The Power BI SAP HANA connection quickly reaches its limits. The ISR Connector makes it possible to use Power BI as a reporting tool within the SAP landscape.
Accessing large amounts of data is already part of everyday life for many of us. It is nothing new that we want to retrieve data from different sources. Sometimes this works better and sometimes the available options are somewhat more limited.
It becomes particularly difficult when we operate in hybrid scenarios. This is the case, for example, when tools from different manufacturers are used as a source and as a target. However, such scenarios are common in the current landscapes of many companies.
SAP systems, for example, are often used for data processing and storage. However, there are also numerous alternatives to SAP solutions for consumption in the form of reports. These include, for example, Tableau, Qilk or, of course, the market leader Power BI from Microsoft.
Requirements for a live connection of Power BI and SAP HANA
This scenario is precisely the focus of this article: Data from an SAP HANA database should be connected to Power BI via a live connection so that it can be consumed there. Such a HANA database can either be on premiseWhat is on-premise? On-premise refers to infrastructures that are physically... More be a HANA cloud database or the database under an SAP Datasphere.
There are a number of challenges from the user's perspective that need to be considered:
- Access should be as performant as possible
- The connection should be encrypted
- There should be an uncomplicated registration procedure
- The data should not be stored twice in the HANA database and in Power BI
The limitations of the SAP Standard Connector
The solution seems simple, because there is a standard SAP connector in Power BI. However, a closer look reveals some limitations. The standard connector offers two modes: Direct Query Mode and Import Mode. The following restrictions apply to both variants:
Direct Query Mode
- No data transformations are possible.
- Only one view per Power BI report can be displayed. The visualization of multiple views is not supported
- In general, only calculation views can be connected, no other view or table types.
Import Mode
- The data must first be stored locally. This makes processing large volumes of data considerably more difficult or even impossible.
- Although transformations can be carried out on the data, these are applied locally to the data and not pushed to the database.
- As with Direct Query Mode, only Calculation Views are supported.
The solution: The ISR Power BI-Connector for SAP HANA
ISR has developed its own connector to eliminate these limitations. This is a software package that extends the standard functionality of Power BI and thus enables improved access to SAP HANA databases.
The HANA ODBC driver is used to establish a high-performance live connection to an SAP HANA database. The live connection means that no data is physically stored in Power BI. This has positive effects from a performance and data governance perspective.
Any pre-processing in the form of aggregation, filtering, etc. is pushed to the database and executed there. This means that less data is transferred, resulting in lower latency. This so-called push-down is essential for processing large amounts of data, keyword Big Data.
Furthermore, the ISR connector enables additional transformations in Power BI through the use of Power Query. This is possible with the standard connector in import mode, but not in direct query mode. Similarly, several views or tables can also be connected with the ISR connector and these can then be further linked with each other in the Data Modler.
The two aspects of simple login through single-sing-on and encryption through SSL are already available in both cases of the standard connector. Nevertheless, it should be noted here that these two points are also covered by the ISR connector.
It is therefore clear that the ISR connector combines the best of both worlds of the standard connector. However, there are also features of the ISR connector that are not supported in either of the two modes of the standard connector.
This makes it possible to select all potentially displayable view and table types as a source, not just calculation views. Value help is also provided for filling parameters and variables. In addition, the availability of the underlying code enables simple customization. For example, company-specific customizing or branding can take place.
In tests carried out, the ISR connector was able to beat the benchmark of the standard connector with a convincing performance. It was possible to access 5 million data records in just 2 minutes. The ISR-Connector can be used in both Power BI Desktop (client) and Power BI Service (cloud), making it a versatile tool.
The bottom line: Why the ISR Power BI Connector is the best solution for SAP HANA reporting
Although there is a standard SAP connector for accessing data from an SAP HANA database with Power BI, its functionality is severely limited. The specially developed ISR connector, which not only combines all the features of the two modes of the standard connector, but also offers numerous completely new features, provides a remedy. It impresses with its ease of use and strong performance. This makes it an important building block in a hybrid, modern data landscape.
Would you also like to benefit from the ISR Conntector?
Your contact person
Carl Stegat
Professional Business Development
SAP Information Management
carl.stegat@isr.de
+49 (0) 15142205480
