LSA and LSA ++ Architecture

Layered Scalable Architecture (LSA):

The concept of layered scalable architecture (LSA) assists you in designing and implementing various layers in the BW system for data acquisition, Corporate Memory, data distribution and data analysis. 

We differentiate between two main layers here: 

1. The Enterprise Data Warehouse layer 
2. The Architected Data Mart layer.

LSA++ (LSA with HANA DB):

By using an SAP HANA database as your database for SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse (BW), you have greater flexibility and more possibilities to achieve your requirements. A new, integrated layer architecture (LSA++) is required to depict a system with different approaches in BI, their persistency layers and virtual data marts.

LSA Vs LSA ++

The flexible, consistent core of the EDW remains in place. In the LSA++, special services for operational, flexible data are added to the core. 

The main differences to the LSA are: 

• Queries on DataStore objects are just as fast as on InfoCubes . Therefore queries can be directly defined on the data propagation layer. You do not need an explicit reporting layer. 

• You can define virtual data marts by using CompositeProviders that combine InfoProviders 

• Using special VirtualProviders you can access data directly in the SAP HANA database, to allow queries on the data.

EDW Data Propagation Layer in the LSA++

In the LSA++, the data propagation layer consists of SAP HANA optimized DataStore objects. This offers the following advantages: 

• Greater flexibility due to faster activation times and loading times 

• Flexible modeling 

• Greater flexibility as all data is visible in the data propagation layer 

• Greater flexibility due to queries directly on the data propagation layer

Architected Data Mart Layer in the LSA++

Since it is possible with the LSA++ to execute queries directly on the data propagation layer (on the DataStore objects), this raises the question of whether the architected data mart layer and its InfoCubes is actually needed. Note the following criteria: 

• An InfoCube only accelerates queries if 

• The content of the InfoCubes only contains a subset of the data from the DataStore object (for example, due to a selection in the DTP). 

• The InfoCube only contains information that is available in the DataStore object. 

• No other additional checks are running when data is loaded into InfoCube (for example, referential integrity).

If these criteria have been met, you can delete these InfoCubes . This easiest way of doing this is in a scenario with a MultiProvider on the InfoCube on which the queries are executed. Then you can simply replace the InfoCube with the DataStore object.

Virtual Data Mart Layer

If you are using an SAP HANA database for your BW system, the virtual data mart layer replaces the virtualization layer. 

The virtual data mart layer contains all InfoProviders that 

• combine data using join or union, without saving the result: MultiProvider , CompositeProvider 

• access data directly in the SAP HANA database, to allow queries on the data: TransientProviders based on the SAP HANA model and VirtualProviders based on the SAP HANA model