Data Architecture
Data Architecture for SAP landscapes covers the design decisions that govern how master data, transactional data, and analytical data are modeled, owned, distributed, and governed across ECC, S/4HANA (on-premise, private cloud, public cloud) and BTP-based extensions. It addresses data domains and ownership, master data strategy (central vs distributed), data quality and governance, integration patterns for data movement, clean core implications for data extensibility, migration approaches from ECC to S/4HANA, and the NFRs (consistency, latency, volume, security, auditability) that shape architectural trade-offs.
Overview
Data Architecture for SAP landscapes covers the design decisions that govern how master data, transactional data, and analytical data are modeled, owned, distributed, and governed across ECC, S/4HANA (on-premise, private cloud, public cloud) and BTP-based extensions. It addresses data domains and ownership, master data strategy (central vs distributed), data quality and governance, integration patterns for data movement, clean core implications for data extensibility, migration approaches from ECC to S/4HANA, and the NFRs (consistency, latency, volume, security, auditability) that shape architectural trade-offs.
Lessons in this topic
- SAP Data Architecture Tutorial (Part 1)An introduction to what SAP data architecture actually means, why it becomes a first-class architectural concern during S/4HANA transformations, and what problems arise when it is neglected.
- Master Data Strategy: Central Ownership vs Distributed Models in SAP Landscapes (Part 2)A comparison of central versus distributed master data ownership models in SAP landscapes, the trade-offs each brings, and how to choose an approach for business partner, material, and finance master data.
- SAP S/4HANA Master Data Governance and Data Quality in a Clean Core Landscape (Part 3)Explains how to design master data governance and data quality controls that keep S/4HANA clean while supporting reliable integration and reporting across the landscape.
Interview questions covered
- What are the core concepts of Data Architecture, and how would you explain them clearly in an SAP interview?
- How would you apply Data Architecture in a real SAP project? Walk through the design or implementation approach.
- A production issue is reported in Data Architecture. What would you check first, and how would you troubleshoot it systematically?
- What are the most important design decisions, trade-offs, and best practices in Data Architecture?
- Suppose you inherit an existing Data Architecture solution. How would you review it before making a change?
- Using this SAP project situation — During the blueprint phase of an ECC-to-S/4HANA private cloud migration, the architecture team discovered that three regional ECC instances each maintained their own customer master records for the same global accounts, with different payment terms and tax classifications — explain Why Data Architecture Matters in SAP Transformation Programs. What should happen, which concepts or process steps matter, and what common mistake would you avoid?
- A project encounters this situation while working on Master Data Strategy: Central Ownership vs Distributed Models in SAP Landscapes: A manufacturing group migrating five regional ECC systems into one global S/4HANA private cloud instance decided mid-project to centralize business partner data using the S/4HANA business partner model as the single source of truth. Walk through how you would analyze the requirement or issue, what you would validate, and how you would test the solution before release.
- A project encounters this situation while working on Master Data Governance and Data Quality Controls in a Clean Core Landscape: During an S/4HANA private cloud transformation, a retail company found that three separate legacy systems each created vendor master records independently, resulting in duplicate vendors with inconsistent payment terms. Walk through how you would analyze the requirement or issue, what you would validate, and how you would test the solution before release.