Support for Visualization and Data Access Extensions in SAP Lumira, server for teams and SAP Lumira, server for BI Platform

With Release 1.29 of SAP Lumira, server for teams (LS4T) and SAP Lumira, server for BI Platform (LS4BIP), we are extending support for Visualization and Data Access (DA) Extensions in the server versions of the product.

We had organized a 2-week Partner Extension Validation Program in September, 2015 where the below partners participated and tested the extensions that they have developed, on LS4T and LS4BIP. These list of partners who participated in this programme is as below:

• APOS
• Galigeo
• Visual BI
• Graphomate
• Decision First
• TASSIO
• Tech Mahindra
• Infosys Technologies Ltd.
• Centigon

Some of the extensions developed by our partners are available at SAP Analytics Extension Marketplace

Visualization Extensions enable users to build and share their own custom visualizations (charts).

Data Access Extensions allow users to connect SAP Lumira to additional data sources.

The workflow for using extensions is as follows:

1. A user creates/obtains a custom extension and installs it on Lumira Desktop
2. User creates a Lumira document and uses the custom extension to either include a new chart type (i.e. a chart type not supported out-of-the-box in Lumira) or acquire data from a data source not supported in Lumira
3. The user wants to share this document with other users, on LS4T or LS4BIP.
4. The user will have to provide the extension file (.zip file) to the administration, who would in turn upload the extension on the server
5. The user now publishes the document from Lumira Desktop to LS4T or LS4BIP
6. Users with access to the document will be able to view the document (with additional charts –in case of visualization extension) or refresh the document (in case of DA extension)

Mechanism to install extensions on SAP Lumira, server for teams

The option to upload extensions is available in the Configuration section in LS4T.

In the Extensions section (available under Uploads) on the page, Administrator can see the set of extensions already installed (if any) on LS4T. This includes Visualization and DA Extensions.

To install a new extension, Administrator needs to click on the Add button. On the window that opens, the user needs to browse to the location where the zip file for the Extension is available and click on install. Refer the below screenshot.

Once the user clicks on Install, the below window will appear. User can choose to install another extension using this, uninstall extensions (by choosing the extensions) or simply proceed with Done.

If an Extension requires the Administrator to restart  the Lumira server (generally applicable to DA Extensions), a message will appear against that Extension on the Edit Extensions window. Administrator will also be prompted with a message to restart the server.

Mechanism to install extensions on SAP Lumira, server for BI Platform

To install an extension in LS4BIP, Administrator needs to go to the applications section in CMC and select SAP Lumira application.

On right click, the application would show an option called Extensions.

Clicking on Extensions, opens the below dialog. Here, the Administrator can browse to the Extension zip file and upload it.

If one of the uploaded extensions requires a restart, Administrator will be prompted with a message asking him to restart the server

Note: Installing the required extension is a pre-requisite for viewing/refreshing a document (created using that extension) on LS4T/LS4BIP. Users will see an error message if they open/refresh a document using an extension that has not been installed on the server.