SAP Datasphere : Data Warehouse Solution Guide

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SAP Datasphere is SAP's cloud platform for data management and transformation.
It enables companies to create a unified, secure and governed environment for accessing, modeling and sharing data from multiple sources, both internal and external to SAP.

It's SAP's direct response to the challenges of modern data governance: exploding volumes, business silos, system complexity, increased needs for real-time analytics.

With SAP Datasphere, the objective is clear: end-to-end data orchestrationwithout duplicating, without impoverishing, while respecting the original business context.

The promise? To give companies the means to connect their SAP (and non-SAP) systems, enrich their models, and serve business teams with reliable, contextualized and actionable data.

What is SAP Datasphere?

SAP Datasphere is SAP's cloud-native data warehouse platform, designed to enable companies to manage their data in a unified, secure and governed environment.

But unlike a simple data lake or traditional ETL solution, SAP Datasphere goes much further.
It's a data management system in service mode, enabling you to :

connect SAP and non-SAP sources,
model data without duplicating it,
maintain the business context of SAP data,
easily share enriched datasets with business teams or BI tools.

A strategic foundation for enterprise data transformation

The idea is no longer to "take out" SAP data and reprocess it elsewhere, but to add value at source, by intelligently combining it with other systems (cloud, legacy, business applications, etc.).

SAP Datasphere thus becomes an intelligent data hub, where governance, quality and security are managed natively.

A direct evolution of SAP Data Warehouse Cloud

SAP Datasphere is in fact the evolution of SAP Data Warehouse Cloud.
It inherits its technical foundations, but with a much richer layer of functionality, notably around :

semantic modeling,
data cataloguing (via Collibra),
integration of third-party tools such as Databricks or OpenAI,
traceability and unified governance.

SAP Datasphere is part of SAP's "data fabric" strategy: connect, orchestrate, govern, exhibit.
And, above all, to stop pitting IT and business against each other, and create a common, secure, activatable playground.

Technical components

SAP Datasphere is based on a modern cloud architecture, designed for scalability, security and interoperability with external tools.
It is made up of several functional bricks which, together, cover the entire data value chain.

Spaces" are isolated, secure work environments that enable teams (IT or business) to model, transform and share data without interfering with each other.

Each space can :

connect its own data sources,
define its own models,
collaborate with other spaces via controlled sharing.

This is the main interface for data modeling.
The Data Builder allows you to :

create views (SQL or graphical),
transform data in real time or batch,
define shared semantic models.

It is gradually replacing classic tools such as SAP BW or SAC Modeler, offering a more unified and intuitive logic.

The great strength of SAP Datasphere lies in its Business Builderwhich associates data with their business context hierarchies, units, KPI definitions, standard calculations.

This module transforms technical models into business objects that can be understood by users (finance, logistics, HR teams, etc.).

Thanks to integration with CollibraWith SAP Datasphere, you can trace the origin, transformation and use of your data.

The aim is to improve governance, facilitate audits and strengthen user confidence in the data they consume.

SAP also offers a partner data marketplaceThis is where you can enrich your internal models with external sources (weather, geolocation, sector data, etc.).

SAP Datasphere is more than just a data warehouse.
It's a complete platformat the crossroads of data engineering, governance and business enhancement.

Connections

The power of SAP Datasphere lies largely in its ability to connect to a multitude of systems - SAP or non-SAP - while maintaining data consistency and security.

Native SAP connections

SAP Datasphere offers optimized connectors for all SAP products, facilitating data access without duplication:

SAP S/4HANA

SAP BW/4HANA and SAP BW classic

SAP ECC (via CDS views or classic tables)

SAP HANA (on-prem or cloud)

SAP Analytics Cloud for the return

These connectors ensure that the business context (data types, units, hierarchies), thus avoiding the loss of information often encountered in conventional extractions.

Connections to non-SAP sources

SAP Datasphere can also connect to numerous third-party sources:

Databases : PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, BigQuery, Snowflake...
Cloud systems : AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, Azure Blob, etc.
Data science and machine learning tools : Databricks, Jupyter, Python, etc.

These connections are usually made via OData, JDBC or secure APIs.
The platform makes it possible to create hybrid flows between SAP and non-SAP data, in a fluid, governed way.

Integrations with partner solutions

SAP has formed several strategic partnerships to extend Datasphere's capabilities:

Collibrafor data governance and cataloguing
Databricksfor high-volume processing and AI
OpenAIfor AI and NLP use cases applied to business data

Thanks to its advanced connection capabilities, SAP Datasphere becomes a true data orchestration point, at the heart of modern data architecture.

Governance, architecture and cloud-native power

SAP Datasphere is more than just a storage and modeling tool.
It's a strategic platform designed for large enterprises, in a cloud-first, governance-by-design context, open to technology partners.

Data governance and traceability

SAP Datasphere natively integrates advanced governance functionalities, essential for large enterprises:

Data lineage visualization of the data path, from source to consumption.
Roles and granular rights precise control over access (read, write, share) by role, by "space", or even by level of granularity (data line).
Audit and compliance access logging, versioning and management of sensitive data.

Integration with Collibra enriches this governance with cataloguing, business glossary and unified compliance policy functionalities.

Scalable, cloud-native architecture

Deployed on SAP BTP (Business Technology Platform), Datasphere benefits from a :

multi-tenantsecure, always up-to-date,
scalablewith classic or Nearline (NSE) HANA storage,
interoperablehosted on hyperscalers such as AWS, Azure or GCP.

This avoids cumbersome administration, while ensuring the performance, availability and security of your environments.

SAP BW migration: a smooth transition

With SAP BW Bridgeit is now possible to :

reuse up to 70 % of existing BW objects,
speed up migration to Datasphere,
retain the business logic already proven in SAP BW/4HANA.

Ideal for companies already invested in the SAP ecosystem, who want to evolve without starting from scratch.

A powerful integration ecosystem

SAP Datasphere is also open to the outside world. It integrates with :

Databricksfor IA/ML use cases on massive volumes,
OpenAIfor augmented analysis or query generation,
Confluencefor data streaming,
Collibrafor corporate governance.

SAP Datasphere is more than just a modeling interface.
It's a strategic infrastructuredesigned to support the data transformation of large companies... and connect it to business intelligence.

SAP Datasphere marks a turning point in SAP's data strategy.
It's no longer just a storage platform or a "new BW", but a genuine business data fabric designed for the age of the cloud, real-time analytics and reinforced governance.

By integrating modeling, business context, interoperability with external tools and complete traceability, SAP Datasphere becomes an essential linchpin for any modern data architecture.

But like any powerful solution, getting to grips with it requires a structured learning curve: understanding the spaces, the Business Builder, partner integrations, the role of governance...

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FAQ

SAP Datasphere is a cloud-native platform, focused on governance, semantic modeling and multi-source integration. SAP BW (and even BW/4HANA) is more rigid, oriented towards on-premise or hybrid cloud, with a more technical logic.

Yes, SAP Datasphere is the direct evolution of Data Warehouse Cloud, with numerous enhancements (business catalog, Collibra integration, improved interoperability, etc.).

Absolutely. Datasphere connects to both SAP and non-SAP systems (PostgreSQL, Oracle, BigQuery, etc.). It can therefore operate in hybrid environments.

No. Data Builder and Business Builder are designed to be used by business and functional consultants. Technical profiles can go further, but the tool remains accessible.

Moderate. An SAP consultant with a good functional grounding or a data analyst accustomed to BI tools can quickly become autonomous. The complexity comes mainly from the global architecture (Spaces, sharing, governance...).