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Application component
Application components are used to organize InfoSources. They are similar to the InfoAreas
used with InfoCubes. The maximum number of characters allowed for the technical name
is 32.
Authorization
An authorization defines what a user can do, and to which SAP objects. For example, a
user with an authorization can display and execute, but not change, a query.
Authorizations are defined using authorization objects.
Authorization object
An authorization object is used to define user authorizations. It has fields with values to
specify authorized activities, such as display and execution, on authorized business
objects, such as queries. The maximum number of characters allowed for the technical
name is 10.
Authorization profile
Bitmap index
A bitmap index uses maps of bits to locate records in a table. Bitmap indices are very
effective for Boolean operations of the WHERE clause of a SELECT statement. When the
cardinality of a column is low, a bitmap index size will be small, thereby reducing I/O
volume.
Business Content
Business Content is a complete set of BW objects developed by SAP to support the OLAP
tasks. It contains roles, workbooks, queries, InfoCubes, key figures, characteristics, update
rules, InfoSources, and extractors for SAP R/3, and other mySAP solutions.
BW
BW Monitor
BW Monitor displays data loading status and provides assistance in troubleshooting if errors
occur.
BW Scheduler
BW Scheduler specifies when to load data. It is based on the same techniques used for
scheduling R/3 background jobs.
BW Statistics
BW Statistics is a tool for recording and reporting system activity and performance
information.
Change run
Characteristic
Characteristics are descriptions of key figures, such as Customer ID, Material Number,
Sales Representative ID, Unit of Measure, and Transaction Date. The maximum number of
characters allowed for the technical name is 9.
Client
A client is a subset of data in an SAP system. Data shared by all clients is called client-
independent data, as compared with client-dependent data. When logging on to an SAP
system, a user must specify which client to use. Once in the system, the user has access to
both client-dependent data and client-independent data.
Communication structure
For the same amount of data, the data packet size determines how work processes will be
used in data loading. The smaller the data packet size, the more work processes needed.
Data Warehouse
Data Warehouse is a dedicated reporting and analysis environment based on the star
schema database design technique and requiring special attention to the data ETTL
process.
DataSource
A DataSource is not only a structure in which source system fields are logically grouped
together, but also an object that contains ETTL-related information. Four types of
DataSources exist:
If the source system is R/3, replicating DataSources from a source system will create
identical DataSource structures in the BW system. The maximum number of characters
allowed for a DataSource's technical name is 32.
Delta update
The Delta update option in the InfoPackage definition requests BW to load only the data
that have been accumulated since the last update. Before a delta update occurs, the delta
process must be initialized.
Development class
A development class is a group of objects that are logically related.
Display attribute
Drill-down
ETTL
ETTL, one of the most challenging tasks in building a data warehouse, is the process of
extracting, transforming, transferring, and loading data correctly and quickly.
Free characteristic
Full update
The Full update option in the InfoPackage definition requests BW to load all data that
meet the selection criteria specified via the Select data tab.
Granularity
IDoc
IDoc (Intermediate Document) is used in SAP to transfer data between two systems. It is a
specific instance of a data structure called the IDoc Type, whose processing logic is
defined in the IDoc Interface.
Index
An index is a technique used to locate needed records in a database table quickly. BW uses
two types of indices: B-tree indices for regular database tables and bitmap indices for fact
tables and aggregate tables.
InfoArea
InfoAreas are used to organize InfoCubes and InfoObjects. Each InfoCube is assigned to an
InfoArea. Through an InfoObject Catalog, each InfoObject is assigned to an InfoArea as
well. The maximum number of characters allowed for the technical name is 30.
InfoCube
An InfoCube is a fact table and its associated dimension tables in the star schema. The
maximum number of characters allowed for the technical name is 30.
InfoCube compression
InfoCube compression is a procedure used to aggregate multiple data loads at the request
level.
InfoObject
InfoObject Catalog
InfoObject Catalogs organize InfoObjects. Two types of InfoObject Catalogs exist: one for
characteristics, and one for key figures. The maximum number of characters allowed for
the technical name is 30.
InfoPackage
An InfoPackage specifies when and how to load data from a given source system. BW
generates a 30-digit code starting with ZPAK as an InfoPackage's technical name.
InfoSource
Key figure
Key figures are numeric values or quantities, such as Per Unit Sales Price, Quantity Sold,
and Sales Revenue. The maximum number of characters allowed for the technical name is
9.
A line item dimension in a fact table connects directly with the SID table of its sole
characteristic.
Logical system
Multi-cube
A multi-cube is a union of basic cubes. The multi-cube itself does not contain any data;
rather, data reside in the basic cubes. To a user, the multi-cube is similar to a basic cube.
When creating a query, the user can select characteristics and key figures from different
basic cubes.
Navigational attribute
Number range
A number range is a range of numbers that resides in application server memory for quick
number assignments.
ODS
ODS is a BW architectural component located between PSA and InfoCubes that allows BEx
reporting. It is not based on the star schema and is used primarily for detail reporting,
rather than for dimensional analysis. ODS objects do not aggregate data as InfoCubes do.
Instead, data are loaded into an ODS object by inserting new records, updating existing
records, or deleting old records, as specified by the 0RECORDMODE value.
Parallel query
A parallel query uses multiple database processes, when available, to execute a query.
Partition
A partition is a piece of physical storage for database tables and indices. If the needed
data reside in one or a few partitions, then only those partitions will be selected and
examined by a SQL statement, thereby significantly reducing I/O volume.
Profile Generator
PSA
PSA is a data staging area in BW. It allows us to check data in an intermediate location,
before the data are sent to its destinations in BW.
Query
A BW query is a selection of characteristics and key figures for the analysis of the data in
an InfoCube. A query refers to only one InfoCube, and its result is presented in a BEx Excel
sheet. The maximum number of characters allowed for the technical name is 30.
Read mode
Read mode for a query determines the size and frequency of data retrievals from
database: all data at once, as needed per navigation step, or as needed per hierarchy
node.
Reconstruct
Request
A request is a data load request from BW Scheduler. Each time that BW Scheduler loads
data into an InfoCube, a unique request ID is created in the data packet dimension table of
the InfoCube.
RFC
RFC (Remote Function Call) is a call to a function module in a system different from the
caller's—usually another SAP system on the local network.
Role
In Profile Generator, an authorization profile corresponds to a role. A user assigned to that
role also has the corresponding authorization profile. A user can be assigned to multiple
roles. The maximum number of characters allowed for the technical name is 30.
SID
SID (Surrogate-ID) translates a potentially long key for an InfoObject into a short four-byte
integer, which saves I/O and memory during OLAP.
Source system
A source system is a protocol that BW uses to find and extract data. When the source
system is a non-SAP system, such as a flat file or a third-party tool, the maximum number
of characters allowed for the technical name is 10. When the source system is an SAP
system, either R/3 or BW, the technical name matches the logical system name. The
maximum number of characters allowed for the technical name is 32.
Star schema
A star schema is a technique used in the data warehouse database design to help data
retrieval for online analytical processing.
Statistics
For a SQL statement, many execution plans are possible. The database optimizer
generates the most efficient execution plan based on either the heuristic ranking of
available execution plans or the cost calculation of available execution plans. Statistics is
the information that the cost-based optimizer uses to calculate the cost of available
execution plans and select the most appropriate one for execution. BW uses the cost-base
optimizer for Oracle databases.
System landscape
The system landscape specifies the role of each system and the paths used in transporting
objects among the various systems.
Transfer rule
Transfer rules specify how DataSource fields are mapped to InfoSource InfoObjects.
Transfer structure
Update rule
An update rule specifies how data will be updated into their targets. The data target can
be an InfoCube or an ODS object. If the update rule is applied to data from an InfoSource,
the update rule's technical name will match the InfoSource's technical name. If the update
rule is applied to data from an ODS object, the update rule's technical name will match
the ODS object's technical name prefixed with number 8.
Variable
A variable is a query parameter. It gets its value from user input or takes a default value
set by the variable creator.
Workbook
A BW workbook is an Excel file with a BEx query result saved in BDS. BW assigns a 25-digit
ID to each workbook. Users need merely name a workbook's title.