What does the Open Hub Service provide that third-party extraction tools

do not provide?

The Open Hub Service is one specific functionality out of the Open Hub suite of
techniques that provides access to nearly any kind of operational data stored
persistently within SAP NetWeaver BI. As the meta object for this extraction
technique, so-called InfoSpokes define the entire process of data extraction out of
SAP NetWeaver BI. Master data from master data tables, data from ODS Objects,
data out of complex InfoCubes enhanced with Navigational Attributes, delta
mechanisms for extraction, involvement in process chains, and so on - all these
features can be driven easily via InfoSpokes. Scheduling and monitoring are
implemented in SAP NetWeaver BI on the high quality standards to which SAP
NetWeaver BI users are accustomed.

The data is extracted in a well-understood denormalized format. Flat files are

explained via additional flatfiles with meta data descriptions.
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Some technical questions about the Open Hub Service.

 Is it possible to work with variables as selection criteria during

InfoSpoke definition?

Unfortunately not at the current moment. In this case BADIs probably can help to
reduce the volume of the data that has to be transferred. The extraction process
itself can only be driven via static selection criteria.

 Any hints concerning performance issues?

For extraction, the same interface is used as for Data Marts in BI. Thus the read
performance should be comparable to Data Mart scenarios.

For writing into particular destinations, no key statistics are available so far. But
loading data to the local PC is definitely not supported for mass data scenarios.

 Problems with the number of key fields when extracting into a DB

Table via InfoSpoke.

With SP09 onwards it will be possible to define a technical key for DB Tables that are
generated via an InfoSpoke definition. In this case the number of characteristics for
the extract table is not restricted any more.

Up to SP09 any characteristic used during the InfoSpoke definition will be marked as
a key field in the DDIC description for this table. The number of key fields in a DB
table is normaly restricted by 16.

 Can self defined DB Tables be used as a target table for an

InfoSpoke?

Target DB tables for InfoSpokes can only be generated via the InfoSpoke
maintenance and activation. The DB table always resides on the underlying default
database of the BI system.
  Are InfoSpoke BAPIs available in order to trigger data extractions via
InfoSpokes from outside?

No BAPIs are available so far.

It is possible to involve InfoSpokes into BI process chains. Process chains can be

triggered from outside via a BAPI in order to launche an InfoSpoke.

A follow up step in this process chain can then be an ABAP Report that will hand over
the extracted data to any other target.

 Can Hierarchies be extracted out of SAP NetWeaver BI via

InfoSpokes?

Unfortunately not at the current moment. This is planned for the next release.