Tuesday, 17 February 2026

HANA Database Upgrade: How to Choose the Right Target Version

When planning a HANA database upgrade, it’s important to evaluate a few key technical checkpoints before moving forward. This includes validating SAP application compatibility with the target database version, understanding the supported N-1 version strategy provided by SAP SE, and confirming whether a direct upgrade path is available from the current HANA version to the desired target version. Reviewing these factors early helps minimize upgrade risks, prevents compatibility issues, and ensures a smoother execution. In this blog, we’ll walk through these considerations in a practical way to help you plan your upgrade with confidence.

Please refer SAP Note “1948334 - SAP HANA Database Update Paths for SAP HANA Maintenance Revisions” which provide use details about SAP HANA maintenance revisions specifying in detail the supported and unsupported update paths (Lists of SAP HANA Revisions (HANA 1.0 and HANA 2.0) specifying in detail the supported and unsupported update paths). For all update paths not explicitly listed in note, only regular update procedure applies! The regular update procedure is upgrading from a lower revision to a higher revision.


 * Please Note that SPS05 which is used as intermediate jump will be out of maintenance in 31.12.2025

Note:

  • If you upgrade from a SAP HANA 1 revision prior to revision 69.07, first upgrade your system to SAP HANA revision 69.07 before upgrading to the target revision.
  • The HANA 1 revision numbers 75 through 79, 86 through 89, 98 through 99 and 103 through 109 have been skipped.

Upgrading a HANA 1 system to HANA 2:

1) Please read the guideline for upgrading a HANA 1 system to HANA 2 in SAP Note 2372809.

2) In an MDC landscape, the systemserver doesn’t have separated metadata space if the binary version is earlier than the maintenance revision 122.04.
    If you start your upgrade to HANA 2.0 from a SAP HANA 1system in a multiple-container mode (MDC), you first upgrade the latest SAP HANA 1 Support Package Stack (SPS) 12 maintenance  revision. Please take care of the unsupported upgrade paths (tables above).

3) Please check the supported Operating Systems of both source and target revisions using 2235581 before upgrading. 

For more information about the SAP HANA revision and maintenance strategy, see SAP Notes
2021789 - SAP HANA 1.0 Revision and Maintenance Strategy
2378962 - SAP HANA 2.0 Revision and Maintenance Strategy