DataSource (New Object Concept)

Technical Data

Function is New
For Release Software Component
● Component: NetWeaver
● Release: 7.0
Assignment to Application BW-WHM Warehouse Management
Component
Country Setting Valid for all countries

Use
DataSources have been known as DataSource replicates (transport object ISFS) in the BI
system. For SAP source systems, the BI-relevant metadata is replicated to BI via metadata
upload; for other source systems, the metadata is defined directly in BI. Transfer of data from
this type of DataSource, called DataSource 3.x below, is only possible when the DataSource
3.x is assigned to an InfoSource 3.x and the fields of the DataSource 3.x in the transfer
structure maintenance InfoObjects are assigned to InfoSource 3.x. When the transfer rules
3.x are activated, and thus the transfer structure 3.x, a PSA table is generated into which the
data can be loaded.
As of SAP NetWeaver 7.0, a new object concept is available for DataSources. It is used in
conjunction with the changed objects concepts in data flow and process design
(transformation, InfoPackage for loading to the Persistent Staging Area (PSA), data transfer
process for data distribution within BI). The logical transport object for a DataSource of the
new type (called DataSource below) is called RSDS.
In BI there is a new, uniform maintenance interface for DataSources that is independent of
InfoSource 3.x, transfer rule 3.x and transfer structure 3.x. For transfer of data with UD
Connect, DB Connect or from flat files, you use this interface to define DataSources in BI. For
transfer of data from SAP source systems, you use this interface to select the fields from the
DataSource to be transferred and to make specifications for format and conversion of field
contents from the DataSource. The new concept can not yet be used for data transfer from
external systems and for transfer of hierarchies.
With activation of a DataSource, a PSA table is generated in the input layer of BI and data
can then be read.
You determine the target into which the data from the DataSource is to be updated in the
transformation. You also assign fields for the DataSource to InfoObjects from the target object
in BI.
If you want to create DataSources, select the required source system in the source system
tree from the Data Warehousing Workbench and choose Create DataSource from the context
menu. If you want to display or change DataSources in BI, select the required DataSource in
the DataSource tree for the source system and choose Display or Change. The respective
change or display mode for the DataSource maintenance appears.
The DataSource supports various data access methods (adapter) that depend on the source
system. For data transfer from flat files, you can select Text-Type Fields from a Local
Workstation (CSV) or Binary File from a Local Workstation (ASCII), among other things as an
adapter.
If DataSources are replicated from an SAP source system, for delivered BI Content, the
system generally decides whether the replication is to occur in a DataSource or a DataSource
3.x in BI. For customer-defined, generic DataSources that are not available in BI, the user can
decide whether the metadata is to be replicated as a DataSource or a DataSource 3.x.
Effects on Existing Data
If your dataflow is modeled with objects based on the old concept (InfoSource 3.x, transfer
rules 3.x, update rules 3.x) and the process design is based on these objects, you can
continue to work with DataSources 3.x to transfer data into BI from a source system.
You can also use a DataSource 3.x at runtime as a DataSource (emulated). Changes are not
possible in emulated display. You can also model the data flow with transformations for an
emulated DataSource if there are already active transfer rules and a transfer structure and a
PSA for the DataSource. The PSA table is created when the transfer structure is activated to
which the data can then be written. Once you have set the data flow, you can set the
processes for data transfer (load process using InfoPackage and data transfer process),
along with other data processing processes in BI. We recommend using process chains.
During emulation, which is display and use of DataSource 3.x using the interfaces of the new
DataSource concept, the metadata tables from the new DataSource concept are not filled.
Instead they are instantiated from the metadata tables from the earlier releases.
You can migrate a DataSource 3.x to a DataSource, that is, you can convert the metadata on
the database. The DataSource 3.x can be restored to its status before the migration if the
associated objects of DataSource 3.x (DataSource ISFS, mapping ISMP, transfer structure
ISTS) are exported during migration.