SAP Data Warehouse Cloud (DWC): the future of data warehousing
SAP's innovative cloud-based data warehousing solution for business and IT users enables self-service data modelling and avoids shadow IT solutions. Its reusability and ability to link central and individual data sources creates an excellent basis for storytelling and advanced analytics use cases.
All the cool Data Warehouse (DWH) features are released first in the DWC.
SAP describes the DWC as the "strategic product" of its data warehouse solution. As such, new features (such as the Data Marketplace) will only be released in the DWC in the future. Other data warehousing products (such as SAP BW on /4 HANA) will still be maintained, but not developed further.
Managed self-service
Departments are enabled to build their own data models or extend central ones.This accelerates the process and makesreports available more quickly.
Cloud-based
Ka Investment in on-premise hardware necessary and fast availability.
Connect to all
Integration with other (SAP) analytics tools:remote data access and clear presentation of all data, even with non-SAP products. BW4 and S/4 HANA integrations continue to be allowed.


What is the DWC?
- The Data Warehouse Cloud (DWC) was released by SAP in2019. There were two key milestones: (1) the release of the beta version in early 2019 and (2) general availability in November 2019.
- The first customer worldwide to implement DWC as a data warehouse was Swiss biotech company Idorsia. As an SAP partner, s-peers AG was heavily involved in the DWC implementation and as such can draw on many years of experience in DWC implementation.
- The DWC is a DWH Cloud solutionwhich enables user groups to create their own analytics applications in a quick and agile way. Together with the SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC), which has already been established on the market for some time, the SAP Data Warehouse Cloud (DWC) forms the core of the "SAP HANA Cloud Services" product range.
- The product in the SaaS (software as a service) model is a HANA-based end-to-end solution for data warehousing that combines data management processes with advanced analytics.
Components and features in the SAP Data Warehouse Cloud (DWC)
Spaces
Spaces are virtual workingenvironmentsthat enablespecific user groups for each case, for data modelling, data integration and the creation ofstory dashboards. What is most interesting here are what is known as the OpenSQL schemas, which provideanopen interface for data storage in anSAP Dataa Warehouse Cloud space. A whole host of other details on this aspect can be found in a comprehensive article by Sven Knöpfler (Head of Technology at s-peers). Click here to read it.
Data Builder
- In terms of the data modelling process, the Data Builder offers various options for integrating, transforming (syntactically and semantically) and then linking data (Figure 1). Data integration can be carried out via a CSV import, a graphic view or an SQL-based view.The latter two options provide convenient access to all tables that are either connected via a live connection (e.g. to an on-premise HANA database) or stored in the data warehouse cloud.
- For sophisticated data transformations or replication services, the Data Flow makes it possible to use Python programming language in addition to graphical transformation tools.
- It is also possible to define entity relationship models (ERM), which represent the semantic layer. ER models can help to visualise and better understand the relationships between different data sets. In addition, the "Join Recommendation" function is activated in the Data Builder and used in a graphical view to automatically set the described relationships between the tables during a join.
Business Builder
Both the functional reference to the data via business entities, for example the articles or the customer, and fact tables which contain key figures, can be generated in the Business Builder.The business layer that is created is decoupled from the data layer, enabling atop-down modelling approachwith the departmentindependent of changes in the data layer.
Story Builder
The Story Builder connects the DWC with the integrated SAC. Various functions are made available in it to create reports and subsequently visualise key figures. If a dedicated SAC is already available, it can also be used as an alternative.
Further information on the SAC can be found here. (INSERT LINK TO SAC)
Download the "SAP Data Warehouse Guideline" guide free of charge

The DWC compared to the other BW ON|4 HANA data warehousing solutions
The DWC is an end-to-end solution that covers all areas from data management to modelling and analysis. With DWC, both the business department and IT are provided with an environment in which they can carry out all their necessary activities such as transforming, modelling or visualising data. While BW applications are primarily aimed at IT staff, the DWC enables business users to independently create data models and connect sources. With DWC, on the other hand, the focus is primarily on the collaborative aspect in order to dissolve the limited data access between the business department and IT. On the one hand, the aim is to provide IT with an application in which it can manage its data and, on the other hand, to offer the department the possibility of using this data and enriching it with its own local data. The business departments are provided with their own spaces for this purpose, in which they can select their data independently and establish connections to other data sources. In this way, the business users can model and transform their data in the Spaces without running the risk of changing or even deleting reports from other departments. In addition, the Spaces provide users with an overview of how much storage and computing resources are being consumed.
Unlike previous BW applications, the DWC takes a top-down approach to data modelling. Data models are built from the top (semantic layer) down (data layer). In the semantic layer, all business users speak the same language with regard to dimensions, key figures and metadata. The business users no longer have to deal with technical terms, as all dimensions and key figures are described in natural language. and metrics are described in natural language. The business user does not need any knowledge of the underlying data models. The main purpose of the top-down approach is that IT no longer has to filter the business-relevant information for each department, but the department can do this independently and adapt it to its own needs. needs. Thus, the DWC is not only centrally located in IT, as is usual with a DW, but is also part of the department.
Since the DWC is a SaaS solution, it naturally also benefits from the advantages of a cloud solution. With the DWC, it is much easier to develop a prototype compared to the previous BW applications, as no setup or installation is necessary at the beginning. SAP takes over the updates and maintenance at this point. In terms of elasticity, computing resources are also distributed in such a way that they adapt to the respective requirements and can be scaled up or down as needed.
"TheDWC has been around since 2019. We at s-peers have been able to introducethe DWC for our customers since the beginning . It's great to beable to further develop this innovative product with SAP ."
Paul Vatter, Head of Data Workshop

How long does the implementation process take and what are the individual steps?
The implementation process depends on various factors and usually takes four-to-eight weeks. It consists of the following steps:
Objective
Requirements
Analysis of current situation
Design
Implementation
Coaching
DWC: Five tips for successful implementation
The Data Warehouse Cloud (DWC) is THE warehousing product of the future from SAP. But what is DWC and what do I need to know to implement it successfully? Our video answers these and many more questions.
- What is the SAP Data Warehouse Cloud (DWC)?
- What are the actual benefits for the customer?
- What makes it different from other SAP data warehousing solutions?
- How does the implementation process work?
- Success stories from businesses

DWC training sessions
- We also offer regular Data Warehouse Cloud training sessions in small groups.
- Duration of the introductory training: 1 day
- Duration of the advanced training: 1 day
- We are an SAP training partner - so you will also receive a globally recognised certificate.
- On site or online possible


KNOWLEDGE
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