It's Here!
Starting with SAP BI 4.2 SP8, connecting to Snowflake Cloud Data Platform is now officially supported! Read more here.
Connectivity is available using Windows (ODBC / JDBC) and Linux (JDBC) via the Information Design Tool (IDT) for Universes of type UNX only.
Pre-Requisites
Make sure you are on SAP BI 4.2 SP8 (Server and Client)!
If you have done a fresh installation of SAP BI 4.2 SP8 Server and Client, you shouldn't have any problems and you can proceed to the next step.
If, like me, you have patched from a previous version, you may need to do extra steps.
Either there was a problem during the patching process or there are undocumented steps to do. But Snowflake wasn't available in IDT and the expected snowflake.sbo wasn't there either.
Thankfully it's an easy fix. Basically, the newly added Snowflake drivers need to be manually installed.
Important: The following steps are required on your BOBJ Server(s) and the Workstation(s) where you use IDT.
1. Go to Programs and Features:
This can be done using the Control Panel:
Or the Run window using appwiz.cpl:
Or via Add or Remove Programs (aka Apps & Features) but make sure to click on Programs and Features as this window only allows you to Uninstall as opposed to Modify.
2. Select the first package of SAP BusinessObjects BI platform 4.2 or SAP BusinessObjects BI platform 4.2 Client Tools you have installed. In this case it's SP7 then click Uninstall/Change:
Note: If you select something else than the original install (e.g. SP8 update) you do not get the option to Uninstall/Change.
3. Click Modify, Next and Next:
4. Enable #feature.Snowflake.name# and click Next until it's done:
SAP BusinessObjects BI platform:
SAP BusinessObjects BI platform Client Tools:
Configuring ODBC
This section demonstrates the steps in the SAP Note: 2900085 - BI IDT Universe for Snowflake ODBC.
1. Download and Install the 32-bit (e.g.: snowflake32_odbc-2.20.2.msi) and 64-bit (e.g.: snowflake64_odbc-2.20.2.msi) ODBC drivers from the official Snowflake Repository.
As you can see I have used version 2.20.2 for this test.
2. Create a 32-bit System DSN on the IDT Workstations(s) and a 64-bit System DSN that is identical on the SAP BI server(s).
Click Add:
Select SnowflakeDSIIDriver and click Finish:
Fill the Snowflake Configuration Dialog and click OK:
Snowflake Manual: ODBC Configuration and Connection Parameters
Result:
Configuring using JDBC (Windows)
This section demonstrates the steps in the SAP Note: 2900046 - BI IDT Universe for Snowflake JDBC Connection.
Note: As of today, this SAP Note has errors and is not usable as is.
1. Download the JDBC driver (e.g.: snowflake-jdbc-3.9.2.jar) from the official Snowflake Repository.
As you can see I have used version 3.9.2 for this test.
2. Create a folder named Snowflake in the file location: <Installed Directory>/SAP BusinessObjects\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0\dataAccess\connectionServer\jdbc\drivers
E.g.: C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP BusinessObjects\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0\dataAccess\connectionServer\jdbc\drivers\snowflake
3. Copy the driver (.jar) in this new snowflake folder.
4. Locate make a copy of the file snowflake.sbo in the folder: file location <Installed Directory>/SAP BusinessObjects\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0\dataAccess\connectionServer\jdbc
5. Open the file snowflake.sbo in a text editor.
6. Insert the following lines above "<Parameter Name="JDBC Class">net.snowflake.client.jdbc.SnowflakeDriver</Parameter>" at line 36:
<ClassPath>
<Path><Installed Directory>/SAP BusinessObjects\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0\dataAccess\connectionServer\jdbc\drivers\snowflake-jdbc-3.9.2.jar</Path>
</ClassPath>
E.g.:
<ClassPath>
<Path>C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP BusinessObjects\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0\dataAccess\connectionServer\jdbc\drivers\snowflake\snowflake-jdbc-3.9.2.jar</Path>
</ClassPath>
7. Save and Close the file.
8. Restart the Server Intelligence Agent (SIA).
Creating a Connection in IDT
This one is easy. Same as always:
1. Open Information Design Tool (IDT)
2. Open a Session
3. Click: Create a Relational Connection
4. Give it a name...
5. Select: Snowflake > Snowflake > JDBC or ODBC
6. JDBC: Fill the Connection details. And Test Connection.
7. ODBC: Fill the Connection details. And Test Connection.
Creating a Universe
You are now ready to create a Universe...
Creating a Web Intelligence
Final step to test this is creating a Webi report.
JDBC:
ODBC:
Voila!
Enjoy!
Keep in Touch!
Hope this blog was useful. Please do share your thoughts and comments.
Feel free to "like" and post it on social media!
Always happy to connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pperrier/
Take care... A+
- SAP Managed Tags:
34 Comments
