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SAP Business Data Cloud & Databricks Partnership: Transforming Enterprise Analytics

Written by roman on . Posted in Analytics & Business Intelligence.

The enterprise analytics landscape is undergoing a seismic shift with the announcement of SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) and its strategic partnership with Databricks. This game-changing collaboration promises to revolutionize how organizations access, process, and derive insights from their most valuable asset: SAP data.

Key Partnership Highlights

  • SAP Business Data Cloud becomes the primary gateway to SAP data analytics
  • Databricks integration enables native data science and AI capabilities on SAP data
  • Delta Sharing technology eliminates data extraction charges and simplifies access

Partnership Architecture Overview

graph TB
    A[SAP Business Applications] --> B[SAP Business Data Cloud]
    B --> C[SAP Databricks]
    B --> D[BDC-Databricks Connector]
    C --> E[Data Science & AI]
    C --> F[SQL Serverless]
    C --> G[ML Workloads]
    D --> H[Native Databricks]
    H --> I[Existing Data Lakes]
    H --> J[Custom Analytics]
    B --> K[Prebuilt Data Products]
    K --> L[Delta Sharing]
    L --> C
    L --> H
    
    style A fill:#0066cc,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style B fill:#ff6b00,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style C fill:#ff6b00,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style D fill:#ff6b00,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style H fill:#ff6b00,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff

Understanding SAP Business Data Cloud

SAP Business Data Cloud represents a paradigm shift in enterprise data management. This fully managed SaaS solution unifies data and analytics while offering prebuilt insight applications connected to critical business processes. The primary target audience includes SAP RISE customers who are migrating their ERP systems to the cloud.

Key BDC Features:

  • Unified data from SAP Business Applications
  • Adaptation to open standards for reduced time-to-market
  • Prebuilt insight applications and data products
  • Seamless integration with existing SAP ecosystem
  • Native cloud architecture for scalability

Two-Component Partnership Model

The SAP-Databricks partnership consists of two primary components that work synergistically to deliver unprecedented value to enterprise customers:

1. SAP Databricks: Tailored Analytics Platform

SAP Databricks represents a customized version of the Databricks platform specifically designed for SAP-centric workloads. This tailored solution includes:

  • Data Science Capabilities: Advanced analytics and machine learning tools optimized for SAP data structures
  • SQL Serverless: On-demand query processing without infrastructure management
  • AI Integration: Native artificial intelligence capabilities for predictive analytics
  • Multi-Cloud Support: Available across all major cloud platforms in a staged rollout

2. BDC-Databricks Connector: Delta Sharing Bridge

The BDC-Databricks Connector provides a native connection between SAP Business Data Cloud and Databricks platforms, enabling seamless data sharing through Delta Sharing technology. This connector is particularly valuable for:

  • Organizations with existing Databricks infrastructure wanting to integrate SAP data
  • Customers requiring advanced data engineering capabilities on SAP datasets
  • Enterprises seeking to combine SAP data with other data sources in Databricks

Data Flow Architecture

sequenceDiagram
    participant SAP as SAP Business Apps
    participant BDC as SAP Business Data Cloud
    participant SDB as SAP Databricks
    participant NDB as Native Databricks
    participant DS as Delta Sharing
    participant DP as Data Products
    
    SAP->>BDC: Raw Business Data
    BDC->>DP: Process into Curated Data Products
    DP->>DS: Expose via Delta Sharing
    DS->>SDB: Zero-Copy Data Access
    DS->>NDB: Zero-Copy Data Access
    SDB->>SDB: AI/ML Processing
    NDB->>NDB: Custom Analytics
    
    Note over BDC,DS: No extraction charges
    Note over SDB,NDB: Real-time insights

Strategic Benefits for Stakeholders

Customer Benefits

The partnership delivers compelling value propositions for enterprise customers:

  • Access to Premium SAP Data: SAP data represents some of the most valuable business intelligence data globally
  • Out-of-the-Box Analytics: Immediate access to data science, AI, ML, and SQL serverless capabilities
  • Reduced Time-to-Insight: Elimination of complex ETL processes through Delta Sharing
  • Zero Extraction Costs: SAP waives data sharing charges for Databricks connector usage
  • Unified Analytics Platform: Single environment for all data processing and analytics needs

Databricks Benefits

  • Market Expansion: Direct access to SAP’s extensive enterprise customer base
  • Sales Channel Partnership: SAP sales teams promote Databricks as if it were an SAP product
  • Simplified Data Access: Streamlined path to valuable SAP datasets
  • Accelerated Customer Adoption: Faster time-to-value for new customers

SAP Benefits

  • Cloud Migration Incentive: Strengthens value proposition for SAP RISE cloud migration
  • Enhanced Analytics Capabilities: Leverages Databricks’ market-leading data platform
  • Competitive Positioning: Differentiates SAP’s cloud offerings in the market
  • Customer Retention: Provides compelling reasons for customers to remain in SAP ecosystem

Target Customer Segmentation

graph LR
    A[Target Customers] --> B[New Databricks Customers]
    A --> C[Existing Databricks Customers]
    
    B --> D[SAP RISE Customers]
    B --> E[Databricks Greenfield]
    B --> F[No Current Databricks Usage]
    
    C --> G[Existing SAP Footprint]
    C --> H[Multi-Data Source Integration]
    C --> I[Advanced Data Engineering]
    
    D --> J[Cloud ERP Migration]
    E --> K[Net New Analytics Platform]
    F --> L[First-Time Databricks Users]
    
    G --> M[SAP Data Enhancement]
    H --> N[Unified Data Platform]
    I --> O[Complex Workload Optimization]
    
    style A fill:#0066cc,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style B fill:#ff6b00,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style C fill:#ff6b00,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff

Implementation Considerations

Organizations considering this partnership should be aware of several key implementation factors:

Prerequisites and Requirements

  • BDC Subscription Required: Access to the BDC-Databricks connector requires an active SAP Business Data Cloud subscription
  • Separate Data Product Licensing: Customers must purchase data products separately from the connector access
  • Gradual Data Availability: Not all SAP data will be available in BDC at launch; rollout will be staged
  • Cloud Platform Compatibility: SAP Databricks will be available across all major cloud platforms in phases

Purchase and Activation Process

The acquisition process follows a streamlined approach:

  • Primary Purchase: Customers purchase BDC directly from SAP
  • SAP Databricks Access: After BDC purchase, customers can request SAP Databricks access through a simple click-through process
  • Connector Activation: BDC-Databricks connector access is included in the BDC subscription
  • Data Product Selection: Customers select and purchase specific data products based on their analytical needs

Market Impact and Future Implications

This partnership represents a market-defining moment in enterprise analytics. The collaboration between SAP and Databricks creates a compelling value proposition that addresses long-standing challenges in SAP data accessibility and analytics capabilities.

Expected Market Impact:

  • Accelerated adoption of cloud-based SAP analytics
  • Reduced complexity in enterprise data architecture
  • Increased competitive pressure on traditional ETL vendors
  • Enhanced ROI for SAP cloud migration initiatives
  • Democratization of advanced analytics capabilities

Conclusion

The SAP Business Data Cloud and Databricks partnership represents a transformative approach to enterprise analytics. By combining SAP’s deep business process expertise with Databricks’ cutting-edge data platform capabilities, organizations can unlock unprecedented value from their SAP investments.

This collaboration eliminates traditional barriers to SAP data access while providing advanced analytics capabilities that were previously complex and expensive to implement. For organizations embarking on digital transformation journeys, this partnership offers a clear path to modernize their analytics infrastructure while maintaining the security and governance standards required for enterprise-grade deployments.

As the partnership evolves and additional capabilities are introduced, we can expect to see continued innovation in how enterprises interact with and derive value from their most critical business data. The future of SAP analytics is here, and it’s powered by the combined strength of two industry leaders working in perfect harmony.