Dynamic Database View Capability of SAP NetWeaver Decision Service Management

Dr.
Wolfgang Schaper, Solution Manager SAP NetWeaver

Decision Service Management, SAP AG

Dynamic Database View Capability of SAP
NetWeaver Decision Service Management

October 2013
Dynamic Database View Capability of SAP NetWeaver Decision Service Management

2
TABLE OF CONTENTS

USE CASE ........................................................................................................................................................ 4
USING DYNAMIC DATABASE VIEWS IN SAP NETWEAVER DECISION SERVICE MANAGEMENT ........ 6
HANA Result View ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Calculated Fields ........................................................................................................................................... 21
Input Parameters ........................................................................................................................................... 30
SAP HANA DATABASE INTEGRATION ....................................................................................................... 36
Automatically generated objects ................................................................................................................. 36
Generating reusable objects ........................................................................................................................ 38

3
Dynamic Database View is a capability of
SAP NetWeaver Decision Service
Management to integrate with HANA
databases.
A deployment of a Dynamic Database
View to the HANA database generates an
SQL procedure with result view based on
database (tables, views) and Decision
Table content.
The code push down to the HANA
database allows the decision service logic
to access HANA database tables directly,
providing for significantly improved
performance compared to classical rules
execution logic.
Tests with more than 1600.000 database
records and decision tables with more than
5000 lines revealed that the Dynamic
Database View is more than 1300 times
faster than the classical approach in these
constellations. Instead of more than 1.5 hours of processing time the rules were executed within 4
seconds. This gives room to a completely new area of use cases.
The tremendous performance gain is mainly achieved by leveraging the HANA multi-core in
memory processing architecture. In addition to this effect time and memory consuming data copies
to the ABAP server can be avoided, if selections on calculated result columns are defined.
With this paper we want to provide a hands-on guide to use Dynamic Database View. To focus on
this capability we assume general knowledge of SAP NetWeaver Decision Service Management.
For general information on SAP NetWeaver Decision Service Management, check out SAP
Community Network (http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-29158). Especially refer to paper Social Benefit
Determination with SAP NetWeaver Decision Service Management
(https://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-40949) which shows step by step how to create decision services,
including all steps that were skipped in this publication.

Figure 1: Dynamic Database View overview
4
USE CASE
We are using an example to read flight costs from a HANA database table, and to calculate deductions
based on specific criteria, e.g. airline and connection, and variants submitted as input parameters.
To do so we will create a BRFplus application. This is a container for all other objects. These objects contain
the Function which is the actual decision service to be called, the Ruleset assigned to the Function
containing all rules, a Database Lookup which is called within a rule, invoking the Dynamic Database View
which accesses the HANA database, a Decision Table that is used within the Dynamic Database View to
calculate additional fields, and input parameters that are being used within the Decision Table for evaluating
conditions.
Figure 2: Object relations
Assogned
Application

Function

Ruleset

Rule

Database Lookup

Dynamic Database View
Decision Table
Input
Parameter
HANA
Database
Assigned
B
e
i
n
g

U
s
e
d

Access
5
In this example we use table SFLIGHT of HANA Database ALX_2 to look up the price of specific flights. For
instance flight AA0017 costs $488.36.

Figure 3: Table SFLIGHT
In a second step we add deductions for specific flights. These deductions are derived by using a Decision
Table adding calculated fields to all lines of the result table. So for instance there is discount of 10% for flight
AA0017. Calculated fields allow for extending each line of the result view by fields that are not read from the
HANA database table, but determined by a Decision Table.
In the third step we use input parameters to refine the derivation of calculated fields. Actually we offer
deductions depending on variants, which could be customer segments for instance. The flight mentioned
before is discounted by 10% in variant 1, and 20% in variant 2. So calculated fields are not based on data
from the HANA database table only, but also on data elements which can be input parameters of a Decision
Service, or being determined by other business rules.

6
USING DYNAMIC DATABASE VIEWS IN SAP NETWEAVER DECISION SERVICE MANAGEMENT
HANA Result View
As a first step we want to build a simple read operation from a HANA database table.
We already created an application with a function and an assigned ruleset, which is still empty. The function
has an input parameter VARIANT which will be used later.

Figure 4: Function
7
To connect the application with a HANA database, in the application we chose tab Miscellaneous and select
a database connection.

Figure 5: Connect the application with HANA database
By doing so all Dynamic Database Views contained in this application will connect to the selected HANA
database for data access.

Figure 6: HANA database connected to all decision services within this application
8
If the system is running itself on a HANA database the database connection Default can be chosen to
connect to this database.

Other database connections are being maintained with transaction DBCO, which allows managing
connection information and connection options.

Figure 7: Transaction DBCO to manage HANA database connections
9
For each database connection all required information and authentication can be maintained.

Figure 8: Details of a database connection
Let us go back to the decision service. In the yet empty ruleset create a rule processing a Database Lookup
expression.

Figure 9: Create a Database Lookup expression
10
In this Database Lookup, instead of entering an ABAP database table, create a new Dynamic Database
View, which will read directly from the HANA database.

Figure 10: Create new Dynamic Database View
11
As any other object Dynamic Database Views have technical names, short texts, and long texts.

Figure 11: Providing name and description for Dynamic Database View
12
In the Dynamic Database View we need to select a HANA view type consisting of database object, name
and schema. For this example we use object type table. Then we identify the HANA view we want to access
by selecting table name and database schema. After pressing Apply we can add result view fields.

Figure 12: Define HANA view and add result view fields
13
For our example we select the fields carrier id, connection id, and price.

Figure 13: Selecting fields
14
The result table of the Database Lookup can be created automatically from the Dynamic Database View.
You only need to select the required fields, and enter names and texts for the table and the line structure.

Figure 14: Automatically create result table from Dynamic Database View
15

Figure 15: Select required fields
16

Figure 16: Enter names and texts for generated objects
17
We go back to the Database Lookup. If needed you can add selection conditions and adapt the field
mapping which is being provided automatically.

Figure 17: Add selection condition and adapt field mapping
18
Now as the result table is created we can set it as result data object of the decision service.

Figure 18: Set result data object of function
19

Figure 19: Decision service with set result data object
20
After activating all objects we can process the decision service. We do so using simulation.

Figure 20: Activate objects and start simulation
As a result we get all entries from the Dynamic Database View that match the given selection criteria.

Figure 21: Result the decision service provides
21
Calculated Fields
Next we want to extend this example by adding a calculated field that is being determined by a decision
table. Calculated fields allow to add values to each line of the result of a Dynamic Database View determined
by Decision Tables.
First we need to extend the line structure of the result table by the field that shall be calculated.

Figure 22: Add new data element to line structure of result table

Figure 23: Extended structure
22
In the Dynamic Database View, tab Calculated Columns, add the newly defined element DEDUCTION as
result data object.

Figure 24: Add result data object
23
Now create a Decision Table to evaluate deductions.

Figure 25: Create Decision Table
24
In the following popups enter names and texts for the automatically generated result structure and the
Decision Table itself.

Figure 26: Naming the result structure of the Decision Table
25

Figure 27: Naming the Decision Table
In the Decision Table we need to call Table Settings to define condition columns.

Figure 28: Use Table Settings
26
As condition columns add carrier id and connection id.

Figure 29: Add condition columns
27
Now we can create lines to determine deductions for specific airlines and connections.

Figure 30: Fill Decision Table with content
28
In the Dynamic Database View we need to assign the data elements used in condition columns of the
decision table to match the database fields of the Dynamic Database View.

Figure 31: Assign condition columns
29
Again we can activate all objects and simulate the decision service. As a result we get the same information
as before, plus an entry specific deduction.

Figure 32: Result of the decision service including deduction
30
Input Parameters
Now we want to use input parameters that contribute to the calculated fields in the result view. For that
purpose the decision service has an input parameter VARIANT as we noticed before.
To make use of that parameter, press Add Data Object in the Dynamic Database View, tab Input
Parameters, and add data element VARIANT as an input parameter.

Figure 33: Result of the decision service including deduction
31
Add data element VARIANT as an additional condition column to the Decision Table and maintain its content
accordingly to reflect different deductions for different variants.

Figure 34: Adding condition column VARIANT to the Decision Table
32
In the Database Lookup you need to assign the input parameter mapping, to map context parameters to
respective input parameters.

Figure 35: Input parameter mapping
33

Figure 36: The Database Lookup with parameter mapping
34
Again activate all objects and simulate the decision service. This time you need to enter a value for input
parameter variant.

Figure 37: Enter value for input parameter Variant
With variant V1 the result is the exact same as before.

Figure 38: Result of the decision service with variant V1
35
Doing the same with variant V2 results in changed deduction values.

Figure 39: Result of the decision service with variant V2
36
SAP HANA DATABASE INTEGRATION
Automatically generated objects
Those readers who are interested in technical backgrounds can find some information on HANA database
integration in this section.
For each Dynamic Database View with calculated columns a Decision Table is generated in the Content
area of the SAP HANA Studio. It can be found in package system-local.abap.<SYSID>.BRFplus.

Figure 40: Package for the automatically generated decision table in the SAP HANA Studio

Figure 41: Content of the generated decision table in the SAP HANA Studio

Figure 42: Data foundation of the generated decision table in the SAP HANA Studio
37
For the runtime execution of this Decision Table an SQL script procedure is being generated in the Catalog
area of the SAP HANA Studio under schema _SYS_BIC.

Figure 43: Schema for the generated SQL procedure in the SAP HANA Studio

Figure 44: SQL script coding for the generated SQL procedure in the SAP HANA Studio
The generated objects will be replaced automatically by new objects when they get obsolete due to changes
in the decision service. The old obsolete objects will then be removed automatically after some time. Thus
they must not be referred to directly by other objects in the HANA layer.
Table FDT_CC_H_0000 defines the mapping between the Dynamic Database View GUID and the generated
names for the Decision Tables and Database SQL Procedures in the SAP HANA Studio.
38
Generating reusable objects
A reusable Decision Table in Rules on HANA can be generated for a Dynamic Database View with report
FDT_HANA_DT_CREATE_FROM_DDBV.

Figure 45: Selection screen of report FDT_HANA_DT_CREATE_FROM_DDBV
.
Figure 46: The generated reusable decision table in the SAP HANA studio

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Dr.

Wolfgang Schaper, Solution Manager SAP NetWeaver

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