Polaris at enterprise scale: speed is a design decision
Anaplan's new Polaris benchmarks are impressive. Here is what it takes to see that performance in your own model.
Anaplan recently published a white paper on the performance of its Polaris calculation engine. It explores how Polaris enables sub-second recalculation, trillion-cell dimensionality, and deep hierarchy aggregation for real-time, enterprise-scale planning. It also covers why planning teams rely on Polaris for consistent performance in high-concurrency environments, backed by real benchmarks.
These are meaningful numbers. In our experience, though, performance on Polaris is earned in the model design, not granted by the engine.
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Why design matters more on Polaris
Polaris is a natively sparse calculation engine, well suited to sparse data sets, and the formulas used in line items can affect the sparsity or density of a model. Put simply, the same logic written two different ways can produce very different results. Functions such as LOOKUP, CUMULATE, and LAG behave differently between engines, and a model that runs cleanly on Classic can populate far more cells than intended when moved across without rework.
The engine choice is also structural. A workspace is either Classic or Polaris, and one cannot be converted into the other. That makes engine selection a day-one architecture decision, not a later optimisation.
What we look at before recommending Polaris
We start with the natural dimensionality of the business problem: how many products, customers, locations, and time periods genuinely interact. We then review formula patterns for density risk, check hierarchy depth and aggregation needs, and model expected concurrency at peak planning cycles. Where a client already runs Classic, we assess which models benefit from migration and which are better left where they are.
The takeaway
Polaris removes many of the dimensional compromises that planners have lived with for years. The benchmarks show the ceiling. Reaching it depends on a model built with the engine's behaviour in mind.
If you are evaluating Polaris or planning a migration from Classic, we are happy to review your current model architecture.
Where do you want your planning to be next year?
Planning that's slower than business needs, forecasts nobody acts on, an Anaplan investment that isn't paying back. Describe it and we'll tell you honestly where we can help.
