October 17, 2016 1 minute read

Getting started with Predictive on SAP HANA, express edition

One of the great things about SAP HANA, express edition is that you can take advantage of HANA’s embedded predictive capabilities: the SAP HANA predictive analysis library (aka PAL) and the application function modeler (aka AFM) in Eclipse (or HANA Studio).

However on the SAP HANA, express edition (aka HXE) home page it mentions PAL requires additional configuration of the base HXE server.

So what additional configuration is needed for the VMWare images and how can you get started?

Whilst the PAL is pre-installed with HXE it requires use of the script server which isn’t enabled out-of-the-box. So it’s necessary to first create a MDC tenant database and then enable the script server in that database. It’s also necessary to create a developer user in the tenant database with appropriate authorizations to create and execute PAL procedures and to access the AFM tool in Eclipse.

I’ve published a script with the necessary syntax here in the SAP HANA Academy’s GitHub.

I’ve also published hands-on video tutorials in the SAP HANA Academy YouTube channel that cover the configuration process in detail as well as an example of using the PAL via SQL Script and alternatively via the AFM modeling tool in Eclipse (no coding necessary!):

Getting Started
PAL via SQL Script
Application Function Modeler

If you’re interested in other useful tips and tricks for SAP HANA, express edition check out our playlist here. Video tutorials cover the basics of getting started with the VMWare images or the binary install – to how to administrate your HXE instance. Keep checking back as we’re adding new videos daily.

Have fun and learn loads with SAP HANA, express edition!

13 Comments

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Marcel Scherbinek

November 30, 2016 at 7:46 am

Hi Philip,

I really appreciate your helpful tutorials about the Predictive Analytics Library on YouTube.

But I have always a problem setting up Predictive on SAP HANA Express.

So setting up a Tenant Database, starting the Scriptserver and executing Scripts is no problem (following your tutorials.

This works as long as I have the temporary license. Setting up the SAP HANA Express (32 GB) license works also as described in one of the SAP HANA Express tutorials.

Now there seems to be a 24h check on the SAP HANA Express which checks the setup of the SAP HANA Express against the license and everytime it comes to a shutdown of the Scriptserver with the following log entry of the Scriptserver:

[4185]{-1}[-1/-1] 2016-11-30 08:12:07.865742 e RTSchema RTSchema.cpp(00693) : _SYS_RT schema is invalid, repository will not be available. [4185]{-1}[-1/-1] 2016-11-30 08:12:07.865789 e assign TREXIndexServer.cpp(02018) : Feature not available in HANA Digital Edition. Stopping and disabling service...

It seems that the free (yearly) license from sap.com/minisap doesn't allow to run a Scriptserver which I can't hardly believe. Because everywhere is described how to install the AFL components and even in the SAP HANA Express overview graphic Predictive is a part of SAP HANA Express.

So do I miss something? I work with a binary installed SAP HANA Express according to the setup tutorial which is delivered with the binary files. 22 GB RAM and I only installed XSC. Everything else works perfectly except the Scriptserver after installing the permanent license.

Best regards,
Marcel

Philip MUGGLESTONE

Blog Post Author

November 30, 2016 at 6:07 pm

Hi Marcel,
Thanks for your feedback.
I have checked with the SAP HANA Express team and they inform me that this issue should have been resolved in the most recent update.
Would you be able to download and install the latest version of SAP HANA Express?
Thanks,
Philip

Marcel Scherbinek

December 1, 2016 at 12:58 pm

Hi Philip,

Thanks fpr your fast reply.

I just downloaded a fresh binary version of SAP HANA Express this morning. After applying the license, adding a scriptserver to the tenant database and stopping/starting it I get the same message in the scriptserver alert log:
[6165]{-1}[-1/-1] 2016-12-01 12:48:11.535829 e RTSchema RTSchema.cpp(00693) : _SYS_RT schema is invalid, repository will not be available.
[6165]{-1}[-1/-1] 2016-12-01 12:48:12.652882 e assign TREXIndexServer.cpp(02018) : Feature not available in HANA Digital Edition. Stopping and disabling service...

So it is still not possible to run the scriptserver with the license by installing SAP HANA Express with the binary files. I don't know about the VM version of SAP HANA Express..

Regards,
Marcel

Marcel Scherbinek

December 5, 2016 at 8:37 am

Hi Philip,

according to to the comment by Xuelian Song (see https://archive.sap.com/discussions/thread/3963653) it is not possible to use the scriptserver with the HANA Express license.

Regards,
Marcel

ManojKumar Bhattu

December 1, 2016 at 10:39 pm

Hi Philip,

I have installed VM version(HXE+Advanced) of HANA Express and completed the configuration (created tenant database,creating user,downloading catalog from GIT..) related to PAL as per your tutorial in HANA Academy.

I see script server not getting started.Do I miss something ?

Appreciate your help.

Regards
Manoj

Former Member

December 5, 2016 at 5:36 pm

Hi Manoj,

Script server is turned off under HANA Express License by design in SP12, and user cannot turn it on.

Due to some functionality limitation without script server, in HANA2 SP00, script server is off by default, but user can turn it on if needed. HANA2 is targeted to release this week.

Thank you!

David Smith

December 20, 2016 at 8:47 am

Has someone tested this? Under HANA2, can the script server be turned on?

Ayman Salem

December 29, 2016 at 11:54 pm

Hi,

I have tested under HANA Express 2.0, and it works fine

Ayman

Philip MUGGLESTONE

Blog Post Author

January 2, 2017 at 2:34 pm

Hi David,
Indeed I have tested against both VMWare images for HANA 2.0 and all is working as expected. If you want to use the sample data I import during the video be sure to use the PAL20.zip as it has been updated for HANA 2.0.
Thanks,
Philip

Former Member

March 16, 2017 at 12:29 pm

Hi Philip,

did you try to get the PAL examples running on the Google Cloud Platform?

I tried it but failed already when creating a tenant database. (I followed this tutorial for setup on GCP: https://blogs.sap.com/2017/03/09/getting-started-with-sap-hana-express-on-the-google-cloud-platform-by-the-sap-hana-academy/ )

If you know anybody who got the PAL running on GCP please let me know.

Thanks in advance!

Kind regards,

Lars

Philip MUGGLESTONE

Blog Post Author

March 20, 2017 at 1:51 pm

Hi Lars,

I have not yet had the opportunity to try PAL on GCP.

You will certainly need a tenant database - see the comments for this blog about how to maybe solve your tenant issues? https://blogs.sap.com/2017/03/08/google-app-engine-meets-sap-hana-express-edition/comment-page-1/#comment-367461

Kind regards,

Philip

Former Member

March 20, 2017 at 6:58 pm

Hi Philip,

thank you for your kind reply.

This blog indeed solved my tenant issues last weekend.

Lucia was very kind to help me with my problem and finally solved it.

Kind regards,

Lars

Philip MUGGLESTONE

Blog Post Author

March 21, 2017 at 10:04 am

I have successfully tested PAL with HXE on GCP. The only issue was connecting to my tenant database from Eclipse… to document how to to solve this issue:

1. Identify the SQL port used by your tenant database (typically 3xx41 for the first tenant where xx is the HANA instance #). When connected to SystemDB as SYSTEM user (change <tenant> to the id of your tenant database eg: SHA):

SELECT DATABASE_NAME, SERVICE_NAME, PORT, SQL_PORT, (PORT + 2) HTTP_PORT
 FROM SYS_DATABASES.M_SERVICES
 WHERE DATABASE_NAME='<tenant>' and
       ((SERVICE_NAME='indexserver' and COORDINATOR_TYPE= 'MASTER') or (SERVICE_NAME='xsengine'))

2. Ensure that this SQL port is open in the firewall.

3. Run the following SQL when connected to SystemDB as SYSTEM user (change xx.xx.xx.xx to the public ip address of your HANA instance):

ALTER SYSTEM ALTER CONFIGURATION ('global.ini', 'SYSTEM') SET ('public_hostname_resolution', 'map_localhost') = 'xx.xx.xx.xx' WITH RECONFIGURE;

The issue is not unique to Google Cloud Platform.

Philip

Getting started with Predictive on SAP HANA, express edition

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