Diligent considerations and planning is required while establishing modern data. Practical methods are there to acquire an integrated and advanced data warehouse. However, there are less transparent notions regarding – which implementation will be a precise fit for your company. SAP BW/4HANA is one great choice in this scenario.
Today, in this article, you will get a detailed overview of the probable paths to take and some major aspects to keep into account while mapping out the migration roadmap of modern data warehouse SAP BW/4HANA.
About this Warehousing Aid – What is SAP BW/4HANA?
It is a full-featured data warehouse for SAP HANA. It is one significant data warehouse layers of SAP’s business technology policies for on-premise deployments. The solution permits you to synthesize data throughout the organization to achieve an agreed-upon vision over consistent data.
Source: SAP
Why do you must consider SAP BW/4HANA?
It upgrades itself over the outdated BW versions and provides significant amenities in functional sectors, such as agility, IT strategy, and productivity.
Also Read: SAP DWC: The Future of Data Warehousing
Along with that, all the crucial versions before SAP BW 7.5 will be going out of maintenance by the end of 2020 and can’t be supported again. The customers of SAP BW 7.5 will get their service by the end of 2024. However, they must also shift to this warehousing solution as soon as possible to avail of better services.
Leading paths to SAP BW/4HANA
The greenfield approach
You must not select moving your existing data with a relevant ‘greenfield approach’. Therefore, you should opt for establishing a top-notch SAP BW/4HANA system from the start. It will be a fruitful option if anyone wants to revise your recent reporting procedures entirely. That is why an essential greenfield approach will make sense if you are recently incorporating an SAP BW/4HANA greenfield, which you want to take advantage of this full-featured data warehouse for SAP HANA too.
Benefits
- Simple-to-use and hassle-free data models
- If you opt for a phased approach, reducing risks of data missing
- Migration of only one domain at a time
- Capability to support efficient business content from SuccessFactors, SAP BW/4HANA, and many others
Major challenges
- Takes significant time for application
- Needs additional maintenance if you choose to preserve the new system
- If you are contemplating the reporting procedures again, it might be more exorbitant when you select two systems to operate simultaneously
System conversion
Another probability would be a partial or entire system conversion. Here users will migrate their existing and outdated system to SAP BW/4HANA. Three routes can be considered here with such premium options. Therefore, all of them needs some seamless technical preparation upfront:
In-place conversion
In-Place conversion starts with SAP BW Powered by SAP HANA. SAP BW system should be running on BW 7.5 on HANA support package 5 or on higher version.
If BW system is not running on HANA or on a lower release version or support package and decided to do in-place conversion, then as a prerequisite step for in-place conversion, migration to SAP HANA database and release or support package upgrade is required.
First step of In-Place conversion is to install SAP BW/4HANA Starter Add-on and as a second step, you need to implement SAP BW/4HANA Transfer Cockpit on your machine. Once you install it enables several modes in SAP BW system, which define the road to SAP BW/4HANA:
For the smooth transition of your SAP BW system from one mode to another, SAP has provided pre-check program that scans the entire system for incompatibilities.
The Scope Transfer Tool is based on a task list that lets you select objects and get them automatically converted to HANA-optimized counter parts. The process keeps the object names intact (as far as possible) and brings all data along (*).
Code Scan Tool, available in the SAP BW/4HANA Transfer Cockpit helps to find out obsoleted objects such as infocube, datastore objects etc. referenced in any of the custom code.
Once your system is fully HANA-optimized and custom developments are adjusted, the system can be switched to B4H mode and one can remain in this mode until cut over day to SAP BW/4HANA.
Switch to “Ready for Conversion” mode immediately followed by the technical system conversion to SAP BW/4HANA.
System is ready for SAP BW/4HANA after performing some post upgrade activity.
Remote conversions
In discover phase, once decided for remote conversion, it`s time to install and setup brand new SAP BW/4HANA system and run old SAP BW and SAP BW/4HANA system parellally. Prerequisite is to have SAP BW system on 7.3 or higher version
Remote conversion will help us to built a clean system by importing only required data models. With the help of Transfer Toolbox. System will automatically convert old BW objects to BW/4HANA (I.e. DSO and Infocube to ADSO, MultiProvider to Composite Provider) supported objects on the fly at the time of transferring them to new system.
In a subsequent step, SAP BW/4HANA Conversion Cockpit will be used to bring the data over from SAP BW and convert the request management (from Request IDs to Request Transaction Sequence Numbers). If existing BW system is not on HANA it is also recommended to HANA-optimize your ABAP code at this time.
Once the transfer of all required objects, developments, and configuration, looks good it`s time to switch to new system. This is a low risk approach as it runs in parallel with your existing SAP BW system, which remains unchanged.
Shell conversion
Shell conversion is similar to Remote conversion approach where you can only bring data models and flows to the new system. This approach is for the customers who like the Remote Conversion approach but want more flexibility when it comes to the data that should go into the new SAP BW/4HANA system.
This is where a Shell Conversion approach is useful where you can bring data models and flows like a Remote Conversion. However, neither master nor transaction data are transferred to the new system. This gives you the following options:
Re-load as much data as from your source systems,
Load data from existing SAP BW system, or
Simply ignore historical data and start from the scratch.
The Shell Conversion is already in general availability and works for SAP BW 7.0 or higher version.
Transformation of landscape
The last pathway is to develop more intricate data warehousing landscapes causes single and global SAP BW/4HANA system. SAP’s Landscape transformation team can profoundly help with a customer-oriented moving project across well-defined methodology and re-utilizing optimum tools.
One reason for landscape transformation could be that you are operating copious legacy or SAP BW systems that you think of consolidating on the potent SAP HANA platform. Another reason could be working out with the chosen data flows for the SAP BW/4HANA system.
Establishing an SAP BW/4HANA roadmap: What do you need to do?
Create your business case
Properly documenting the data will benefit your company in order to persuade the decision-makers that it is the correct course of action. Never forget to incorporate a budget estimate also.
Amass architectural advice
During the establishment of an SAP BW/4HANA atmosphere, it is significant to figure out its prospective impacts on your previous architecture upfront, such as cloud or on premise, SAP or non-SAP.
Evaluate your recent landscape
It includes what you are converting, what you are preserving, and what you want to eliminate altogether? Are there any essential requirements that are not being fulfilled recently which need different solutions?
Opt for an appropriate transition path
Relying on your requirements and subsisting IT landscape, an amalgamation of a multitude of scenarios can be granted. Opting for the correct path is not that much easier. Fortunately, Stridely Solutions possess abundant years of experience in migrating projects and can thoroughly assist you throughout the process.
Frame an implementation plan
Are you thinking of working in innumerable waves or handling the project in one plunge? Have you sustained your previous atmosphere operating parallelly with your new SAP BW/4HANA systems? If yes, then how long? When you have robust answers to these questions, you are ready for grand inception!
How to get it Deployed?
Have you made up your mind to transform the existing landscape through SAP BW/4HANA? Do you want to know the leading methods of the data warehousing journey?
We, at Stridely Solutions, will be happier to assist you. With our significant years of expertise, we can provide custom-fit solutions to organizations and industries throughout the world. Establish your personal roadmap with our veteran, SAP BW/4HANA professionals.
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