Data Extraction from SAP ECC into Microsoft Fabric: A Native, Scalable Approach

Sankaran Angamuthu
3 days ago
4 min read

For many organizations, SAP ERP Central Component (ECC) remains the bedrock of mission-critical business operations. Yet, unlocking this valuable data for modern analytics in platforms like Microsoft Fabric presents a significant challenge. The goal isn't just to move data, but to do so near real-time, in a scalable fashion, and most importantly, with zero performance impact on the live SAP ECC system—a feat traditionally mastered by tools like SAP BW.

We've developed a Framework that directly addresses this challenge, utilizing a highly efficient, SAP-native connector architecture. This approach allows us to treat the venerable ECC system as a modern, high-throughput data source for your Fabric Lakehouse.

The Challenges of Data Extraction from SAP ECC

Traditional methods often fall short when dealing with large-scale, near real-time requirements from an older system like ECC 6.0:

Performance Impact: Direct table access or unoptimized extracts can place significant load on the SAP application layer, potentially impacting core business transactions.
Non-Native Integration: Relying on generic database tools or simple file exports bypasses SAP's robust data and change tracking mechanisms.
Complexity: Managing change data capture (CDC) for delta loads manually across thousands of tables is unsustainable.

Bridging the Old and New SAP Worlds: Extractors vs. ODP

Most of Microsoft's current extractors and many third-party solutions are heavily optimized for, or even limited to, data extraction from the latest SAP HANA-based solutions. This presents a significant hurdle for customers who are still running mission-critical operations on SAP ECC 6.0 or older versions and require native, low-impact integration.

A key challenge for these ECC environments is the difference between extraction methods:

Feature	SAP Standard Extractors (Pre-ODP)	Operational Data Provisioning (ODP)
Technology	Service API (SAPI) + qRFC Delta Queue (RSA7)	ODP Framework + Operational Delta Queue (ODQMON)
Delta Management	Uses the older qRFC/outbound queue mechanism.	Uses a modern, high-performance, and unified ODQ queue.
Scalability	Can be less efficient with high-volume, concurrent requests.	Designed for intelligent parallel processing and multiple subscribers.
Availability (ECC)	Standard for most older ECC systems.	Requires a minimum SAP NetWeaver Support Package (e.g., NW 7.0 SP23 or higher). Not all ECC systems have ODP enabled.
External Tools	More complex for external tools to consume reliably.	The modern, unified standard for external consumption (BW/4HANA, Data Services, 3rd Rock Framework).

The 3rd Rock Framework specifically addresses this gap. By utilizing a highly efficient, SAP-native connector architecture, our solution covers both the old ECC (SAPI) world and the new ODP/HANA world. We ensure that every SAP customer, regardless of their current ERP version or ODP readiness, can seamlessly integrate their operational data into Microsoft Fabric.

Our Framework: The BW-Style Extraction Advantage

Our approach, built on a foundation of best-in-class SAP connectivity, is designed to emulate the scalable, low-impact data provisioning capabilities of SAP BW. It leverages deep SAP integration points to manage the entire data lifecycle.

1. Native SAP Extraction Mechanisms

The key is using SAP-native extraction technologies like Operational Data Provisioning (ODP) or specialized Application-Specific Extractors (e.g., LIS, LO-Cockpit).

ODP is Key: ODP provides a unified infrastructure within SAP NetWeaver for data extraction and replication. It manages a crucial component called the Operational Delta Queue (ODQ).
Low-Impact CDC: Data changes are automatically tracked and collected in the ODQ within the SAP system. Our Framework acts as an ODP Subscriber—it reads the collected delta changes from the queue. This means the heavy lifting of change detection is done once within SAP's optimized framework, and our connector simply fetches the pre-queued data, dramatically reducing the load on the transactional system.

2. Scalability and Near Real-Time Delivery

By utilizing this queue-based, native delta mechanism, we achieve several key objectives:

Near Real-Time Latency: The framework continuously monitors the ODQ, allowing data to be pulled into Microsoft Fabric Lakehouse or KQL Database almost instantaneously after it's committed in ECC.
Mass Data Handling: The architecture supports built-in partitioning and parallel processing directly at the SAP source. For initial loads of massive tables, the data is split into manageable, concurrent streams, maximizing throughput and minimizing the runtime of any single extraction job, which is critical for avoiding SAP process timeouts.

Key Differentiators of Our Proprietary Framework

Feature	Benefit for ECC on Microsoft Fabric
ODP/BW Extractor Support	Leverages SAP's pre-built business logic and robust delta handling.
Near Real-Time CDC	Reads from SAP's Delta Queue (ODQ) for minimal latency and zero-impact on ECC's performance.
Scalable Parallelism	Automatically partitions and streams large initial loads to maximize throughput.
Native Fabric Sink	Writes directly to Fabric's OneLake/Delta Lake for seamless consumption across all Fabric workloads.

This powerful combination ensures that your older SAP ECC system can participate fully in your modern data strategy, delivering the critical operational insights needed in Microsoft Fabric with the speed and reliability of a brand-new system.

Unlock the Value of Your SAP Data Today

Your mission-critical data shouldn't be trapped in a legacy system. Our Proprietary Framework provides the secure, scalable, and low-impact bridge necessary to bring your SAP ECC data into the modern Microsoft Fabric environment in near real-time. We have proven track record with SAP customers and data models to accelerate the analytics solution.

Ready to accelerate your SAP data analytics without impacting your live ECC system?