Dr. Carsten Bange
Founder & CEO
Dr. Carsten Bange is the founder and CEO of BARC.
Free Research Note
SAP Business Data Cloud: New approaches to data integration in the SAP ecosystem
With SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC), SAP is introducing a new platform approach to data management and analytics. The focus is on data products, “zero copy,” and connectivity to third-party technologies. This research note helps you evaluate what BDC means for BW modernization and hybrid data architectures.
This research note explores the following questions:
- What is SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC), and what are its core components?
- How should SAP’s BDC architecture be understood (data products, semantic layer, orchestration across system boundaries)?
- How does “zero copy” work (BDC Connect/Delta Sharing), and where are its practical limits compared to traditional data extraction and integration?
- What are the key cost and licensing implications, especially for data exports and partner use cases?
Join over 250,000 annual readers!
“BARC surveys give me a practical overview of what’s out there in the market and what you don’t normally hear about data, BI and analytics in your day-to-day life”.
Pietro Grammatico, Director Service Management BI, Vorwerk
Further information
This research note introduces SAP Business Data Cloud based on its core building blocks and design principles. It explains BDC Connect and Delta Sharing as mechanisms for “zero copy” and shows where their practical limits lie compared to traditional integration approaches.
It also provides an overview of relevant partner integrations and outlines cost and licensing considerations for data sharing and exchange. This research note concludes with six practical recommendations, including guidance for structuring a proof of concept (PoC), questions to support a TCO assessment, and inputs for roadmap planning.
Author(s)
FAQ
How do I get the free content?
Please click the “Download” button above, fill in the form and click on “Submit”. After a few minutes, you will receive an email with a link to the content.
Is the download of this content free of charge?
Absolutely! We want to provide you with free knowledge that can benefit you in your work. Keep us in mind when you need assistance with your next project!
Why do I have to provide my details to receive the content?
We ask you to provide some information in exchange for our free content so we can send you information from time to time that may be of interest to you.
Why can't I download this content using my private email address?
Since we operate in the B2B space, we only accept registrations from business addresses. If for some reason you would like to register with your private email address, please contact us directly at [email protected].
How do I fill out the form field "I..."?
Here is some guidance:
- If your company does not offer software consulting or solutions, and the use of one or more software solutions (e.g., BI or ECM solutions) is either part of your everyday work or in the pipeline, then please select the option "work for a software user company" regardless of your industry sector or company size.
- Do you work for a company that offers software solutions (e.g., BI or ECM solutions)? Then please select "work for a software provider".
- If your company offers IT/software consulting or services, then "work for an IT service provider/consulting firm" is the right choice.
- Do you work or study in an educational institution such as a university or a research institute? Then choose "work/study in an educational institution".
- Do you work as an IT journalist and write technical articles, features, blogs etc. for media companies? Then please click on "work as a journalist".
- Does your company invest in companies in the B2B software sector? Then please select "work for an investment company."
- If you do not feel you belong to any of the above categories, please select "None of the above/Other".
I am having trouble submitting the form.
If you are unable to submit the form, please copy the URL of this page and open it in another browser. Google Chrome usually works fine. If that doesn’t work, please try Firefox, Microsoft Edge or Safari.
Why haven't I received the email with the link to the content?
If you have not received an email with a link to the content after several minutes, please do the following:
- Check your spam folder. Did the email land there? If not...
- Have you unsubscribed from all BARC mailings in the past? Check this by entering your email address in the form. If the text " Looks like you've opted out of email communication. Click here to get an email and opt back in." appears below your email address, click on it. We will then send you an automated email. Click on the link in the email to enter your "Subscription Center". To ensure you receive an email with the link to free content, please select "BARC products and services". Now fill out the form again. If you still do not receive an email, please continue with step 3.
- Are BARC’s email sending domains blocked in your company? This could be the case if your colleagues do not receive BARC mailings either. Please ask your IT/email team to add BARC's email sending domain to their allowlist. This will enable you to receive emails from BARC. That wasn't the problem either? Then off to step 4.
- It seems that we made a mistake. We apologize for that. Please contact [email protected] and describe your problem in detail, if possible with screenshots. We will find a solution as soon as possible. Promise!
Make sound decisions about SAP BDC
Free download!