The best way to check the availability and performance of any application or database is to actually log in and run something, in this case, a transaction. For HANA, the simplest way is to execute SQL against the database. Automating this would serve both purposes of ensuring the database is accessible as well as being able to provide response time for particular transactions, on a periodic basis. Furthermore, it can be used to automate regular jobs such as health checks or housekeeping, without creating intricate database jobs.
To do this using SAP tools, you would need to install the HANA database client, script the transaction, and schedule it using cron or something similar. Other ways can include a more intricate robot recording and deployment by SAP Solution Manager.
With the release of the OZSoft HANA Management Pack for SCOM version 1.0.6, automating HANA Synthetic Transactions can be done in 5 minutes to schedule and monitor the status and performance of any HANA SQL or Stored Procedure against a managed HANA instance, from outside the database node(s).
Have you used Synthetic Transactions to monitor your environment?