CompositeProvider

Silvia Bratz / Klaus Nagel, TIP IMP BW

Version 1.1
September, 2012
Introduction

The CompositeProvider is a new InfoProvider type introduced with BW7.30.

It offers the possibility to combine InfoProviders via UNION, INNER JOIN and LEFT
OUTER JOIN.

One characteristic of the CompositeProvider is, that one initial Provider has to be
taken over to the CompositeProvider with a UNION connection as a basis.

CompositeProviders can only be used in combination with BW powered by SAP

HANA (and partially with BWA, which is not covered in this document).

UNION and JOIN operations are executed in HANA and not the application
server if possible from a data consistency point of view without join column
information.

BEx Queries can be created on CompositeProviders as on any other BW

InfoProvider.

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Use Cases

Currently exist three major use cases for leveraging a CompositeProvider

I. BW Workspaces the CompositeProvider allows to quickly and easily combine

central BW data with uploaded local data (Excel, csv, ). This is done in the
Workspace Designer.

II. Rapid-Prototype Models IT can quickly and flexible combine

AnalyticIndexes created in APD or published SAP HANA Models). This is done in
the transaction RSLIMO.

III. JOINs between InfoProvider certain BW InfoProvider can be combined

using the JOIN operation allowing IT to create new scenarios not possible or very
expensive with standard techniques (MultiProvider, InfoSet). This is done in
transaction RSLIMOBW.

While use cases I and II are clearly defined, use case III needs to be assessed
carefully and scenario-by-scenario in order to achieve the expected results.

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Considerations (1)

Transportability: A CompositeProvider can be transported if it contains only

standard, transportable BW InfoProviders.

Execution of JOIN: A CompositeProvider always has a corresponding HANA

ColumnView that contains the modeled JOIN and UNION operations. Thus JOIN
and UNION are executed by the HANA CalcEngine, which (in general) offers a
much better performance compared to the application server.
Exception: If the JOIN condition is non unique (see specifics) the JOIN operation is
executed by respecting the JOIN column information to avoid wrong results. This, of course,
has a negative impact on performance, especially if the JOIN column has a high cardinality,
as more data has to be requested and transferred from the database.

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Considerations (2)

INNER versus LEFT OUTER JOIN: An INNER JOIN is always faster but this
kind of referential integrity may not always be given. If the performance
degeneration due to the OUTER JOIN is too big, it might be worth the effort to
model referential integrity during staging.

CompositeProvider versus MultiProvider: Always model a MultiProvider if the

model only contains UNIONs. The BW AnalyticManager (aka OLAP Engine)
makes sure the best execution plan is used.

CompositeProvider versus InfoSets: If the InfoSet only contains operations and

data that can be modeled also in a CompositeProvider, the CompositeProvider is
most likely the better (faster) choice.

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Considerations (3)

Temporal JOIN: If a temporal JOIN between the Providers is needed, a

CompositeProvider cannot be used (currently only possible with InfoSet).

Non-cumulative key figures: Non-cumulative key figures currently cannot be

used in a CompositeProvider.

Queries with Exception Aggregation: Exception Aggregation in Queries based on

a CompositeProvider can only be executed on HANA (query option 6) when
standard, transportable BW InfoProviders are contained exclusively.
Additionally, it is only possible to use Exception Aggregation on InfoObjects for
which SID-based processing is possible (see page 24).

Planning scenarios: Currently it is not possible to use a CompositeProvider as

Provider for planning scenarios.

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Some CompositeProvider
specifics in detail
Specifics

Non-unique JOIN condition

Null Handling

Exception Aggregation

Analysis Authorizations

Modeling JOINS in HANA models

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Specifics

Non-unique JOIN condition

When fields of Providers are linked in a CompositeProvider and key figures are
used in the analysis, it is important to check whether the join conditions used are
unique.
If join conditions are non-unique, this might result in a multiplication of key figures,
which might show wrong query results to the user in sum lines.

Therefore this specific is explained with some slides:

- Page 10: Example to introduce the problem
- Page 11: CompositeProvider model with linked fields/join conditions
- Page 12/13: Where to set the flag in case join condition is non-unique
- Page 14/15/16: Consequences when flag is set or not
- Page 17: Select statements sent to HANA
- Page 18: Business example

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 Non-unique JOIN condition (1)

A non-unique JOIN condition is Data Example (1:N) and Problem

Header Data Item Data Explanation

When the data is joined via field
DOC_NUMBER the key figure value of
NO_HDR is shown per field
ORDER_ITEMS.
NO_HDR = Key Figure
However it is not correct to sum up
these values as the key figure NO_HDR
only counts once per DOC_NUMBER.
NET_PRICE = Key Figure

Correct Values in SUM lines Incorrect Values in SUM lines (multiplication of key figures)

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Non-unique JOIN condition (2)

A non-unique JOIN condition is Join defined in CompositeProvider

CompositeProvider

Header Data is taken over as UNION in the CompositeProvider

Item Data is taken over as INNER JOIN in the CompositeProvider
Join condition defined on DOC_NUMBER
A drill-down is executed on ORDER_ITEMS
Analysis of sum lines of key figure NO_HDR

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Non-unique JOIN condition (3)
A non-unique JOIN condition is Option set on level of the joined Provider
CompositeProvider and Options RSLIMO/RSLIMOBW
Correct Values in SUM lines in case of non-uniqueness
Standard option in RSLIMO/RSLIMOBW
Addressee: IT department
Join column information respected leads to the transfer
of more data from the database
2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved.
Right mouse-click
Incorrect Values in SUM lines in case of non-uniqueness
Standard option in BW Workspace Designer
Addressee: Analyst in the Line of Business
Join column information not respected leads to the
transfer of less data from the database
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Non-unique JOIN condition (4)

A non-unique JOIN condition is Option set on level of the joined Provider

CompositeProvider and Options BW Workspaces

BW Workspace Maintenance

BW Workspace Designer

Unique Join Columns not set RSWSPW

Standard option in RSLIMO/RSLIMOBW
Unique Join Columns set
Standard option in the BW Workspaces
In the BW Workspace Maintenance you can allow to
change the standard option
BW Workspace Designer
In the Designer per CompositeProvider the standard
option can be changed (by deselecting the flag)

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Non-unique JOIN condition (5)

Unique Join Columns Option is not set

BW Query

BW
Aggregation, respecting the join
columns information

6 records transferred from DB

Join and Aggregation, group by

query AND join columns

Aggregation, group by query Aggregation, group by query

HANA-DB and join columns and join columns
JOIN on Item Data
Header Data
DOC_NUMBER
BW Infoprovider BW Infoprovider

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Non-unique JOIN condition (6)

Unique Join Columns Option is set

BW Query

BW
Aggregation, without join
columns information

3 records transferred from DB

Join and Aggregation, group by

query

Aggregation, group by query Aggregation, group by query

HANA-DB
and join columns and join columns
JOIN on Item Data
Header Data
DOC_NUMBER
BW Infoprovider BW Infoprovider

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Non-unique JOIN condition (7)

Aggregation of Provider data takes place before the join is executed

The OLAP calculates the sum lines

By setting the Unique Join Columns setting, the OLAP is told that a
multiplication of key figures cannot happen. If the Join Columns are in reality
non-unique the OLAP would deliver wrong results in the sum lines

More data has to be transferred when the join is non-unique (and the Unique
Join Columns flag is not set)

The default in RSLIMO/RSLIMOBW is that Unique Join Columns is not set

Reason: Data correctness is more important than performance

The default in the BW Workspace Designer is that Unique Join Columns is

set Reason: Good performance for easy models created by the business
where non-uniqueness is not the case (main use case: joining master data)

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Non-unique JOIN condition (8)

A non-unique JOIN condition is - BW HANA request for drill-down

Drill-down on field ORDER_ITEMS: Field DOC_NUMBER has to be in the select statement to deliver correct results
(otherwise this leads to a multiplication of key figures in the sum lines)

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 Non-unique JOIN condition (9)

A non-unique JOIN condition is Business example: Join of related

business data (document flow)

Correct Values in SUM lines 1:N Incorrect Values in SUM lines (multiplication of key figures) 1:N

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Specifics

Null Handling

In the MultiProvider use case the OLAP processor is able to distinguish between an
empty key figure due to the fact that it has not been linked and a booked zero value.
This is not possible with a CompositeProvider.

This specific is explained with examples see pages 20-23.

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Null Handling example (1)

The OLAP processor can deal with nulls and is able to show empty key figures
due to the fact that they are not mapped instead of their initial value e.g. 0,00
(German decimal notation).

In the CompositeProvider use case it is not possible to show the nulls to be able
to separate between not mapped key figures or booked zero values.

Example MultiProvider

MultiProvider

List output

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Null Handling example (2)

Example MultiProvider

Query on MultiProvider with InfoProvider in drill-down

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Null Handling example (3)

Example CompositeProvider

CompositeProvider List output

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Null Handling example (4)

Example CompositeProvider

Query on CompositeProvider

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Specifics

CompositeProvider and Exception Aggregation

Exception Aggregation in Queries based on a CompositeProvider can only be

executed on HANA (query option 6) when standard, transportable BW
InfoProviders are contained exclusively. Additionally, it is only possible to use
Exception Aggregation on InfoObjects for which SID-based processing is possible.

Exception Aggregation on HANA is e.g. be executed when InfoCubes, DSOs with

BEx-Flag or Navigational Attributes are used in a CompositeProvider.

Exception Aggregation is not executed on HANA when e.g. Display Attributes,

VirtualProviders on HANA Models or Analytic Indexes (which are non-transportable
Providers) are used in a CompositeProvider.
Also an execution is not possible when the option unique join condition is not set.

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Specifics

Analysis Authorizations

In a CompositeProvider scenario it can happen that analysis authorizations are

defined on the contained MultiProvider, the Providers contained in the MultiProvider
as well as on the CompositeProvider itself.

Article https://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-29740 shows an example on how the

Analysis Authorizations apply in such a scenario.

Nevertheless, with BW 7.30 SP8, it is possible to determine for a

CompositeProvider whether the Analysis Authorizations defined on top of it should
exclusively be used, i.e. the Analysis Authorizations defined on top of the
PartProviders are overruled in this case.

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Specifics

Modeling JOINs in HANA models

This scenario is not supported see page 27.

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Modeling JOINs in HANA Models

Creating HANA models on BW InfoProviders/tables is not supported

(see note 1682131).

SAP NetWeaver BusinessWarehouse is not aware of JOINs modeled in the

underlying HANA model risk of key figure duplication!

For more details on the topic Reporting on HANA models in BW-on-HANA,

please see https://www.experiencesaphana.com/docs/DOC-1463.

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