LSA++ for SAP BW/4HANA

LSA (Layered Scalable Architecture) is SAP's recommended (reference as a best practice) approach for modeling (enterprise) data warehouse (EDW) solutions. Over the years and in line how SAP BW solution was evolving so the LSA architecture evolved too. There are versions of the LSA for classic BW 7.x and LSA++ for BW on Hana (BWoH). With an advent of BW for HANA (BW/4HANA) the SAP introduced updated LSA++ architecture too that is sometimes called as integrated layer architecture.

Just to recap a main differences LSA vs LSA++ lie in: introduction of operational layer in the LSA++; enabling reporting on aDSO objects of propagation layer; introduction if virtual layer based on Composite Providers to support virtual data marts; queries can be directly accessed in SAP HANA database.

Further, when it comes to LSA++ for SAP BW/4HANA SAP distinguish between:

1/ LSA++ for Simplified Data Warehousing: New BW objects below that were introduced in LSA++ are further leveraged:

aDSO – object for data standard persistency

Open ODS View - defines reusable BW data warehouse semantics on field-based structures

Composite Provider - defines virtual data marts on persistencies (aDSO/InfoObjects) and/or Open ODS views, or a combination of both

Layers of LSA++ for SAP BW/4HANA:

Operational Data Store – entry layer on top of which queries can be built

EDW Propagation and Harmonization – provides semantic an value standardization for data from different sources in highly harmonized form

Corporate Memory – contains complete history of loaded data

Architected Data Mart – query access layers in case query can’t be built already in ODS layer, often case where additional business logic needs to be put

Virtual Datamart – combines data from persisted providers (aDSO/InfoObjects) with virtual providers (union, joins)

2/ LSA++ for Logical Data Warehousing:

In the simplified data warehouse the data is persistent in one of its layers. This means data were copied (load or replicated per se) from its source to the DW. Activity like data copy/move implies a cost. In order to reduce such cost a logical data warehouse approach comes to a picture. The logical DW attempts to provide a solution without a need to move the data by acting either as system requesting or as system providing the data. The logical DW concept allows leveraging of mixed scenarios in SAP BW.

More information:

LSA

LSA++

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