In this chapter, we will get to understand the basics of SAP BW and SAP BI. How it has evolved and improved over the years.
SAP BW and BI Introduction
SAP Business Intelligence (BI) means analyzing and reporting of data from different heterogeneous data sources. SAP Business Warehouse (BW)integrates data from different sources, transforms and consolidates the data, does data cleansing, and storing of data as well. It also includes data modeling, administration and staging area.
The data in SAP BW is managed with the help of a centralized tool known asSAP BI Administration Workbench. The BI platform provides infrastructure and functions which include −
SAP BW is known as an open, standard tool which allows you to extract the data from different systems and then send it to the BI system. It also evaluates the data with different reporting tools and you can distribute this to other systems.
The following diagram shows an open, broad and standard based Architecture of Business Intelligence.
Later, the name was changed from SAP BIW to SAP Business Warehouse (BW). After SAP acquired Business Objects, the name of the product has been changed to SAP BI.
Name BIW Version Release Date and Year
BIW 1.2A Oct 1998
BIW 1.2B Sep 1999
BIW 2.0A Feb 2000
BIW 2.0B Jun 2000
BIW 2.1C Nov 2000
BW (Name changed to BW) 3.0A Oct 2001
BW 3.0B May 2002
BW 3.1 Nov 2002
BW 3.1C Apr 2004
BW 3.3 Apr 2004
BW 3.5 Apr 2004
BI (Name changed to BI) 7 Jul 2005
Data Acquisition in SAP BI
SAP BI allows you to acquire data from multiple data sources that can be distributed to different BI systems. A SAP Business Intelligence system can work as a target system for data transfer or source system for distribution of data to different BI targets.
As mentioned in the above image, you can see SAP BI source systems along with other systems −
As per the data source type, you can differentiate between the source systems −
InfoPackage
An InfoPackage is used to specify how and when to load data to the BI system from different data sources. An InfoPackage contains all the information on how the data is loaded from the source system to a data source or a PSA. InfoPackage consists of condition for requesting data from a source system.
Note − Using an InfoPackage in BW 3.5, you can load data in Persistence Staging Area and also in targets from source system, but If you are using SAP BI 7.0 the data load should be restricted to PSA only for latest versions.
BI Data Flow (InfoPackage and InfoProvider)
BI Content
BI objects consists of the following components −
SAP BW and BI Introduction
SAP Business Intelligence (BI) means analyzing and reporting of data from different heterogeneous data sources. SAP Business Warehouse (BW)integrates data from different sources, transforms and consolidates the data, does data cleansing, and storing of data as well. It also includes data modeling, administration and staging area.
The data in SAP BW is managed with the help of a centralized tool known asSAP BI Administration Workbench. The BI platform provides infrastructure and functions which include −
- OLAP Processor
- Metadata Repository,
- Process designer and other functions.
SAP BW is known as an open, standard tool which allows you to extract the data from different systems and then send it to the BI system. It also evaluates the data with different reporting tools and you can distribute this to other systems.
The following diagram shows an open, broad and standard based Architecture of Business Intelligence.
- BI stands for Business Intelligence
- BW stands for Business Warehouse
Later, the name was changed from SAP BIW to SAP Business Warehouse (BW). After SAP acquired Business Objects, the name of the product has been changed to SAP BI.
Name BIW Version Release Date and Year
BIW 1.2A Oct 1998
BIW 1.2B Sep 1999
BIW 2.0A Feb 2000
BIW 2.0B Jun 2000
BIW 2.1C Nov 2000
BW (Name changed to BW) 3.0A Oct 2001
BW 3.0B May 2002
BW 3.1 Nov 2002
BW 3.1C Apr 2004
BW 3.3 Apr 2004
BW 3.5 Apr 2004
BI (Name changed to BI) 7 Jul 2005
Data Acquisition in SAP BI
SAP BI allows you to acquire data from multiple data sources that can be distributed to different BI systems. A SAP Business Intelligence system can work as a target system for data transfer or source system for distribution of data to different BI targets.
As mentioned in the above image, you can see SAP BI source systems along with other systems −
- SAP systems (SAP Applications/SAP ECC)
- Relational Database (Oracle, SQL Server, etc.)
- Flat File (Excel, Notepad)
- Multidimensional Source systems (Universe using UDI connector)
- Web Services that transfer data to BI by means of push
As per the data source type, you can differentiate between the source systems −
- Data Sources for transaction data
- Data Sources for master data
- Data Sources for hierarchies
- Data Sources for text
- Data Sources for attributes
InfoPackage
An InfoPackage is used to specify how and when to load data to the BI system from different data sources. An InfoPackage contains all the information on how the data is loaded from the source system to a data source or a PSA. InfoPackage consists of condition for requesting data from a source system.
Note − Using an InfoPackage in BW 3.5, you can load data in Persistence Staging Area and also in targets from source system, but If you are using SAP BI 7.0 the data load should be restricted to PSA only for latest versions.
BI Data Flow (InfoPackage and InfoProvider)
BI Content
BI objects consists of the following components −
- Roles
- Web templates and workbook
- Queries
- InfoProvider
- Update Rules
- InfoSource
- Transfer Rules
- InfoObjects
- DataSources
- SCM
- CRM
- HR
- Finance Management
- Product Lifecycle
- Industry Solutions
- Non-SAP data sources, etc.