1. SAP BW & TERADATA
White Paper
Submitted To
Prof. Kashif Saeed
University of Texas at Dallas
Presented By:
Akshay Mishra
Anshita Savant
Meng Zhang
Roheen Chaturvedi
Vipul Neema
Yiyong Gong

2. Introduction
This white paper presents a detailed analysis and comparison on various aspects of SAP BW and Teradata,
two leading tools in the market for Reporting & Analysis. The paper achieves its goal first by presenting the
background information about SAP BW and Teradata, their premises, comparison of the two tools by
presenting their pros and cons, and finally concluding the paper after the detailed analysis.
Executive Summary
A study found that “High performance businesses” are five times more likely to use analytics to
resolve their business challenges by turning high volumes of data into actionable insights that can
enable them to advance their business objectives, achieve their revenue goals and sustain a
competitive advantage. The key to successful analytics is gaining timely insights from data that
ultimately leads to better decision making. Having a range of products in business analytics segment,
today we are providing our analysis to choose between SAP BW and Teradata, the leaders in data
warehousing and analytics.
Data is changing very quickly today at a rate which was not anticipated a decade ago. A study shows
that on average companies around the globe have data which is increasing at 50% per year and price
of the Technology used to store this data is decreasing at 30% per year. This disparity in speed is
making data the biggest concern to businesses today. When analyzing the tools used to perform
analysis on this data, important factor to cater is the platform used to work with the data rather than
the method of storage used.
This Whitepaper is intended to explicitly articulate this insight by analyzing, exploring and comparing
the two data analytics giant in the industry – SAP BW and Teradata. The factors that we have
considered in our comparison are among the factors most important to the Organization when it
comes to making a final call on which appliance/tool should be used.
We have taken care that the tool that stands out in the comparison will not only be the best
performer in terms of our comparison parameters but will also be functionally laden with the latest
technologies and resources. Since the basic goal of any technology or appliance is to have an
optimum cost in terms of implementation, TCO, deployment, support and ease of use for the
resources. We will be revolving around these factors primarily for our comparison between the two.
Background
SAP BW
SAP released the first version SAP BW in 1998, and right now there are 1204 companies, more than 100,000
customers of all sizes and in all industries are using SAP BW that includes 772 large firms, 324 medium size
firms, and 105 small firms.

3. SAP BW, a comprehensive business intelligence package product that might also be knows as SAP
NetWeaver Business Warehouse (SAP NetWeaver BW), is a product that provides high-performance
functions and tools that helps users to merge, transform, integrate , evaluate and interpret business data,
and support business decision making. SAP BW has a very typical data warehouse infrastructure setting.
SAP BW is not only a database, but a combination of databases and database management tools which
includes analysis and report tools, business process models, and preconfigured data mining tools.
The following chart shows detailed Integration features of the SAP BW. In addition to these six areas the
SAP BW features, Business Application Programming Interfaces (BAPIs) is also a part of the SAP BW package.
This function will enable connections to non-R/3 applications.
The SAP BW also comes with preconfigured business content, multiple language support, administrative
tools, business explorer, and a Web-based user interface.

4. SAP BW Architecture-
BI has three tier architecture:
Database Server: Where data is physically stored ( ODS, PSA, Infocube and Metadata Repository).
Application Server: The application server is based on the OLAP processor. It is used to retrieve data stored
in the database server.
Presentation Server: Manages reporting and data access.
1. Data is extracted from the Source Systems.
2. Data is staged at the Persistent Storage Area(PSA). This holds Source like data.
3. Data is cleansed, loaded and stored in Data Store Object.
4. Data is viewed at multiple dimensions in the Infocube.
5. Data is available by the OLAP processor to the Business Explorer to display data as per Analysis
requirements of the Business.
6. Data can be made available to SAP/Non-SAP, Data Marts by the Open Hub Service (InfoSpoke).

5. Teradata
Teradata is a fully scalable relational database management system (RDBMS) produced by Teradata Corp.
It is designed to handle analytical queries. Teradata is an open system, running on a UNIX MP-RAS or
Windows Server platform and it support multi-user from different platform. Like many other database
management system, Teradata is also compatible with industry standards (ANSI compliant).
The major features of Teradata are:
 Parallelism along with load distribution shared among several users
 Execution of complex queries with a maximum of 256 joins
 Parallel efficiency
 Complete scalability
Teradata Client Software components include:
-BTEQ
Basic Teradata Query is a general-purpose program that you can use to submit data, commands and SQL
statements to Teradata RDBMS.
Teradata Architecture
Teradata relies on three architectural components.
 Parsing Engine(PE) or Optimizer
 Access Module Processors(AMPs)
 BYNETs
 Disks

6. Parsing Engine (PE)
The Parsing Engine (PE) is a component that interprets SQL requests, receives input records, and passes
data. It sends the messages through the BYNET to the AMPs.
BYNETs
The BYNET act as message-passing layer. It decides which AMP should receive a message.
Access Module Processor (AMP)
The AMP is a virtual processor (vproc) designed to managing a portion of the entire database.
It performs all database management functions such as sorting, aggregating, and formatting data. The AMP
receives data from the PE, formats rows, and distributes them to the disk storage units it controls. The AMP
also retrieves the rows requested by the Parsing Engine.
Disks
Disk’s are disk drives associated with an AMP that store the data rows.
Products and Services offered:
Teradata:
Products: Proven, high-performance database, more choices with a family of platforms, and best-of-
breed applications.
 Teradata Database
Integrate data from across your enterprise for faster, more accurate decisions.
 Teradata Workload-Specific Platforms
Accommodates any size company, architecture, and price point.
 Teradata Analytical Ecosystem
Can host data with different requirements on different platforms that make better sense.
 Teradata Active Data Warehouse Private Cloud
Teradata’s Active Enterprise Data Warehouse platform; with virtualized resources, scalability,
consistent performance, elasticity and self-service business intelligence.
Services: Everything you need to design, implement, monitor, and support your Teradata system.
 Business Analysis Services
Optimize ROI from your Enterprise Data Warehouse.
 Data Warehousing Services
Data management, decision support and data warehouse performance.
 Industry Consulting Services
With 1,200+ data warehouses implemented, it can solve your unique challenges.

7. SAP BW
Products: SAP BW works in integration to provide some of the best tools
 SAP Hana
 SAP Lumira
 Netweaver and Bex Analyser.
Services:
 Delivers reporting, analysis, and interpretation of business data that is crucial to preserve and
enhance the competitive edge of companies.
 Integrate, transform, and consolidate relevant business information from productive SAP
applications and external data sources
 Optimization of processes to meet market opportunity.
USERS:
Teradata is suitable for large data warehouses with abundance of information. Because of its parallel
processing can provide faster results even for complex and large queries. It’s one of the most
recommended data warehouses because of this feature.
Cons: Costly for small organizations.
SAP BW: Cannot handle large amounts of data and suitable application for small organizations.
Value Proposition
Teradata:
 Best toolset with constantly updated GUIs and tools.
 Wide variety of options for configuring and controlling the workload management with TASM and
related toolset
 Highly tuned custom-made fully supported massively parallel hardware + software architecture.
SAP BW:
 Business Content: Broad set of pre-defined connectors and data models for SAP source systems
(ERP, CRM)
 BW as framework for other SAP applications (e. g. SEM, CRM)

8. Usability and Interface
Teradata:
 Performance degradation is minimal even with exponential raise of number of users and work load
(best for thousands of users).
 Some of the developers find it difficult to understand the system level functionality.
 Best toolset with constantly updated GUIs and tools.
SAP BW:
 Third-party BI suite: Better support for business user requirements (e.g. BO, IBM Cognos,
MicroStrategy).
 Complex interfaces for third-party BI and PM products (OLAP BAPI, ODBO or XMLA)
 Problems integrating heterogeneous, non-SAP data sources.
Feature Comparison
Teradata SAP BW
Because of parallel processing,
established and arguably best in the
data warehouse appliances.
Difficulty managing large data volumes.
Performance degradation is minimal
even with exponential raise of
number of users and work load
(best for thousands of users).
Good performance is either costly (BWA) or time-
consuming (aggregate maintenance, cache pre-
calculation)
Hybrid storage with option for
storing data in both row based and
column based storage for same
table (Teradata 14's main feature).
Uses Near line storage: Compromise between online
storage (supporting frequent, very rapid access to data)
and offline storage/archiving (used for backups or long-
term storage, with infrequent access to data).
Multiple Document Interface Support: It’s a Graphical user interface in which many window
resides under a single base window.
Teradata: With MDI, single menu or toolbar can be shared between child windows but Teradata
uses Tiled/Cascaded child windows rather than Tabbed MDI.
SAP BW: It loads two types of data – Master data attribute and Master data text, so we need to
create two separate data sources.

9. Reporting:
Teradata:
It can show various reports like Complete Information Report, Teradata Database Configuration
Report, Step Information Report, Estimated Cost Report, Operation Report, Operands Report etc.
SAP BW:
Report Type Description
BEx query Jumps to a query that was created using BEx Query designer
BW Java Web
Application
Jumps to a BEx Web Application that is an executed web template created using
BEx Web Application Designer
BW 3.x Web
Application
Same function as above, but used for SAP BW 3.x Web Application.
BW Crystal Report Jumps to a formatted report in Crystal Enterprise
InfoSet Query Jumps to an InfoSet query
CONCLUSION
Should I invest in SAP BW or Teradata ?
SAP BW has been the essential decision for the clients and sellers since its commencement. It has
developed with time, presenting new application and significantly more compelling systems to tackle issues
out of ERP issues. Teradata was a piece of SAP BW clients , be that as it may, in the wake of proceeding
onward from that association , it has given clients stage which is much more effective, considering both
cost and transforming rate .
The measure of information handled nowadays additionally calls for enormous ability to store and speedier
preparing to recover them. Parallel processing of the put away information gives Teradata high ground over
SAP BW. Having Teradata now propelled a full scale application to supplant BW and thinking of it as
adequacy, the dedicated client base of SAP BW ought to likewise consider investigating the items and
applications offered by it.
Notwithstanding SAP's more prominent concentrate on value-based applications, both SAP BW and
Teradata are having a striking resemblance client base. These clients are the vast businesses that oblige
quick preparing logical information distribution centers and are center their speculations towards getting
these. Our perceptions have driven us to the conclusion that needing Teradata would significantly diminish
the expense of possession and adequately expanding the productivity manifolds.
Teradata and SAP keeps on focusing on conveying advantages for help clients incorporate their information.
This incorporates components, for example, physical information models, instruments for information
extraction and stacking from BW and from ECC. Teradata gives different options for BW to examination and
arrangements that increase BW situations.
The bottom line: “Teradata is the future solution that replaces many of the outdated applications
that SAP BW offers”

10. REFRENCES
 https://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw73/helpdata/en/b2/e50138fede083de10000009b38f8cf/frame
set.htm
 http://searchsap.techtarget.com/definition/Business-Information-Warehouse
 http://www.sap.com/customer-testimonials/index.html
 https://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw73/helpdata/en/b2/e50138fede083de10000009b38f8cf/frame
set.htm
 http://www.teradatawiki.net/2013/08/introduction-to-teradata.html
 http://www.teradatawiki.net/2013/08/introduction-to-teradata.html
 http://cecs.wright.edu/~schung/TERA/TeradataClient4.pdf
 SAP WIKI
 TERADATAWIKI