SAP Aims to Become a Major Database Software Player
TAKE NOTE (Insights into the SAP solution and technology)
SAP AG says it intends to become a major provider of database software in a move that would heat up its long-running rivalry with Oracle Corp, led by Silicon Valley billionaire Larry Ellison.
SAP said it will disclose its plans at an April 10 news conference in downtown San Francisco, not far from Oracle’s headquarters in Redwood City, California.
“SAP will unveil its unified data management portfolio and demonstrate how we will become a leading database vendor,” the company said in a press advisory(Reuters).
SAP acquired Sybase, the world’s No. 4 maker of database software, in July 2010. Since the acquisition, SAP has focused on expanding Sybase’s line of mobility software. It has so far said little about its plans for integrating Sybase’s database technology with its other products.
In getting more aggressive in the database business, SAP will be taking on two of its closest sales partners – IBM Corp and Microsoft Corp.
Officials with IBM and Microsoft declined to comment on how SAP’s moves might affect their relationships with the German company, which was founded in 1972 by five ex-IBM employees.
Last year, the company launched a specialized database dubbed Hana that pulled in 160 million euros ($208 million) in sales in its first two quarters on the market, ahead of SAP’s target of 100 million euros.
SAP will also discuss its mobility strategy at the news conference.
Oracle Like IBM and Microsoft declined comment on the matter.
SAP and Oracle are in a bitter legal dispute over allegations a unit of SAP illegally downloaded millions of Oracle files.
A second trial is scheduled to begin in June after a judge threw out a jury decision that SAP should pay Oracle $1.3 billion.
* Move will heat up rivalry with Oracle Corp
* May also put SAP at odds with IBM, Microsoft
Stay Tuned…..
UNDER DEVELOPMENT (Information for ABAP Developers)
I have been traveling almost all of March and while I have not had the time this month to Blog on SAP, I did something even better. I attended and taught at the Virginia ASUG Chapter.If you have been following my latest Blog on the Enhancement Framework, you will be familiar with what I taught.
I find teaching not only rewarding because I feel I am bringing knowledge to the SAP community and giving back, but I have never spoke or taught at a conference where I myself did not learn something new or reinforce the knowledge I already posses.
Therefore, this month’s feature is on SELF DEVELOPMENT! You are whats under development.
Why is a conference like ASUG important to you and/or your career?
For starters, how about the presence SAP professionals like you provides a climate in which every minute away from the office and every training dollar spent will work hard for you and provide extraordinary return on investment. ASUG is dedicated to delivering customer-driven education, fostering expert insight exchange, and offering the chance to engage with SAP users and partners throughout the Americas. Professionals will gather for the same end result – making your life with SAP more efficient and allowing you to get the most out of your SAP investment.
What if you are an independent or run your own SAP Services business?
ASUG fosters endless opportunities for you to make year-round contacts in education sessions, on the show floor, and during the ASUG Networking and Welcome Reception.
If you want to join ASUG visit www.asug.com
If you would like a copy of my presentation, either visit our website itpfed.com or LIKE US on Facebook and get your copy there.
Bottom line — get out there and LEARN…You will be a better developer and a happier employee. Build the brand that matters…. “YOU, Inc”.
Q&A (Your Questions answered)
Q. I was in the debugger and came across a function module CONVERSION_EXIT_ABPSP_INPUT, what is this? What are conversion exits?
A. First you must have been debugging something related to a WBS element. But to answer your question…Conversion exits are the methods by which SAP uses to normalize the data held in the various tables. As a good example, have a look at material numbers.
If the material number contains all numeric characters (ie the characters 0-9), then SAP prepends leading zeroes onto the string so that 12345 becomes 000000000000012345.
The reason for this is so that the numbers are sorted correctly by the database. If for example you had the numbers 1,2,3,4,5, 10, 200, 1000 as material numbers and asked SAP to sort them by material number you would end up with the sequence: 1,10,1000, 2, 200, 3, 4 and 5. However by prepending zeroes to the material number to bring it to some standard length, then the material numbers will sort in the order that you think they should be.
This also explains why, when you search for a material number, even though the user says it’s ‘1234’ and you search the database for ‘1234’ you will not find it. Stick a bunch of zeroes on the front and you will find it!!
A conversion exit consists of two function modules…..
CONVERSION_EXIT_XXXXX_INPUT
CONVERSION_EXIT_XXXXX_OUTPUT
One function module converts incoming data into the representation that will be used internally. The second is a module that converts internally represented data to that which is displayable and user friendly.
Conversion exits are called automatically whenever a variable (whose domain has a conversion exit defined) is either input via a selection screen or output via a write statement.
If you have a technical question you’d like answered, post the question to our facebook page www.facebook.com/itpsapinc