statistics and business applications.
The SAP HANA database department established its own student campus to satisfy the demand of research in high technology. The group is in close contact with well-known universities, both locally and worldwide, and is deeply integrated with the worldwide SAP HANA Database development groups. Our research reflect all areas of a database development.
Our main activities are:
- invention of new technologies, including prototype implementation and analysis
- consulting of developers and architects (patents, publications/papers, literature research, competitive analysis, research and trend analysis)
- representation of the SAP HANA Database group on conferences, workshops and scientific journals by publishing academic content
- recruiting of students
- preparation of students for their start in a career in the SAP HANA Database development teams
- academic guidance of students (theses, patents, publications/papers, internships)
Based on our excellent contacts to the academic world, we ensure a highest quality of research (like usually in universities only). We do have the freedom to follow new paths to experiment with unconventional ideas, which is unusual in industrial research. At the same time, based on our deep integration into the SAP HANA Database development teams, we do practical work. (like usually in companies only). All projects are targeted to be integrated in the SAP HANA Database code line after acceptance. To ensure both, rapid insights and integration, projects are first implemented as prototype and later productized by the development team with our assistance.
Our research is done in intensive collaboration with many universities, namely with HPI from Universität Potsdam, TU Dresden, Universität Heidelberg, TU Ilmenau, Kalrsruhe Institute of Technology, EPF Lausanne, Universtität Mannheim, TU München, and ETH Zürich. Only to name some. Part of this collaboration is a group of PhD students from these institutions working inside the SAP HANA Database development team in Walldorf, Germany.
You can find more about our work here:
If you are a researcher or student and want to work with us, please contact us at students-hana@sap.com.