Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Agenda
Business Intelligence Architecture Architectural Components Architectural Approaches Implementing architecture in SAP BI
Infrastructure
Hardware, networking, operating systems, desktops
Technical
Technologies used a various levels of the architecture i.e. query tools, extraction tools
Data Architecture
Determined by business processes
If you are a manufacturer then production orders, orders, shipping and billing are important
Dimensional or E-R
Depends on level of query detail Different models at different levels (query, data staging, etc)
MOLAP, ROLAP
Infrastructure
Network capacity, servers, RAM, storage Where you invest in infrastructure depends somewhat on needs
Nightly updates - adequate staging horsepower Worldwide availability - parallel or distributed servers Customer-level analysis - large servers
Technical Architecture
The technical architecture is driven by the metadata catalog/repository
Metadata refers to the data that describes the data objects, structures, data flows, etc defined in the data warehouse Metadata is stored independently of the business data allowing for more flexibility
For example, because connectivity parameters are not hardcoded in the ETL process data sources can easily be changed
Technical Architecture
Extract Data comes from multiple sources and is of multiple types. Data compression and encryption handling must be considered at this area, if it applies. Transform Data transformation includes surrogate key management, integration, de-normalization, cleansing, conversion, aggregation, and auditing. Load Loading is often done to multiple targets, with load optimization and support for the entire load cycle. Security Administrator access and data encryption policies. Job control This includes job definition, job scheduling (time and event), monitoring, logging, exception handling, error handling, and notification.
Agenda
Business Intelligence Architecture Architectural Components Architectural Approaches Implementing architecture in SAP BI
Generic Architecture
Source System
Source System
Source System
Source System
Data Staging Layer Decouples extraction processes from data cleansing processes
Reduces impact of loads on transaction system Snapshot allows repeatable / re-startable ETL processes Area to store data using different load schedules to the DW
Data at this layer is not typically available to end users Area to store 3rd party data
Data Staging Layer Employ data manipulation not appropriate for the DW Data in Data Staging Area is: a copy of operational data deleted after a short period so nonhistorical in flat tables atomic
Class II
Two-hour to four-hour
Class III
Daily
Class IV
Aggregated data from the data warehouse
Choice of whether to normalize or not depends on the complexity and performance of transformations when transferring data between layers and reporting requirements
Data Marts
Data mart is a departmental, or subject oriented, subset of the EDW Data in the data mart comes from the EDW if one exists Relationship between EDW and data marts is often called a hub-and-spoke architecture Data in Data Mart is:
often aggregated but may be atomic dimensional may or may not be historical volatile
Agenda
Business Intelligence Architecture Architectural Components Architectural Approaches Implementing architecture in SAP BI
Create data marts in conformance with the conformed dimensions and fact tables
A metadata repository forms the basis of the data bus
End Date
Employee Time
GL Account Product
Purchased Product
Usage Type
Report
Report
Report
Report
An approach also used in the early days, but refined over time: - Originally suggested extensive effort in building the DW - Now recommends building DW incrementally
Report
Report
Report
Report
An approach also used in the early days, but refined over time: - Originally suggested building silos - Now recommends enterprise perspective
Report
Report
Report
How Data Warehousing was often performed in the early days - Individual projects developing solutions into functional silos - No program / enterprise perspective - No conformed dimensions
Report
Report
Report
Report
Seeks to overcome the limitations of previous architectures: - Highly variable with many individual approaches
Report
Report
Report
Report
Report
Architecture Alternatives
Hub and Spoke Architecture (Corporate Information Factory) Source System Staging Area
Normalized Relational Warehouse (atomic data)
Data Mart Bus Architecture with Linked Dimensional Data Marts Source System Staging Area
Dimensionalized Data Marts linked by Conformed Dimensions (atomic/summarized data)
Architecture Alternatives
Independent Data Marts Architecture Source System Staging Area
Independent Data Marts (atomic/summarized data)
Architecture Alternatives
Federated Architecture
Existing Data Warehouses, Data Marts and Legacy Systems Logical/Physical Integration of common data elements
Agenda
Business Intelligence Architecture Architectural Components Architectural Approaches Implementing architecture in SAP BI
InfoObjects
Attributes that are assigned to characteristic InfoObjects are stored independently of any InfoProvider to which the characteristic is attached so characteristics serve as conformed dimensions in the SAP data model
InfoProviders
InfoProviders are different metaobjects in the data basis that can be seen within query definition Physical
DataStore InfoCube InfoObjects
Logical
VirtualProviders InfoSets (Join) MultiCubes (Union) Aggregation Level
Overview of InfoProviders
DataStore Objects
DataStores are used mostly as a staging area for data before it is transferred to one or more InfoProviders
Can be used for reporting, data cleansing, data harmonization and data-quality management Data is atomic Unlike InfoCubes, DataStores allow record updates
DataStores consist of one or three flat tables depending on the type DataStores can be used as a source for queries but are not as efficient as InfoCubes
Required when reporting is at atomic level
DataStore Objects
Standard DataStore Objects
Building blocks for operational data stores Permits delta updates Data must be activated after loading
DataStore Object
Allows reporting which is helpful for administrators and developers
VirtualProviders
Care must be taken with this approach because performance of source systems can be affected
Metadata in SAP BI
Metadata in SAP BI is stored in the metadata repository Documents all objects and the data flows defined among the various objects Metadata can be exported to HTML and serve as project documentation
The Open Hub Service allows you to distribute data from a BI system to non-SAP data marts
InfoMart
InfoMart
InfoMart
InfoMart
InfoMart
Local DWH
Local DWH
InfoMart
Global DWH
InfoMart
InfoMart
InfoMart
Global DWH
InfoMart
Local DWH
Local DWH
InfoMart
InfoMart
InfoMart
Local DWH
Template
Local DWH
Template
InfoMart
Global DWH
InfoMart