A big part of what makes IBM Planning Analytics special is its powerful and flexible engine. And it’s no secret that all good engines require quality inputs for optimal output. For IBM Planning Analytics, this includes supporting world-class data warehousing and ERP providers like SAP in addition to our own IBM sources and others.
Introducing the IBM Planning Analytics Connector for SAP:
The IBM Planning Analytics Connector for SAP simplifies the ability to read and write between your IBM Planning Analytics environment and your SAP BW or ERP data sources.
The connector utilizes data interface with OData to query SAP and this comes with many benefits. First, this foundation helps support all in-market sources utilizing SAP ODATA v2 and v4 gateways. This includes SAP BW, S4/HANA and HANA Cloud sources. The connector also supports the ability to directly transfer data across SAP and Planning Analytics sources in an encrypted fashion and without persisting the data. Finally, the OData connector enables scalability with support for multiple simultaneous connections.
How does it compare to Cognos Integration Server?
Cognos Integration server is another offering that helps connect Planning Analytics to certain SAP BW sources. It relies on REST API protocols for a file transfer that is limited by size capacity. The release of the IBM Planning Analytics Connector for SAP is a step towards modernizing our connection strategy for SAP data sources.
Who is it for?
The IBM Planning Analytics Connector for SAP is available now for Local (On-premise) installations of Planning Analytics through IBM Passport Advantage! We are working towards a similar value proposition for our other Planning Analytics deployment options such as Cloud and Cloud Pak for Data. We will share updates as we progress.
How does it work?
Using the IBM ODATA API, the IBM Planning Analytics Connector for SAP can read and write to and from SAP and IBM Planning Analytics using a command line interface. Step 1 is to simply launch the tool, then Step 2 is to run the appropriate code depending on the flow and data context. Finally, the process will execute (Step 3) with transaction logs for reference (Step 4).
Where can I find out more?
Please check the following IBM documentation for more information on the IBM Planning Analytics Connector for SAP. You can also view the license terms here.
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