(SP36) SNP OutBoard™ Introduction

Owned by SNP
Apr 26, 2022

NLS Data

The purpose of this document is to explain to the end-user the process of installing, using, and updating OutBoard – a data lifecycle management application for Near Line Storage (NLS) of SAP BW data.
This document is aimed primarily at SAP system administrators and BW consultants who should primarily work with OutBoard.

What is NLS?

Nearline storage (contraction of near-online) is used to describe an intermediate type of data storage that represents a compromise between:
• online storage → supporting frequent, very rapid access to data
• offline storage / archiving → used for backups or long-term storage, with infrequent access to data
Both archiving and Nearline allow a reduction of a database size ⇒ that results in improved speed of performance (online system). However, accessing archived data is more complex and slower than is the case with Nearline storage, and can also negatively affect the performance of the main database (In the case of data reload into that database).

NLS in the Context of ILM for SAP BW

Relevant data ⇒ BW Accelerator
Irrelevant data ⇒ Offline Archive
Potentially relevant ⇒ NLS storage (compressed data management)

ILM in SAP BW System

SNP OutBoard™ for Analytics

OutBoard for Analytics is an NLS solution for SAP BW. OutBoard provides near-line NLS storage functionality with reporting capabilities without the need for any additional external database. However, with the certain modules included, OutBoard™ is also able to handle (is not mandatorily required-) additional, an external database or non-SAP®-based software for data management, thus keeping the system landscape as simple and easy to maintain as possible. 



OutBoard™ is able to handle with certain modules (not mandatorily required) additional, external database or non-SAP®-based software for data management, thus keeping the system landscape as simple and easy to maintain as possible.
This is achieved by managing multilayer storage management system, which enables to store BW data in multiple storage types, while the data is still fully available for reporting via NLS interface, using effective data compression and ABAP™ stack → no installation and operation of additional software technology are required.
Installing OutBoard for SAP® BW solution requires only the import of a standard SAP® transport request with our ABAP™-  based implementation of the nearline storage solution and database tables.
OutBoard™ solution exclusively offers to store the NLS database:

  • directly within the database of the particular BW system
  • in separate database tables of a remotely available other BW systems
  • in file system
  • in 3rd party storage management solutions with effective data compression used in all cases


Data flow in BW ILM with Outboard NLS


OutBoard uses compression technology which is not only very fast but can easily compete with external near-line systems in terms of compression ratio and performance.

  • Typical compression ratio for Business Warehouse data is approximately 10:1
  • OutBoard can provide a compression ratio of up to 20:1

⇒ Data is stored in a compressed storage area, not in an external database as is the case with other solutions.

Thus, significant improvements in database sizes can be achieved while keeping the data ready and available for reporting.
In order to decide for which InfoProviders it makes sense to relocate data into the OutBoard NLS, which offers flexible data analysis capabilities in the OutBoard Cockpit to help administrators of SAP® BW systems decide which and how much data to move to the NLS storage.
These analysis capabilities include:
→ the determination of space which is used by each InfoProvider in the system
→ drill down with powerful capabilities to decide which data in these InfoProviders would be best to move to the NLS system.


OutBoard Cockpit offers analytic functions to give transparency

• to the data volume (both gross and net)
• compression ratio for the data (stored in the OutBoard NLS tables)