Data Sync Manager shapes the future for Hunkemöller

In brief: Hunkemöller implemented DSM

A long-time SAP user, Hunkemöller is expanding into new markets, resulting in a fast-growing database with estimated yearly data growth of 18%. Hunkemöller has a Production, Quality and Development landscape, with the Quality Assurance (QA) system as an exact copy of Production at 2.4TB. Performing a Client Copy took two weeks. Having recently migrated to HANA, they wanted to reduce the landscape footprint to save costs on HANA and storage.

After implementation of Data Sync Manager™(DSM), Hunkemöller could reduce their QA system and found a six months’ time-slice delivered accurate test data, and still only used 320GB of space. Hunkemöller expects to receive their Return on Investment (ROI) in less than 10 months. They have significantly reduced costs, can do refreshes quickly and have more up-to-date QA data for accurate testing.

The success story

The challenge

Hunkemöller implemented SAP in 1996, which makes them a long-time SAP user. They use SAP IS-Retail and SAP BW. Because their business is retail, this means that their transactional data grows quickly over time. Their material master grows every season, and they are also expanding into new markets. All this resulted in Hunkemöller having a large and fast-growing database.

To keep their SAP systems up to standard, Hunkemöller migrated to HANA, which gave them faster insight in analytics and shop replenishments. It also compressed their systems, but the IS-Retail system was still 2.4TB. The estimated yearly data growth was estimated to be 18%.

Hunkemöller has a Production, Quality and Development landscape strategy. The Quality Assurance system was always an exact copy of Production, thus also 2.4Tb, and a Client Copy took two weeks. This meant that copies were not done regularly.

The landscape is also hosted externally on a virtual platform, and costs are calculated on storage use. The large Quality Assurance system meant that they had to pay more on storage.

Hunkemöller wanted to reduce the landscape footprint to save costs on HANA and storage. The costs of HANA were 10 to 15% higher than their current systems. The Quality Assurance system needed to have enough data for testing and have consistent transactional data.

The solution: Data Sync Manager (DSM)

Hunkemöller worked with EPI-USE Labs to work out a solution that would dramatically reduce the Quality Assurance database size. The initial business case was calculated on a 70% footprint reduction with a three months’ time-slice. A three months’ time-slice of consistent data would provide enough transactional history for accurate testing, and result in significant cost savings.

Data Sync Manager was implemented within two weeks, and was used to copy the necessary data to create a new system that contained only 290GB. During the implementation, the Hunkemöller team was trained to be able to do refreshes by themselves, and thus do it whenever they need to.

The outcome

After implementation, Hunkemöller found a six months’ time-slice delivered twice the amount of test data, and as an added benefit, it still only used 320GB of space. Hunkemöller expects to receive their Return on Investment (ROI) in less than 10 months, which is even better than the original 13- month calculation.

Benefits to Hunkemöller

The benefits of the project were twofold.

Expected benefits were that the business case was met; there was a tangible cost reduction on storage, which meant reduced cost on HANA and also saving on storage as they paying per usage. They also had a reduction in copy times to create a refresh for QA.

The second benefit was Hunkemöller is now able to do refreshes quickly, and that they have more up-to-date QA data for accurate testing. This was highlighted further in that business users are now asking for more frequent refreshes. Since they have acquired a Data Sync Manager licence, and they are trained to use it, this is not a problem, and neither are any further refreshes. They are empowered to create the data they need to run their business successfully.

About Hunkemöller

Hunkemöller has a long and rich history. They opened their first store in Amsterdam in 1886, and have evolved as a business in the last 130 years to include 900 stores across the world, an online store and website, an app and many loyal brand followers.

What makes them get up in the morning? Lingerie. As one of the largest lingerie specialists in Europe, Hunkemöller has a team of highly talented designers that make sure they launch the right style at the right moment. And they make sure the quality is the very best. As a company, they love what they do, and are proud of their products and people. This is highlighted by the fact that they have won the Lingerie Retailer of the year in Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands award since 2014.