Indexing BW Data for SAP BusinessObjects Explorer

Using the SAP BusinessObjects Explorer, you can achieve high performance representation for the data of an SAP BW Accelerator Index (abbreviation: BWA index). If you want to use this to analyze data from BW InfoProviders, you first need to create a version of a BWA index supplemented with special data and metadata in the BWA system (transaction code RSDDTPS).

If a BWA index already exists for the BW InfoProvider in question, it is replaced by the supplemented version.

The graphic below provides an overview of the architecture:

To be able to use the enhances interface for activating BW objects, check that you have installed SAP Business Warehouse Accelerator 7.2. Then start program RSDDTREX_ADMIN_MAINTAIN In ABAP Editor (transaction SE38) with OBJECT = 'POLESTAR_SYSTEM' and VALUE = '2'.

In the maintenance screen for aggregates and BWA indexes (transaction RSDDV), the system displays the function key Explorer for the screen for activating BW objects.

If you have created a BWA index for a sequence of BW InfoProviders, using the BWA Index Maintenance screen (transaction RSDDB), you can enhance this index to enable you to display the data of the BW InfoProvider in the SAP BusinessObjects Explorer (see Indexing BW Data in SAP BW Accelerator). The system activates the Explorer enhancements without the need to delete and rebuild the standard BW index.

If no standard BWA index exists for the required BW InfoProvider, the system automatically creates an index when releasing the BW objects to be displayed in the SAP BusinessObjects Explorer (transaction RSDDTPS).

You can enhance the individual BWA indexes of the following BW InfoProviders for the purpose of displaying data in the SAP BusinessObjects Explorer:

• InfoCube

  If an InfoCube is activated for SAP BusinessObjects Explorer, the system adds texts and characteristic values to the InfoCube's data (in the standard BWA index) in its external format.

  In the case of an InfoCube with data persistency in BWA, it is not necessary to create a BWA index, because the InfoCube data is only located in BWA. The system adds the master data and creates the logical Explorer index.

• HybridProvider

  From the point of view of an SAP BusinessObjects Explorer user, the enhanced BWA index of a HybridProvider behaves in the same way as the index of a simple InfoCube. The system adds the master data indexes to the standard BWA index of the InfoCube data. However, the corresponding logical Explorer index is given the name of the HybridProvider.

• Semantically partitioned object (consists of InfoCubes with the same structure)

  When enhancing a standard BWA index of an SPO, the following rules apply:

  • The InfoCubes contained in the semantically partitioned object have the Explorer property, but with STEALTH = X. In other words, they are not visible in the SAP BusinessObjects Explorer.

  • The master data indexes are added.

  The system creates a logical index that handles the semantically partitioned object as a MultiProvider-PartProvider index. A MultiProvider-PartProvider index is a BWA index for a MultiProvider, on the level of the InfoCubes contained in the index.

  From the point of view of an SAP BusinessObjects Explorer user, the enhanced BWA index behaves in the same way as the index of a simple InfoCube.

• VirtualProvider

  From the point of view of an SAP BusinessObjects Explorer user, the enhanced BWA index of a VirtualProvider behaves in the same way as the index of a simple InfoCube.

In addition, you can also use transaction RSDDTPS to create enhanced BWA indexes for MultiProvider and queries that can be displayed in the SAP BusinessObjects Explorer.

• Enhanced BWA Index for a MultiProvider

  Scenario: You want to use SAP BusinessObjects Explorer to analyze data for a MultiProvider that is scattered throughout multiple BW InfoProviders.

  You have the following options:

  • You can index all InfoProviders in the MultiProvider individually.

  • You can index all MultiProvider data as a snapshot.

  MultiProvider at the level of the InfoProviders (abbreviation: PartProviders)

  This option is only available for certain MultiProviders. A check routine in the BW system checks whether the BWA Engine allows this option for the MultiProvider in question. At present, this option can be used by all MultiProviders that only contain InfoCubes (including a MultiProviders containing a semantically partitioned InfoCube object) and for which the problem known as the CMP problem does not occur. This problem occurs when a compounded characteristic is taken account of in the MultiProvider that is not actually supplied with data from one of the InfoProviders contained in it.

  Note

  For more information about the CMP problem see SAP Notes 1009987 and 1045683.

  If you select the PartProvider option, all InfoProviders are indexed as a standard BWA index if indexes have not already been created. The system also creates a logical index (a metadata construct in the BWA) that contains the mapping information for a MultiProvider. The queries from SAP BusinessObjects Explorer are performed against this logical MultiProvider index. For Explorer users, the logical MultiProvider index looks like an InfoCube. It does allow Explorer users to display some of the metadata though.

  The system only indexes the InfoCubes contained in the MultiProvider in conjunction with the MultiProvider that you want to make available (not as independent InfoProviders therefore). For Explorer users, the InfoCubes contained here are not visible. This means that they cannot create any Information Space for an InfoCube as part of a MultiProvider. If you want to do this, you have to index and activate the InfoCube yourself.

  Snapshot of MultiProvider

  This is option is available for almost all MultiProviders, including MultiProviders that contain a semantically partitioned DataStore object or a HybridProvider.

  A MultiProvider snapshot provides a "snapshot" of the data in the MultiProviders during indexing scheduled for background processing. If you select the Snapshot option, the system reads all data in the InfoProviders from the database (or external source) during indexing and collates it in accordance with how the MultiProvider has been modeled. This data is written to a fact index on the BWA server. The fact index is "flat"; meaning that it does not contain any dimensions. All characteristics appear as line items. All master data indexes are created too and filled with data, provided that indexes do not already exist for the InfoProviders contained in the MultiProvider. The system also creates a logical index (a metadata construct in the BWA) that combines all of this data. The queries from SAP BusinessObjects Explorer are performed against this logical MultiProvider snapshot index. For Explorer users, the logical MultiProvider snapshot looks like an InfoCube.

  Note

  If the data in the InfoProviders contained in the MultiProvider changes, note that the system does not update the MultiProvider snapshot index.

  To find out more about the functions and restrictions of this application, see SAP Note 1332392.

• Enhanced BWA Index for a Query

  Scenario: You want to use SAP BusinessObjects Explorer to analyze InfoProvider data, which first requires complex processing. This means that the required functionality will not be available in the BWA Engine.

  To do this, you can index the snapshot of a query result in the BWA and make it available for SAP BusinessObjects Explorer.

  Example

  An example of this type of functionality that requires a full OLAP Engine is complex key figure conversions, for example of bottles and cans into liters.

  Restrictions With regard to the indexing of a query result for analysis by SAP BusinessObjects Explorer, the same restrictions apply as when indexing a query result in BWA (see Indexing BW Data in SAP BW Accelerator).

  Note

  To be able to index the snapshot of a query result in the BWA, you first need to activate the query. You can call this either in the BWA Index Maintenance transaction (RSDDB) or by choosing Activate Query as InfoProvider or by setting the property Query is used as InfoProvider in Query Monitor (transaction RSDB). See Query Properties.

  The system checks the query for the relevant restrictions.. If none of these conditions apply, the system sets the query property Activated for SAP BusinessObjects Explorer. The query is then visible in the tree of BW objects for making indexing settings (transaction RSDDTPS). The query result is given the read mode Query to Read All Data at Once (A) (see Read Mode), which means that the free characteristics are also used in GROUP BY.

  During indexing, the system executes the query and stores the result in a flat table. This flat table is indexed in the BWA. The master data tables are also indexed, provided that they do not exist yet. The system creates one logical index only, in order to collate all of this information. The queries from SAP BusinessObjects Explorer are performed against this logical query snapshot index. For Explorer users, the logical query snapshot looks like an InfoCube (or a MultiProvider snapshot index).

To find out more about the procedure and the settings that you need to make to index BW objects for display in SAP BusinessObjects Explorer, see Activating BW Objects for SAP BusinessObjects Explorer.