Explorer 3.1 to 4.0 with BW on HANA

[Former Member]

Migration from Explorer 3.1 to BI 4.0 with BW on HANA HDB is not easy task to do.

Explorer 4.0 for BW on HANA is yet to be mature, especially when we compare to older version of Explorer on BW with non-HANA DB.

Some things to think about >

1. There is no import export option - especially if you are moving from DB2 to HANA DB.

2. With current version BW 7.3, HANA DB - Rev 38, you don't have option to do any information space on Multi-providers. This may come in future, may not come.

3. Very hard to collect Meta data for all Information Space - Facets and Measure. There is no way to download any definition of any information space. You won't get to see any technical names of object on information space. This is painful experience especially when user can change description on Information space or on Multiprovider or Cube or Bex. And if you have duplicate names then forget about it.

4. In current version, BW 7.3, HDB Rev 38, you have to import Info-Cubes in Studio. They will create analytical view, calculation view and analytical privileges. This is good to go, if your earlier information-space was based on cube. If not, then you have to think of workaround.

5. Authorization is another thing to consider. If single sign-on works, then you are good. Else you’ll have to create user even on studio and then assigned manually each user a role. Maintenance is again a problem.

6. Remember in Explorer 3.1 with BW, you can see dimension while defining information-space. This will be missing with BW on HANA. It is just a flat structure (Calculation View output for Cubes).

7. Search – a missing functionality. It was missing in earlier version, even the new one don’t have this option. You cannot search any object using description or tech name while creating information space. Also they are not sorted. How do you find navigation attribute for cost center? Keep scrolling… you may get lucky!!!

8.  Technical Name – ON/OFF – Missing. It was missing in earlier version, even the new one don’t have this option.

Rest exploration is good and fast on HANA and gives better and improved performance on iPADs.