Connection between Non-SAP with SAP Analytics for cloud

[abhimanyu_sharma]

Hi Experts,

I have an requirement where we need to connect the SAP Analytics for cloud with non sap ( Workday ) to get the HR information into the system so that we can create Dashboards out of it.

One option is to create models by using Flat files ( CSV or Xlsx ). But we do want to store data in SAP Analytics for cloud.

Could you please suggest any option to achieve this ?

[Henry_Banks]

Hi,

did you mean to say: "But we don't want to store data in SAP Analytics Cloud" ? So where would you store it?

I guess if you wanted to really over-engineer things, you could use HANA Smart Data Integration, which is a virtual Data Federation service) and point this to your flat-files stored on a FileServer or whatever.

the SDI could be enabled on-demand by a SAP Cloud Platform, or via on-premise using HANA DB. Then you could report off those Views using SAC using a Live connection.

Going further, I've even seem some customers introduce a real-time data warehouse (BW4HANA ) in between SDI and SAC, to give it more analytical semantics and benefit from an agile data-management environment.

Regards, H

[abhimanyu_sharma]

Yes, What i have understood from articles from SAP , that if we create models on CSV or xlsx or by using Import connection, the data will be stored in SAC and it will consume SAC server space.

hence We would like a solution where we can do reporting on workday using SAC w/oi storing data in SAC ?

is it possible using OData instead of using SDI ?

[Henry_Banks]

Hi,

Yes we do have Odata 2 connectivity, but in the SAC product that is for an "import connection" workflow only.

https://help.sap.com/doc/00f68c2e08b941f081002fd3691d86a7/release/en-US/11b4e5ff76eb4747bc255d7037be...

Importing the data might seem undesirable , but it also unlocks all the good stuff: Data Wrangling, Predictive/Machine Learning, Planning-enabled models, and 'acceleration' as opposed to latency (since data is held 'locally' to the SAC service)

Maybe you'd could consider a partner solution like APOS' live data gateway, https://www.apos.com/content/apos-live-data-gateway but i think you'd still have to hold your data somewhere, in a lake or storage service .

regards,

H

[abhimanyu_sharma]

Hi henry,

Thanks for such a valuable information. I have read the link which you have shared with me.

I have just one doubt with the statement :

"Yes we do have Odata 2 connectivity, but in the SAC product that is for an "import connection" workflow only." - Does it mean that Odata service will work only for the system listed in SAC under Import connection? Does it mean with Odata , currently we cannot expose the data from work day into SAC?

Also, I have read in help.sap.com that -> The OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code Grant workflow, , is supported in SAP Analytics Cloud for non-browser based application access to the REST API. -> What does it meant by Non - browser based application ?

Also it is mentioned that : Client-side web application access is not supported at this time. -> What does it mean?

[Henry_Banks]

Hi,

OData is a generic data-access protocol, similar to say JDBC - so if your Workday can publish its data as an Odata 2.0 source, then SAC can probably query it.

those other information you are asking about are for API access - that is to say calls to SAC that are made "programatically" by other applications. (as in, 'embedding' SAC logic into another solution). those remarks in the documentation are the supportability boundaries for programmers.

regards,

H

[abhimanyu_sharma]

Ok Henry , i am now clear about it..You are awesome !

So, One last thing I would need to clarify - Do we require the installation and configuration of the SAP Cloud Connector for mapping OData source URL (Internal) to your SAP CP CC account in SAP Cloud Connector and use the virtual host as Data Service URL ?

[abhimanyu_sharma]

hi henry,

could you please update on this query :

So, One last thing I would need to clarify - Do we require the installation and configuration of the SAP Cloud Connector for mapping OData source URL (Internal) to your SAP CP CC account in SAP Cloud Connector and use the virtual host as Data Service URL ?

[Henry_Banks]

Hi,

it's a good question.

actually you can go either way: Odata can come from an onpremise, or cloud application. the former would need the cloud connector. whereas the latter would not.

a nice diagram of your connection options (and required componentry) can be found here: https://help.sap.com/doc/00f68c2e08b941f081002fd3691d86a7/release/en-US/bdf055159cbb4f36b26c93ccb0c5...

sorry for not mentioning this before!

Here's what the UI options look like in SAC:

kind regards,
H

p.s. please mark the question answered if closed now

[abhimanyu_sharma]

Hi Henry,

just couple of questions for more clarity :

1. Do we need to open any firewall in our non-sap systems to access the data via OData ?

2. Could you please send any general pre-requisite list to be checked before generating OData Service?

Best Regards,

Abhimanyu Sharma.

[abhimanyu_sharma]

Hi Henry,

As I mentioned above that, we can use Odata connection for establishing a connection between Non-SAP On Premise DB and SAP Analytics for cloud. In my case, my Database is Oracle DB.

But I have checked link below from SAP which shows the steps of connecting the SAC with Oracle 11 database.

I would like to know if this is another approach than Odata for connecting non-sap DB as in the link Odata and Oracle 11 are defined separately which causes confusion. Also adding to this, when checked in Link, under Oracle 11, steps are mentioned for MS SQL Server. Please clear this confusion.

Also, would like to know if there are any pre-requisite to do at the Oracle DB side for data access to SAC - do we need to open firewall port or any kind of additional adaptors required?

https://www.sapanalytics.cloud/guided_playlists/connect-oracle-11/

Please clarify this doubt.

[Henry_Banks]

Hi,

i'd recommend using the Help guide for the detailed info

https://help.sap.com/doc/00f68c2e08b941f081002fd3691d86a7/release/en-US/1c1e36eeb99e420aa20ebe6e39af...

and also this support note is very helpful (hope you can reach it)

Title: OData service connection in SAP Analytics Cloud ***Master KBA*** Link: https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/2628688

regards,

H

[abhimanyu_sharma]

Hello Henry,

Yes i will go through this note and link.

But the other option which I have mentioned above connecting oracel11 to SAP Analytics for cloud - is that also the another way of connecting the oracle 11 than Odata?

[Former Member]

Hi,

Dis you wacht this post?

https://blogs.sap.com/2016/05/11/enable-sap-cloud-for-analytics-for-data-acquistion-from-on-premise-...

Hope that helps.

Regards

[abhimanyu_sharma]

Yes i have read that document. but my doubt is that Odata and the approach given in the link provided by you are two different ways of connecting non-sap systems.

And why are we going for this approach if we have oData?

[JohnL]

Hi H,

The connection type in SAC is called "SQL Database" which uses a jdbc driver. Oracle is one such SQL database we support.

See these links:

https://help.sap.com/doc/00f68c2e08b941f081002fd3691d86a7/release/en-US/0d5ffbb6951b45778c1a90ffd011...

https://help.sap.com/doc/00f68c2e08b941f081002fd3691d86a7/release/en-US/11b4e5ff76eb4747bc255d7037be...