This Post is NOT about Microsoft BI VS Sap BI. Then What is it?
well, I have been playing with SAP’s Netweaver BW Tools for past three months now as a part of a Business Intelligence class that’s about to conclude – Also, I have been involved with work on Microsoft’s SQL server Business Intelligence Tools. So I thought – it would be FUN to map SAP Netweaver BW Tools (that I got to play with in an academic capacity) and Microsoft’s Business Intelligence Tools (which is currently what I am working on) – so, here you go:
| Tool in Microsoft BI | Tool in SAP Netweaver BW | |
| ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) | SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) | SAP Netweaver BW: Data Warehousing Workbench |
| Cube | SQL Server Analysis Services – Multidimensional Mode (SSAS) | SAP Netweaver BW: Data Warehousing Workbench: Modeling |
| Report Design Tool and Reporting Layer(It’s not an exhaustive list and does not include third part tools) |
| Business Explorer (BEx):
|
| Data Mining | Data Mining Projects in SQL Server Analysis Services | SAP Netweaver BW: Data mining – Analysis Process Designer |
Note about SAP BusinessObjects: I mapped the Tools in Microsoft BI with the tools that I got to study in my SAP class. Then I was searching what’s the current scenario in SAP world (I know about Microsoft’s!)– I learned that SAP BI world is comprised of TOOLS in SAP Netweaver BW + SAP BusinessObjects (BO). And in the course I studied the following components of Business Objects:
- Web Intelligence for ad-hoc query and reporting
- Crystal Reports for enterprise reporting
- Xcelsius (BO Dashboard) for Dashboard designing
For those interested I am also mapping few terms used while cube development in Microsoft BI and SAP Netweaver BW
| Microsoft: SSAS Multidimensional mode | SAP Netweaver BW |
| Cube | InfoCubes |
| Dimensions | Characteristics |
| Measures | Key Figures |
| Data Source Views (DSV’s) | Data Source |
Note:
1) I have not mapped the Tools in Self Service BI space.
2) This comparison is not for deciding between Microsoft BI vs. SAP Netweaver BI/SAP BusinessObjects – this post is just meant for mapping tools available in Microsoft BI and SAP Netweaver BW and so if you are an expert in say Microsoft BI – this post will help you see what corresponding tool are available in SAP Netweaver BW world. Consider it as a starting guide for your research.
3) Note the date the post was written – the name of the products may have changed in future. refer to official sites for latest & greatest!
Thanks for reading.