There has been much talk and debate on whether HANA replaces BW. See Steven Lucas's blog, the associated comments, discussions on Linkedin or Twitter (e.g. start somewhere around here) or some blogs (e.g. this one) and probably many other places. The sheer number and heat of those threads indicates, in my opinion, that the question is so relevant that it underlines how relevant BW is.
Figure 1: An EDW comprises a DB that is complemented with a application code (X).
Now, a lot has already been said about the matter. The origin of the controversy has a little bit to do with the perception that an enterprise data warehouse (EDW) basically is an DBMS. Actually, in a discussion with some well known analysts some time ago I popped the question whether they would see a difference and met a few seconds of silence. In my opinion, a DBMS is a fundamental component of an EDW, like an engine to a car. But the DBMS alone makes no EDW like an engine alone makes no car. The car's chassis, body, interior, ... provides the comfort for the consumer and makes sure that the engine is used in a proper way. Similarly, there is software surrounding a DBMS that makes it the heart of an EDW. BW is simply one such instance of software that can do that. Figure 1 shows a slide that I frequently use to create that awareness.
Why is BW such a good choice - in my opinion - to make HANA the heart of an EDW? Rather than answering this in a generic, philosophical and potentially non-tangible way I will give three instances that clearly underline that statement:
This list can certainly be extended. It is meant to provide a non-marketing, down-to-earth flavour of what you gain with BW beyond the usual services. It is not surprising that some customers have lauded it the most genuine application on and for HANA that SAP provides.
The original post of this blog can be found here.
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