QV_SAP_Connector - what added_value?

[datanibbler]

Hi,

we are developing plans to roll out QlikView to other plants than this one and, m.o.l. independently, to introduce SAP as ERP system.

I have just had a phonecall with our distribution_partner and a QlikTech employee about the use and the function of the QV_SAP_Connector, so now I have heard the voice of the producer/ distributor. There is no doubt that the SAP_Connector (compared to nothing) does add value and that it has an important function and does its job quite well.

<=> I would like, if possible, to hear the voice of the users, on how well it does its job and how fast it is, to be able to decide whether or not the price_difference to possible alternatives is outweighed by those facts.

If I understood well, the QV_SAP_Connector does not actually load the data from SAP, it merely produces a script, using a user that has to be set up in the SAP_system as access and the DataDictionary that SAP itself provides, and the script can then be executed in QlikView to generate qvd files with the finished data (combined from the different tables and filtered as needed)?

Is there anyone here who is already using it? Can you tell me approximately how fast it is (how long it takes to extract a certain no of records from SAP?

Thanks a lot!

Best regards,

DataNibbler

[hic]

With the help of the SAP connector you can create a script that loads the wanted data. When you run the script, QlikView does actually load the data from the SAP system, through the SAP connector. So it is not just a script generator.

The SAP connector uses RFC functions that must be installed on the SAP system (as SAP transports) to extract data that is loaded into QlikView.

HIC

[datanibbler]

Hi Henric,

thanks a lot!

That sounds a lot like what they just told me.

So, what product ends up loading the data from SAP? Does QlikView execute the script and load the data or does QlikView just tell the SAP_Connector what to load, based on the script - that the SAP_Connector itself generates?

The remaining, and to me the more interesting question would be: How fast is it - taking one of the large-ish tables in SAP like BSEG (which is probably necessary for just about any kind of accounting question), when you have sth. like 1mio records and 200 fields, how long does that take, approximately (of course, you can tell me whatever numbers you have)

Best regards,

DataNibbler

[hic]

Technically (and generally speaking), QlikView sends requests (fetches) to the Connector which in turn sends requests to the system behind. In the SAP case, these requests are executed by the SAP Connector transports. That's why I disagreed with your description "...does not actually load the data...".

I am probably the wrong person to objectively describe all the pro:s and con:s of the SAP connector (I work for Qlik), so I would like to hear other people contribute with their experiences. But I can assure you that my experience is only positive: I have been to many customers and done proof-of-concepts with the SAP connector and the customers have almost always been overwhelmingly positive. They perceive the SAP connector as fast and reliable.

HIC

[datanibbler]

Hi Henric,

I don't doubt that the SAP_Connector does a good job and that customers would be very positive toward it - customers mostly are when you have a good product.

When you compare a good product to no_product, it's easier. I have a good product to compare, however, that's the background of my question.

Let's wait for someone else to comment.

Best regards,

DataNibbler

[struniger]

Hi DataNibbler,

We are using QV SAP Connector (not OLAP/QUERY/REPORT/DSO) with success here at my company and downloading large tables with millions of records. Speed is an issue, but usually more on the SAP side of the game rather than the Connector in our case. The speed varies significantly with the workload on SAP.

You will have to use delta loading concepts to speed up things, but they are sometimes not that obvious in SAP since there is not always a timestamp available to identify changes. Other concepts might include creating views and physical tables in SAP to speed up the load and grab those tables via the QV SAP Connector or limiting yourself to subsets within the tables (we do this mainly on COSS / COSP).

Using these concepts we do daily and weekly loads.

I have seen other implementations skipping QV SAP Connector entirely and dumping the data from SAP onto a file system and/or using a 3rd party connector.

Hope this helps to shed a little light.

Good luck

Stefan

[datanibbler]

Hi Stefan,

so, one thing I can definitely draw from your post is that

>> the QV_SAP_Connector's activity does have influence on the SAP system's workload and v.v. <<

Is that right?

Thanks a lot!

Best regards,

DataNibbler

[struniger]

Well, in as much as it ultimately runs a query on the SAP database, yes, of course.

But then I wouldn't know of any way to directly read data from a database without causing any workload...

Best regards

Stefan

[datanibbler]

Hi Stefan,

nor can I - it would be a strange thing indeed to query a database without causing any workload on it.

The difference here is just in the level.

Thanks a lot!

Best regards,

DataNibbler