Applies to:
•SAP NetWeaver BW 7.30 SP 8 or higher
•SAP HANA SP 5 revision 55 or SP 6
Summary:
This document describes and compares few data modeling options for SAP BW on HANA
Author(s) : Aakash Arora ,Ashwin Purushotam
Company : Infosys Limited
Created on : 04 Oct 2013
Author Bio:
Aakash works as Principal Consultant with Infosys Limited. He has 12 years of experience in IT Consulting Industry and during this time he has worked majorly on SAP NetWeaver BW & Business Objects . He has worked on multiple implementation projects.
Ashwin works as Senior Consultant with Infosys Limited. He has 8 years of experience in IT Consulting Industry and during this time he has worked majorly on SAP NetWeaver BW & Business Objects . He has worked on multiple implementation projects and as a L2 in support role.
Table of Contents
Introduction
SAP BW powered by HANA gives you multiple options to do data modeling based on customer requirements .The objective of this document is to showcase different modeling possibilties for designing an effective scalable data model using SAP BW with HANA
Modeling options - SAP BW powered by HANA
- Option 1:- HANA as database for BW . Use BW for extraction, modeling and reporting, HANA as database for BW.
Figure 1
Features
- HANA as database for BW
- BW is leveraged for data modeling with HANA as a database for high performance data processing and reporting
- No direct modeling / development on HANA
Data extraction into BW using extractors
- Build BO or BEx reports on top of BEx Queries
- Leverage BW authorizations and master data defined in BW
- Option 2 – Hybrid use of HANA and BW Modeling. Use BW for extraction & reporting , leverage HANA studio & schema for complex modeling.
Figure 2
- Data extraction into BW using extractors
- Augment data model in BW with HANA objects to avoid materialized views or redundant data stores wherever feasible
- Use HANA stored procedures and SQL views for improving data processing performance
- Build BO Reports/Dashboard on top of BEx Queries
- Leverage BW authorizations and master data
Typical Design flow for Option 2
- Data will be staged in BW from SAP / Non SAP area to BW using standard, generic /flat file extractors
- Data flow which needs data transformations and heavy calculations can be modeled via HANA studio .For simple flows reporting can be done via HANA optimized Infocubes or DSO ( via multiproviders)
- Reporting will happen via BW interface only. Virtual providers can connect to calculations views in HANA studio
Figure 3
- Option 3 – Hybrid use of HANA and BW Modeling. Use HANA for front reporting & complex modeling, BW only for data extraction.
Figure 4
Features
- Data extraction into BW using extractors
- Minimal data staging and data transformations in BW
- Leverage HANA studio for data modeling to avoid materialized views or redundant data stores wherever feasible
- Build BO or excel reports on HANA views
- Use HANA security and authorization
Typical Design flow for option 3
- Data will be staged in BW from SAP / Non SAP area to BW using standard, generic /flat file extractors
- All data-modeling happens via HANA studio only and BW is used for Data provisioning using standard /generic extractors
- Reporting happens via HANA studio interface .
- BO or excel or other third party tools can be used for reporting
Figure 5
Comparison between multiple options
Area | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
1. Data extraction Mechanism | Use BW extraction mechanism to load data | Use BW extraction mechanism to load data | Use BW extraction mechanism to load data |
2. Use of BW Functionalities like Hierarchies , Planning applications, Master data, complex transformations | Can leverage all BW Functionalities | Can leverage all BW Functionalities | Separate analytical views or Hierarchies to be created in HANA |
3. HANA modelling advantages, on-the-fly calculations, non-materialized views | BW Modelling is leveraged with HANA just as database. BW objects optimized for HANA | Balanced use of HANA and BW modelling capabilities. | Full use of all HANA modelling capabilities |
4. Authorizations | BW Authorization can be leveraged | BW Authorization can be leveraged based on scenario | Authorization setup needs to be created at HANA layer – not very comprehensive as BW in current version |
5. Reporting Tool set | Built-in BEx tools or BO or 3rd party (BEx as interface) | Built-in BEx tools or BO or 3rd party (BEx as interface) | No BEx option. BO , Excel or 3rd party reporting directly on HANA layer |
6. Solution architecture | Simplified architecture. All data management within BW | More complicated architecture due to hybrid data modelling | |
7. Licence | BW on HANA licence | HANA enterprise license needed | HANA enterprise license needed |
Which option fits your organization
- The kind of SAP BW and HANA modeling depends on multiple aspects depending on your organization BI roadmap.
- This also depends on kind of used cases available for BW on HANA.
- Option 2 can be preferred approach for many organizations having complex BW landscape.
§ Best of both worlds – use HANA & BW in an interoperable (hybrid) mode
§ Get BW data provisioning capabilities to stage data from SAP and Non SAP environments
§ Get HANA advantage (on-the-fly calculations, non-materialized views)
§ Hybrid BW-HANA will leverage authorizations defined in BW.
§ Leverage BW functionalities like Master data , Hierarchies , Planning functions, BW reporting capabilities.
- SAP Managed Tags:
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