SAP BW/4HANA represents a modern data warehousing solution that combines flexibility with powerful integration capabilities. One of its standout features is the Open ODS View—a tool designed to enable real-time or near real-time data access without the need for traditional, time-consuming data loading processes.
This article explores the concept, design, and use of Open ODS Views (Open Operational Data Store Views) in SAP BW/4HANA for achieving agile real-time data integration and reporting.
Open ODS Views are virtual objects in SAP BW/4HANA that allow direct access to external data sources or raw data tables without physically loading the data into persistent BW storage objects like DataStore Objects (DSOs) or Advanced DSOs (ADSOs).
- Provide a semantic layer on top of source data, enabling BW queries and other analytics tools to consume data virtually.
- Support a variety of source types: database tables, SAP HANA views, external files, and OData services.
- Designed primarily for real-time or near real-time data scenarios.
- Simplify agile data modeling by reducing the need for complex ETL processes.
Open ODS Views come in different flavors depending on the source data they expose:
- Direct Table Views: Expose database tables or views directly.
- HANA Calculation Views: Leverage SAP HANA’s modeling capabilities by consuming calculation views natively.
- OData Service Views: Connect to external RESTful services supporting OData protocols.
- Custom Data Sources: Allow the use of custom-defined source systems or APIs.
- Real-Time Access: Data is always current as it is accessed directly from the source.
- Reduced Data Redundancy: No physical data replication inside BW.
- Faster Development: Eliminates the need for lengthy ETL loads.
- Agility: Quickly adapt to changes in source systems or reporting requirements.
- Flexibility: Integrate diverse data sources seamlessly.
- Reporting on operational systems where data freshness is critical.
- Prototyping new analytics scenarios before full data integration.
- Accessing data from SAP HANA calculation views without duplicating data.
- Combining external data sources (e.g., cloud services) with BW data in queries.
- Integrating legacy or third-party systems for hybrid analytics.
- An Open ODS View defines a semantic model on top of the external data source.
- It maps source fields to BW InfoObjects (characteristics and key figures).
- Users can expose Open ODS Views to BW queries or analytical tools like SAP Analytics Cloud.
- The data remains in the source system, and queries are pushed down to leverage source system processing power.
- Define Source System: Ensure the source system is connected and accessible.
- Create Open ODS View: In BW Modeling Tools (Eclipse), select the Open ODS View option.
- Select Data Source: Choose the appropriate external table, view, or service.
- Map Fields: Link source fields to BW InfoObjects or define custom fields.
- Activate and Test: Activate the view and test via query or preview data.
- Consume in Queries: Use Open ODS Views as InfoProviders in BW queries or other reporting tools.
- Because data is accessed live, performance depends heavily on the source system’s capabilities.
- Optimize source queries or calculation views for faster response.
- Use filters in queries to reduce data volume processed.
- Combine Open ODS Views with CompositeProviders for better query flexibility and performance tuning.
¶ 8. Limitations and Best Practices
- Not suited for extremely large datasets without appropriate source optimization.
- Data consistency depends on source system transaction handling.
- Use Open ODS Views primarily when real-time data is critical.
- For historical analysis, consider traditional data loading into ADSOs.
- Monitor query execution plans to ensure efficient data access.
Open ODS Views in SAP BW/4HANA empower organizations to deliver real-time data insights with minimal latency and reduced data duplication. By exposing external and operational data sources directly to the BW semantic layer, they enable agile, flexible, and high-performance analytics.
Understanding how to design and use Open ODS Views effectively can greatly enhance the value of your BW/4HANA implementations, especially in hybrid landscapes requiring timely data availability.