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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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