Integrating Lumira Server into BI4.1 Landscapes Webcast Notes

This was an SAP webcast given yesterday.  Below are my notes that I took during the webcast.

Figure 1: Source: SAP

Server side of Lumira is on top of HANA appliance, using the benefits of HANA itself

Users accessing data, share them with browser and reduces need of some desktop flows

Figure 2: Source: SAP

Figure 2 shows that Lumira Server is an XS app, native to HANA

It has the ability to use HANA platform features – LCM

BI4 – how interact with existing BI4 system?

Figure 3: Source: SAP

Lumira with BI4 brings a unified administration as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 4: Source: SAP

Figure 4 shows the architecture to be able to publish Lumira to BI Launchpad

Figure 5: Source: SAP

Access will be in BOE, not HANA

Lumira and BI server are isolated

Figure 6: Source: SAP

Publishing workflow is supported

Supports universes and scheduling

You can view and manage in CMC

Stories are viewable in BI Launchpad

Figure 7: Source: SAP

Datasets are supported to refresh

SAP said this acts similar to Web Intelligence

Figure 8: Source: SAP

Figure 8 shows more limitations; no editing of stories

Figure 9: Source: SAP

Figure 9 shows the roadmap; planned for next release (subject to change) is desktop governance.  No timeline is given for future direction, including SharePoint support.

Figure 10: Source: SAP

This was demonstrated

Figure 11: Source: SAP

Figure 11 shows an artifact published as a dataset

Figure 12: Source: SAP

Schedule dataset to be refreshed

Figure 13: Source: SAP

Figure 13 shows common questions about the add on

It integrates with Lumira Server

It is integration with and not a replacement

It is needed for just sharing

Lumira is an interactive app

Difference between sharing and interacting is small

Figure 14: Source: SAP

Full use means you can use HANA with anything

Introduced LREA – want to use Lumira Server only – restricted for just Lumira – still buy HANA license – use for Lumira Server

Question & Answer

Q: To publish either the story or dataset to SAP BI Platform is HANA required?

A: Yes, we’ll cover that right after the demo in the common questions section

Q: This is an important update. Is this version available already?

A: This version is currently in “limited release” – which means it is available for you to try/use.  We are working on another version very quickly here, so we expect a “Generally Available” soon.  Let us know your timelines and we can figure out the best path for you.

Q: Can the published “Story” be accessed (viewed) via Open Document?

A: Yes

Q: Can they be refreshed via API?

A: Yes on top of Universe

Q: Are there plans to isolate the XS engine into a separate embedded piece that could work outside Hana?

A: Desktop engine works – not a functionality but a performance problem

Q: Since this is integration into BIP, is there a silent install feature with customizable options similar to BIP’s custom install?

A: Yes, silent install option is possible

Q: Which version of Hana is required?

A: SP8

Q: is there a timeline for SSO from BOE to Lumira server?

A: planned to support this

Q: Is Lumira install on Hana dependent on Hana version?

A: Yes

Q: If using multi-tenancy in BIP, can you create ‘template type’ story boards to be re-deployed across multiple tenants that are stored in Lumira server? Such as on-boarding bronze/silver/gold tier tenants or maybe even by industry theme like retail/finance/marketing (as an example)?

A: artifacts are as info objects – but no editing

Q: Why is dataset in CMC, not Launchpad together with the story?

A: Dataset is folder of data- to be refreshed

Visualization is in story

No editing supported

Q: I may have missed this, but do we know how this is licensed yet?

A: Integration with BI4.1/

Lumira Server – 2 parts – Lumira server & HANA license

Included with BI Suite license – already includes Lumira Server

Lumira Server is not licensed separately – it is a named user flavor

Can use CBSL with Lumira Server

Q: Since BIP handles the auth sessions, do we need to be aware of no. of concurrent Lumira sessions being opened on the server across tenants/large user base? Is this something that is settings in Lumira server that we should be aware of and adjust accordingly? OR is this not a concern at all?

A: Number of sessions user opens in BI platform is what is counted

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One of the speakers for this webcast was Ashish Morzaria who is also speaking at SAP TechEd && d-code in the Fall in Las Vegas – see his session list:

He is also presenting at the SAP Analytics BusinessObjects Conference in September.