Lecture 5 - ERP systems & SAP HANA

Question 1

(!) Describe the ER-databases

Answer 1

General:
- Purely logical relationships
- For digitizing not digitalization
- Write & store > Read, analyze & act
- Show phenomena & its relations
- SQL can extract data based on existing relations

Critique:
- Slow for analytical purposes
- Only answer predefined question
- Only answer within limitations
- Digitalization requires more

Question 2

(!) What is a database?

Answer 2

Definitions:
“Set of interrelated centrally coordinated data files stored with as little data redundancy as possible”

General:
- Organized data collection
- Interrelated central data
- Ensure low redundancy
- Support processes requiring info
- More space-efficient & reliable
- Model aspects of reality
- Support processes requiring info
- Eg. Schemas, tables, queries, reports

Question 3

(!) Describe the concepts in entity relationship modelling

Answer 3

Entity:
- Stored data on IRL phenomenon
- Lots of these in databases
- Eg. The city

Attribute:
- Aspects of IRL phenomenon
- Eg. Contact info about student
- Eg. Postal code, city name or number of households

Tuple:
- Specific entry concerning entity

Primary key:
- Attribute uniquely identify entry
- Eg. Student number

Foreign key:
- Attribute in entity which is also primary key in another entity
- Links the two tables

Question 4

Describe the relationships in entity relationship modelling

Answer 4

General
- Relationship between entities

One to one relationship:

One to many relationship:
- One sales manager to many customer, but one and only one sales manager for each customer

(Many to many:)

Question 5

(!) Describe what is meant by rows to columns

Answer 5

Rows:
- Different attributes
- Complicated
- Take more computing power
- Digitizing

Columns:
- Silos of info
- Easy to access
- Easy for statistics
- Poss. to pre-specify questions
- Speed up data query process
- Risk only answer question asked: Reg. Vagn Madsen
- Digitalizing

Question 6

(!) Describe the structured query language/SQL & the basic commands

Answer 6

General:
- Universal database language
- Used by most database program
- Fundamental syntaxes & commands, but dialects
- Flexible: Not just one computer
- Intuitive language

Basic commands:
- SELECT specific data/attribute
- FROM certain tables
- WHERE data has certain characteristics / criteria

Question 7

(!) Describe ERP-system in general

Answer 7

General:
- Stage 3 system
- Integrate finance & operational prod. DM
- Traditionally by ER-database: Yet need digitalization
- Broad scope of application
- Integrated across & within various functional silos
- Impacted by SAP
- MRP as predecessor

Definition:
“Framework for organizing, defining, and standardizing the business processes necessary to effectively plan and control an organization so the organization can use its internal knowledge to seek external advantage”

Question 8

(!) Describe the SAP-HANA, its main features and operators:

Answer 8

General:
- Row –> column based structure
- Can handle big data: More source
- From digitizing to digitalising
- Extension of ER-database
- Attempt to be stage 4 system
- Has back-up, recovery, tolerance
- Analytics to business & strategy
- Allow interoperability & combination of datatypes
- Efficiently communicate between data management & application
- Purpose of standard software for integrated business solutions
- Require transparency on how row-to column based
- (Support multiple languages)

Critiques:
- Require experts: Else blind trust or selfmade system
- Manipulation of data for fitting
- Difficult extracting the right data
- Less widespread
- Not always logical relations
- Not 1-1 relation between data & physical entity
- Lack knowledge of merging process & its criteria
- Claim real time data: Yet look back
- Dont trust database if you dont know where numbers come from

Question 9

Describe data management

Answer 9

• Core asset for organisations
• Main tool to drive/develop firm
• Complex & complicated
• Increase of specialized systems

Question 10

Describe specialized systems

Answer 10

General:
- Emerge for specific problems: Traditional databases no longer represent holistic answers

__________

Motivations:

Performance:
- Main reason

Usage perspective:
- Different needs: Easy vs. detailed

Cost awareness:
- Lowering TCO
- Specified to usage

Question 11

(?) Describe the manufacturing resource planning system / MRP

Answer 11

General:
- Initially big, clumsy & expensive
- Material requirement was the first detailed description of logic
- Critical feature: Dependent demand

Elements:
- Used reorder point/ROP
- Prod. & inv. cont. system/PICS
- Communications oriented production information and control system/COPICS