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Unlock Real-Time Insights from SAP Datasphere with Fabric Real-Time Intelligence

| Ulrich Christ | Minni Walia |

Data Fabric SAP Datasphere

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Episode #288

Introduction

In episode 288 of our SAP on Azure video podcast we talk about Real-Time Intelligence integration with SAP Datasphere. We have spoken already about the combination for SAP data with Microsoft Fabric. We have partner solutions, native solutions from Microsoft and we also work very closely with SAP. One of these integration is with SAP Datasphare. When you connect Datasphere with Fabric Real-Time Intelligence, a low-code platform that enables you to ingest, transform, visualize and act on data as its generated you can now capture operational data the moment it’s generated.

Find all the links mentioned here: https://www.saponazurepodcast.de/episode288

Reach out to us for any feedback / questions:

#Microsoft #SAP #Azure #SAPonAzure #Data #Datasphere #Fabric

Summary created by AI

  • Overview of SAP Data Integration Options with Microsoft Fabric:
  • Ulrich Christ provided a comprehensive overview of the three main approaches for integrating SAP data with Microsoft Fabric, highlighting built-in connectors, partner ecosystem solutions, and strategic collaborations with SAP, while Holger Bruchelt and Goran Condric contributed to the discussion.
    • Built-In Connectors and Capabilities: Ulrich Christ explained that Microsoft Fabric offers a wide range of built-in connectors for SAP data integration, supporting both professional and citizen data integration use cases. These connectors allow users to ingest and process SAP data directly within Fabric without the need for external tools, and the capabilities are continuously being extended.
    • Partner Ecosystem Integration: Ulrich described how Microsoft Fabric serves as an open platform for partners to offer their data integration solutions, broadening the customer base and extending Fabric’s capabilities. He referenced previous sessions on open mirroring and integration with various partners, including those from the application integration and real-time intelligence space.
    • Strategic Collaboration with SAP: Ulrich emphasized the importance of strategic alignment with SAP, mentioning joint solutions based on SAP best practices and reference architectures. He highlighted integrations centered around SAP Business Data Cloud and SAP Datasphere, including features like mirroring for near real-time data integration into OneLake and integration with Copy Shop.
  • Real-Time SAP Data Integration Using Fabric Real-Time Intelligence (RTI):
  • Minni Walia detailed the process and benefits of integrating SAP data into Microsoft Fabric Real-Time Intelligence (RTI) using SAP Datasphere and Kafka, with Ulrich Christ and Holger Bruchelt discussing architectural choices, technical setup, and use cases.
    • RTI Architecture and Capabilities: Minni Walia explained that Fabric RTI is a no-code, low-code platform enabling end-to-end real-time analytics by ingesting, transforming, visualizing, and acting on data as it is generated. She described the architecture, where SAP Datasphere acts as a lean integration layer using replication flows with Kafka, and Fabric Event Stream consumes the data for real-time processing.
    • Technical Setup and Configuration: Minni provided a step-by-step walkthrough of setting up the integration, including creating a connection in SAP Datasphere to the Fabric Event Stream custom endpoint using Kafka protocol, configuring authentication, and establishing replication flows. She highlighted the ease of setup, requiring only basic configurations and no complex coding.
    • Event Stream and Event House Usage: Minni described how Event Stream in Fabric supports various connectors, including Kafka, and how data ingested through Event Stream can be routed to Event House, Fabric’s real-time analytics database. She explained that Event House is optimized for time series and operational data, enabling fast parsing, processing, and analysis.
    • Operational Monitoring and Real-Time Dashboards: The team discussed how the integration enables the creation of real-time operational monitoring dashboards and alerting systems. Minni noted that changes in SAP systems are immediately reflected in dashboards, and actions can be triggered in real time using services like Activator and Power Automate.
    • AI and Advanced Analytics Integration: Minni highlighted the availability of out-of-the-box AI capabilities in RTI, such as Copilot for natural language queries, agentic AI features, anomaly detection, and integration with custom agents via MCP endpoints. She emphasized that fresh, real-time data can be fed into AI systems for improved decision-making and reduced AI hallucination.
  • Comparison of Real-Time and Classic Data Integration Approaches:
  • Ulrich Christ and Minni Walia compared real-time data integration using RTI with classic approaches like Fabric Data Factory, discussing when to use each method based on business requirements and data consumption needs.
    • Use Case Suitability: Ulrich explained that real-time integration is particularly suited for operational scenarios, such as logistics, where timely data is critical for decision-making. In contrast, classic data integration is more appropriate for finance and analytics use cases that require consolidated, cleaned, and harmonized data.
    • Flexibility and Unified Architecture: The discussion emphasized that Microsoft Fabric provides flexibility to choose between real-time and classic integration methods, with both approaches supporting the full range of consumption workloads, including Power BI dashboards. The underlying SAP extraction architecture remains consistent, allowing users to leverage existing knowledge and skills.
    • No-Code, Low-Code, and Pro-Code Options: Minni and Ulrich noted that Fabric supports both no-code/low-code and pro-code development, enabling users to build solutions quickly or use advanced coding for specialized scenarios. Transformations and analytics can be performed using graphical interfaces or languages like SQL and KQL, and Spark notebooks are also supported.
    • Destination Selection Based on Data Type: Minni clarified that Event House is optimized for operational and time series data, while Lake House is better suited for historical analytics. Users can select the appropriate destination within Fabric based on their specific data and analysis requirements.
  • Customer Experience and Implementation Insights:
  • Minni Walia shared her experience conducting a proof of concept with a customer, demonstrating the ease and speed of setting up real-time SAP data integration with Fabric RTI, and discussed the positive feedback received from customers and partners.
    • Proof of Concept Setup: Minni described how she was able to quickly set up the integration between SAP HANA and Fabric RTI using Datasphere replication flows, resulting in a real-time operational monitoring dashboard for the customer within a day.
    • Customer and Partner Feedback: Minni reported that customers and partners found the solution useful and easy to implement, with some already trialing the integration and expressing positive reactions to the speed and simplicity of the setup.

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