SAC Live Data Connectivity to SQL Data sources

[Ganesha]

Introduction

In SAC, currently, we don't have an inbuilt direct connector available to establish a live connection to non SAP SQL Datasources.

But we have the following approaches to establish the live connection to non SAP SQL data sources

Approach 1: SAC SQL Data source live connectivity using  HANA SDA / SDI

Highlights: Since we don’t have a direct live connector to non SAP SQL data sources in SAC, So this approach could be one of the options to establish a live connection to non SAP SQL data sources e.g. Oracle. Here HANA is just a semantic layer, it doesn’t store the data it just processes the data.  Performance can be improved by using HANA capabilities

Limitation or Challenges: Cost and Maintaining additional components.

Architecture:

Approach 2: SAC Native Live SQL connectivity With Embedded DWC

Highlights: This is also similar to Approach 1. The advantage is, DWC that provides you additional capabilities like an easy interface to build complex business logic.

Limitation: Cost and Maintenance for an additional layer.

Architecture:

Approach 3: SAC Native Live SQL connectivity via Live Data/Universe connector

Highlights: This is also the same as Approach 1, But here SAP BO universe act as a semantic layer it doesn’t process the data, the data processing happens at the database. The advantage is if you have the BO platform setup already universe and Webi reports can reuse as a data source, the business logic defined in the universe or Webi document can be reused.

Limitation: Since data processing completely relies on database and SAP BO universe a semantic layer between, due to this additional layer you might see some performance difference

Conclusion

In the future SAC roadmap, SAP might provide a Live connection to non SAP SQL data sources, But at this moment we have the above mentioned options to establish a live connection to non SAP SQL data sources, based on cost and limitations and the existing environment we should select an option.