SAP Databricks - The catalyst for your data & analytics strategy
SAP Databricks is an ingenious addition and central component of the SAP Business Data Cloud. It allows you to exploit the full potential of your SAP data. It combines the strengths of proven SAP solutions with the advantages of the flexible and scalable Databricks platform.
With SAP Databricks you benefit from:
✅ S eamless integration: We structure your data architecture and integrate your SAP and non-SAP data seamlessly into a central platform.
✅ S tate-of-the-art analysis and machine learning functions: SAP Databricks offers the most professional data science workbench on the market.
✅ Powerful (Gen) AI capabilities: We are breaking new ground to generate a real competitive advantage from your data.
Use Databricksto modernize your existing SAP environment and create a clear future perspective for your data strategy. Because a sustainable transformation doesn't end with a solution - it begins with it!
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✅ Zero-Copy Delta Share is a new data integration paradigm.
SAP data from the BDC catalogcombined with the state-of-the-art data science workbench from Databricks.
What is SAP Databricks?
SAP Databricks is a collaborative data platform and a key component of the SAP Business Data Cloud. It enables companies to process and analyze data to make data-driven decisions and automate SAP business processes with the help of AI.
The primary target group for SAP Databricks is data scientists. They use the platform to develop machine learning models, perform complex analyses and process large volumes of data.
A central feature of the platform is the "Unity Catalog", which ensures the governance of AI artifacts. It provides a uniform level for the management and control of data, models and other assets, thus ensuring secure and compliant use.
That's why this solution is so good: Zero-Copy Delta Share as a new data integration paradigm, where the BDC catalog serves as the source for SAP data and Databricks is used as a state-of-the-art data science workbench.
"As a data scientist with over a decade of experience working with SAP data, I know how time-consuming it can be to extract this data. I often spend 90% of my time on data engineering. SAP Databricks is therefore an absolute revolution for me: I finally have a perfect environment in which I can concentrate fully on data science."
♡ Data Scientists, prepare yourselves: You're going to love SAP Databricks! ♡
It enables direct data exchange without the need for time-consuming duplication. This avoids costs and redundant data extractions.
The SAP Business Data Cloud, which is operated in partnership with Databricks, is a comprehensive, integrated platform for the entire machine learning lifecycle. The platform enables companies to use their data efficiently and develop AI applications.
A central aspect is experimentation, in which data scientists and developers are provided with an environment in which they can test and train various models, algorithms and parameters. After the training phase, model evaluation is used to ensure that the models created are reliable and achieve the desired performance targets. Specific key figures are used to assess the quality of the models.
The basis for every successful model is feature engineering. This involves extracting and processing valuable features from raw data, which increases the accuracy and effectiveness of the model.
Machine Learning Operations (MLOps) are crucial for the transition from development to production. MLOps bundles the necessary tools and processes to provide, manage and scale models automatically. An important part of this is orchestration and monitoring, which automates the entire workflow and continuously monitors the models in production to ensure their performance and reliability.
The data product is created in SAP Databricks and then written back to the SAP Business Data Cloud Catalog.
✅We support you in all strategic considerations. We help you to create the personnel, organizational and technological prerequisites to make SAP Databricks a success for you. We are experienced in license consulting and the creation of an individual roadmap for the introduction of Databricks in your company.
✅Use this opportunity to evaluate the full potential of SAP Databricks for your company - without obligation, in a practical way and with a clear perspective.
FAQ SAP Databricks
Although both solutions are based on the same core Databricks platform, they differ in their orientation, integration focus and licensing model. "Native Databricks" is an open, general purpose platform aimed at a wide range of data professionals (from data engineers to business analysts) and can be integrated with a variety of data sources and cloud services. It is purchased directly from Databricks as a SaaS solution, with data hosting managed separately by the customer. SAP Databricks, on the other hand, is a specialized version designed primarily to use complex SAP data via the Business Data Cloud (BDC). It is licensed as an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) solution via SAP as part of a BDC subscription, making SAP the primary point of contact. SAP Databricks is specifically aimed at people who want to use SAP data for advanced analytics and AI applications. It provides additional layers of connectors and templates to accelerate SAP-specific use cases.
Databricks is a collaborative data platform based on Apache Spark that enables the use of big data, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). You need Databricks because while your SAP system is the undisputed leader in operational data, it was not designed for modern AI applications or analyzing large amounts of data from multiple sources. By combining SAP's reliable data with Databricks' advanced analytics tools, you can create data-driven predictions and gain insights that go beyond standard reporting.
No, Databricks is not automatically included in your existing SAP system. SAP Databricks is a separate service that is managed by SAP and natively integrated into the SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC). The license model differs from that of the standalone Databricks platform. SAP Databricks is not sold separately, but is available as part of the BDC subscription. Billing takes place via so-called capacity units (CUs). The advantage of this model is that the costs are often easier to plan, as they are based on the capacity used. It is important to understand that you have a choice:
SAP Databricks is a service specially designed for deep integration with SAP data. It comes with pre-configured data products that greatly simplify the ETL (extract, transform, load) process. It is often the preferred option if you have already invested in SAP's cloud strategy.
A separate (native) Databricks instance: You can also use a separate Databricks instance with a cloud provider such as Azure, AWS or GCP. In this case, you must configure the integration of the SAP data yourself via connectors or manual ETL processes. The regular Databricks costs and any additional fees for data exchange with the SAP Business Data Cloud apply.
In summary, Databricks is an additional but strategically important component of your SAP data landscape that requires a separate license. The exact costs depend on your chosen model and the extent of your usage.
Integration is a strategic project that requires a clear vision and structured implementation. There are various methods, including seamless integration via SAP Datasphere, streaming for real-time data or direct replication. A careful requirements analysis and support from a partner are clearly recommended.
Databricks enables the use of valuable SAP data for advanced analysis models and thus creates a new type of "data intelligence". Concrete application scenarios are:
- Sales forecasts with predictive analytics: Create more accurate sales forecasts by combining historical sales data from SAP with external market data.
- Supply chain optimization: Predict bottlenecks in the supply chain by combining real-time data from SAP with dynamic external data such as freight prices or weather forecasts.
- Predictive maintenance: Use operational data from the SAP "Plant Maintenance" module together with sensor data from machines to predict failures and plan maintenance in advance.
You can use a variety of SAP data with Databricks, including:
- Business-critical information from SAP S/4HANA (e.g. from the areas of finance, sales, human resources and logistics).
- Historical sales data and customer information.
- Data on stock levels, incoming orders and shipping information.
- Operational data on maintenance intervals and machine failures from the SAP Plant Maintenance module.
The integration also makes it possible to combine this data with external sources such as marketing, IoT or sales data.
Currently, the focus is on data products from the SAP business units. In the future, data products from partners will also be provided, which may include aspects of non-SAP data.
Discover SAP Databricks possibilities - We are here for your questions and inquiries!
How can we help you?
Would you like to learn more about SAP Databricks features, request an SAP Databricks Roadmap Workshop, or arrange an individual license consultation? We are at your disposal and will take care of your request as quickly as possible. Simply contact us using the form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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