SAP Datasphere (and BW bridge) limitations

When comparing SAP Datasphere to the traditional SAP BW system, several technical limitations become evident. Here are some of them listed out:

 

1 Mature Feature Set / Functionality Gap

SAP BW has a more mature and extensive feature set due to its long history, including advanced data modeling, ETL capabilities, and built-in analytics, which SAP Datasphere may lack. As an example:

·        OLAP Engine/BW Analytical Manager functionality not supported e.g., no analysis authorizations, no query as InfoProvider, no query execution, no calculation of non-cumulative key figures (Inventory management)

·        No add-ons (e.g. SEM-BCS) supported

 

2 Data Modeling related to SAP HANA

·        Generation of External SAP HANA Calculation Views not possible

·        Not possible to use SAP HANA Calculation Views as part of Composite Provider

·        No planning scenarios supported

·        Temporal joins in Composite Provider supported

·        Many processes used process chains are not supported (e.g. ABAP program execution process, archive, job event, BODS related processes etc.)

·        Ambiguous Joins not supported

·        BADI Provider as PartProvider not supported

·        Open ODS View without calculation scenario not supported

 

3 Data Integration

·        Connection to source systems supported only via ODP technology as well as push scenarios only.

 

4 Performance and Scalability

·        Current sizes of datasphere instances are limited to 4TB, which may not be enough for some organization that runs bigger BW systems than that.

 

5 Reporting and Analytics

·        No BW (BEx) query support

·        User Exit BW (BEx) variables

·        Unit conversion

·        Constant selections in BW (BEx) reports

·        No BW (BEx) Query variables support in DTP’s filters

 

6 Application development

·        Applications development is not supported. Only applications to be done using SAP BTP.

 

7 UI/UX

·        No SAP GUI access

 

 

These technical limitations highlight the areas where SAP Datasphere is still catching up to the more established and mature SAP BW system. As SAP continues to develop Datasphere, many of these limitations may be addressed over time.