Zero Copy Delta Share at Databricks: Sharing data without copying it – the zero-copy principle explained simply
- Databricks
- Databricks
- 3 min reading time
Dr. Andreas Wagner
This wiki explains how to overcome one of the biggest hurdles in the modern data landscape: the often complex, slow, and costly exchange of data. From SAP to SAP Databricks.
The solution is Databricks Delta Sharing and the "zero-copy" principle. Andreas describes in the wiki how this allows live data to be shared securely and in real time without having to create a physical copy.
Table of contents
In today's data-driven world, companies face the challenge of exchanging data quickly, securely, and efficiently between different departments, partners, and even customers. This often leads to complex ETL processes, unnecessary data copies, and isolated data silos. The result: high costs, outdated information, and a considerable amount of manual effort.
2. What is delta sharing and the zero-copy principle?
This is where Databricks Delta Sharing comes in. Delta Sharing is an open standard that allows you to securely share live data from your data lakehouse with others without ever having to copy the data. This is made possible by the zero-copy principle.
Instead of moving data from one system to another, Delta Sharing provides direct read access to the shared tables. Data is exchanged in real time, ensuring that partners and teams always work with the most up-to-date information.
Zero-copy delta sharing is one of five integration methods from SAP to Databricks. Click here to see the other four methods and a comparison of them.
3. The advantages of zero-copy delta sharing at a glance:
- No data copies, no ETL pipelines: Reduce the complexity and costs associated with duplicating and moving data.
- Real-time data exchange: Always work with the latest data without having to wait for time-consuming updates.
- Security and control: You retain full control over who can access which data. Access rights can be managed centrally and revoked if necessary.
- Open and flexible: As an open standard, Delta Sharing works across different platforms and cloud providers.
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4. How does this work in practice with SAP?
The strategic partnership between SAP and SAP Databricks enables seamless integration. Business data from SAP systems can be provided directly in Databricks as "business data products" via the "BDC Connector. " Thanks to Delta Sharing, this data can then be used "live" and "zero-copy" for analysis and AI applications without having to extract and copy it from the SAP environment.
A concrete example:
A sales team wants to use daily sales figures from the SAP S/4HANA system to forecast future sales figures using a machine learning model in Databricks.
- Without Delta Sharing: A complex ETL process would have to extract the data from SAP every day, transform it, and copy it to a separate database for the data science team. By the time the analysis was performed, the data would already be several hours old, and the process would be error-prone and expensive.
- With Delta Sharing: Sales data is released directly from SAP S/4HANA as a data product. The data science team receives secure read access to live data and can develop models in Databricks based on real-time information.
5. Conclusion: The future of datingexchange
Zero-copy delta sharing revolutionizes the way companies share data. It eliminates the need for expensive and inefficient data copies and enables secure, cross-platform, real-time access to information. For companies that want to leverage the full potential of their SAP data, this is a crucial step toward an agile and future-proof data architecture.
Your data strategy is individual - your consulting should be too
The introduction of zero-copy delta sharing is more than just a technical implementation—it is a strategic step toward modernizing your data architecture. Whether and how you make the most of this technology depends on your specific system landscape, your security requirements, and your long-term goals for analytics and AI. There is no one-size-fits-all solution here.
Let's talk, with no obligation, about how Delta Sharing can revolutionize data exchange in your company and unlock the full potential of your SAP data. Contact us for a personal consultation.
