SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) announced SAP Business Data Cloud on February 13, an innovative suite that integrates all SAP and third-party data within an organization, providing the secure data foundation that companies need to make informed decisions while leveraging the full potential of AI.
Over the past years, SAP has evolved and refined its approach to data management, now introducing an innovative solution that builds on various existing technologies but integrates them into a more advanced, AI-enhanced platform.
SAP Business Data Cloud is designed as a comprehensive, user-friendly system, fully integrated with enterprise management systems.
Let’s explore its key features:
Plug-and-Play Solutions for LOB
A cornerstone of this suite is its plug-and-play solutions that provide business-specific insights for different lines of business (LOBs). These solutions include ready-to-use analytical dashboards tailored to various corporate functions such as finance, supply chain, and more. These components are part of a broader architecture that incorporates the following key aspects:
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Standardized Data Modeling (Data Products): SAP offers harmonized data models, integrating information from different SAP backend sources. These preconfigured models enable seamless and consistent data management.
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Ready-to-Use Analytical Dashboards: SAP provides intuitive dashboards that display data through tables and graphs in a clear and accessible way. These pre-built dashboards save time and resources, offering an integrated experience within the enterprise management system, making them easily accessible without requiring custom development.
Partner Portal for New Business Opportunities
Beyond offering ready-to-use solutions, SAP has developed a dedicated partner portal that allows partners to create and offer customized reports. This enhancement enables the distribution of tailored business reports, leveraging integrated data power and analytical dashboards.
SAP Data Bricks: AI at the Service of Data
A major and completely new feature is the advanced AI-driven data management. SAP has integrated SAP Data Bricks within SAP Business Data Cloud, enabling predictive analytics, machine learning, and other AI-driven applications on enterprise data.
Data Bricks represents a best-of-breed solution for data management and AI applications, further enriching the SAP ecosystem with advanced functionalities. Integrating Data Bricks into SAP is a significant step forward, allowing companies to deploy and use AI models and algorithms directly on their business data, enhancing decision-making capabilities.
SAP Architecture: An Integrated Ecosystem
From an architectural standpoint, SAP’s new offering is built upon well-established technologies, with Data Bricks as a key addition to support AI functionalities. The architecture comprises several essential components:
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SAP BW (Business Warehouse): The core of data storage and historical archiving, aggregating data from external sources, including legacy systems and external databases. BW remains the backbone of enterprise data management.
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SAP Data Bricks: A complementary tool that enhances AI and machine learning capabilities, applying these technologies to corporate data.
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SAP Datasphere: A crucial tool for data harmonization, enabling modeling and integration of data from various sources such as Google’s BigQuery, creating a unified and consistent data ecosystem.
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SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC): Positioned above this architecture, SAC functions as the front-end layer for data visualization, reporting, dashboards, and storytelling, supporting both strategic and operational decision-making.
A Business Accelerator
The suite acts as a “business accelerator,” enabling companies to quickly implement tailored solutions. With a simple click, customers gain access to preconfigured data models and LOB-specific insights, reducing the time spent on data configuration and analysis.
This system expedites the adoption of data and analytics across enterprises, making it easier to access critical insights needed for faster, more informed decisions.
SAP Business Data Cloud is highly flexible, catering to both large enterprises and mid-sized companies, allowing each organization to choose the approach that best aligns with its specific business needs.
