NLS Writer User Guide

 

NLS Data

The purpose of this document is to explain to the end user the process of installing, using and updating SNP Outboard™ – a data lifecycle management application for nearline storage (NLS) of SAP BW data.
This document is aimed primarily at SAP system administrators and BW consultants who should primarily work with SNP Outboard™.

What is NLS?

Nearline storage (a contraction of near-online) is used to describe an intermediate type of data storage that represents a compromise between:

  • Online storage: Supporting frequent, very rapid access to data

  • Offline storage/archiving: Supporting backups or long-term storage, with infrequent access to data

Both archiving and nearline allow for a reduction of the database size. This results in improved speed of performance in the online system. However, accessing archived data is more complex and slower than when using nearline storage, and it can also negatively affect the performance of the main database in the case of a data reload into that database.

NLS in the Context of ILM for SAP BW

Relevant data: BW Accelerator
Irrelevant data: Offline archive
Potentially relevant: NLS storage (compressed data management)

ILM in SAP BW system

 

Data flow in BW ILM with SNP Outboard™ NLS