SAP Announces Improvements In Its Products And Attract New Customers

SAP BusinessObjects Data Services and BusinessObjects Data Federator, which are now more integrated into the SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse, can supply all the business processes into reliable data.

To provide organizations a reliable information base, intended for all of their key processes and decision-making, SAP AG announced enhancements to SAP software BusinessObjects Data Services and SAP BusinessObjects Data Federator, which are an integral part of SAP BusinessObjects management information.

These solutions are compatible with both environments SAP and non-SAP and SAP customers see their compatibility is strengthened through integration with SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse (SAP NetWeaver BW). Whatever the underlying system, SAP provides business information whose reliability is assured, allowing them to successfully launch initiatives in areas such as decision analysis, management of customer relationship management (CRM), the Resource Planning (ERP), the chain management (SCM), migration of systems and data governance. The significant growth of its customer base and strong recognition of the sector to illustrate how the market dominance of SAP BusinessObjects Information Management gives business users the ability to have integrated data and accurate and timely.

In a world accumulating huge amounts of data and many disparate sources, it is more important than ever to rely on the accuracy and timeliness of corporate information. The growth of organizations, internal and external, has exacerbated the challenge. The SAP BusinessObjects information management continue to help companies manage this problem by enabling them to ensure the availability, integrity and transparency of all their data, regardless of their origin and format.

SAP Abandons The Classic Accommodation

The hosting business outsourcing solutions historic SAP is transferred to T-Systems. Application SaaS Business ByDesign is not affected by the operation.

T-Systems is preparing to hand over the hosting business of SAP in Europe. Subject to the approval of competition authorities, the transaction is expected to close early October 2009. The applications of nearly 90 clients, now housed at SAP, will then be transferred to plants in the SSII. The release of T-Systems does not specify if those used by SAP are concerned.

The subsidiary of leading Telecom company said that this operation is part of its building strategy around SAP environments. Recently, it has won a huge contract integration and outsourcing services for the SAP ERP supplier of Continental, and resumed business consultancy Logica's SAP in Switzerland. In contrast, SAP continues to operate the lodging its application in SaaS Business ByDesign. Internal source, the search for partners to ensure that service should not start before 2010.

SaaS Model Requires A Specific Platform To Exist

The computer saw the pace of change announcements and Buzz, which makes it difficult to differentiate a true revolution of a simple evolution. At one time it was thought that a software package integrated with a monolithic view, will meet the needs of the business, and now the leaders of the ERP SAP to Oracle through Miscrosoft we "cram" lectures on the virtues of SaaS, or even launch offers "real" in this model (SAP, ...).

SaaS stands for Software as a Service. This is a technology of providing services or software through the Web rather than through a desktop application or client-server. The SaaS concept, emerged in the early 2000s, is promoted to take the place of the Application Service Provider (ASP).

SaaS will offer us a new generation of software, modular and flexible, organized into reusable business services, configurable, accessible via the Web (or simply via the corporate network), while respecting the contract a SLA and QoS.

Crisis Virtual SAP

The German press, notably by the voices of co-founders of SAP, excessive measures that may conceal other intentions.

End of January 2009, SAP released strong financial results for fiscal 2008, hailed by the business press: 14% increase in turnover, 1.88 billion euros in net profit, 1.84 billion of cash flow (free cash flow), and an operating margin of 24.6%. Where others open the champagne, SAP talks about crisis and poured into catastrophic. By the end of 2008, SAP prepared by the spirits of drastic cost reductions that have affected the working conditions of many employees. In discussing the possible use of more stringent measures (if necessary), SAP made a diversion and refuses its employees a clear justification of its real motivations.

SAP Attack SaaS

A provider of accounting software online, has refuted claims the CEO of SAP, the software online is "more expensive and risky" than traditional desktop software.

SAP is a leading global provider of management software. End of last year, it began testing its own products "SaaS Business by Design ", but they found it difficult to migrate its existing portfolio in SaaS and could not find the right format to make it profitable.

Mark Davies, Director of e-ECONOMIC said: I am perplexed by comments from SAP. SAP has obviously thought it was desirable to get involved in SaaS, yet less than a year later, they began to complain. If experiencing difficulties in implementing its business model to SaaS, is one thing, but to absorb the entire principle of SaaS is misleading to consumers and patently false!.

According to Gartner, more than one third of all software will be delivered by SaaS within 3 years and a recent McKinsey report said that 61% of CIOs considering SaaS. The service charge is SAP raise 30% last year. In a recession, companies will seek to reduce costs and increase efficiency in every way possible, and the costs and benefits of SaaS are difficult to deny. Based on comparisons of prices of a number of major suppliers of traditional accounting software, small businesses can save an average of up to 59% on the cost basis of accounting software using an online solution instead of traditional software.

Optimize The SAP With Solutions "Network Application Services" Cisco

On June 30, during a seminar on Cisco solutions to optimization and application acceleration, we dealt with the presence of SAP solutions that are more specific to this environment.

Cisco provides networking solutions for optimizing access to applications such as SAP. This network architecture provides a business transformation practical applications by allowing the centralization of resources in consolidated data centers, while providing remote users use fluid bricks Application of SAP. This architecture allows for improved application performance, improved availability and increased security while reducing operating costs.

Oracle, SAP Up And Down

The figures come out, and Oracle announced a net profit up 35% to 1.03 billion for its third quarter compared to last year (for a 27% increase in revenue to 4.41 billion dollars). These results have exceeded expectations of analysts and Oracle.

While at the same time, SAP announced a net profit down 16% to 204 million for its first quarter compared to last year (for a 3% drop in revenue to 2.4 billion euros). This decrease is mainly due to falling sales of software by 33% to 418 million euros.

Governance To Discover For SAP

SAP will have to address potential conflicts of interest between its partners and its own ambitions. Asked about possible differences between players in the market and SAP, on the occasion of a new version could literally wiped off the map all the partners who offer a process covered by the basic package, the head is reassuring: We think in fact in this case, For example we might offer our partners a new commitment to 12 months forcing us not to launch the process directly competing offers. This is a point still under consideration.

The next update of SAP ByDesign, version 2.5, is expected in the third quarter of 2009. It will be the first to benefit from a global launch. However, it must wait until 2010 to witness the launch of the bid cloud of SAP.

Managing Permissions Roles To The SAP Users

Managing permissions in SAP NetWeaver BI can restrict user access. These limitations apply to both the possible actions (or launch a state change, etc.), functional domains available (represented by cubes), and the scope of analysis (such society, country, etc.).

In general, the assignment of permissions to users is not direct but passes through objects called "Roles". Indeed, a role for combining users, permissions and menus. It is often too complex to assign and track users directly with permissions because the number of combinations to process and lack of user-friendly graphical interface.

Thus, the role will bring together a set of users with the same need analysis, a user can belong to multiple roles. A user assigned to a role can run the state and access to performance indicators.

The Management Organization:

A solution exists yet in SAP NetWeaver BI, to assign positions and not users. This feature allows you to manage a hierarchy of positions and assign users to those positions, according to the reporting period. This management can be supported by human resources in ERP, and duplicated in all systems, or run directly into BW.

Positions are assigned to roles and not directly to users. A change in position does not require changing the allocations to authorities: the user automatically inherits the permissions associated with his position.

From a technical standpoint, the tree management positions and organizations can be achieved by the transaction PPOCW. The positions are then assigned to roles in the transaction PFCG (for extended), in the "User" button and "Organizational Mgt". The assignment of the user's position is performed by the transaction SU01.

The Security Risks Factors:

This system provides general satisfaction because it simplifies the assignment in the original draft. However, it has a major drawback: it merges the individual and the position it occupies in the organization. Maintenance requires translating the actual position of the user roles to provide the necessary permissions.

However, permission management is rarely managed by human resources, but directly between business and IT services. This produces long-term some complexity in the permissions, or a lack of visibility and gaps for authorization. A recent study moreover demonstrated that among the risks in poorly managed companies are primarily the fault of security.

Features Of Xcelsius

Among the different ways of information, the dashboards are a priori more obvious and simple. These indicators represent the key graphs and tables. The most common tool to do this is Excel, which provides flexibility of implementation but prohibits implementation in a complex environment, and automatically shared.

Xcelsius is the leading tool for SAP Business Objects to do so. It is not only the range, but it is presented by SAP as one whose possibilities will be developed in the future. The feature of Xcelsius is that it was originally created to allow a graphical representation of the modeled data in an Excel spreadsheet. Its name comes from the integration between Excel and return chart.

Main Features of Xcelsius in version XI R3:

• The data used by the graphics are ultimately stored in an Excel integrated, which allows great flexibility, modeling of complex calculations and powerful interactions with the user.
• This is an open solution that can be supplied by several sources, such as the universe via LiveOffice or web services.
• It can be used standalone or with a BOE server (for access via the portal Infoview).
• The result is represented by a Flash file that contains the objects, connections, modeling, Excel, etc.. This file is portable and can be integrated both into a ppt presentation on a html page.
• The dashboard can be composed of many elements interacting with each other, and which may set the behavioral format .. (lists, buttons, tables, etc., etc.).
• Rendering in flash is very good and allows for example animations, interactions, selections, etc..
• Creating a dashboard is made by KeyUsers and not by users themselves.

SAP Web Applications Runs

Once the applications are built, it is possible to execute in the SAP Portal which particularly in management of business roles and access rights. It is also possible to run the Web Dynpro in on-line mode on mobile. To migrate an interface "PC" to interface "Mobile", it should only adjust the interface.

Some things to remember about the architecture development NWDI (Netweaver Development Infrastructure). It built around several components:

• CBS - (This is the part that will build your archive)
• CMS - (This is the part that will transport components of your environment to another)
• DTR - (Which is the repository will store your developments and manage the version)
• LTC - (It is here that you will define your configuration and WAS systems, use ECC)

NWDS (Netweaver Development Studio): This is the development environment, it is actually an eclipse of SAP, i.e., it incorporates all IDEs necessary for the proper development of WD's.

SAP WORLD

SAP offers through the SAP NetWeaver platform all the components necessary to build a Web application and its exposure mode Intranet or Internet. SAP provides various tools for developing user interface WEB application.

• Web Dynpro - ABAP: Web Dynpro proposes a model of modeling language (metamodel) for the uniform construction of all user interface that accelerates development. Web Dynpro strictly separates the presentation layer and business data (MVC). SAP Web Dynpro technology communicates with Adobe Flex / Flash and allows the construction of interfaces 2.0.


• Web Dynpro - JAVA: The major differences with the version of ABAP, The development environment is not the same one side Java based on NWDI and NWDS unlike the WD ABAP it is via the SE80, Access to data is native.


• VISUAL COMPOSER: Visual Composer allows you to compose applications without requiring to code. Ergonomics is based on standard flash libraries. The possibilities of implementations are limited to the models provided by SAP.


• BSP - HTMLB: This technology combines the ABAP programming languages, HTML and javascript. It is very open and allows all the creative liberties on SAP WebAS. It is possible to develop using the MVC but not an obligation. The technology exists on installer's. It is to recommend for further development of a Web application on SAP.

Trends In The Evolution Of Business Intelligence

First, publishers trend to provide users with greater autonomy. From a DataWarehouse structured, each user must construct its statements independently. This concerns the reporting and additional applications such as budgeting. This trend is not without risk (inconsistent statements, management of entitlements, performance, no "single vision of truth" ...) but meets a real need from users.

Then, business intelligence has long been isolated from other applications because it was using specific tools. The user prefers yet have access to only one application giving everything, be it ERP, Mails, BI, etc.. These include that the proposed SOA including Visual Composer, a development tool (included in NetWeaver) that allows to build composite web applications. Thus, a user can fully analyze data from BW, place an order, read their emails and follow a work flow within a single page. Each page element is interacting with others.

Other trends include a special performance optimization of restitution by storing data from Data Warehouse (BI-Accelerator, BusinessObjects Explorer), the application of BI to non-quantitative data (social networks analysis text search on documents, etc.) and the arrival of BI solutions as SaaS (Software As A Service On-Demand, etc.).

Finally, we observe growing importance of the dimension "trade" in the draft decision. This was illustrated by the purchase of BO by SAP, and Hyperion by Oracle.

The Future Of Business Intelligence

The needs for business to know their environment and to identify opportunities and risks has given rise to practices of economic intelligence. Analyze the legal, fiscal, geopolitical, financial and especially trading is widespread. Now it combines the concept of risk management, which is a natural extension.

Business intelligence is a simplified yet vital economic intelligence. It is to monitor the performance of business processes, and compare them to the market (benchmark) and predetermined objectives (budget). For example, we wish to know the growth of a market segment and compare it to competitors.

Often there is confusion between the practices and objectives of business intelligence and tools to implement to achieve this. Indeed, monitor performance requires first to be able to collect raw data, wherever they are, and present them to users in the form that suits them to the best. The business intelligence tools fulfill this task, and there are usually three levels:

• Data collection and processing into usable information is provided by ETL (extraction, transformation, loading).
• Storage and modeling in a form compatible with the tools of recovery are provided by the DataWarehouse
• The return on the screen of the user reporting tools - dashboards, analysis in Excel or in Web reports in a list, etc.

BI solution without the need for analysis is covered by static states reporting to the ERP or by statements prepared manually in Excel, which have many disadvantages (preparation time, errors, cumbersome files, no sharing, no access self-service, etc.).

Business Intelligence is booming is because companies have realized the need to provide all the latest information and more personalized as possible. Knowledge of information is a condition of performance and survival in a complex and highly competitive.

Integration Into SAP Portal

The Integration Kit provides a planned iView to display content BOE. It is easy to embed Crystal Reports, Travel, Web Intelligence and Xcelsius. Simply choose the iView "Standard BusinessObjects Enterprise Report" and the ID information of the BOE report.

The integration kit can also enrich the Knowledge Management Portal SAP. A new menu bar is been added and allows the creation of new documents Voyager, Web Intelligence, or even display MyInfoview as would a user from the portal Infoview BOE.

This feature facilitates the centralized management of security. Portal Business Objects Enterprise important roles and users of SAP. Upon connection, BOE check authorizations in the SAP system to allow access to the user reporting.

This does not set the proper permissions to BOE, but to leave the SAP server to verify the existence of the user.

The SAP Integration Kit has been developed by Business Objects before its acquisition by SAP. The aim was to give the possibility to use the BW data in each tool. As you can see, the solution depends on the tool (through the universe generated from a query Bex, by direct use of query Bex by webservice, etc.). The future of SAP's flagship tool in multivariate analysis. Scheduled for 2010, this tool based on a combination of Voyager (analysis mode Web BO) and Bex Analyzer (Excel analysis of SAP) and can directly read a cube SAP BI or any other non-SAP data.

The Integration Of SAP NetWeaver BI and Business Objects

This part is designed for SAP customers wishing to make and distribute their reporting on the data stored in SAP solutions using BusinessObjects tools. The main potential of this integration are,

Return of SAP NetWeaver BI data:

1. Crystal Report:

Crystal Reports is the tool of choice for layouts graphics. In its latest version can even embed Flash documents (.swf) which allows the integration of files built in Xcelcius.

Given the historical links between Crystal and SAP NetWeaver BI, Crystal is the best tool integrated. The integration kit gives it a toolbar similar to that of the Bex Analyzer. SAP users find the same interface for the selection of their applications (bookmarks, history, role and infoarea).

Integration is made possible by the direct use of BW queries in the body of the state.

2. Universe Designer:

The Universe Soundtrack trades are views of the database where certain filters, rules management and permissions are predefined manner transparent to end users. They use these Universe data source for analysis from other reporting tools.

The integration kit can quickly convert a query or a cube in BW Universe. The recommendation is to use queries in source so enjoy browsing capabilities (attribute, calculated ratios, variables) and performance optimization of queries.

The universe can be used by both Web Intelligence, Crystal Xcelsius, or (via a web service).

3. Web Intelligence:

Web Intelligence is the Universe Soundtrack available to users. Accessible from the Web Portal for Business Objects (called Infoview), it allows users to choose their data self-service in a friendly environment. After selecting the universe, the user can format, apply filters, add graphics, etc..

In case integration with BW through the use of the universe based on BW.

4. Xcelsius:

Xcelsius allows you to create dashboards with a good graphics rendering from a source of data imported into an Excel internal Xcelsius. This tool is based on Flash and Flex technology from Adobe. Simply place objects (tables, graphs, Selectors, Gauges, Sliders, cards ...) and associated data from the Excel sheet. It is possible to make objects interact with each other.

The feeding data through a Web Service from such a universe based on a BW query, or LiveOffice. The Web service is generated by the tool "Query as a Web Service".

Scope & Limits of BusinessObjects Explorer

The first is that the version in-memory is based on data from BW, which is not surprising since BW DataWarehouse is traditional and highly popular of SAP customers. SAP provides end-year to extend the BI Accelerator, all databases. Business Objects (BO) Enterprise version has a broader base, but still limited to structured data in the form of universe.

The second lies in the simplicity of the tool. By simple, we obviously do not meet all the needs of users, including formatting and navigation. These are covered by other solutions (including Xcelcius and Webi in BO solutions or WAD and Bex for BW). Users will be annoyed to have to change the solution according to their need.

Finally, the very process of analysis by search engine can have drawbacks, because it means that we know in advance where the information will take the relevant decision. This is often the case, and we need to do is a detailed state of emergency (reporting officer) or a state comprehensive and highly structured, is a real engine of decision support that connects several objects according to rules of business management.

In conclusion, BusinessObjects Explorer brings real changes in research decision-making information. However, if it allows quick access to accurate quantitative information, it must be supplemented by statements or navigational charts, according to the needs and profile of users. It will be interesting to see how users will adopt this solution and how it will evolve over the integration of SAP and Business Objects tools.

BusinessObjects Explorer

Business Objects Explorer allows you to search a data set through a search engine and lists.

There are now two versions: the version associated with the BI-Accelerator, which enables to store data BW InfoCubes to be accessed instantly. And the integrated version to BusinessObjects Enterprise, the BO server, based on the structure, data and permissions universe.

There is also another version called "on-demand", accessible by Internet at https://create.ondemand.com/ explorer who offers particular interest to test the solution free service. The data selected will automatically appear in a format pre-defined and somewhat customizable graph and table.

A new analysis approach:

The planned integration with data lists in ALV (ABAP List Viewer), well known among users of SAP GUI will also undertake analysis and research so friendly on the selected data. This has also merged the interests of ERP and BI tools. Thus, this solution corresponds to a true vision from the editor - a research tool and standard analysis of relevant information for all users.

Effects Of RoadMap In BI

Effects of RoadMap and Perspectives:

A relational database management system is that the Roadmap contains the promise of long stability and charge for the basic package, which tends to appeal to some CIOs who know the charge related to media packages and upgrades.

In addition, developers of Business Explorer had made a powerful solution regarding such structures queries or navigation integrated into Excel. Business One has nevertheless a clear superiority in particular for formatting or autonomy of users.

The SAP will promote solutions BO (Business One) is therefore facing a Business Explorer widely used and offering good value for money and a lack of evolution finally over perceived as a guarantee of stability.

This vision is well understood in the short term, as between a solution but kept frozen and other evolving and incorporating features requested, we can easily imagine that the second will win eventually.

The influence of the editor in search of growth and integrators looking for opportunities is obvious. But the current betting is that SAP user influence in demand for autonomy and tools easy to use (and somewhat concerned by the issues of integration, platform or upgrade), will become predominant in choice of solutions.

The Evolution Of Business Intelligence At SAP

Evolution Of Business Intelligence:

Business Intelligence has been central of discussions and studies that since the acquisition of Business Objects by SAP.

The original offer ("Business Information Warehouse" released in 1999) was a platform for the multivariate analysis included among the "new dimensions", reflecting the diversification of SAP solutions to complement of ERP (PLM , CRM, SCM, etc.).

The solution "Strategic Enterprise Management", Integrated with BW in the same year, presented an innovative vision of Planning, Consolidation, Balanced Scorecard and management indicators.

The arrival of the NetWeaver platform technology and brought a new perception of the integration of applications, people, processes and data through an approach to SOA and web portal built.

However, business intelligence has so far positioned relatively marginal compared to engines of SAP activity, primarily the ERP.

Business Intelligence in the heart of the SAP strategy:

Since the version 7.0 of BW, the decision has taken a significant extent, meet the increasing demands of customers and market outlook. The acquisition of Outlook Soft and Business Objects have confirmed the strong guidance of SAP. Proof is the number of speeches and workshops on this topic at SAP events.