Hi,
I was going through few posts on BOB regarding SAP BW. With SAP BW we can directly connect to warehouse without the universe with Bex queries. But if we can directly connect to warehouse why do we need to write the Bex queries, why can’t i write a simple SQL. Also how it is use full over creating a universe to connect to database. And under which scenarios we should go for SAP BW over designing universe.
Thanks.
niks5687 (BOB member since 2011-01-03)
Which version of BOXI are you using?
My understanding (given that I’ve never used SAP BW myself) is that using BEX queries with BI4 gives you optimal flexibility and performance.
With BOXI R2 and 3.1, a universe is preferred.
Writing SQL directly against the database is a poor idea both technically (apparently the database is difficult to parse) and legally (it is a licensing violation of some sort).
Lugh (BOB member since 2009-07-16)
Hi,
the ‘direct connection’ is using BW’s BICS API which goes to the BEx Query via the OLAP engine.
If you want access to the relational table behind the Application servers concept of ‘infoprovider’ then you should use the BW-SQL multi source universe. (data federation) .
Please note, this by-passes Variables, hierarchies, etc etc.
Regard’s
Ehtesham
Ehtesham (BOB member since 2012-09-14)
Hi there!
If you are using BI 4 you may connect to the BW application layer using a Multisource Unx, this uses the JCO connector, which has some things to take into consideration at design time.
If you are using any versions of BOBJ lower than BI4, you have to have Data Federator, which is a sepparate product, but it has the same design considerations as the imbedded DF in BI4.
Webi over Bex is so far away from being “optimal flexibility and performance” that it is just not worth the sarcasm brewing in me (@ Bex not @ Lugh). Using Bex as a semantic layer for Webi is technically possible, however, like everything else it has its limitations. 1st and foremost, do not expect to simply pick up a Bex query and expect Webi to do everything that Bex Explorer can do, or conversly, expect Bex semantic layer to do everything a Universe can do. It is very much like putting a Universe over a Cube, it does not take long at all to hit a wall.
Of course, unless you have Hana, you are not permitted to go directly to the underlying tables of BW with a universe at the database level, so the above are your only options, and both need some serious thought before ploughing ahead.
More info and links in these two threads…
https://bobj-board.org/t/202933
https://bobj-board.org/t/203835
Hope that helps.
coreya 
(BOB member since 2008-12-16)