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Introducing ‘SAP BusinessObjects Explorer’ Technical Considerations

Introducing ‘SAP BusinessObjects Explorer’ Technical Considerations. Ty Miller, Technical Director – Market Development Technology Solution Management, SAP BusinessObjects. Agenda. Explorer Functionality Background. Everyone Uses Search. To instantly find facts Weather Stock Prices.

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Introducing ‘SAP BusinessObjects Explorer’ Technical Considerations

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  1. Introducing ‘SAP BusinessObjects Explorer’ Technical Considerations Ty Miller, Technical Director – Market Development Technology Solution Management, SAP BusinessObjects

  2. Agenda

  3. ExplorerFunctionality Background

  4. Everyone Uses Search • To instantly find facts • Weather • Stock Prices • To access information not readily available • New York city traffic map • Restaurant reviews • To investigate or do research • Ticket prices, hotels • Curiosity about a subject Finding and analyzing corporate information should be this easy

  5. Data Exploration Is Search Against BI… • Use familiar key-word search to find business information • Answers “on-the-fly” and investigative questions • Searches directly on pre-indexed data • No previous reports or metrics need exist • Provides fast search and exploration • Searches across all data sources • Any universe accessible source • BW Accelerator accessible sources

  6. …and Then It’s Exploration Of the Results • Intuitively explore on data • No data model or data knowledge required • Automated relevancy of results • Most relevant information is displayed first • Best chart type auto generated • Share insights with others • Export to Web Intelligence, CSV or image • Save it locally as a browser bookmark • One-click to send a link to the results by email

  7. ExplorerMarketing Background

  8. What Are These Names? • Polestar vs Explorer • Polestar in the Cloud vs Polestar OnDemand vs Explorer in the Cloud • Explorer Accelerated • BIA vs BWA • NetWeaver BI vs NetWeaver BW

  9. Some History... • “SAP BusinessObjects Polestar” • 1st full release: BusinessObjects Polestar XI R2 (Dec 2007) • 2nd full release: SAP BusinessObjects Polestar XI 3.1 (Dec 2008) • “SAP BusinessObjects Explorer” • New core name for all variations of Polestar after 11MAY09 • Also the name for the standalone (aka Universe based) version of Explorer • “SAP BusinessObjects Explorer, accelerated version for SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse (SAP NetWeaver BW)”… aka SAP BusinessObjects Explorer blade edition 1.0…yes it’s a mouthful • Ty’s abbreviation rule: “Explorer Accelerated” • Explorer OnDemand • Started as Labs project • Now officially part of OnDemand • SAP NetWeaver BW • New umbrella name for all NetWeaver based BI capabilities • SAP NetWeaver BI is now SAP NetWeaver BW • SAP NetWeaver BI Accelerator is now SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator

  10. ExplorerProduct Background

  11. What Is SAP BusinessObjects Explorer? • Business Intelligence for All Users • Built on SAP BusinessObjects XI 3.1 platform • Search and Exploration tool with the power of BI • Search across corporate data and display results by relevancy • Visual and relevant data exploration

  12. What Is SAP BusinessObjects Explorer Accelerated? All of the above…directly against SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator SAP BusinessObjects Explorer blade edition 1.0 SAP BusinessObjects Explorer SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise(w/ MySQL, Tomcat) SAP Integration Kit SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator 7.0 Deployment Reference Platform: Out-of-the box deployment Pre-installed by h/w vendor Custom project for integration intoexisting BOE/app server landscape Note: Export to WebI available in wave 2 of Explorer Accelerated bladeedition App Servers BOE Explorer BWA © SAP 2007 / Page 12

  13. What Is Explorer OnDemand? • Explorer OnDemand against Excel • Use Explorer as a quick data exploration tool on top of Excel • Nothing to install • Nothing to administer • Explorer OnDemand benefits • Self-service BI for the masses • Ability to answer quick questions • Further reduce IT and report author backlog • Ability to get fast facts • Understand new data • User community driven tool adoption

  14. How Are the Different Versions Delivered? • Explorer • Available with SAP BusinessObjects BI Package and SAP BusinessObjects Edge • Release vehicle: SP1 for Explorer XI 3.1 • Don’t let the fact that it is an SP fool you – SP should stand for “Super Powerful” • Explorer Accelerated • Available on optimized blades just like BWA • Release vehicles: Explorer Blade Edition 1.0 • Convenient package of Explorer, BOE and BOBJ Integration for SAP all running on blades • Requires • Revision 50 for BWA • EhP1 SP2 or greater for BW • Optional • BOE can be either on the same blade server or it can be an existing deployment • SAP IK • Explorer OnDemand • In the cloud

  15. Availability • Explorer XI 3.1 available mid to end of January 2009 • All Tier 1 languages • OS: Windows • App Server: Tomcat, WebSphere, WebLogic • Explorer XI 3.1 SP1 available June 2009 • OS: Windows, AIX, SuSE Linux • App Servers: Tomcat, WebSphere, WebLogic, Netweaver Application Server • Explorer Blade Edition 1.0 available June 2009 • OS: SuSE Linux • Explorer OnDemand available June 2009

  16. SAP BusinessObjects ExplorerNew features in this release (1/2) • Accelerated access to SAP NetWeaver BW InfoCubes • Opens search and visual data exploration experience to SAP NetWeaver BW Infocubes • Improved deployability • Support of IBM AIX and Linux SUSE in addition to Windows • Additional application servers • Additional database servers • Supported Platforms documentation available at: http://sdn.sap.com/irj/boc/articles • Increased security and system availability • Support of reverse proxies, SSL, Load Balancers • Improved servers clustering – full servers redundancy • Integrated user access via Single Sign-On • Support of industry standard third-party technologies, including Kerberos, Vintela and SiteMinder © SAP 2007 / Page 16

  17. SAP BusinessObjects ExplorerNew features in this release (2/2) • Improved Information Spaces management • Ability to duplicate existing Information Spaces • Enhanced navigation and interactivity • Improved on-chart interactivity • Better exposure of the Collaboration functionalities • Lifecycle management • Ability to Information Spaces transfer between systems with the Import Wizard application © SAP 2007 / Page 17

  18. Explorer andExplorer AcceleratedRoadmaps

  19. What Did We Announce at SAPPHIRE? SAP BusinessObjects Explorer XI 3.1 SP1 Simple, easy information access and analysis for Business Objects customers (that have Universes and BOE) SAP BusinessObjects Explorer, accelerated version for SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse As the name implies, this is Explorer for NetWeaver customers providing all the benefits of Explorer PLUS: Massive data volume and concurrent user handling through integration with Business Warehouse Accelerator Blade Center deployment for optimized performance Support for SAP BW Authorizations and specific SAP BW metadata concepts (characteristics, key figures, multiproviders*, and more coming…) © SAP 2007 / Page 19

  20. Explorer v1 (Q2 2009) – Two Solutions – One Version Solution 1: SAP BusinessObjects Explorer: heterogeneous data source connectivity using Universe Supports: Small heterogeneous data sets Solution 2: SAP BusinessObjects Explorer, accelerated version First release of connectivity between Explorer and BWA Theme: Explore your business at the speed of thought Supports: InfoCubes indexed in BWA SAP authorizations Limited multi-provider support Explore NW characteristics and simple key figures Explorer Roadmap: Where We Are Going H1 2009 H2 2009 H2 2010 H1 2010 Explorer v2 and v3 (Late 2009 through 2010) • New functionality for BW customers: • Multi-provider support • Support common business user hierarchies • Restricted key figure support • Calculated key figure support • Export to Web Intelligence • New functionality for all customers: • Open Accelerator: load in-memory engine with non-BW data • Support for Universe row level security • 2nd dimension charting (view Country AND City in same chart) • Explore Excel spreadsheets • Simple API to enable exploration of any 3rd party data • Improved record view • Simple calculation support

  21. Explorer Accelerated Roadmap Wave 1 (SAPPHIRE) Wave 2 (Q4 09) Wave 3 (H1 10) Explorer Explorer+ Explorer++ BWA BWA+ Current Plan BWA++ DI SAP BW Any Source Any DW Any App BW Data Services Suite Any Source Explorer BW Accelerator Explorer+ Open Accelerator DI(1) Explorer++ Open Accelerator DW Appliance Data Services Non-SAP sources © SAP 2008 / Page 21

  22. ExplorerDeeper Dive

  23. Power of Search • Use familiar key-word search to find business information • Answers “on-the-fly” and investigative questions • Searches directly on pre-indexed data • No previous reports or metrics need exist • Provides fast search and exploration • Searches across all data sources • Any universe accessible source – including SAP BW • Integrated with SAP Business Objects Intelligent Search • Universes on multiple systems

  24. Power of BI • Intuitively explore on data • No data model or data knowledge required • Automated relevancy of results • Most relevant information is displayed first • Best chart type auto generated • Share insights with others • Export to Web Intelligence, CSV or image • Save it locally as a browser bookmark • One-click to send a link to the results by email

  25. Even More Insights for Casual Users • Improved smart visualization • Suggest the best charts for the data you’re working with • New chart types – including trend analysis

  26. Even More Insights for Casual Users • Chart up to three measures simultaneously • For example, view sales, margin and quantity sold

  27. Even More Insights for Casual Users • New interactions on charts and legend panel • Lasso and zoom on chart • Multi-sort by dimension or measure values in legend controlling the chart layout • Select and drill

  28. From Casual Explorer to Analyst Guru • Export newly discovered data to Web Intelligence • Analyze data further: add calculations, custom charts, sections, formulas, alerts… • Combine with personal data files and other Universes • Format, publish, schedule and share • Link back to Explorer automatically created Note: export to WebI will be available later in 2009 for Explorer Accelerated

  29. From Casual Explorer to „Spreadhead“ • Export newly discovered data to CSV • Allows you to take information you find in Explorer to any 3rd party application that support data import from CSV

  30. From Casual Explorer to Boardroom Superstar • Export newly created data visualization as an image

  31. Inherits Platform Capabilities… • Built for SAP BusinessObjects XI 3.1 • Leverages existing features of the SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise platform • Application in the CMC • User, group and application rights • Data source connectivity • Smart server support • Distributed servers • Authentication • Leverages new Universe features • Mandatory and optional prompts • Multiple contexts • Object level security • Interoperability with other BI tools • Drill from Xcelsius, Crystal Reports and Web Intelligence • Export to Web Intelligence • Search from Intelligent Search

  32. …And Adds Its Own • Independent UI • Control sort order at index time • Specify facet sort order for dates, text and measures • A to Z, 1 To N, or Explorer Best Guess • See all Information Spaces from root folder • Drop downs instead of control click to choose multiple measures • Multiple context sensitive, Flash driven help videos

  33. ExplorerDeployable in Minutes 1 Install Explorer on BOE deployment [run the setup file] 2 Go to Explorer Manage Spaces Page 3 Select a Universe and Create Information Spaces [just queries] DONE!

  34. Explorer AcceleratedDeeper Dive

  35. SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator and SAP BusinessObjects Explorer Integration SAP BusinessObjects Explorer Universe Flavor Accelerated Version SAP BusinessObjectsEnterprise XI 3.1 Web Intelligence Crystal Reports MultiProviderQueries Directly search and explore indexed InfoCubes Xcelsius • Quickly find relevant information • Explore and gain new insights • Simple, fast, scalable SAP NetWeaver BW Calculation BWA BusinessWarehouse © SAP 2007 / Page 35

  36. Proposed SAP/BO System LandscapeOne Transport Tool for Multiple Content Types Frontend Layer (Portal, Business Client, BO XI 3.1, CE 7.11) Linux/AIX/Windows (32-Bit)  ApplicationServer ... MDX / OLAP SAP JCo SAP Int. Kit Java UI (CMS) DB (Oracle, DB2, MSSQL) ... SAP NetWeaverAS ABAP XI/PI System ... SAP NetWeaverAS ABAP XI/PI System ... SAP NetWeaverAS ABAP SAP NetWeaverAS Java BOE MetaData DatabaseInstance One centralTransport Tool Enhanced CTS (under discussion)  PAM almost in sync, MCOD possible, UC/NUC handling like Java, instead of Tomcat deployment

  37. Explorer AcceleratedPrerequisites/Setup of Systems Explorer XI BWA BWA BWA BW Accelerator (TREX thin client) communicates with the Explorer via TCP/IP on a TREX proprietary protocol. The Explorer API (BW Accelerator driver) encapsulates the Explorer calls and maps them to TREX. For details on the network setup see attachment “MasterGuideExplorer27409.pdf” of SAP note 1260558 or on https://cw.sdn.sap.com/docs/DOC-48609. © SAP 2009 / Page 37

  38. Explorer AcceleratedDeployable in Days • NetWeaver Stack • Enhancement Package 1 for SAP NetWeaver BW 7.0 – support package 2 or higher • SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator 7.0 – Revision 50 or higher • See SAP note 1260558 for installation info’s during beta • BusinessObjects Enterprise Stack • BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 3.1 (on any platform) • AIX, HP-UX, Linux (RedHat and SuSE), Solaris, Windows • BusinessObjects Explorer (Blade Server with SuSE Linux) • SAP NetWeaver BWA (Blade Server with SuSE Linux) • See SAP note 1267070 for installation during beta • SAP Integration Kit • Technically not required • Necessary for central authentication • No installation on the client necessary SAP NetWeaver 7.0 EnhancementPackage 1 (SP2) SAP NetWeaverBI Accelerator 7.0 Revision 50 BusinessObjects Enterprise Blade Edition Explorer XI 3.1 onAny Platform © SAP 2007 / Page 38

  39. Typical Project Plan

  40. Explorer AcceleratedFeatures and Limitations

  41. BWA Indexes for Explorer AcceleratedFeatures (1) • BWA Index for SAP BusinessObjects Explorer • Contains ‘standard’ BWA index • Provides additional information: texts, conversion factors, security • A SAP BusinessObjects Explorer-enabled index can also be used to accelerate BW queries • Note: converting a standard index to a SAP BusinessObjects Explorer-enabled index requires re-indexing (due to new layout and additional fields) • Texts • Text support in one language (one language for all SAP BusinessObjects Explorer-enabled BWA indexes) • One text type per InfoObject (e.g. short text, according to InfoObject/RSD1 setting) • For time-dependent texts, we assume the current time of initial(!) indexing time is chosen for all time-dependent texts • Note: re-indexing is required after new text loads into SAP NetWeaver BW • Texts for new master data SIDs are indexed in a delta mode, but updating existing texts needs re-indexing BWA Index for Explorer Accelerated BWA Index Texts ConversionFactors Security

  42. BWA Indexes for Explorer AcceleratedFeatures (2) • BWA Index for SAP BusinessObjects Explorer (cntd.) • Unit/Currency Conversion • Conversion factor is defined before indexing • Support for simple unit conversions (e.g. gkg) • Support of one key date for currency conversion • Security • Support of one single SAP NetWeaver BW analysis authorization per user (user does not need to be a SAP NetWeaver BW user) • This simplified security approach has been chosen to ensure consistent (across drill-down) and understandable values • Indexing of authorizations must be scheduled • User exit variable will be executed during indexing (possibly re-index frequently) • Note: SAP BusinessObjects Explorer authorizations automatically filter to the authorized values (join)

  43. BWA Indexes for Explorer AcceleratedFeatures (3) • Characteristics/Dimensions • Time-dependent master data is always displayed for the current date (query keydate = current day) • Display attributes are not supported • Support for simple conversion/format routines for external keys at design time • E.g. standard conversions (e.g. date format) • Complex conversions (e.g. user-specific date formats) are not supported

  44. There Never Really Is a Silver Bullet... Functionality Gaps MultiProviders Calculated and Restricted key figures Hierarchies Currencies / Units Installation As of today, there is no unified installation package, i.e. partners/customers need to upgrade/update the components separately. With wave 1 GA, preconfigured blades should be defined (BOE, Explorer, BWA in one box) – discussions ongoing. Supportability Supportability not yet guaranteed in the following areas, e.g. no user-specific tracing possible: Explorer servers BOE Servers E2E Trace will not be possible (and not committed for BOE XI 4.0) Other components like BWA and the NetWeaver system provide sufficient supportability capabilities

  45. Wave 1 Limitations and Mitigation © SAP 2007 / Page 45

  46. BWA Index MultiProvider PartProviders MultiProviders and Explorer AcceleratedMitigation Strategies • SAP NetWeaver BW MultiProviders will not be natively supported by SAP BusinessObjects Explorer Accelerated until wave 2 (data union capabilities over indexed PartProviders) • Only individual InfoCubes can currently be indexed for use in SAP BusinessObjects Explorer InfoSpaces • A large percentage of customer BW deployments are based on MultiProviders • Customers are typically hesitant to remodel and replace their existing MultiProviders into InfoCubes due to the impact on their existing queries and data loads SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator SAP NetWeaver BW

  47. BWA Index MultiProvider MultiProviders and Explorer AcceleratedSnapshot Solution 1 Generate a snapshot of the MultiProvider directly into a BWA index • Delivered by SAP development via SAP Note 1332090 • Solution creates a mirror of MultiProvider definition as a BWA index, extracts and transfers snapshot of data into BWA • Solution is based on purpose build ABAP • Use case: • Customers who have large volumes of data in MultiProviders and short data BWA load windows • Customers who only want minimal remodeling capabilities during data extraction/indexing • Limited delta handling possible SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator SAP NetWeaver BW Snapshot extractor

  48. BWA Index MultiProvider InfoCube MultiProviders and Explorer Accelerated Snapshot Solution 2 Generate a snapshot of the MultiProvider into an InfoCube • Delivered by SAP NetWeaver RIG via a downloadable “How-to” guide and “object generation” ABAP • Solution loads an intermediate InfoCube which becomes the basis for a BWA index and InfoSpace • Solution uses standard BW objects and processes familiar to customer • Use case: • Customer have less complex MultiProviders (# dimensions and InfoObjects) • Customers with smaller data volumes or longer BWA load windows • Customers who want to remodel to include calculated and restricted key figures in InfoSpaces • Limited delta handling supported (same as standard virtual InfoProviders) SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator Standard IndexProcess SAP NetWeaver BW DTP VirtualProvider Objects Generated by ABAP

  49. Which MultiProvider Solution Should You Consider?

  50. Explorer andExplorer AcceleratedSizing Considerations

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