Unlocking AI Potential within Your SAP Landscape: Exploring SAP Databricks in SAP Business Data Cloud

In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to extract maximum value from their information assets. SAP Business Data Cloud offers a powerful platform for this, and a key component in unlocking its full potential is SAP Databricks. Let's dive into how this integration can revolutionize your approach to data intelligence and machine learning within the SAP ecosystem.

What is Databricks, and Why Does it Matter?

For those unfamiliar, Databricks is a leading Data Intelligence Platform designed to bring data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) together. It's a robust environment that supports the entire machine learning (ML) lifecycle, from initial experimentation to full-scale production, including cutting-edge capabilities like generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs). Key features of Databricks include:

• AI/Machine Learning: End-to-end support for ML, including generative AI.
• Data Science: Collaborative environment with IDE integration and built-in visualization.
• Data Engineering: Automated ETL processing, monitoring, and observability.
• Data Governance: Governs structured/unstructured data, ML models, notebooks, dashboards, and files.

SAP Databricks: AI/ML Power within SAP Business Data Cloud

The power of Insight Apps within SAP Business Data Cloud provides tremendous value on its own. However, SAP recognizes the growing need for advanced machine learning capabilities directly within the platform. Instead of requiring you to copy your valuable SAP data to an external ML platform (and incurring additional costs and complexities), SAP has integrated Databricks as a service: SAP Databricks.

It's important to note that SAP Databricks is tailored to the specific needs of the SAP environment. While not encompassing the entire Databricks architecture, it provides a robust computing engine optimized for SAP data.

The Power of Delta Sharing

SAP Databricks unlocks a streamlined workflow thanks to the Delta Share protocol. Directly from your SAP Business Data Cloud cockpit, you can seamlessly share a Data Product with SAP Databricks. Notably, this integration does not require a separate SAP Datasphere component. This is a key differentiator and simplifies the overall architecture for many use cases.

Imagine the possibilities: you can now execute sophisticated machine learning notebooks, analyze your SAP data, and store the results securely within your SAP Business Data Cloud environment – keeping your data protected and compliant.

Bridging the Gap: From Insight to Action

The SAP Databricks component focuses on providing the computing engine for machine learning, and does not provide data storage. The real magic happens when you combine SAP Databricks with other components within SAP Business Data Cloud.

You can use Delta Sharing to make the outputs of your machine learning accessible to SAP Datasphere. From there, you can seamlessly integrate the insights into SAP Analytics Cloud stories, providing your business users with actionable intelligence based on advanced AI.

Key Benefits

• Reduced Data Movement: Avoid costly and complex data replication by performing ML directly within the SAP environment.
• Enhanced Security: Keep your sensitive SAP data secure by minimizing data transfers to external platforms.
• Simplified Architecture: Leverage Delta Sharing to streamline the data flow between SAP Business Data Cloud, SAP Databricks, and SAP Datasphere (optional).
• Accelerated Innovation: Empower your data scientists and business users with a powerful platform for AI-driven insights.

Conclusion

SAP Databricks in SAP Business Data Cloud represents a significant step forward in democratizing AI within the SAP ecosystem. By integrating Databricks' powerful computing engine, SAP empowers organizations to unlock the full potential of their data, drive innovation, and gain a competitive edge.