In the modern business environment, data-driven decision-making is critical, and SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) stands out as a powerful platform to unify analytics and planning. A key aspect of SAC's capability is how it connects to diverse data sources. Understanding the difference between Live Connections and Data Import methods is essential for architects, analysts, and decision-makers to design efficient, scalable, and performant analytics solutions.
SAP Analytics Cloud offers two primary methods to connect with data sources:
- Live Connections: Data stays in the source system and is queried in real-time.
- Data Import: Data is imported (copied) into SAC and stored within its in-memory engine for analysis.
Both approaches have unique advantages and trade-offs depending on the use case, data volume, update frequency, and governance requirements.
A live connection means SAC directly accesses the data in the source system without physically moving or copying it. The data remains in the backend system (e.g., SAP HANA, BW/4HANA, or S/4HANA), and SAC issues queries on-demand to fetch data dynamically.
- Real-time Data Access: Since data is queried live, users see the most current information available in the source system.
- No Data Duplication: Data resides only in the source system, helping with data governance and compliance.
- Simplified Data Management: Changes in the source are immediately reflected without the need for scheduled data refreshes.
- Limited SAC Data Modeling: Data models and transformations mostly happen in the source system, reducing SAC’s data manipulation load.
- Performance Dependency: Analytics performance depends on the source system’s capacity and network connectivity.
- Operational reporting with frequently changing data.
- Scenarios demanding up-to-the-minute data accuracy.
- Complex data models already optimized in backend systems.
- Scenarios with strict data residency and security requirements.
Data Import involves extracting data from source systems and loading it into SAP Analytics Cloud’s in-memory engine. Once imported, the data is stored in SAC and can be manipulated, blended, and modeled independently.
- Improved Performance: Data is cached within SAC, which speeds up query response times.
- Flexible Data Modeling: SAC supports rich data transformation, blending, and planning directly on the imported data.
- Snapshot of Data: The imported data reflects the state at the time of extraction; requires scheduled refreshes for updated information.
- Data Volume Limitations: Importing large datasets may require optimized extraction and potentially increase SAC storage costs.
- Data Governance Considerations: Duplicated data outside the source system needs proper governance policies.
- Analytical scenarios requiring complex data blending from multiple sources.
- Planning and forecasting where data is modified or enriched within SAC.
- Historical data analysis that doesn’t require real-time updates.
- Use cases demanding offline or ad hoc data exploration.
¶ Choosing Between Live Connection and Data Import
| Criteria |
Live Connection |
Data Import |
| Data Freshness |
Real-time |
Scheduled refresh (not real-time) |
| Performance |
Dependent on source and network |
Fast, as data is cached in SAC |
| Data Volume |
Suitable for large, complex data |
Best for moderate volumes |
| Modeling Flexibility |
Limited in SAC; done in backend |
High, rich transformations in SAC |
| Security & Compliance |
Strong data control, no replication |
Data copied, requires governance |
| Use Case Focus |
Operational/real-time reporting |
Planning, blending, offline analysis |
- Use Live Connections when real-time data accuracy and minimal data duplication are critical.
- Opt for Data Import when data blending, advanced transformations, and planning capabilities within SAC are required.
- Monitor data volumes and refresh schedules to balance performance and data currency.
- Leverage SAP BW/4HANA or SAP HANA Live views to optimize live query performance.
- Consider network latency and security protocols when designing live connection scenarios.
SAP Analytics Cloud’s flexible approach to data connectivity — offering both Live Connections and Data Import — empowers organizations to tailor analytics solutions to their unique business needs. Understanding the strengths and limitations of each method ensures the design of robust, scalable, and high-performing analytical applications that deliver timely and actionable insights.