SAP Datasphere: Getting Started with SAP Datasphere for Free

Overview

This blog refers to the SAP Datasphere free-tier usage on SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) from the scratch. It begins with setting up an individual account in the SAP Store, then downloading SAP BTP, creating a SAP BTP Global account, thereby adding configurations, and using the SAP Datasphere thereon.

General Description:

In general, the entire setup is divided into 4 stages as mentioned below.

Stage 1: Creating an Individual SAP Store Account.

Stage 2: Creating your SAP BTP Global account using the SAP Store.

Stage 3: SAP BTP Account Activation, login to the SAP BTP Cockpit, creating subaccount, and adding entitlements.

Stage 4: Getting Started with SAP Datasphere for Free.

Stage 1: Creating an Individual SAP Store Account.

Pre-requisite:

• To register in SAP store as a new user with a non- @sap.com email address, please use Private Browsing Window of the supported browser.
• As this is a productive system designed for paid and no-cost orders for customers and partners, so do make use of an individual personal account instead of the employer email address.

General Steps:

1.1. Visit the SAP Store Login through Mozilla Firefox Incognito Window.

1.2. When the logon page appears, click on Register.

Fig.1.1. SAP Store Website (Source: Weblink)

1.3. When clicked on Register, it is important to use a personal email address for an individual account and not employer address.

Fig.1.2. SAP Store Registration

1.4. Press the register button once you have filled out the form.

Fig.1.3. Registration Acknowledgement (Source: SAP Store)

1.5 Now, you should get a mail from SAP store, click on the link to verify your email address.

Fig.1.4. Email address verification link (Source: User’s Mailbox)

1.6 This link will take you back to the store and you’ll be logged in using the new credentials.

Fig.1.5. Account Upgrade (Source: SAP Store)

1.7 Afrer this, the registration step is Complete.

Fig.1.6. Account Activated (Source: SAP Store)

Next Steps:

On successful SAP store account registration and activation, the next stage is about creating SAP BTP Global account.

Stage 2: Creating your SAP BTP Global account using the SAP Store.

Pre-requisite:

• SAP store activated account with the registered individual account. One of the key features of the free tier service plans is that they run as a part of a productive BTP account.
• Also, one needs to provide credit card details, even though you are going to use the free tier plans for now.

General Steps:

2.1 Now, we need to get back to the SAP store, where we can create our individual SAP BTP global account. (https://store.sap.com/dcp/en/)

2.2 So for this, type Business Technology Platform in the search box.

Fig.2.1. SAP Store

2.3 Select SAP BTP. There’s lots of handy information here, you can review it, if necessary.

Fig.2.2. SAP BTP Search (Source: SAP Store)

2.4 For using the Pay-As-You-Go plan or the free-tier plan. Click on Start Now.

Fig.2.3. SAP BTP (Source: SAP Store)

2.5 Now, for the sign-up process. For our purpose, for setting up an individual account, select the second option (Purchase as an Individual).

Fig.2.4. SAP BTP Sign-up

2.6 Enter your Address details. The address should match with the billing address of the credit card you intend to use. Again, you’ll not be billed but just for setting up the account or even for using free tier service plans. Also, this is only to have your account set up to consume paid service plans later, if you select to do that.

Fig.2.5. SAP BTP Sign-up

2.7 Here, I’ve selected 12 month renewal period, you can select the appropriate time-period and then click on Checkout.

Fig.2.6. SAP BTP Sign-up

2.8 The next part is about entering your credit card information. Once that is done, then you can click on Submit.

Fig.2.7. SAP BTP Sign-up

2.9 After adding the payment options, we need to go to Continue to Checkout Review.

Fig.2.8. SAP BTP Sign-up

2.10 This step is to inspect the details/ information entered. If all looks good, click on Place Order.

Fig.2.9. SAP BTP Sign-up

Fig.2.10. SAP BTP Sign-up

Fig.2.11. SAP BTP Sign-up Complete

2.11 When order is placed, the order request email will land up in your Inbox/Spam folder.

Fig.2.12. SAP BTP Order Request

2.12 Further, it’ll take around 90 minutes for your order to be verified and your new BTP account to be provisioned.

2.13 Once that is done, you’ll start receiving emails directing you to the Recent Purchase acknowledgement, URL, access information of your new BTP cockpit. In total, there should be around four emails at different time intervals as mentioned in the below images (Fig.2.13, 2.14, 2.15, 2.16).

Fig.2.13. First Mail at 90th Minute (Order Summary)

Fig.2.14. Second Mail at 90th Minute (Welcome Email)

Fig.2.15. Third Mail at 150th Minute (Access Information for your SAP BTP)

Fig.2.16. Fourth Mail at 150th Minute (Your Personal key to the SAP Ecosystem)

Next Steps:

After all the emails are being received, then we can go to the third stage of the account setup process.

Stage 3: SAP BTP Account Activation, login to the SAP BTP Cockpit, creating subaccount, and adding entitlements.

Pre-requisite:

• SAP BTP Global Account.
• Access to all the user links and access information provided in various emails.

General Steps:

3.1 In this stage, we will start Activating your account for SAP BTP (please use the S-user ID using the link provided in the fourth email, Fig.2.16).

Fig.3.1. SAP BTP Account Activation

Fig.3.2. SAP BTP Account Activation

3.2 Once, the account is activated now log into your Productive Tenant system with your BTP Services User ID using the provided SAP BTP link in the third e-mail (Fig.2.15)

Fig.3.3. Login to your SAP BTP Prod tenant (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit)

Once your SAP BTP global account is activated, the next steps are about configuring the free-tier services and adding entitlements to your SAP BTP Cockpit.

3.3 For this, we will begin with creating a subaccount. So, go to Create and select Subaccount.

Fig.3.4. Subaccount creation (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit)

Fig.3.5. Subaccount creation (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit)

3.4 Once the subaccount is created, click on the link provided that will take you to the subaccount and you can start configuring it.

Note: The following blog also enlists the initial steps for setup of free-tier plan in SAP BTP.

SAP BTP Free-tier: Missing Free Plan Option (Cloud Foundry)

3.5 Now, we need to configure SAP BTP for free-tier service usage. In the BTP Global Account, go to Entitlements and click on Entity Assignments.

Fig.3.6. Entity Assignments (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Global account)

3.6 Click on the Select Entities icon.

Fig.3.7. Select Entitiy (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Global account)

3.7 Check mark the appropriate Subaccount and click on the Select button at the bottom.

Fig.3.8. Select Entities (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Global account)

3.8 Now, go to Configure Entitlements.

Fig.3.9. Configure Entitlements (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Global account)

3.9 Immediately next step is to click on the Add Service Plans.

Fig.3.10. Add Service Plans (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Global account)

3.10 Now, in the search bar of the Subaccount Entitlements, type Cloud Foundry. So, the Cloud Foundry Runtime appears, select this. And here, in the Available Plans section, the Free environment plan can be found. Select this plan and Click on Add 1 Service Plan.

Fig.3.11. Entitlements (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Global account)

3.11 To make these changes, click on Save.

Fig.3.12. Saving the changes (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Global account)

3.12 Once the Free-Plan Entitlement Service is being added and saved. Now, go to the Subaccount and click on Enable Cloud Foundry.

Fig.3.13. Enable Cloud Foundry (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Global account)

3.13 Finally, now you can see the Free plan option, select that, the Instance Name and Org name values will be automatically populated, click on Create, and now the free-plan services are enabled for Cloud Foundry Runtime.

Fig.3.14. Free Plan Service (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Global account)

3.14 Now, in the subaccount, Click on Create Space. This will be used later for the SAP Datasphere.

Fig.3.15 Space Creation (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Subaccount)

3.15 After the Cloud Foundry is enabled for your subaccount. Now, we need to have entitlements pre-selected. So, go to the Entitlements tab in your subaccount. Here, we need to configure few other services which are common.

Fig.3.16. Entitlements (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Subaccount)

3.16 So, for that click on Configure Entitlements and then Add Service Plans.

3.17 The first common one is the SAP HANA Cloud. So, look out for SAP HANA Cloud – (hana-free) – Add 1 Service Plan – Click Save.

(Similar to steps 3.5 to 3.11)

Fig.3.17. Service Plan (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Subaccount)

3.18 The other one is Launchpad Service. Similar to the above step, look out for Launchpad Service – free – Add 1 Service Plan – Click Save.

Next Steps:

After SAP BTP configuration for the free-tier service usage, now the final step comprises of enabling SAP Datasphere.

Stage 4: Getting Started with SAP Datasphere for Free

Pre-requisite:

• SAP BTP Global Account (free-tier).
• Entitlements and Services Configurations in the SAP BTP Cockpit global account and subaccount.

General Steps:

4.1 Similar to the steps 3.5 to 3.11. Go to your BTP Cockpit account explorer – subaccounts – click on Entitlements – Configure Entitlements – Add Service Plans – search for SAP Datasphere – Click on Add 1 Service Plan – Save.

Fig.4.1. SAP Datasphere service plan (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Subaccount) 

4.2 Create a SAP Datasphere Instance (Tenant) using SAP BTP Cockpit.
So, in the SAP BTP Cockpit – go to your subaccount – and then appropriate Space (which was created in step 3.14).

Fig.4.2. Subaccount Space (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Subaccount Space)

4.3 Now, let’s go to Services – Service Marketplace – search for SAP Datasphere – click on the three dots – select Create.

Fig.4.3. SAP Datasphere service (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Subaccount Space)

4.4 For the new instance creation, add the parameters in the basic info section, select Free plan service and click on Next.

Fig.4.4. New instance creation (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Subaccount Space)

In the next part, you need to add the Email and Name details. Again click on Next.

Fig.4.5. New instance creation (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Subaccount Space)

The last section is to review the added information. After this, if everything is correct, click on Create.

Fig.4.6. New instance creation (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Subaccount Space)

The instance creation can take few moments. Once done, the status will change from Creation in Progress to Created.

Fig.4.7. New instance creation (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Subaccount Space)

4.5 After few moments, when the instance is created, click on three dots – select the View Dashboard option.

Fig.4.8. SAP Datasphere service instance created (Source: SAP BTP Cockpit Subaccount Space)

4.6 At the same time, go to registered email address, there will be a link for activating account.

Fig.4.9. SAP Datasphere account activation (Source: Mailbox)

4.7 When clicked on Activate account, it will ask for your information and you’ll need to create new password.

Fig.4.10. SAP Datasphere account activation

4.8 Once, this is done, then the free plan SAP Datasphere tenant will be active.

Fig.4.11. SAP Datasphere free-tier tenant (Source: SAP Datasphere)

Next Steps:

Finally, now you have your SAP Datasphere free-tier tenant set-up done in your SAP BTP.

Furthermore, you can refer to the following learning journeys for exploring the services offered by SAP Datasphere.

Learn the Fundamentals of SAP Datasphere

Conclusion

Basically, this blog covers the end-to-end set-up and configuration for the SAP Datasphere. This blog is purposely divided into four stages as to help you out at each and every step to achieve your milestone.

For example, if you looking for only setup and configuration of SAP BTP global account and free-tier service (or Pay-As-You-Go plan). So, in that case you can only refer to the steps highlighed in Stage three.

Also, you can also refer to my following blog which enlists the initial steps for setup of free-tier plan in SAP BTP.

SAP BTP Free-tier: Missing Free Plan Option (Cloud Foundry)

Call-to-Action

Please provide feedback about your view and experience related to this free-tier setup! Feel free to ask question by contacting me directly or commenting below.

Reference Links

Get an Account on SAP BTP to Try Out Free Tier Service Plans

Get started with your trial in SAP Datasphere

Get Ready for Your SAP Datasphere Trial Mission

Learn the Fundamentals of SAP Datasphere

SAP Datasphere Help Page

SAP BTP Free-tier: Missing Free Plan Option (Cloud Foundry)

SAP Datasphere Community Page

SAP Business Technology Platform Community Page