SAP HANA Live Context
With the shift towards real-time data processing and advanced analytics in SAP HANA, virtual data modeling has become a cornerstone of modern SAP solutions. Central to this evolution are Core Data Services (CDS) Views, which are gradually replacing Traditional ABAP Views in many SAP implementations, especially within the SAP HANA Live landscape.
This article compares CDS Views and Traditional ABAP Views in terms of architecture, capabilities, performance, and suitability for the modern SAP HANA ecosystem.
| Feature | Traditional ABAP Views | CDS Views |
|---|---|---|
| Definition Layer | ABAP Dictionary (SE11) | ABAP Development Tools (Eclipse) |
| Execution Layer | Application Layer (ABAP) | Database Layer (HANA) |
| Performance | Limited, especially for complex joins | Optimized via HANA’s in-memory processing |
| Modeling Capabilities | Basic (joins, projections) | Advanced (associations, unions, calculations) |
CDS views leverage code pushdown, which means the data processing logic (filters, joins, calculations) is executed directly in the HANA database—leading to significantly better performance in real-time analytics.
No support for:
Limited flexibility in exposing metadata or analytical contexts.
Support for:
@Analytics, @UI, @OData.publish)These capabilities make CDS views central to modern analytical solutions like SAP Fiori apps, Embedded Analytics, and SAP HANA Live content.
SAP HANA Live is a set of pre-delivered virtual data models (VDMs) built using CDS views or Calculation Views that provide real-time reporting capabilities directly on transactional data.
CDS views:
Traditional ABAP views, in contrast, cannot meet the real-time, scalable, and semantically rich requirements of SAP HANA Live scenarios.
| Use Case | Traditional ABAP View | CDS View |
|---|---|---|
| Simple table joins for display | ✅ Suitable | ✅ Suitable |
| Real-time analytics on transactional data | ❌ Not suitable | ✅ Ideal |
| Integration with Fiori/UI5 | ❌ Requires additional layer | ✅ Native support via annotations |
| SAP HANA Live VDMs | ❌ Not used | ✅ Core component |
| OData service exposure | ❌ Not possible directly | ✅ Direct via annotations |
Organizations transitioning from traditional ECC to S/4HANA or implementing SAP HANA Live should consider:
CDS views represent the future of data modeling in SAP systems, especially in the context of SAP HANA Live. While traditional ABAP views served well in disk-based ERP systems, they lack the depth, flexibility, and performance needed for modern, real-time applications.
With CDS views, SAP has bridged the gap between transactional and analytical processing, enabling businesses to achieve real-time insights and agile data modeling that are essential in today’s digital economy.