¶ Integrating External Data Sources and Applications with SAP Data Warehouse Cloud
In today’s interconnected business environment, organizations rely on diverse data sources and applications to gain comprehensive insights and drive informed decision-making. SAP Data Warehouse Cloud (SAP DWC) offers a unified platform that not only consolidates internal enterprise data but also seamlessly integrates external data sources and applications. This capability is essential for building a holistic data warehouse that reflects the full business context.
This article explores the approaches and best practices for integrating external data sources and applications with SAP Data Warehouse Cloud.
Integrating external data enables organizations to:
- Enrich internal data with market, social, IoT, or third-party data.
- Create more accurate and comprehensive analytics.
- Break down data silos across cloud and on-premise systems.
- Accelerate innovation with real-time data access.
¶ Types of External Data Sources and Applications
SAP Data Warehouse Cloud supports a broad spectrum of external data types and systems including:
- Databases: Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.
- Cloud Storage and Data Lakes: AWS S3, Azure Data Lake, Google Cloud Storage.
- APIs and Web Services: REST, OData, SOAP endpoints.
- Third-party SaaS Applications: Salesforce, ServiceNow, Workday.
- Big Data and Streaming Platforms: Apache Kafka, Hadoop.
- Flat Files and Spreadsheets: CSV, Excel, JSON.
SAP Data Warehouse Cloud provides native connectors for popular data sources, allowing you to easily configure connections without custom coding.
- Configure connection parameters in the Connection Management area.
- Use these connections to import tables, views, or replicate data.
Data virtualization enables SAP DWC to query external data directly without physically importing it, reducing storage and latency.
- Use Remote Tables to access external databases.
- Define Virtual Views to combine internal and external data on the fly.
- Use OData or REST API connectors to integrate data from external web services.
- SAP DWC supports consuming JSON or XML payloads for real-time integration.
- Upload CSV or Excel files directly into SAP DWC via the UI.
- Automate file ingestion using Data Flows or SAP Data Intelligence for large-scale or scheduled loads.
- Leverage SAP Data Intelligence or other ETL tools to extract-transform-load external data into SAP DWC.
- Integrate with SAP Cloud Platform Integration Suite for hybrid landscapes.
- Assess Data Quality: Cleanse and validate data before integration to ensure trustworthiness.
- Use Incremental Loads: To optimize performance, load only changed data when possible.
- Secure Connections: Use encryption, certificates, and role-based access controls.
- Monitor Data Flows: Track job status and data freshness regularly.
- Manage Metadata: Document source details and integration logic for governance.
- Create an OData or REST API connection to Salesforce.
- Import or virtualize key Salesforce objects like Accounts, Leads, and Opportunities.
- Model Salesforce data alongside internal ERP data to analyze sales pipeline performance.
- Use SAP Analytics Cloud to build combined dashboards, enabling holistic sales insights.
Integrating external data sources and applications into SAP Data Warehouse Cloud is vital for comprehensive, agile, and data-driven enterprises. With multiple integration options including connectors, virtualization, APIs, and ETL tools, SAP DWC provides flexibility to meet diverse business needs.
By following best practices and leveraging SAP DWC’s powerful integration capabilities, organizations can break down data silos, enrich their data landscape, and accelerate their journey toward intelligent enterprise analytics.