Data Modelling - In BPC - Use Transformation rule Group

In BPC - Rule Groups in Transformation

Link to Article

BPC Architecture

BPC 7.0 for NetWeaver Consists of four tiers:

The Client Tier – consisting of the BPC clients (Excel, Administration, etc).

The .NET Tier – consisting of a VB.NET 1.1 web application that performs:

Authentication / Active Directory Support

SOAP (Client) -> RFC (ABAP) -> SOAP (Return to Client) translation

The ABAP Application Server Tier –the BPC Add-In provides APIs to perform all of the underlying tasks and business logic required by BPC.

The Database Tier –Provides SQL capabilities.

Performance tuning can be done for the following:

Logon - Logging into BPC

Reports - Using the EV functions

Writeback - Commit to the database

Business Logic - Script Logic , BADI's, Planning Functions

Administration

Data Manager - Process Chains - data loads, planning functions,etc

Performance Tuning(From SAP Presentation)

The client tier’s responsibilities include:

Communicating with the .NET server.
Loading master data into memory.
Rendering responses from requests (formatting, displaying results, etc).

There isn’t any direct “tuning” that can be performed on the client tier, but there are factors which can be controlled which impact client performance.

Client Sizing

Loading master data, especially large amounts, is memory intensive.
Formatting can be very CPU intensive.
Ensure appropriate bandwidth exists between client and .NET tier.
Some network requests can be very large, especially during logon and with large reports.
Amount of Master data / Property size.
Ensure that each user only has access to required secured dimension members and hierarchies. This can greatly impact logon times.

Check@ http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs?blog=/pub/wlg/23014 for more info.

The .NET tier’s responsibilities are fairly limited with BPC for Netweaver, focusing primarily on:

Authentication

Exposing Web Service’s to client tier.

Fulfilling client requests in BW.

There isn’t too much to tune on the .NET tier assuming you completed all of the configuration steps found in the BPC Install guide (available on Service Marketplace).

Here are a few thoughts if you believe the .NET tier needs to be tuned:

Ensure all Post-Installation configuration is complete.

Ensure the .NET tier is sized appropriately.

Check Task Manager or Performance during a busy period and observe total CPU and memory consumption.

Ensure the network connectivity between the .NET tier and BW tier is sufficient.

Unless the .NET tier is configured to use Logon Group’s, the absolute maximum number of active connections is 100 assuming the maximum number of dialog processes is set to 100.

To increase the total number of accessible active connections either:

–Configure the .NET tier to use a Logon Group with access to multiple BW servers.

–Install additional .NET servers, each pointed to a unique BW server.

The BW Tier performs a large number of tasks, including:

Executing business logic.

Querying data for reports.

Writing back data from input schedules or data loads.

Cube management (hierarchies, dimension processing, master data management, etc).

The amount of tuning possibilities that are available in BW is so vast, that there is an entire job category dedicated to this and related tasks, aka BASIS teams.

While we can’t make you BASIS admins, we can give you a few things to talk about if you suspect issues:

Ensure the BW tier is sized appropriately.

Check Task Manager or Perfmonduring a busy period and observe total CPU and memory consumption.

Ensure the parameters in RZ10 are sufficient to handle both the concurrency and per process memory requirements for your scenario.

ST02 provides some data on buffers for a quick analysis.

Ensure the underlying database is tuned according to best practices and/or based on database monitoring and analysis.

SAP BPC

What is SAP BPC?

SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation (formerly OutlookSoft) is an Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) tool that can cater for all types of planning and forecasting, from simple small processes to complex multi layer processes, while also providing consolidation and easy to use reporting.

SAP BPC offers a robust, multiuser platform, which is fully integrated with Microsoft Excel.  Initially leveraging off the power of Microsoft SQL Server and Analysis Services there is now another version that uses SAP Netweaver as its back-end database. Although similar, especially to the end user, these two versions of the product do offer different functionalities (see whitepaper)

The main features of SAP BPC are: 

Multi-Dimensional

The multi-dimensional nature allows users to “slice and dice” the data according their needs.

Dynamic

As SAP BPC utilises OLAP technology, this means that data is available as soon as it has been entered – no need to aggregate data!

Workflow Management

Enables an organisation to keep track of its progress through a budget/forecasting process

Unified

Whilst other software requires different modules to do consolidation or forecasting, SAP BPC handles these within a single software product.

Integrated with Microsoft Office

Embedded in Microsoft Excel, with the ability to report directly in to corporate Microsoft Word and PowerPoint documents.  

Zero footprint Option

Using the Web portal, data can be accessed and reports shared without the need to install the client add-ins (or even have Microsoft office installed!)

Store Comments

SAP BPC allows the user to store commentary against any data point in the application