Sources:
- Primary database table
- External table on a storage (defined by a Glue table in Glue DDIC)
- BW InfoProviders
- ABAP code implementing a special interface
Targets:
- Primary database table
- An external table in a storage
- An external folder in a storage (path for a file)
Structured data extractors
Between SAP and external storage, the data movement process is based on extractors which work similar to DTP. The extractors provide various types of data movement:
- SAP table to transparent storage
- SAP table to binary storage
- ABAP to transparent storage
- CSV File to transparent storage
- (GLUE-1811) Storage to SAP
- Storage to storage - replicates the data between 2 transparent storages
BW specific extractors
Datavard Glue supports also data replication from BW objects to external storage. For this topic, please refer to the specific SAP BW to storage documentation.
Extractor Insights
In the section below, you can see a more detailed explanation of how to create extractor, and how does the data extraction process work.
Extractor creation
When you're creating an extractor, you must define what data you want to extract, how you want to change it and where you want to save it.
The whole procedure is described in more detail below.
Data selection
Data selection defines which data will be used for data extraction.
Firstly, you define the origin of data as a technical source. The source can be represented by a DB table or a BW object.
You choose a delta mechanism (so-called delta type) to specify which data is to be extracted. It may be either full load - full content of the data source, or only the data that has changed since the last extraction.
And finally, you define data filter and data package size.
Data transformation
In case the selected data doesn't have the required form for the transfer, it may be transformed.
You can define which source structure fields will be transformed to target structure fields (see Field Mapping for more info).
Also, you can use transfer rules to adjust the data content. The purpose of transfer rules is to change data so that it corresponds to the business requirements (extraction scenario).
Data Transfer
Lastly, you define the target of data extraction.
Data extraction process
The data extraction process is responsible for the extraction of the data.
It is a cycle that consists of multiple phases and ends when all specified data is extracted.
Phase 1: Data selection
This phase loads the data from the source structure based on defined delta and filter. The volume of data is limited by the package size.
If there is no available data, the process terminates.
Phase 2: Data transformation
Based on field mapping, the data is moved from the source structure to the target structure.
After the movement, the data can be changed by Glue transfer rules. These rules are simple ABAP programs. We deliver a default set of transformations (Currency transformation, Meaningful values ...), but you can create your own custom implementation, too.
Phase 3: Data Transfer
The selected and transformed data is transferred to external storage.
Based on how the target is defined, the data is inserted directly to external storage table or file system.