SAP Analytics Cloud and SAP Data Warehouse Cloud: Better Together #ASUG Webcast Summary Q&A

[TammyPowlas]

The great ingo.hilgefort provided this ASUG webcast last week, and answered several questions.

 

Figure 1 Source SAP

Figure 2 Source SAP

Challenges today

Data warehouses today are IT driven; difficult to access data sources

Most BI tools do not have good inside model capabilities

SAP Data Warehouse Cloud looks to business user to being part of the process, self-service modeling workflow

Uses SAP HANA Cloud as the underlying database

It also has data flow (embedded DI) for ETL jobs

Figure 3 Source SAP

Three main use cases

Provide an environment that isn't all IT driven

Not just self-service analytics

Data modeling in a governed approach to business user

Data democratization using the semantic layer (Business Builder in DWC) - create a scenario independent of data layer

End to end data warehouse - DWC provides different aspects of data warehousing. Integrates with existing solutions, such as BW

Figure 4 Source: SAP

Direct connectivity with SAC

Expose DWC to third party tool - 2 options:

1. expose data model for consumption (e.g. Tableau, PowerBI)


2. ETL tool, use external ETL scenario to fill data to DWC

 

Business Content

• Preconfigured scenarios (like BW)


• Gives you a head start

Figure 5 Source SAP

SAC understands DWC assets

SAC capable of connecting to data layer or business layer

Figure 6 Source SAP

Many to many connectivity options

Can have 3 tier structure - dev, test and production environment

Most customers have 1 DWC tenant, some have 2 tenant

Some use the spaces concept to separate dev and production environment

Connection from SAC to DWC is many to many

Figure 7 Source SAP

Expose DWC to third party tool - consumption or loading information - configuration to allow external consumption

Figure 8: Source SAP

Business content from SAP and partners

More information about the Business Content the SAP Data Warehouse Cloud Community. Partner Content also listed on SAP Store (source: SAP)

Gives you a head start

Figure 9: Source: SAP

As part of integration between DWC/SAC, can configure geo enrichment

Use lat/long of dataset in DWC and then use in SAC

Figure 10: Source: SAP

Create input parameters - not SAC specific

Parameter you can create as part of the model; it is mandatory

SAC can reuse it

Figure 11: Source: SAP

Create story filters in the model; specific to SAC

 

Figure 12: Source: SAP

Planned for next quarter, SAC add in will use the live DWC connection; allowing you to use Excel (or Excel 365) and talk to information in DWC

 

Figure 13: Source: SAP

 

SAC: some faced limitations with data blending

Consider DWC/SAC combination

See blog below that shows how combination SAC/DWC gives you like a live connection to SAC

Blog link: https://blogs.sap.com/2021/07/19/sap-analytics-cloud-expand-live-data-source-options-via-sap-data-wa...

 

 

 

Resources: (source: SAP)

Current Limitations : https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/2832606 –

SAP Data Warehouse Cloud Best Practices – SCN Community: https://community.sap.com/topics/data-warehouse-cloud/best-practices-troubleshooting –

SAP Roadmap Explorer – SAP Data Warehouse Cloud - View road map explorer link: https://roadmaps.sap.com/board?PRODUCT=73555000100800002141&range=CURRENT-LAST#Q3%202021  (logon required)

Find sample content on GitHub https://github.com/SAP-samples/data-warehouse-cloud-content

90 Day Trial: https://www.sap.com/products/data-warehouse-cloud/trial.html

 

Q&A

Q: using BW for last 14 years and SAC for last year, is it possible to lift and shift?

A: Yes, there was a webinar on integration DWC with BW using a model transfer

Can point DWC to existing BW models and leverage that as part of DWC environment

 

Q: Self -service data modeling - how prevent business user from a "mess"?

A: Want to put a framework; not just technical framework but an education on the tool and what makes sense

Can use Business Builder, to create more of a semantic model for the end user

Can use security for the spaces concept

 

Q: Recommendations on govern business user credentials/models

A: Governance, control over who sees which models, access new models, create new models

 

Q: Can we do script scenarios in DWC?

A: You can use SQL scripting in terms as part of SQL driven modeling scenarios

 

Q: DWC looks like a replacement for BW4

A: It's not an either or, but a combination

 

Q: Is there an embedded version of SAC in DWC?

A: There has been; when DWC came out, there was a story builder part of that but it has been removed and now point to existing SAC system

Can still configure menus to go to your tenant

 

Q: Is DWC connecting with SAC live, so how is planning supported?

A: Planning in SAC, data needs to be in SAC, if want to use DWC, can create a scenario where SAC imports data, SAC to HANA Cloud

 

Planning in SAC data needs to be in SAC

 

Q: Can a third party consumption handle complex queries?

A: DWC third party API - does give access to data layer and not the business layer

It is a SQL interface to data layer of DWC

 

Q: What is the recommendation way - multiple DWCs or spaces?

A: Recommended approach is spaces

Go to the community page

 

Q: Does the customer have to purchase SAC when buy DWC?

A: If customer has SAC, can reuse DWC

 

Q: Today we have Analysis Office against HANA with calculation views

A: Analysis for Office is not planned to connect to DWC; plan is to use SAC add in - strategic investment

 

Q: Do we have an update on Data Warehouse Marketplace

A: Webinar in October

 

Q: DWC leverage ODP extractors?

A: Yes, see best practices page

 

Legal disclaimer applies:

Source: SAP