SAP BODS Tutorial for Beginners: What is, Architecture

By : Scott Livingston Scott Livingston
Hours Updated

Before we learn SAP BODS overview, let’s understand

What is ETL?

ETL stands for Extract-Transform-Load, and it is a process of how data is loaded from the target system to the data warehouse. Data is extracted from a database and transformed to match according to the data warehouse schema. After that, it is loaded back to the data warehouse database in the form of dimension and fact tables.

What is SAP BODS?

SAP BODS is an ETL tool for extracting data from disparate systems, transform data into meaningful information, and load data in a data warehouse. It is designed to deliver enterprise-class solutions for data integration, data quality, data processing and data profiling. The full form of SAP BODS is Business Objects Data Services.

History of SAP BODS

Here, are famous landmarks in the history of SAP BODS:

  • In 2002, BusinessObjects rebranded the two software products of Acta as BusinessObjects Data Quality tool and BusinessObjects Data Integration tool.
  • Business Objects acquired by SAP in 2007 and both of these products were renamed as SAP BODQ and SAP BODI.
  • In 2008, SAP merged both of these products in a single tool and renamed it as SAP Business Objects Data Services (BODS)

SAP BODS Architecture

Here, are some basic components of SAP BODS architecture:

SAP BODS Architecture Diagram
SAP BODS Architecture Diagram

Repository

A repository is a set of a table which holds user-created and predefined system object, source, target metadata, and transformation rules. It allows you to set up repositories on an open client/server platform. This helps you for sharing metadata with other enterprise tools. Each local repository is connected with one or more job server which runs the job you have created.

Management Console

SAP BOD Data Services Management Console is the web-based application with the following features.

  • Impact and Linear Analysis
  • Administration
  • Auto Documentation
  • Operational Dashboard
  • Data Validation
  • Data Quality Data Reports.

Job server

The Job Server component helps you to starts the data movement engine. It allows you to integrate data from multiple sources. It helps you to perform complex data transformations and manages transactions and extractions from ERP systems and other sources.

The Data integration Job server tool allows you to move in data in either batch or real-time mode. It delivers high data throughput and scalability. Moreover, while designing a job, you can also run it from the Designer which tells the Job Server to run the job. The Job Server also allows you to get the job from its associated BODS SAP repository.

Data Services Designer

The Data services Designer tool offers an easy-to-use graphical user interface that helps you define transformations, data mappings, and control logic.

This component helps you to build applications containing data and workflows. This component also allows you to manage metadata stored in a repository.

Engines

After SAP BusinessObjects Data Services job are executed, the Job Server starts the engine to perform data extraction, transformation, and movement. The engine uses parallel processing and in-memory data transformation to offer high data connectivity, quality, and scalability.

Access server

Access server offers real time request-reply message that collects message request routes them to a real-time service and delivers a message reply in a specific duration. The Acess Server queries message and sends them to the next available real-time service across numerous computing resources.

Address Server

The next component is the Address Server. It offers address validation and corrections. The Address Server must be started before processing data flows which contain the Global address Cleanse or Global Suggestion list transform with the EMEA engine enabled.

Important terms in SAP BODS

Datastore

A Datastore offers a connection to a data source like a database. It is a linking interface between the actual backend database and Data services. Data store also allows data services to import the description of the data source such as metadata.

CMC (Central Management Console)

CMC is a web-based administration tool for BOD. It is a helpful tool to perform some essential functions like repository registration, user management, etc.

Data Integrator Web Administrator

Data Integrator web administrator is also known as DI web admin. It helps you to maintain repositories in Data services. This SAP BOD services included in DI web admin are Meta Repository, Central Repository, job services, and web services.

SAP Data Services Advantages

Here are a few pros of BODS in SAP

  • SAP Business Objects offers better profiling because of too many acquisitions of other companies.
  • The learning curve of this ETL tool is quick, and it is easy to use.
  • Offers an easy to UI interface to perform data manipulation tasks.
  • The objects and functions of BODS in SAP allow you to perform manipulations and transformation of data very efficiently.
  • There are system-provided objects and functions which you can easily drag and dropped.
  • SAP BODS allows you to implement various data transformations using Data Integrator language
  • SAP BODS helps you to perform complex data transformations for building customized functions.
  • Data Integrator Designer allows you to store real time and batch jobs and new projects in the repository.

Disadvantages of SAP BODS

Here, are few draws backs of using SAP BODS.

  • It is an expensive tool, so the initial purchase cost is very high.
  • Business Objects many need a number of servers and extensive hardware.
  • Business Objects is a developer platform which means organizations that want to use Business Objects will require the support of a highly skilled development team.

Summary

  • SAP BODS is an ETL tool by SAP which can extract data from disparate systems, transform them into meaningful information and load them in various kinds of systems.
  • The SAP BODS full form is Business Objects Data Services.
  • Repository, Management Console, Designer, Job Server, Access Server, are important components of SAP BODS Architecture
  • SAP Business Objects offers better profiling because of too many acquisitions of other companies.
  • BODS is an expensive tool, so the initial purchase cost is very high