Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse vs SAP BW4HANA comparison

Microsoft and SAP are both solutions in the Data Warehouse category. Microsoft is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.3, while SAP is ranked #9 with an average rating of 7.6. Microsoft holds a 0.9% mindshare in Data Warehouse, compared to SAP’s 4.6% mindshare. Additionally, 86% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 86% of SAP users who would recommend it.

Microsoft Parallel Data War...

Read 35 Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse reviews

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257 Comparison Views

86% willing to recommend

SAP BW4HANA

Read 42 SAP BW4HANA reviews

1,529 Views
1,054 Comparison Views

86% willing to recommend

Microsoft Parallel Data War...

SAP BW4HANA

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 18, 2024

Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse and SAP BW4HANA compete in the data warehousing category. Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse has an advantage in cost efficiency and ease of integration with SQL Server, while SAP BW4HANA leads in real-time analytics and integration with SAP products.

Features: Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse offers high performance, scalability, and cost efficiency with features like MPP processing, clustered column store indexes, and seamless integration with SQL Server. SAP BW4HANA is valued for its advanced data modeling, real-time analytics, and comprehensive predefined content, supporting a wide range of data sources.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse faces challenges with SQL Server compatibility and requires expertise in handling large datasets. It could improve integration with non-Microsoft systems. SAP BW4HANA struggles with high costs, complex migration processes, and issues integrating with non-SAP tools, necessitating a better user interface.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse provides varied deployment options, including cloud environments, with generally solid customer support. SAP BW4HANA primarily offers on-premises deployment, leading to higher complexity, and while support generally meets expectations, there are concerns about responsiveness.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse is cost-effective, particularly for large-scale deployments, with customizable pricing models and satisfactory ROI. SAP BW4HANA, while robust, comes with high costs, additional license fees, and negotiation challenges, impacting its value for investment.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse vs. SAP BW4HANA Report (Updated: January 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse vs. SAP BW4HANA

January 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Parallel Data War...

Ranking in Data Warehouse

10th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SAP BW4HANA

Ranking in Data Warehouse

9th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the Data Warehouse category, the mindshare of Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse is 0.9%, down from 1.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP BW4HANA is 4.6%, up from 4.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Data Warehouse

Featured Reviews

StevenLai

Sr. Data Engineer at Amrock

Strong scalable solution with streamlined metadata warehousing

We use it to build our data warehouse and databases, and everything in the back end It helps streamline our metadata warehousing process. As it is our only type of data warehouse and database, it serves as our source, destination, and staging area. This product has many features which are useful…

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Csaba Grünblatt

Senior Data, Data warehouse and BI/Analytics Architect at Techwave.

Performs all necessary data warehouse tasks and offers additional functionalities

SAP BW4HANA improved data reporting processes significantly. Performance on HANA database is good. Well-built data models ensure consistent and fast reporting. Reusable models enhance efficiency, even for SaaS services. In-memory computing, especially since HANA, has greatly improved performance in data analysis tasks. It eliminates the need for complex optimizations like creating indexes or aggregates. Queries that once took minutes now run in seconds, enabling real-time reporting, especially for SAP ECC on HANA. SAP BW4HANA's integration capabilities are streamlined with a simplified architecture and more virtual layers. You can directly load data into optimized layers, reducing the need for extra storage. The introduction of Open ODS Views allows for additional logic and master data inclusion, making integration faster and simpler. The learning curve for SAP BW4HANA is much faster now compared to ten years ago, thanks to abundant free resources like documentation, videos, blogs, and learning journeys provided by SAP. It is simpler to learn with these resources available compared to the past when you had to attend courses and rely on books. I would recommend SAP BW4HANA to users looking to implement it, especially if they want to keep their systems on-premise and already have SAP systems. Those with BW on HANA have two choices: BW4HANA or DataSphere, depending on their cloud strategy. If they are advanced in their cloud strategy and want to migrate off-premise, DataSphere is a good choice. However, for a robust solution on-premise or in a private cloud, BW4HANA is an excellent option. Overall, I would rate BW4HANA as a nine out of ten. It performs all necessary data warehouse tasks and offers additional functionalities. We use it traditionally, with complex transformations and models but with less emphasis on real-time processing and third-party sources.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It is a very stable database."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is performance."

"I am very satisfied with the customer service/technical support."

"The most valuable features are the performance and usability."

"We have complete control over our data."

"The most valuable feature for me is querying."

"Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse integrates beautifully with other Microsoft ecosystem products."

"I like Data Warehouse's data integrity features. Data integrity is what databases are made for as opposed to spreadsheets."

More Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse pros

"The product has efficient performance."

"It is a stable solution."

"I like the reporting features of the solution."

"Some of the main features of this solution are that it uses HANA and it has good performance."

"Provides a great analytics engine with all the capabilities."

"The processes are the most valuable aspect of this solution."

"The solution seamlessly integrates with SAP products."

"The solution is easier to maintain than traditional SAP products."

More SAP BW4HANA pros

Cons

"They need to incorporate a machine learning engine."

"If the database is large with a lot of columns then it is difficult to clean the data."

"It needs more compatibility with common BI tools."

"I would like the tool to support different operating systems."

"It could offer more development across the solution."

"It could be made more user-friendly for business users which would increase the user base."

"SQL installation is pretty tricky. The scalability and customer support also should be improved."

"We'd like to see it be a bit more compatible with other solutions."

More Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse cons

"The interface could be more user-friendly, as we often need to do low-level coding to get things done."

"From a technical perspective, it could be even more related to legacy systems. The connectivity requirement is quite high and requires systems that are up-to-date."

"I don't see SAP actively supporting the solution now...a better support from SAP would be appreciated."

"Connecting multiple sources is a challenge because you have to go through a lot of different setups."

"The UI is not user-friendly."

"There should be a direct pipeline from Azure to SAP."

"They have taken out a few BW functionalities when they redesigned this. The way of multi-dimensional thinking and star schema got a little bit lost. It may be because of the cost, but certain functionalities that were previously implemented from the BW side should come back again in the whole product. It is a young product. It is version 2.0. In time, I'm pretty sure they will come back again because otherwise, it limits the potential of the product, and I have to do a lot of modeling towards that direction. For me, the analytics focus is too much. It is not cube-oriented in that way, so its functionality is limited. It is not really technically limited in the back end; it is more limited in the front end. It has a data-mining mindset for SQL developers. The navigational attributes should be easy. It needs to be built in models. I see the data mark cube or understanding that the composite provider needs to be models in a cube coming back. The multi-dimensional star schema approach and the reporting need to be done as well as possible to leverage the star scheme below. This is definitely not understood by many consultants and even composite providers for star schema. They always think in terms of flat tables, which is limiting. You need to build the right dimensions, objects, and so on. If you can build this in BW4HANA, then you have this understanding that BW4HANA is not forcing you in this direction, but it should force you a bit better in this direction. Maybe a few elements which were in use in BW should come back again. It would help the community to determine the direction to build on the cube. You can have maybe 50 elements, and then you can expand it to what you need by leveraging navigation. So far, this functionality is a little bit limited in the tool, and it is not thought through, but I think it will come. They should also be adding more capabilities for the transformation between different objects. In BW, this is currently limited, especially towards composite providers. It is a bit complex basically in the building. You have to have a lot of knowledge as well as know how to do it better because it is a bit different from BW. There is not too much expertise currently in the consulting markets. Many are trying to build something, but it may be based on their knowledge of what they have from the BW and HANA side. You have to find the right mix from both of them at this time. We also have HANA Native. These are our two different sync sources basically, and we have approaches to connect nicely, but it is hard to manage your team because a lot of coaching is required."

"Price wise, this solution is on the higher side."

More SAP BW4HANA cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I think the program is well-priced compared to the other offerings that are out in the market."

"The solution is cost-effective."

"All the features that we use do not require any additional subscription or yearly fees."

"The solution's pricing is fairly decent for organizations with huge data sizes."

"They offer an annual subscription. The pricing depends on the size of the environments."

"Technical support is an additional fee and is expensive."

"Microsoft has an agreement with the government in our country, so our customers get their licensing costs from the Ministry. Whenever we work with any government, company, or government institute, which is mainly what we are doing, that license comes directly from the Ministry of Technology and Information."

"The tool could be expensive if we need to manage a lot of data."

"In general, it's quite expensive."

"Price wise, this solution is on the higher side."

"SAP BW/4HANA is expensive."

"We have a broad licensing arrangement, which is expensive but worth it for sizeable businesses."

"The product is free if we have the ECC license."

"The cost of ownership is higher. It's resource-intensive, and naturally, that increases costs."

"This is an expensive solution and there are costs in addition to the standard licensing fees."

"For the on-premises version of the product, the solution offers a perpetual-based licensing model to its users. In general, SAP offers a monthly subscription-based licensing model to its users."

More SAP BW4HANA pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

29%

Financial Services Firm

19%

Insurance Company

Government

Manufacturing Company

19%

Computer Software Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Energy/Utilities Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse?

Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse provides good firewall processing in terms of response time.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse?

I am not very sure about the pricing or licensing.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse?

When there are many users or many expensive queries, it can be very slow.

See all answers

What do you like most about SAP BW4HANA?

One significant advantage of SAP BW/4HANA is the direct integration with the SAP HANA database, providing seamless access to real-time analytics. Additionally, it enables real-time data integrati...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SAP BW4HANA?

We have a broad licensing arrangement, which is expensive but worth it for sizeable businesses.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SAP BW4HANA?

The interface could be more user-friendly, as we often need to do low-level coding to get things done.

See all answers

Comparisons

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics vs Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse

Compared 59% of the time

Teradata vs Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse

Compared 41% of the time

More Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse Competitors

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics vs SAP BW4HANA

Compared 31% of the time

Snowflake vs SAP BW4HANA

Compared 28% of the time

SAP HANA vs SAP BW4HANA

Compared 10% of the time

Amazon Redshift vs SAP BW4HANA

Compared 10% of the time

SQL Server vs SAP BW4HANA

Compared 7% of the time

More SAP BW4HANA Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse

January 2025

Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse report

Download Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse product report

Buyer's Guide

SAP BW4HANA

December 2024

Download SAP BW4HANA product report

Also Known As

Microsoft PDW, SQL Server Data Warehouse, Microsoft SQL Server Parallel Data Warehouse, MS Parallel Data Warehouse

SAP BW/4HANA

Learn More

Microsoft

SAP

Overview

The traditional structured relational data warehouse was never designed to handle the volume of exponential data growth, the variety of semi-structured and unstructured data types, or the velocity of real time data processing. Microsoft's SQL Server data warehouse solution integrates your traditional data warehouse with non-relational data and it can handle data of all sizes and types, with real-time performance.

SAP BW4HANA is a data warehouse solution developed by SAP for businesses looking to analyze big data in real time. It is designed to run on the SAP HANA database, offering improved performance and optimized processing of large data sets. SAP BW/4HANA provides an array of advanced analytics capabilities, including predictive analytics, text analytics, and spatial data processing. It also offers a modern, intuitive user interface and streamlined data modeling and administration tools, making it easier for businesses to access, manage, and utilize their data.

SAP BW4HANA Features

SAP BW4HANA has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

In-memory data processing: The solution runs on the SAP HANA database, providing fast and efficient data processing.

Advanced analytics: SAP BW4HANA includes capabilities for predictive analytics, text analytics, and spatial data processing.

Data modeling and administration: The solution provides streamlined data modeling and administration tools for efficient data management.

Modern user interface: SAP BW4HAN is designed with a modern, intuitive user interface for easier data access and analysis.

Data warehousing optimization: The solution is optimized for big data warehousing, offering improved performance and scalability.

Integration with SAP ecosystem: SAP BW4HAN integrates with the SAP ecosystem, including SAP S/4HANA and SAP Cloud Platform, for seamless data exchange.

Real-time data processing: It supports real-time data processing and analysis, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions.

Data governance and security: With its robust data governance and security features, SAP BW4HAN can be used for secure data management and compliance.

Automated data loading: SAP BW4HAN supports automated data loading from various sources, including SAP and non-SAP systems.

Advanced data visualization: With its advanced data visualization capabilities, users can generate better data insights and make more informed business decisions.

SAP BW4HANA Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing SAP BW4HANA. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

Improved data processing speed: Running on the SAP HANA database, SAP BW/4HANA provides fast and efficient data processing, resulting in improved performance and reduced downtime.

Streamlined data management: The solution's streamlined data modeling and administration tools make it easier for organizations to manage their data, improving overall efficiency and reducing the risk of errors.

Improved data governance: SAP BW/4HANA includes robust data governance and security features, helping organizations meet regulatory requirements and protect sensitive data.

Cost savings: By optimizing data warehousing processes, SAP BW/4HANA helps organizations reduce costs and improve their bottom line.

Reviews from Real Users

SAP BW4HANA is a solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Some of its major advantages are its hierarchical alert slicing, real-time insights, and its ability to transform large amounts of data.

PeerSpot reviewer, Srivatsav A., SAP BW/4HANA Specialist at a government, is very happy with the solution. He explains, "You can do hierarchical alert slicing and dicing out-of-box, which is not available in other solutions. I haven't come across that in Oracle or any other software provider."

“It has got wonderful features in terms of analyzing your production data, and it gives you real-time insight into productive maintenance. You can plan your budget, and you can map them against actuals. It gives you good insights on overall performance and processes,” says Amrit J., ERP Application Manager at an energy/utilities company.

In addition, a Technology Analyst at a tech services company mentions, "The most valuable feature is that we can transform a huge amount of data and apply business logic as per the requirements."

Sample Customers

Auckland Transport, Erste Bank Group, Urban Software Institute, NJVC, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, Tata Steel Europe

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Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse vs. SAP BW4HANA

January 2025

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