In recent customer projects we have seen the need of having a machine with Unix-like architecture (more specifically Linux) ready for action. This is why we created a virtual machine with a Linux installation and proceeded with the challenge of a Business Objects 4.1 (although it should work for any other version) implementation on a Unix-like system. This post will present useful tips for starting a SAP BusinessObjects implementation on a Unix-like system and the steps you need to accomplish it.
BO Data Services - Comparison methods in the Table Comparison
In SAP BusinessObjects Data Services, you often need to use the transform "Table Comparison". Within it, you have the choice between three comparison methods: Row-by-row select, Cached comparison table, and Sorted input. This choice can have a huge impact on the data flow performance. Which one is the best for your implementation? That's what we are going to discover in this article. One of the common uses of the "Table comparison" transform is the implementation of slowly changing dimensions (you can see SCD type 2 on the Data Services wiki here) In the screenshot below is a data flow used for SCD type 1.
First Impressions on SAP Lumira Cloud: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
In 2012 SAP introduced a new product to their Analytics Solutions portfolio that was formerly known as Visual Intelligence, then recently rebranded as SAP Lumira. It is intended to allow business users to acquire, manipulate, analyze and visualize data from corporate and personal data sources to discover and share insights. It started as a desktop-based client only, but now there is a Cloud version; both could work independently but to exploit the maximum potential, if you can afford it, it is best to work with both of them.As all products that are still in early stages, I found lots of things that in my opinion are still missing, things to be improved and other things that show a lot of potential from the very beginning. Which is why in this article I will cover three categories about: the good, the bad and the ugly.
Informatica PowerCenter, Advanced mapping techniques - Part 1
According to Gartner (2013 Magic Quadrant for Data Integration), Informatica PowerCenter (PWC henceforth) is the market leading solution for enterprise level Data Integration. In this series of articles I'll cover some of the tiny technical tidbits which can make a whole world of difference in implementing appurtenant functionalities, hopefully assisting an aspiring ETL developer in day-to-day engagements. Subject matter will be segmented in multiple scenarios and a couple of sequels. As always, all readers are encouraged to reply, question and request additional information related to the topic at hand.
Centralizing your KPIs with Metapedia
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) play a key role in managing an organization, as they help define and measure progress toward company goals. As a best practice many companies use templates to build their new reports, where KPIs used in every report are included. Filling out this information manually should be a one time exercise, and the work should be re-used throughout the documents that share common KPIs. The dynamic use of KPIs in reporting was a common customer requirement. As an approach to this situation we have developed a way to centralize them and populate the list of KPIs for your reports using the Metapedia tool of the SAP BusinessObjects Metadata Management / Information Steward Application, which I will share with you in this post.
Are other industries ahead of the healthcare market when it comes to data analytics?
I recently came across Tushar Hazra’s article called Data Analytics: What Healthcare Can Learn From Other Industries and was curious to read about his opinion on the state of data analytics across the North American market. Hazra said, “As a matter of business necessity, companies are moving toward a more aggressive approach to their utilization of data analytics. The most progressive and forward-thinking organizations clearly recognize the competitive edge data provides in getting their products or services to market faster.”
In-Memory Computing to reach $1 billion by 2016
The Gartner Top Technology Trends 2013* states that the in-memory data grid (IMDG) market may still be small, but the decline in costs of flash memory prices, and the maturation of specific software platforms will make In-Memory Computing (IMC) more accessible to companies, promoting fast growth reaching $1 billion by 2016. Massimo Pezzini, Gartner VP said in a recent Gartner press release that companies that do not consider IMC risk being out-innovated by competition. “During the next two to three years, IMC will become a key element in the strategy of organizations focused on improving effectiveness and business growth.”
Scheduling SAP BI Explorer spaces based on events
Users frequently find their explorer spaces and exploration views displaying outdated information. Indeed this can happen if the source data is not ready when the indexing process is scheduled to start at a fixed time, so a manual re-run is needed when the data is available to ensure data freshness. Unfortunately scheduling explorer spaces is not possible in the current 3.x or 4.x versions of SAP BusinessObjects BI, but a workaround has been recently applied in one of our customers which we detail in this article.
Managing ETL dependencies with SAP BusinessObjects Data Services (Part 4)
Are you satisfied with the way you currently manage the dependencies in your ETL? In the part 1 of this article, I talked about the features I’m expecting from a dependency management system, and what are the main possibilities offered (directly or indirectly) by Data Services. In part 2, I proposed an architecture (structure and expected behavior) for a dependency management system inside Data Services. In part 3, I explained the complete implementation details. In this final part, I'm going to give you a feedback on how it went “in real life” as well as possible improvements. So, the most important question is of course "Does it work?". I'm happy to confirm that yes, it does! And it makes quite a difference in the life of the customer's Data Services administrator. Of course it doesn't change anything if the ETL is running fine, but when there are problems, this dependency management system can be a huge time-saver!
Business Analytics: The end of a trend or room for growth?
In the last 14 years I have been living the expansion, consolidation and innovation of the BI market. No longer is BI a set of tools available only to the privileged few in IT or line of business analysts; BI is becoming ubiquitous in many organizations, and it is rapidly reaching into many areas of our lives as consumers. So one may ask, has BI reached full maturity; have we reached a saturation point with only limited evolutionary, incremental value in the years to come?Quite the opposite! While Gartner saw a slowdown of growth for BI Software from 17% in 2011 to 6.8% in 2012 to total $13.1bn worldwide*, we are seeing a tremendous shift in the industry with a series of innovations that are game changing and will deliver growth, if organizations can effectively adopt and transform.