SAP HANA Live analysis with Lumira 2.0 - an Overvi...

SrivathsaDixit · ‎2017 Jun 10

This blog is part of blog series: What’s New with SAP BusinessObjects Lumira 2.0

Business users of SAP Lumira 2.0 can connect to various types of data sources via offline and online fashion to perform self service data discovery. SAP HANA being an important data source, Lumira 2.0 supports HANA connectivity in LIVE way along with other options such as Import and Free Hand SQL using JDBC.

This Blog is intended to provide an overview of the HANA live connectivity with Lumira Discovery 2.0 client:

Pre-requisites:

Make sure your XS Engine URL is up and running for http(s)://<HANA_SYSTEM>:<WEB_DISPATCH_PORT> E.g.: http(s)://HANA_SERVER_NAME:8003.

You need to have the SAP HANA Info Access Service (InA) with delivery unit HCO_INA_SERVICE deployed on the HANA platform. Refer: https://archive.sap.com/documents/docs/DOC-64277

Highlights

ŸLive mode uses HTTP/HTTPS based INA connectivity

ŸConnect directly or leverage a BI platform managed HANA OLAP connection (only HTTP/HTTPS, no JDBC)

ŸYou can leverage SAML based single sign on to SAP HANA from Discovery

ŸLive connections based document are by nature always saved without data.

HANA live documents can also be created in BI Launchpad.

Workflows

1. Connecting to SAP HANA from Discovery.

Click on the Live option next to HANA data source in the home page. You can connect either via Direct or Managed connections in BI platform.

Connecting Via Direct / Local connection:

You need to provide the connection to HANA online as: http(s)://<HANA_SYSTEM>:<WEB_DISPATCH_PORT> where HANA_SYSTEM is the name of the HANA Server and WEB_DISPATCH_PORT is the XS Web dispatch port.

E.g: http://myhanaserver.sap.corp:8011

NOTE:

Make sure you have your xs port up and running by first manually entering the URL on browser.

You need to have the SAP HANA Info Access Service (InA) with delivery unit HCO_INA_SERVICE deployed on the HANA platform. Refer: https://archive.sap.com/documents/docs/DOC-64277

Connecting Via managed / OLAP connection:

A managed connection for HANA system can be created in the BI platform for http(s) access. This connection can be used in Discovery client to connect to HANA source.

To create a managed connection, logon to Central Management console of BI Platform and select OLAP connections option, create a new connection, test and use the same in Discovery:

NOTE: You need to create HTTP(S) based managed connection for HANA online access and JDBC based managed connection for HANA offline access.

Advantages of using managed connections:

Data is always secure and managed by BI Platform administrators.

IT can control the BI users to access the managed connections.

Achieving Single Sing on becomes easy.

For all the above reasons using managed connections is always advantageous over local / Direct connections.

NOTE:

documents consuming BW Live connections using direct / local connections can not be published/saved to BI Platform.

Managed connections of type Prompt are not supported for BW Live analysis.

2. Listing of HANA views

Once connection is successful, you can either search or browse for the views in the HANA system:

select the view and click OK.

3. HANA Variables:

HANA modelling objects such as input parameters, Prompts are supported.

NOTE: You can add another data after creating your BW online based document. in this case if the same variables are used in the query being added, Prompts will be merged.

4. Data View:

Once the prompts are answered, Discovery connects to the HANA source and data can be viewed by dragging and dropping the measures and dimensions to visualizations in the canvas area.

select a Chart from the Chart Picker:

Select Crosstab from above and Drag-drop the measures / Dimensions:

5. Hierarchy Support.

Parent-child and Level based Hierarchies in HANA are supported in Discovery.

Hierarchies are displayed in the Object picker and user can select and drill based on these hierarchies.

Drill operations:

6. Other analytical operations:

Discovery supports all other analytical features on the HANA live data as well, ensuring the complete self service capabilities. Some of the commonly used analytical operations such as filters, ranking, reference line, sort, custom calculation, dynamic calculation etc..

A sample story board:

7. Creating a HANA online document in BI Platform:

With appropriate authorizations on Lumira application, OLAP connections and other necessary rights, Discovery HANA Live documents can also be created in BI Launchpad.

This needs OLAP connection is created in BI platform.

All analytical operations supported on desktop are also supported on BI platform.

Advantages of HANA Live

Calculations are delegated to HANA server.

Data is always secured.

Enhanced support for HANA Variables/Prompt support.

Can be extended as a profession dashboard via Designer (seamless integration).

Register for the Lumira Newsletter: http://info.sapdigital.com/LUM-NSLTR-REG.html

What’s New with SAP BusinessObjects Lumira 2.0 Launch blog series: https://blogs.sap.com/2017/04/18/whats-new-with-sap-businessobjects-lumira-2.0-launch-blog-series/

former_member285717 · ‎2017 Jun 28

Nice article !

former_member397389 · ‎2017 Jul 28

Nice information.

I would assume this also work with lumira 1.31 BI platform add-on?

Thanks.

SrivathsaDixit · ‎2017 Aug 04

you need to have Lumira 2.0 add-on.

Former Member · ‎2017 Aug 07

Can we use a HANA OLAP Connection rather than HANA HTTPS? Does Lumira 2.0 support it ?

SrivathsaDixit · ‎2017 Aug 17

you have 2 types of olap connections for HANA in BI platform.

one is http(s) based and other is JDBC based.

For Live connectivity Lumira 2.0 uses http(s) based connectivity only.

For import or offline scenarios Lumira supports JDBC based connections.

Former Member · ‎2017 Aug 22

Hello,

I made a story in Lumira Discovery with Sql database and mistakenly called a query additionally and I can not delete it. I need to delete it because at the moment of login, it asks me to log in twice.

Thanks you.

former_member194419 · ‎2017 Aug 24

Nice post !

Could you help me in something: My landscape is: BO4.2/Lumira Server 2.0 + HANA Real Time from ECC.

I have a sales dashboard, but how can I refresh data automatically?

Regards,

Rodrigo.

robertbienert · ‎2017 Aug 29

Hi,

the description and links for further reading helped me a lot to enable the INA service. But I guess I have a missing link, because when I connect to my HANA with Discovery as described above the list of views is empty. Requesting the URL path /sap/bc/ina/service/v2/GetResponse?Request={"Metadata":{"Expand":["Cubes"]}} gets a JSON object named Cubes which contains a list of 110 views and database tables.

Best regards
Robert

SrivathsaDixit · ‎2017 Sep 08

Hi Rodrigo,

Thank you! when ever you open the document, it always gets refreshed. or when you change the prompt values with edit prompts option, the document gets refreshed.

Regards,

Srivathsa Dixit

SrivathsaDixit · ‎2017 Sep 08

I believe with Lumira 2.0 SP02, you can delete. this was not possible in SP01.

former_member304468 · ‎2017 Sep 11

Hi,

where did you find the information that Lumira 2 discovery supports Hana parent-child hierarchies? Tested with a view in Hana Live mode, hierarchy is not discovered (Analysis for Office identified the parent/child hierarchy).

When looking at https://help.sap.com/viewer/67a08e99ebed427daefb66e497b0f83c/2.0.2.0/en-US/e8845ebb5bd44ee0a25b0c500... (no change compared to Lumira 1.31.x) I don't see that discovery would support parent/child hierarchies

robertbienert · ‎2017 Sep 13

OK, after having some talk with colleagues I have the solution for the problem:

The user accessing the HANA database needs appropriate roles and rights, that are:
- The roles
  - CONTENT_ADMIN
  - MODELING
  - PUBLIC
  - sap.bc.ina.service.v2.userRole::INA_USER
  - sap.hana.xs.admin.roles::RuntimeConfAdministrator
  - sap.hana.xs.ide.roles::Developer
  - sap.hana.xs.ide.roles::Administrator
- The object privileges:
  - _SYS_BI
  - _SYS_BIC
  - _SYS_RT
  - <your username>
  - <your schemas>
- The analytic privilege _SYS_BI_CP_ALL
- The package privilege for the root package
- The application privilege sap.bc.ina.service.v2::Execute
- and the necessary rights as GRANT SELECT ON SCHEMA <your schema> TO _SYS_REPO WITH GRANT OPTION;

Calculation Views based on your database objects (views or tables, can be defined graphically or in SQLscript).

An OLAP connection created in the Central Management Console of your BI platform.

former_member355591 · ‎2017 Sep 30

Hello

Have you tried this with SAP Hana Express 2.0 ( Version: 2.00.020.00.1500920972 ) ?

I cant connect using http(s) based, when i try to deploy the HCO_INA_SERVICE i get this message when i check the status with this link ( http://hxehost:8090/sap/bc/ina/service/v2/GetServerInfo ) : {"Messages":[{"Number":42001,"Type":2,"Text":"InformationAccess Service GetServerInfo is not available. Install the SAP HANA EPM-MDS plugin."}]}

Regards

former_member355591 · ‎2017 Sep 30

Hello

I created an user "LUMIRA" with all these roles and rights but i cannot connect with lumira 2.0 discovery (Import option). I'm getting this message: "Unable to connect to hxehost" meanwhile when i use the user system i can log in but i cant see any view.

Is there a missing right to log in like the system user?

Thanks

Regards

Former Member · ‎2017 Oct 24

Hi Klaus

Discovery Supports HANA Leve / Parent Hierarchies.

Select Cross Tab

Drag Hierarchy node in cross tab

context menu--> Select Hierarchy-->Drill down --> you can find Hierarchy there.

former_member355591 · ‎2017 Oct 27

Hello

When I try to access SAP HANA 2.0 SP02 Live Views using Lumira 2.0 SP02 Discovery, Lumira cannot reach SAP HANA express 2.0 SP02: I get the message "Unable to connect to http://hxehost:8090"

When I was deploying the INA Service I got this message with the GetServerInfo URL https://servername:4390/sap/bc/ina/service/v2/GetServerInfo:

{
"Messages": [
{
"Number": 42001,
"Type": 2,
"Text": "InformationAccess Service GetServerInfo is not available. Install the SAP HANA EPM-MDS plugin."
}
]
}

Once I installed the SAP HANA EPM-MDS plugin, I get this message:

{
"Grids": [],
"ItemLists": [],
"Messages": [{
"Number": 200,
"Text": "No servers are available. Error: No error",
"Type": 2
}]
}

Im still getting the message "Unable to connect to http://hxehost:8090" when I try to connect from Lumira 2.0 SP02. Can you tell me what is missing?.
Thanks.

Regards

former_member184594 · ‎2017 Nov 01

Hi sdixit ,

We are using Lumira Discovery 2.0 SP02 with SAP HANA. We have hierarchies on our calculation views. We are able to see them in Lumira Discovery.

We want to show hierarchies on our crosstab table as a tree view just like one of your screenshots. However, we couldn't find a way to show it like that. Instead, we are seeing it as drill downs. Would you please help how to show tree like?

Thanks a lot.

Zahid.

SrivathsaDixit · ‎2017 Nov 04

Hi Zahid,

You need right click on the column header in the crosstab and you will get option "select hierarchy". select this option and you will be presented with list of hierarchies from the view which you can select.

regards,

Srivathsa Dixit

regards,

Srivathsa Dixit

mrwong05 · ‎2017 Nov 08

did you find a solution to this?

mrwong05 · ‎2017 Nov 08

have you solved this issue?

former_member184594 · ‎2017 Nov 10

Thanks a lot for your help.

former_member253624 · ‎2017 Nov 14

Hi Srivathsa,

We are able to use OLAP HTTPS with SSO for Lumira when accessed from SAP Lumira Client, but the connection fails we try to use connection from BI Launchpad.

Lumira Version - 2 SP 2 Patch 1

SBOP- 4.2 SP 4 Patch 3

Regards

Henry_Banks · ‎2017 Nov 14

Hi, i'd recommend troubleshooting with technical support if you are able to. Kind regards, H

former_member253624 · ‎2017 Nov 15

Hi,

The below note suggests that the issue is fixed in SBOP 4.2 SP 4 Patch 4.

https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/2561931

Reason and Prerequisites

STEPS to Reproduce :

BI Launchpad select Applications > Lumira Discovery to create a new document base on SSO or predefined HANA HTTPS connections.
the error is "Unable to connect to server". Try again

Solution

Fix is available in BOE 4.2 SP04 Patch4 onwards.

former_member535835 · ‎2017 Nov 15

Hi,

We have the same problem. I open an incident to get some technical support from SAP...

mrwong05 · ‎2017 Nov 17

https://blogs.sap.com/2017/11/02/configure-information-access-in-hana-express-to-connect-from-lumira...

johnny999 · ‎2018 Mar 04

Hi all.

What is your experience working with Lumira discovery 2.0 SP3 and Hana Live contents? I found that Lumira is almost unusable. If you connect with the Live option, Lumira fails to load any view that is a little more complicated. It is so slow that it spins forever. It does load the simple views into the dataset definition though. If you connect with the download option, it will spin for hours on any complicated view that has a lot of data.

Am I am missing something? Please share your experience or trick. Is it the reason why Lumira is not embraced by the BI community?

Thanks in advance,

Jonathan.

bill_cheng · ‎2018 Mar 13

Hi Jonathan,

We noticed the same. It is very slow and spinning from Lumira discovery -> BW live.

We are using Lumira 2.1 version and we also noticed this as yours.

Are you able to figure out the problem?

Best regards,

Bill Cheng

johnny999 · ‎2018 Mar 17

Hi Bill.

I had been testing the discovery against the Hana Live views for a week. So far I noticed Lumira is slow because the Hana Live is slow. Hana Live is slow because the calculation views are rather complicated. Any adjustments to the anything in Lumira will cause a lot of calculations in the Hana view engine, eg, to change a filter. The other issue we found is that certain types of parameter prompts setup in the Hana live view will crash the Hana server itself when Discovery runs it. Some of the parameters are vanilla, straight out of SAP. A ticket has been opened to SAP and I got bounced around so far.

Now this may be apply to your case since your datasource is BW.

Good luck, Jonathan.

former_member536747 · ‎2020 Apr 21

Hi sdixit

I am able to connect Lumira Discovery to HANA DB using Via Direct / Local connection:

My user has all required authorizations, and the connection is established successfully:

However, inside the connection, the available views tab and folder tab are empty, and when I try to search, it keeps "Searching" with no output whatsoever.

Regards,

mrwong05 · ‎2020 Jun 11

Is it possible to Link datasets in Lumira for BIP when using HANA live data via Managed OLAP connection?