SAP HANA Runtime is a restricted-use database licence that limits the HANA instance to processing data created or consumed by specific SAP applications. SAP HANA Full Use is a general-purpose database licence at $32,500 per 64GB memory block (list, 2026). The Runtime restriction is narrow: data must originate in the licensed SAP application and must be consumed by that SAP application. Any non-SAP system connecting to the HANA database triggers a Full Use requirement. Audit findings on Runtime overreach average $1.2M to $4.8M settlement per Fortune 500 customer because the line between Runtime and Full Use is interpreted strictly by SAP and broadly by customer technical teams. This page is the comparison: scope, pricing, audit triggers, and the conversion math.
HANA Runtime: scope and restrictions
HANA Runtime is sold bundled with specific SAP applications. The most common Runtime entitlements come with S/4HANA, BW/4HANA, and certain SAP Business Suite on HANA editions. The customer does not buy HANA Runtime separately; it is included in the application licence.
The Runtime restriction has three boundaries:
Data origin. Data stored in the Runtime HANA database must originate from the licensed SAP application. Loading data from non-SAP sources into the Runtime HANA database triggers a Full Use requirement.
Data consumption. Data in the Runtime HANA database must be consumed by the licensed SAP application. Direct SQL queries from non-SAP analytical tools, BI platforms, or custom applications trigger a Full Use requirement.
Schema isolation. Runtime HANA databases cannot host custom schemas for non-SAP application data. Creating a schema for a custom application, a third-party tool's data, or a generic data lake breaks the Runtime restriction.
| HANA usage scenario | Licence type |
|---|---|
| S/4HANA application stores and reads its own data | Runtime (included) |
| BW/4HANA stores SAP-sourced data and serves SAP analytics | Runtime (included) |
| Custom Java application reads from HANA database directly | Full Use required |
| Tableau or Power BI reads HANA tables directly | Full Use required |
| Salesforce loads customer data into HANA for SAP consumption | Full Use required (data origin from non-SAP) |
| HANA used as a generic data lake for IoT data | Full Use required |
| HANA Cloud running as a managed PaaS service | Separate HANA Cloud subscription pricing |
HANA Full Use: pricing and rights
HANA Full Use is the general-purpose database licence. It carries no restrictions on data origin or consumption. The Full Use licence is priced by memory capacity in 64 GB blocks.
| HANA Full Use tier | List per 64 GB block | Annual maintenance (22%) |
|---|---|---|
| HANA Enterprise Edition (perpetual) | $32,500 | $7,150 per block per year |
| HANA Standard Edition (perpetual) | $18,500 | $4,070 per block per year |
| HANA Cloud (subscription) | $1,800 per 32 GB Block per month | Included in subscription |
| HANA Enterprise (EBL volume tier 1M+ records) | Custom, typically $26K to $30K | $5,720 to $6,600 per block per year |
The 64 GB block is the licensing unit on perpetual. A 1 TB HANA Enterprise instance requires 16 blocks at list cost of $520,000, plus $114,400 annual maintenance. The 22 percent maintenance rate is standard SAP on perpetual licences.
HANA Cloud is the subscription alternative. A 32 GB HANA Cloud Block lists at $1,800 per month, or $21,600 per year. The same 1 TB capacity (32 Blocks of 32 GB) costs $691,200 per year subscription. On a 5-year horizon, HANA Enterprise perpetual plus maintenance costs $1,092,000. HANA Cloud subscription costs $3,456,000. Perpetual is materially cheaper at scale for stable workloads. Cloud is competitive only at small scale or for variable workloads.
The audit trigger: when Runtime is used beyond scope
SAP's HANA audit assertions follow a consistent pattern. The auditor examines the HANA database schema list, the connection logs, and the user authorisation grants. Three findings trigger a Full Use claim:
Non-SAP schemas in Runtime database. Any schema in the HANA database that is not generated by an SAP application is evidence of non-SAP data storage. Common offenders: custom analytics schemas built by data engineering teams, schemas for third-party tool data, archive schemas for legacy ERP data.
Direct SQL access from non-SAP applications. Connection logs showing JDBC, ODBC, or HANA SQL clients from non-SAP IP ranges or user IDs indicate non-SAP consumption. The defensible position requires demonstrating that the connecting client is part of the licensed SAP application stack.
HANA SDA (Smart Data Access) to non-SAP sources. If HANA SDA is configured to pull data from non-SAP databases (Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL), the audit position is that HANA is acting as a general-purpose data hub, which requires Full Use.
| Audit finding | Common source | SAP claim approach |
|---|---|---|
| Custom schema for analytics | Data engineering team extending HANA for non-SAP reporting | Full Use requirement for entire HANA instance |
| Third-party tool schema | Workforce planning tool, third-party MDM tool storing data in HANA | Full Use for the instance hosting the third-party schema |
| Direct ODBC from Tableau or Power BI | BI team querying HANA for executive dashboards | Full Use for the instance plus named-user count for BI tool users (Indirect Access overlap) |
| HANA SDA to Oracle DB | Federated query for cross-system reporting | Full Use for HANA instance |
| Custom application using HANA as primary store | Application built by IT or partner using HANA as the back-end | Full Use required for the instance; runtime entitlement insufficient |
Runtime versus Full Use principle: if anything other than a licensed SAP application reads from or writes to the HANA database, the Runtime restriction is breached. The fix is either to isolate the non-SAP usage to a separate HANA instance under Full Use licence, or to relocate the non-SAP usage to a different database technology.
Conversion math: Runtime to Full Use
The conversion calculation has three components: the existing Runtime entitlement (zero incremental cost), the new Full Use licence cost, and the credit for the application licence Runtime entitlement (typically zero, because Runtime is bundled and non-separable).
A worked example for a customer running 768 GB HANA with mixed SAP and non-SAP workloads:
| Scenario | Approach | Year-one cost | 3-year TCO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current state (Runtime breached by Tableau access) | Audit claim | $390,000 (12 blocks Full Use) | $619,800 (Full Use plus maintenance) |
| Option 1: convert entire 768 GB to Full Use | Buy 12 blocks Full Use | $390,000 | $619,800 |
| Option 2: split workload, dedicated Full Use instance for non-SAP usage | Buy 3 blocks Full Use for new isolated instance (192 GB) | $97,500 | $154,950 |
| Option 3: relocate non-SAP usage to alternative DB | Move Tableau to Snowflake or PostgreSQL | $60,000 (migration cost, one-time) | $120,000 (migration plus 3-year Snowflake) |
| Option 4: move entire workload to HANA Cloud | Subscription | $518,400 | $1,555,200 |
Option 2 (workload split) is the most common right answer. Isolating the non-SAP usage to a dedicated Full Use instance contains the licence cost to the actual workload that requires it, leaving the larger Runtime-licensed SAP workload at zero incremental cost.
Option 3 (relocation) is the right answer when the non-SAP usage is small and replacement is straightforward. A Tableau workload reading 5 GB of HANA tables can move to Snowflake or PostgreSQL at materially lower cost.
Decision framework
The decision is structured by two variables: the proportion of HANA usage that is non-SAP, and the willingness to invest in workload separation.
| Non-SAP proportion | Recommended path |
|---|---|
| Under 5 percent (incidental) | Eliminate the non-SAP usage. Move to alternative DB. Maintain Runtime. |
| 5 to 20 percent (significant but contained) | Split workload. Dedicated Full Use instance for the non-SAP portion. Runtime for the SAP portion. |
| 20 to 50 percent (mixed) | Full Use for entire instance, or aggressive workload split if the non-SAP workload can be isolated. |
| Above 50 percent (predominantly non-SAP) | Question whether HANA is the right database. Evaluate Snowflake, BigQuery, PostgreSQL, or HANA Cloud as alternatives. |
Audit defence for Runtime claims
The defensive position has three elements:
Schema documentation. Document every schema in the HANA database and tie each schema to a licensed SAP application. Schemas without a clear SAP application owner are the audit exposure.
Connection log review. Audit the HANA connection logs (m_connections, m_sessions) for non-SAP application IDs. Document each connection's purpose and licence basis.
Workload separation plan. If non-SAP usage exists, have a documented separation plan in flight. SAP's commercial team will negotiate constructively against a credible separation plan. They will not negotiate against a customer who denies the non-SAP usage exists.
Frequently asked questions about HANA Runtime versus Full Use
If I add a custom schema to HANA Runtime for archived ECC data, do I breach the Runtime restriction?
If the archived ECC data originated from a licensed SAP application and is consumed by a licensed SAP application, the schema is within the Runtime scope. If the archived data is consumed by non-SAP tools (a custom Java application, Tableau, a third-party archive viewer), the schema breaches the Runtime restriction and triggers Full Use requirement for the entire HANA instance.
Does Power BI counting against Runtime if it only reads SAP BW data?
Yes. Power BI is a non-SAP analytical tool. Direct SQL or ODBC access from Power BI to the HANA database (whether the underlying data is SAP-sourced or not) triggers Full Use. The narrow exception is when Power BI consumes SAP BW data via an SAP-authorised connector that routes through the BW front-end, in which case the access is treated as part of the BW application licence. The exception is narrow and rarely applies in practice.
Can I run a separate HANA instance under Full Use just for analytical workloads?
Yes, and this is the most common right answer. Isolating non-SAP usage to a dedicated HANA Full Use instance contains the licence cost to the actual analytical workload, while the larger SAP application workload continues under Runtime. The trade-off is operational: two HANA instances require two patch cycles, two backup regimes, two HA configurations. The economic trade-off favours separation when the non-SAP workload is under 20 percent of total HANA capacity.
How does HANA SDA (Smart Data Access) affect the Runtime restriction?
HANA SDA federates queries to external databases (Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL) and presents the results as if they were native HANA tables. SAP's audit position is that SDA usage with external sources causes HANA to act as a general-purpose data hub, triggering Full Use. The defensive position requires demonstrating that SDA usage is confined to SAP-data sources (HANA to HANA, or HANA to ASE) and not to non-SAP databases.
What happens if the audit finds Runtime overreach but the customer has unused Full Use entitlements elsewhere?
SAP can apply unused Full Use entitlements against the audit finding, eliminating or reducing the settlement. The condition is that the unused entitlements are not earmarked for a planned project and are available for redeployment. The negotiation move is to inventory unused HANA entitlements before the audit closes and offer them as the settlement medium, rather than purchasing new licences at audit-anchored pricing.
Does HANA Cloud carry the same Runtime versus Full Use distinction?
No. HANA Cloud is sold as a subscription Block service with no Runtime restriction. Subscription pricing is the licence model; there is no separate Full Use upgrade required. The trade-off is that subscription pricing is materially more expensive per capacity unit than perpetual at scale, as covered in the conversion-math section above.
For broader audit context, see SAP Audit Defence and the Audit Defence Guide. For HANA-specific licensing context, see SAP HANA Licensing. For the broader SAP commercial framework, see the SAP Licensing Complete Guide and SAP vendor intelligence. For the related measurement-tools topic, see SAP USMM, SLAW and LAW Explained. To engage on a HANA Runtime audit exposure, see Vendor Audit Defence.