Changing Database Configuration Parameters

You can display and change parameters using the SAP HANA cockpit through the Database Configuration app. To change the parameters of configuration files, you require the system privilege INIFILE ADMIN.

Note

Do not change parameters directly in the configuration files on the operating system level.

SAP HANA has many configuration files and parameters. Therefore, to find a parameter easily in the parameter structure, use the Search function.

In the Search field, enter the name of a parameter, or few characters of a parameter, and select Enter on your keyboard.

If you upgrade to a new version of SAP HANA, the newest parameter settings based on the newest experiences are included automatically, but your own changes remain unchanged.

You can easily distinguish between parameters that still have their default value or have been changed. The pencil icon beside a parameter is the indicator of a change.

Furthermore, you can take configuration snapshots of the parameters of your database. These snapshots reflect the configuration of a database at the point in time when it was created, and can be compared with the current configuration or another previously generated snapshot. This is an easy way to identify configuration changes over time.

Additionally, the View Change History button shows, when, which, and by whom database parameters were changed in the past.

After choosing the plus (+) or Override Value button, a dialog box appears where you can enter the parameter values.

When using the Database Configuration app in the SAP HANA cockpit, there is a clearly defined hierarchy of parameter values, based on different so-called layers, according to the evaluation sequence. At first, the layer DEFAULT is taken into account, which comes from the SAP HANA kernel. Then, at the second place, layer SYSTEM is evaluated, which would inherit the detected value to all tenant databases. But, if the third layer DATABASE brings another value for a single database, the respective value will be applied. The fourth (and last) layer HOST can only be set for a limited number of parameters and would overwrite even the value delivered with the former database layer. The layer HOST only makes sense to be used in a multi-host (scale-out) environment.

Furthermore, the user interface for parameter changes in the SAP HANA cockpit provides some useful features (see the numbers in the figure, Changing Parameter Values in SAP HANA Cockpit):

• 1+5: Database restart indicator: visible in case of editing a static parameter

• 2+3: Value validation: the input of the value field is checked according to the type of the field

• 4: Restore default values

• 6: Hierarchy of layers

To edit or restore a changed configuration parameter value back to its default value, choose the Edit Parameter (pencil) button next to the value. If you choose the Restore Default option, the change is reverted. But don't forget to save when done.

Note

Be aware that the layer DEFAULT is visible as part of the list of the Database Configuration app and cannot be seen as an explicit layer when already using the Override Values dialog.