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Background documentation Data Flow Locate the document in its SAP Library structure

In SAP NetWeaver 2004s, new concepts and technologies are available in the Data Warehousing Workbench for process design and modeling the data flow. The existing concepts and technologies (3.x DataSource, 3.x transfer and update rules, 3.x InfoSources) are still supported. Objects belonging to these concepts and technologies are now referred to as 3.x objects. If you want to benefit from the features of the new concepts while working with an existing data model, we recommend that you migrate the data model.

Data Flow in SAP NetWeaver 2004s

A new object concept is available for DataSources that previously existed in BI as DataSource replicates. In BI, the DataSource is edited (SAP system as source) or created (other sources) on one new and uniform interface, irrespective of the 3.x InfoSources, 3.x transfer rules and 3.x transfer structures. When you activate the DataSource, the system generates a PSA table in the entry layer of BI. Therefore, each DataSource automatically has a PSA table and in this way, can be used as a persistent object within the data flow.  Before data can be updated into BI, it has to be loaded into the PSA using an InfoPackage. In the InfoPackage, you specify the selection parameters for transferring data into the PSA. In the new data flow, InfoPackages are only used to load data into the PSA.

DataSource fields are assigned to BI InfoObjects in a transformation. In this data model, the transformation replaces the update and transfer rules, including transfer structure maintenance. Using a transformation, every BI (data) source can be converted into the format of the target by using an individual transformation (one-step procedure). An InfoSource is only required for complex transformations (multi-step procedures) that cannot be performed in a one-step procedure. You use an InfoSource to connect several sequential transformations. For example, the data flow could be: PSA à transformation 1 à InfoSource 1 à transformation 2 (à InfoSource 2 à … transformation n)  ® InfoProvider. This supports the reusability of transformations that are not dependent on a target or source, as opposed to transformations that are target or source specific.

You use the data transfer process (DTP) to transfer data within BI from one persistent object to another object, in accordance with certain transformations and filters. Possible sources for the data transfer include PSA tables and InfoProviders; possible targets include InfoProviders and open hub destinations.  In this sense, the DTP replaces the InfoPackage, the data mart interface and the InfoSpoke.

In BI, process chains are used to schedule the processes associated with the data flow, including InfoPackages and data transfer processes.

The following figure illustrates the data flow:

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text

Constraints

The new DataSource concept cannot currently be used for transferring data from external systems (metadata and data transfer using staging BAPIs) or for transferring and further processing hierarchies.

Migration 

If you want to migrate an existing data model, start with the DataSource. Emulation (displaying and using 3.x DataSources with the interfaces for the new DataSource concept) allows you to create data transfer processes for a 3.x DataSource and model the data flow using the new transformation concept. You can convert existing transfer rules, InfoSources and update rules. Finally, you migrate the DataSource and make any additional modifications to the model and the related process design.

For more information about migrating an existing data model to the new objects, see Release and Upgrade Management.

 

 

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