TIPS AND MY EXPERIENCE- SAP-HANA CERTIFICATION

[mohammad_shafiullah]

I would like to share my SAP HANA certification exam experience and some of the TIPS for the preparation of SAP-HANA certification.

First I would like to brief about myself  , well, I started my carrier as programmer and then got interest in database development.I am NON-SAP professional,having hand on experience in MSSQL,MSSAS. I then started reading about In-Memory database technology and quite impressed with SAP-HANA technology and platform as In-memory database which is dual in nature (OLTP as well as OLAP).I generated huge interest to learn the new innovation technology HANA. I started my learning journey of SAP HANA in the starting of year 2014 and today on 22nd May 2014 I became SAP CERTIFIED APPLICATION ASSOCIATE-SAP HANA by qualifying the certification exam and scored 97%.

My MSSQL knowledge help me a lot to understand the SQLScript,Procedure,database development part of SAP HANA.

My MSSSAS knowledge help me to understand the DATA MODELING concept of SAP HANA.

My MSSIS knowledge help me to understand the ETL technology of SAP(BO-DATA SERVICES) of SAP HANA.

EXAM PREPARATION GUIDELINE:

1. Fist step to know the exam course content and topic areas as described in SAP training site-

          Data Provisioning                                                                                                                                > 12%

          Describe possible scenarios and tools for replicating and loading data into SAP HANA from different data sources (e.g. SAP Landscape Transformation (SLT), SAP Data Services, or Direct Extractor Connection (DXC)).

Security and Authorization                                                                                                               8% - 12%

Describe the concept of authorization in SAP HANA, and implement a security model using analytic privileges, SQL privileges, pre-defined roles and schemas. Perform basic security and authorization troubleshooting.

Data modeling - Analytical views                                                                                                    8% - 12%

Implement data models with SAP HANA using analytical views. Advise on the modeling approach and best practices.

Data modeling - Calculation views                                                                                                  8% - 12%

Implement data models with SAP HANA using calculation views, and advise on the modeling approach and best practices.

Advanced data modeling                                                                                                                  8% - 12%

Apply advanced data modeling techniques, including currency conversion, variables and input parameters. Implement decision automation using business rules.

Optimizion of data models and reporting                                                                                       8% - 12%

Monitor, investigate and optimize data models and reporting performance on SAP HANA. Advise on modeling approach and tools to achieve optimum performance. Evaluate the impact of different implementation options such as table joins, aggregation, or filters. Understand the implication on performance of the various reporting tools and connetion types.

Administration of data models                                                                                                         8% - 12%

Administer data models in SAP HANA, including setting of information validation rules, managing schemas, the importing/exporting and transporting of data models.

Reporting                                                                                                                                              < 8%

Provide advice on reporting strategies, and perform appropriate reporting solutions with SAP HANA. Build reports using various tools, for example, Microsoft Excel or SAP BusinessObjects BI tools.

Data modeling - SQL Script                                                                                                               < 8%

Apply SQL Script to enhance the data models in SAP HANA using AFL, CE functions, and ANSI-SQL.

Data modeling - Attribute views                                                                                                       < 8%

Implement data models with SAP HANA using attribute views, and advise on the modeling approach and best practices.

Deployment scenarios of SAP HANA                                                                                             < 8%

Describe the deployment scenarios for SAP HANA and evaluate appropriate system configurations.

SAP HANA Live & Rapid Deployment Solutions for SAP HANA                                                 < 8%

Describe the value of HANA and identify scenarios for SAP delivered content for SAP HANA, such as SAP HANA Live and Rapids Deplyment Solutions.

   2. Analyse which topic area covers more proportionate of the course content.As stated above DATA PROVISIONING and DATA MODELING covers almost 70% of the course content.If we keep hold on this then 70% of exam topic covers.

   3. Now we know the focus area of exam,start collecting and reading content of above topics.There are complete resources available in SAP site which gives broad level of understanding of SAP HANA DATA PROVISIONING,MODELING and other topic area.      

          http://help.sap.com/hana_appliance#section5

   4. SAP HANA Academy - YouTube video tutorials is huge library to gain further knowledge of above topics.     

   5. openSAP course materials and videos will help a lot to get hang on new innovation technology of SAP HANA.

   6. Refer my blog post on DATA MODELING.

          Data Modeling in SAP HANA with sample eFashion Database-Part I

          Data Modeling in SAP HANA with sample eFashion Database-Part II

          SAP HANA- ADVANCE MODELING FEATURES

   7. Start reading content and video tutorials topic by topic,let say first start DATA PROVISIONING and read all content and watch all videos tutorials on this topic.Note down the key concept,methods and flow of topic.Keep focusing on graphical representation of content area which will help to memorize the key        concept easily.

   8. Practical experience is quite important as most of the question are simply based on HANA STUDIO UI.SAP provides 30 days free access to HANA on Amazon cloud services.Please refer SAP HANA One on AWS Marketplace

QUESTION PATTERN AND TYPE:

1. All question shall be multiple choice.most of the questions shall be single selection.However there are questions which contains more than one answer too(multiple select).
2. No negative marking for wrong answer.If question contains more than one wright answer then all right option must be selected to make the question rightly answered otherwise it will be treated as wrong answer even if one option selected rightly.
3. All questions has been grouped based on the topic described above.For example reporting section will contain 4 question and grouped by heading Reporting and all 4 question will be in sequential order then question form next topic and so on.
4. DATA PROVISION question patterns like,how different provisioning tools connect to HANA,like one of the question asked is which connection involves in DXC. Type of replication like which tools support real-time replication,which tools support ETL,etc.
5. MODELING topic question patters like,function of different views(Attribute,Analytic & calculation),variable,Input parameters,Hierarchy, different Join,CE function,SQLScript and procedure etc
6. Reporting section generaly covers how SAP HANA talk to different reporting tool.Mainely the connectivity of SAP HANA to reporting tools.Like how Crystal Report,WEBI,DASHBOARD,EXPLORER,ANALYSIS EDITION FOR OLAP,ANALYSIS FOR MS OFFICE,MS EXCEL etc. can be connected to HANA.
7. Different type of Privileges(Object,System,Pakage,SQL),which privilege does what authorization rule in HANA,Users and role assignment etc.

Hope this blog will help for those who set their mind to go for HANA certification.

Good Luck.

Mohammad Shafiullah