LIMA – the SAP BusinessObjects BI, add-on for SAP Lumira, frequently asked questions…..

Important Note:

This post concerns a  previous integration available for the SAP Business Objects BI platform. A new release, SAP Lumira Server for BI Platform completely replaces any prior integration and dependencies. For further information on SAP Lumira Server for BI Platform see the following post

There appears to be some confusion on the integration between SAP BI4.1 and SAP Lumira. The following should clarify some of the most common questions I hear on where we are with our current integration, where we are going and how this all fits into the broader topic of Trusted Data Discovery (TDD).

What is LIMA?

LIMA was the internal engineering code name for the project to allow Lumira content to be managed and viewed within your BI4.1 deployment.

The official external name for LIMA is the “SAP BusinessObjects BI, add-on for SAP Lumira 1.x”

LIMA relies on the existence of a HANA server and a Lumira Server to view content, as well as an existing BI4.1 SP3+ landscape. LIMA is currently a separately installed ‘add-on’ to the existing BI4.1 system.

Is LIMA Generally Available (GA)?

The SAP BusinessObjects BI, add-on for SAP Lumira 1.x is not GA. It has not exited ramp-up based on customer feedback through the validation process. It is continuing in ramp-up as we work to simplify the delivery and deployment of the capabilities needed by BI4 customers for Lumira integration.

I have heard that development of LIMA has stopped. Is that true? Does that mean it will not GA?

The current teams implementing the BI4.1 and Lumira integration are working on delivering a SAP Lumira, Edge edition and a new simplified integration with BI4.1; based on customer feedback from the LIMA ramp-up and validation programs.

SAP Lumira, Edge edition 1.0 is now GA and is available for download from Service Market Place (SMP). Expect more announcements over the following months, and check out the latest blog by Henry Banks. Version compatibility between desktop and server editions information can be found here.

It would be incorrect to conclude that if SAP BusinessObjects BI, add-on for SAP Lumira (LIMA) does not GA then the capabilities would never become available. This is not the case, they would become available as a revised add-on or form part of the core BI4 release. This is already underway with Lumira desktop governance capabilities being part of BI4.1 SP5.

How do we intend to deliver this simplified integration with SAP BusinessObjects BI4.1?

We intend to deliver this simplified integration by delivering a revised add-on for Lumira built using an architecture where Lumira and the in-memory engine will be brought to the SAP BI Platform so all of our SAP BI4.1 customers will be able to offer Lumira to their users. This will be named SAP Lumira Server for BI Platform.

You can find out more about how this is planned to work in this blog Planned Native Integration of Lumira into BI Platform Details from Greg Wcislo.

You can apply to join the Customer Validation Program for the new integration, SAP Lumira Server for BI platform. Information is here.

What will be the advantages of the new revised add-on over the LIMA one?

Once this functionality is implemented, SAP BI4.1 customers will be able to deploy additional Lumira capabilities in their landscape with or without an SAP HANA appliance or a dedicated Lumira Server. We envision two scenarios for SAP BI4.1 customers: one using an embedded in-memory engine and one with an off-board SAP HANA system providing additional calculation capabilities and scalability not possible with the first option.

So should I continue to invest in investigating the current LIMA?

No, we intend to deliver the integration between BI4.1 and Lumira using a different mechanism in  H1 2015. Expect to see information on the Validation program and release of the revised add-on very soon. As mentioned above, the initial release of the ‘team server’, SAP Lumira, Edge edition is now available.

If you currently require the capabilities offered by the LIMA add-on and you have the pre-requisites then SAP Business Objects BI, add on for SAP Lumira (LIMA 1.3) is available on SMP as a ramp up release. However be aware of the developments outlined above when planning your deployment and that going forward we intend to deliver the integration capabilities using different mechanisms in 2015; there will not be an automated migration from the current release in ramp up to the revised release, but you will be able to re-use the same Lumira content.

Doesn’t LIMA enable Trusted Data Discovery (TDD)?

LIMA is only one of the aspects of our overall TDD strategy and gives us the integration into our existing BI landscapes. LIMA does not equal TDD, but BI4 integration is a key aspect of our TDD strategy. Desktop governance for example can be controlled from the BI4.1 CMC without LIMA, a HANA server or Lumira Server in the landscape. Lumira desktop can access trusted data sources (for example through a universe) without LIMA.

What’s this TDD you mentioned? Is it the same as GDD?

Governed Data Discovery(1) (GDD) was coined some time ago to encompass the emerging recognition that many of the current “data discovery” tools lacked strong governance and enterprise readiness features often required by IT to enable large deployments. Classic BI vendors and their solutions typically did offer strong governance and deployment management capabilities but lacked strength in “data discovery”.

Trusted Data Discovery (TDD) attempts to broaden this conversation beyond simple defensive information governance and deployment topics (typically only of concern to IT organizations) and embrace the end users concerns on trust and agility within the context of Data discovery. Hence TDD is a much broader and far reaching set of concepts where we expect to be able to deliver value to the end users as well as IT going forward.

(1). Governed data discovery – defined by Gartner as the ability to meet the needs of enterprise IT and end users – remains a challenge unmet by any one vendor, “Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence and Analytics Platforms” – Feb 2014