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What Is an SAP MaxDB Database?Locate this document in the navigation structure

Use

An SAP MaxDB database is a set of data with a regular structure. The data in a database consists of the application data (data records in tables) and the database catalog (metadata). Every database has a unique name.

When installing you have the following two options:

  • To install the database software with a database

    When you install the software, you can also load demo data (see Demo Database).

  • To install the database software without a database

    Choose this option if you only need some of the database tools to manage databases on other computers.

Table 1: Important Database Properties

Property

Restrictions

Modifiable

More Information

Database name

Conventions for Database Names

No

-

Database System Administrator: Name and password

Conventions for User Names and Passwords

Name: No

Password: Yes

Managing Users

Data area (data volumes): Size (=database size), directory, automatic extension

Log area (log volumes): Size and directory

General database parameters MaxDataVolumes and MaxLogVolumes

More information: Planning Databases

Yes

Working memory used by the database

General database parameter CacheMemorySize

Note that this parameter only roughly determines the size of the working memory used by the database. There are database functions which also need a certain amount of working memory, but whose memory consumption is not configured with this parameter.

Yes

Number of CPUs

General database parameter MaxCPUs

Yes

General Database Parameters

Maximum number of parallel database sessions

General database parameter MaxUserTasks

Yes

General Database Parameters

Automatic update of the SQL optimizer statistics

For SAP systems, see SAP note 927882 Information published on SAP site.

Yes

Automating Administration Tasks

Automatic log backup

-

Yes

Automating Administration Tasks

Automatic database start

Only available on Microsoft Windows

Yes

Activating Automatic Database Start

Log settings

-

Yes

Configuring Database Transaction Logging

Table 2: Database Operational States

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Operational State

Description

ONLINE

The database is running. Database users can log on and execute SQL statements. The database system administrator and DBM operators can perform administrative tasks.

-

STANDBY

For standby databases in hot standby systems only, see Hot Standby System.

Note that you cannot connect to a standby database. It is in a constant restart state.

ADMIN

The database is only available for administration tasks.

OFFLINE

The database is not running.

For more information, see Database Studio, Starting or Stopping Databases.

To query or change data in a database, you use the Structured Query Language (SQL). Using SQL, you can also display, change and delete database objects in the database, for example tables or indexes. You use schemas to logically group database objects. For more information, see Data Definition, Query, and Manipulation.

The database system uses page chains and B* trees as logical structures for accessing the data stored in the database. For more information, see Logical Access Structures.

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