Introduction to Cloud Analytics – ASUG Webcast Recap
This was an ASUG webcast by SAP’s Ty Miller last week.
Figure 1: Source: SAP
Figure 1 is the famous disclaimer slide; future plans are subject to change
Figure 2: Source: SAP
Premise is to create cloud-based analytics solution – not just BI, planning, or predictive – have all these capabilities in one environment
For the business user; there needs to be trust between business and IT
Connect to and take advantage of trusted platforms – HANA, BW, S/4HANA, Universes
Figure 3: Source: SAP
“All analytics in one place”
Multiple definitions
Analytics is a combination of BI, planning, predictive, dashboards, GRC
Consumer-grade, focused on business user
Provided as a service by SAP
Working with partners internal to SAP – SAP SuccessFactors, hybris, Concur – apps are looking to integrate and talking to 3rd party partners
Deployed on HCP (HANA Cloud Platform) for data manipulation, storage
Figure 4: Source: SAP
Figure 4 shows the logon screen for Cloud for Analytics
Figure 5: Source: SAP
Connects to HANA on premise, HEC, BW on premise, working on S/4HANA
Data stays in source system without data having to go past firewall
Plan in C4A (Cloud for Analytics) and push results back to BPC
It has a Fiori UI5 philosophy
Every 2 weeks, releasing an update to C4A
Wave release every 2 weeks
Wave release 17 inn 2015
Reset clock; now at Wave 1 at 2016
Uses HANA and ESRI native geospatial
Can export to PDF, linked dimensions
Figure 6: Source: SAP
Who is C4A for? For existing customers and net-new customers. New to analytics and not looking for on-premise solutions.
Existing customers is why connections to BW, HANA, and working for Universes
Includes more cloud sources – Google sheets, salesforce
Integrate with internal cloud applications such as S4HANA SuccessFactors & Concur
Customers purchased HCP and they are adding C4A to connect
Figure 7: Source: SAP
Figure 7 shows how things fit. Design Studio, Lumira, WebI – those are continued to be developed
C4A is new SaaS
Combine all analytics capabilities in one platform
In BI pillar, looking to simplify clients and combining.
Lumira 1.30 is slated for this quarter
BI4.2 is in rampup
Multiple experiences off same platform
Figure 8: Source: SAP
Driving use case for Digital Boardroom is to immerse audience in data
Presented on 3 screen format, they are touch screens
Interacting with information on touch screens
Will see at the conference in May
Feels like you are in the data
Figure 9: Source: SAP
Looking to bring in predictive capabilities into core BI
Predictive is coming into the core
Looking to offer predictive editions
Figure 10: Source: SAP
Figure 10 shows embedding in SAP apps like SuccessFactors, HCP, HANA, or 3rd party like Google, Salesforce
Question and Answer (subset)
Q: Can you discuss scheduling and distribution capabilities?
A: Scheduling & distribution – no scheduling per se now; interested in what type and what do
Q: Is this based on Lumira tool at backend?
A: No, this is all been developed ground-up
Q: Is application created based on HTML5?
A: Yes HTML5
Q: for the model cleansing / changing you did, if you upload a new update file, do you have to do all the manual steps again? or can that be automated?
A: It is automated
Q: Do you have Android App?
A: right now just iOS app – in process of creating a new dev team just for mobile
Q: Hi – I signed up for a trial at SAP TechEd but have not heard back. Any updates on when a trial will be available?
A: Overwhelming response to this – some challenges working on – recommend to all customers and partners – please connect with account rep – create a process – PoC system that is free for you to use for 30-60 days. Pre-sales champion that owns it.
Q: Will Go-To from one report to another report be supported?
A: Yes, just found this yesterday
Q: Can C4A data mashing include left outer joins?
A: Don’t know – believe right now just right inner join
Q: Can C4A stories be published onto Fiori Launchpad?
A: Can be in Fiori Launchpad and Cloud story points to a tile
Q: As newer versions of IE and Chrome are released, will C4A support these versions immediately?
A: Plan is support Chrome releases as soon as they come out – goal is to create latest version of Chrome. Not sure of plans for IE, Firefox, Safari – today just supports Chrome
Q: Is it planned for C4A to have the same capabilities as Lumira, Design Studio, and Web Intelligence?
A: Short answer is no, but not compare and contrast with on premise BI tools. Focus is on cloud scenarios and connect to data on premise
thank you Tammy !
I could not attend.......and now I know everything I wanted to learn 😉
Great recap as usual
Happy new year 2016 !
Eric
Hi Tammy.
In the Q&A session you are writing:
Q: Can C4A stories be published onto Fiori Launchpad?
A: Can be in Fiori Launchpad and Cloud story points to a tile
How is this possible? Is there a certain way to do this? Or just by creating a new App in the launchpad and using as App type "URL"?
Anton
Hi Anton - thank you for reading and responding.
I haven't had a chance to try this, so please re-post this as a question in the discussion area so others may assist
Thank you
Tammy