XMLA vs BAPI

Hi All

I am keep getting different questions on what is XMLA or what is BAPI?  What are the differences when we use this connectivity to OBIEE ? What does it mean for a customer ? Do I have to pay for this ?  I am hoping below blog post would help existing BW-SAP or new customers.

What is XMLA 

XML for Analysis (XMLA)  is a standard that allows client applications to talk to multi-dimensional or OLAP data sources.The communication of messages back and forth is done using web standards – HTTP, SOAP, and XML. The query language used is MDX, which is the most commonly used multi-dimensional expression language today. Oracle’s Essbase, Microsoft’s Analysis Services, and SAP’s NetWeaver all support the MDX language and the XMLA spec.

For More details Please visit  XMLA Details .

What is BAPI

OLAP BAPIs (Business Application Programming Interfaces) offer third-parties and customers who program for themselves an industry standard for accessing BW business processes and data, via their own frontend tool.OLAP BAPIs are defined in the BOR (Business Object Repository) as methods belonging to SAP Business object types. They are implemented as RFC-enabled function modules.Applications, regardless of their OLAP architecture, can use the available methods to connect to the BW server.

SAP BW provides direct access via the BAPI library so as to enable a platform-independent access to the OLAP BAPIs.

More Details on BAPI, Please visit SAP BAPI Details

Below is the summary of BAPI and XMLA :

Interface	Interaction with OBIEE	Way to interface	Supported Platform
XMLA	MDX	Webservices using web standards – HTTP, SOAP, and XML.	Industry standard, supported by key OLAP leaders like SAP,Oracle, Microsoft
BAPI	MDX	RFC (Remote Function Call)	SAP Platform

FAQ on BAPI and XMLA :

Q1.   What are the difference between BAPI and XMLA

A       Please refer the above content.

Q2.  What degree of performance improvement, we are looking for  ?

A      We may see 3X to 5X, you will see significant improvement in the cases where we are pulling lot more data.

Q3.  How do I connect OBIEE to BW-SAP using BAPI ?

A      Oracle has certified connector developed by Bristle Cone, for details please follow Bristle Cone Adaptor

Q4.   Do I have to pay for this additional adaptor ?

A      It’s FREE., you will need to download from Bristle Cone Website.

Q5.  What we got to know is that, BAPI interact on native call, what does it mean?

A      BAPI is an interface to interact with SAP, it works on RFC (Remote Function Call).

Q6.   If we use BAPI Will Query be generated in SAP Language?

A      Even in case of BAPI obiee interacts using MDX

Q7.   To enable BAPI, do I need to configure any thing on BW-SAP server ?

A      To enable BAPI, there is no configuration needed on BW-SAP server. You will need to get SAP NW RFC SDK. The details are mentioned in Bristle Cone Adaptor.

 

Hope this helps.

“Superior BI is the antidote to Business Failure”

 

Credits

http://news.xmlforanalysis.com/what-is-xmla.html

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/64/9b8f3c855f0454e10000000a11405a/content.htm

What a Year it was !!! 2011.. BI .. BI and More BI ..

Dear All,

Keeping on with the tradition of a yearly round-up this is the time of the year, where I take a moment and revisit, what happen in whole year.

Started 2011, on a low note with doing something different, preferably in the newer technology, 11G was the preferred choice, but buggy 11.1.1.3  release had put many customer on hold. But it was April, where I got an opportunity to work on 11G, that to also an unique project where OBIEE needed to be integrated with BW SAP. During the course met few smart and dedicated people.

2011, what a year, personally and professionally very satisfactory, ranging from learning technology, meeting smart people, meeting people who could influence me, winning awards, the list is end less, I wish this year had more than 12 months.

Oracle BI and 2011

This year 2011, specially has been a year of many excitement for an BI professional innovations, announcements, adoptions, budgets, you name it. Every thing was here.

Oracle announced 11G towards the end of 2010, but 2011 was the one where it picked up like a wild fire.

2011 was the year, Oracle competing with hardware vendors, Oracle’s Exadata did fairy well. Having worked on Teradata and some experience on Exadata, Oracle is fairing well on Exadata,  I dont have statistics, but performance wise I always felt Exadata was better than Teradata.. Oracle’s Exalytics seems to be by far answer to in memory analysis, especially target towards Essbase cubes. Over all 11.1.1.5 was a satisfactory release. Oracle delivered on the promise and they were on the dot and target.

In 2012, Oracle’s investment in mobile, seems to be promising and with 11.1.1.6 it will become more prominent, some of the Oracle Mobile demos at OOW were impressive. Oracle has no choice, but they are catching up and they are catching up faster than any one. Only player who I admire for mobility is Microstrategy, but with Oracle owning ERPs at most of the prominent places, OBIEE becomes default choice of the ecosystem.

( Oracle Open World )OOW-11

As usual OOW was great fun this year, thanks to technological innovations, content was not stale, with Exalytics, OBIEE 11.1.1.6, Essbase there was enough to be busy,confused and picky for 4 days.. Larry made it very interesting with pick on SalesForce.com, last year it was IBM and this year it was “marc benioff’s” turn.

It was interesting to listen in to Larry and Marc on “What is Cloud ?” , for a moment we all felt that we all are in the midst of history where two giants are redefining the “CLOUD”, which we all thought is already a mature concept.

As usual Treasure Island party was a blast, “sting” was on the top of the world. Warmth of his singing, made all of us forget the chilliness of San Francisco Bay. It was great crowd, great fun.

Mark Hurd Interviewing with Bloomberg

Oracle Open World Showcase

Treasure Island Party

Sting At Oracle Open World

Personal

Personally it was satisfactory year,

• The project I implemented,won “Fusion Middleware Innovation Awards”
• Implemented 11G with BW-SAP as datasource (odd, on which oracle also wouldn’t bet)

Oracle Fusion Middleware Innovation Award

In all, satisfactory year, looking forward for the new year.

Wishing Every one a Happy and Prosperous New Year, Be Safe!!!!!!

Thanks

Sunil S Ranka

“Superior BI is the antidote to Business Failure”