You are using a SAP HANA database or a SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator (BWA).
An analytic index is a data container whose data is stored in the BW Accelerator or in the SAP HANA database.
The analytic index is used to generate a TransientProvider. This is an InfoProvider that a BEx query can be executed on without the need for the InfoProvider to be modeled in the Data Warehousing Workbench or the data to be replicated. The modeling is derived from an application, from the analytic index in this case.
Analytic indexes can be created and filled with (transformed) data quickly. They are intended for ad-hoc scenarios. They can also be created as InfoProviders without reference to InfoObjects. They are therefore not integrated into the metadata repository and cannot be transported.
Note that a backup and restore process is not implemented on the system for analytic indexes. To store the data on a long-term basis, you should select a different InfoProvider type.
Analytic indexes that are generated by SAP HANA models being published to the BW system cannot be used as data targets in Analysis Process Designer. The data is not stored in the analytic index in this case. It simply represents a view of the data contained in SAP HANA.
The analytic index stores its data in a star schema. The characteristics of an analytic index are stored in the dimensions. These dimensions can carry attributes. Last Name is a possible attribute of User for example. The analyzed key figures such as Sales or Sales Quantities are stored in the fact table and are called facts.
As well as the fact and dimension data, an analytic index can also contain authorization data. Like with analysis authorizations, this authorization data ensures that users can only display data in the query if they are authorized. When data in an analytic index is created, changed, loaded or deleted, this is logged in the application log under Analytic Index (AIND). The authorizations for these actions are assigned using authorization object S_RS_AINX.