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16.4 S/4HANA Connections

1. Connection choice is architecture​

SAP Datasphere provides separate connection types for SAP ABAP, SAP S/4HANA Cloud, and SAP S/4HANA On-Premise.

The supported features differ by connection type.

Always verify the current connection capability matrix before implementation.

2. On-premise architecture​

A simplified pattern is:

S/4HANA On-Premise
       |
       | secure connectivity / supported SAP integration
       v
SAP Datasphere connection
       |
       +--> remote access
       +--> replication
       +--> modeling

The actual network path depends on enterprise connectivity architecture.

3. Cloud architecture​

For S/4HANA Cloud, use the supported Datasphere connection and authentication model for the exact cloud edition and release.

Do not assume Public Edition and Private Edition have identical integration behavior.

4. Connection design checklist​

Before creating the connection, document:

  • source edition,
  • source release,
  • network path,
  • authentication,
  • technical user or identity model,
  • required source authorizations,
  • supported object types,
  • extraction mode,
  • delta requirement,
  • expected volume,
  • monitoring owner.

5. Source-release dependency​

SAP frequently requires specific SAP Notes, security settings, or software levels for ABAP replication scenarios.

For example, current Datasphere documentation provides release-specific prerequisites for S/4HANA replication.

Therefore:

Source readiness is part of the Datasphere solution.

It is not a post-project infrastructure task.

6. Connection anti-patterns​

Avoid:

  • one generic technical user with excessive privileges,
  • undocumented source prerequisites,
  • direct table access when a supported semantic interface exists,
  • production connection testing without workload controls,
  • assuming a connection supports every flow type.

Architect exercise​

Design connection readiness for:

  • S/4HANA 2025 on-premise,
  • S/4HANA Cloud,
  • separate DEV/TEST/PROD Datasphere tenants.

Document source-side prerequisites and environment isolation.