In the rapidly evolving SAP ecosystem, real-time analytics and efficient data modeling are paramount for enterprise agility and decision-making. SAP HANA Live is a critical component designed to enable real-time operational reporting directly on the HANA database. At the core of this capability are three foundational concepts: Core Data Services (CDS) Views, Virtual Data Models (VDM), and OData Services.
Understanding these components is essential for SAP consultants, developers, and architects aiming to harness the full potential of SAP HANA Live. This article unpacks each concept, explores how they interconnect, and explains their relevance in the broader SAP landscape.
CDS Views are a key innovation in SAP's data modeling paradigm. They are declarative data models that allow you to define and consume semantically rich data models on top of database tables.
The Virtual Data Model (VDM) is a structured approach for building CDS Views in a layered and reusable manner. VDM ensures consistency, scalability, and performance across SAP HANA Live content.
OData (Open Data Protocol) is a REST-based protocol that allows the consumption and manipulation of data using simple HTTP messages. In the SAP world, it is the standard for exposing CDS Views and VDM to user interfaces and external applications.
@OData.publish: true can automatically generate OData services.SAP HANA Live leverages the concepts of CDS Views and VDM to deliver predefined analytical content across various SAP modules like SD, MM, FI, and HR. This content enables real-time reporting without needing to replicate data into a separate data warehouse.
CDS Views, VDM, and OData Services are the building blocks of modern SAP HANA Live architecture. Together, they facilitate real-time, high-performance, and semantically rich reporting directly from the operational database. As SAP moves toward a cloud-first, data-driven future with SAP S/4HANA, mastering these concepts is not just advantageous—it’s essential.
If you’d like a visual diagram or flowchart to accompany this article, I can generate one as well.