Getting Started with SAP HANA Cloud | PAL and APL

Using the Machine Learning Libraries in SAP HANA Cloud

Chief partner engineer, Philip MUGGLESTONE just updated his SAP HANA Cloud playlist on the SAP HANA Academy YouTube channel with a new video covering the machine learning libraries native to SAP HANA Cloud

• PAL  – Predictive Analysis Library
• APL – Automated Predictive Library

In this blog, you will find the video embedded with some additional information and resources.

You can watch the video tutorial in just under 12 minutes. What you get back is

• Understand the prerequisites
• Getting started with PAL
• Getting started with APL

For those less familiar with the machine learning libraries: PAL is a native (built-in) application function library (AFL) for SAP HANA. APL bundles the algorithms of SAP Predictive Analytics which goes back to KXEN InfiniteInsight, acquired by SAP in 2013. Both AFLs can be used for linear regression and other common algorithms.

To continue your machine learning journey on SAP HANA Cloud, the following blog post is highly recommended:

• Hands-On Tutorial: Automated Predictive (APL) in SAP HANA Cloud

Prerequisites

As with the SAP HANA platform edition (on-premises), we need to enable the script server process. Currently, this currently requires a service request on component HAN-CLS-HC (as documented). In addition, we need to create an SAP HANA Cloud instance with a minimum of 3 vCPUs. Scaling an existing SAP HANA Cloud instance up from 2 to 3 vCPUs currently also requires a service request and this can be combined.

The SAP HANA Cloud trial instance is fixed a 2 vCPUs and does not support AFLs (time of writing).

YouTube Playlist

For the complete list of tutorial videos for this playlist, see,

• SAP HANA Cloud
• Predictive Analysis Library
• SAP Automated Predictive Library

GitHub Code Repository

For the sample code repository, go to

• github.com/saphanaacademy/SAPHANACloud
• github.com/saphanaacademy/PAL
• github.com/saphanaacademy/APL

Documentation

• Using the Machine Learning Libraries (APL and PAL) in SAP HANA Cloud – SAP HANA Cloud Getting Started Guide (QRC 02/2020)
• SAP HANA Cloud Predictive Analysis Library (PAL)
• SAP HANA Automated Predictive Library
  • SAP HANA Automated Predictive Library Developer Guide

Machine Learning – PAL & APL

In this tutorial, we get a brief overview about how to enable the application function libraries for SAP HANA cloud with a code walkthrough for both PAL and APL with references to the documentation.

[00:00] – Introduction and documentation

[00:30] – prerequisites: configure at least 3 vCPUs and enable script server

[01:45] – sample code ML_setup.sql

[02:00] – Setup preparations using Database Explorer

grant AFL__SYS_AFL_AFLPAL_EXECUTE to MYUSER;
grant "sap.pa.apl.base.roles::APL_EXECUTE" to MYUSER;

[04:15] – sample code ML_PAL.sql

[05:00] – create view, parameter tables, call a PAL function, working with results.

[07:00] – SAP HANA Cloud Predictive Analysis Library (PAL) reference guide

[07:20] – SAP HANA Academy – Predictive Analysis Library

[07:45] – APL Developer Guide

[08:00] – sample code ML_APL.sql

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For the author page of SAP Press, visit

• Denys van Kempen | SAP Press

For the SAP HANA Cloud e-bite, see

• Introducing SAP HANA Cloud