SAP BDC semantic metadata
This page describes the semantic metadata that automatically syncs from SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) into Unity Catalog for mounted SAP BDC shares.
SAP table and column names can be difficult to read. For all mounted SAP BDC shares, semantic metadata is automatically ingested into Unity Catalog at the table level when a table is accessed, making the data more understandable and discoverable. Any changes made in SAP BDC are reflected in Unity Catalog.
SAP BDC is the source of truth for semantic metadata. Metadata synced from SAP BDC is read-only in Databricks. Delta Sharing recipients of SAP BDC shares cannot directly access or query the semantic metadata.
If you don't see the latest metadata in Catalog Explorer, click Refresh Table to trigger ingestion.
SAP semantic types ingested
The following semantics from SAP BDC are ingested into Unity Catalog:
SAP semantic metadata | Description |
|---|---|
Table and column comments | Descriptions of the purpose of each table and column. |
Primary keys | Primary key defined in SAP BDC, synced as Unity Catalog primary key constraints. |
Foreign keys | Foreign key relationships between tables within the same share. Foreign keys that reference tables in a different share are not supported. |
SAP governance tags | System tags in the |
SAP governance tags
SAP BDC syncs governance tags in the sap.PersonalData namespace as system governed tags on tables in Unity Catalog. These tags classify whether SAP BDC data contains personal or sensitive information.
Do not manually assign, modify, or delete tags in the sap.* namespace. These are system-reserved values that are automatically assigned by the Databricks system when SAP BDC shares are mounted. If you assign them manually, Databricks might clear or remove them later.
To govern access based on these tags, create attribute-based access control (ABAC) policies that reference them.
The following tag is synced. For more information about SAP personal data annotations, see the SAP CSN Interop specification.
SAP tag | Unity Catalog system tag | Applied to | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
| Tables | Indicates whether the table represents a data subject, such as a person or organization. Known values include |
Use SAP BDC metadata in Databricks
After you mount an SAP BDC share to a catalog, synced metadata is available across Databricks. Because SAP table and column names are often difficult to interpret, the synced comments, key constraints, and tags help you understand and work with SAP data more effectively.
- Catalog Explorer: View comments, key constraints, and tags in the table and column details. You can filter columns by searching for the contents of their comments, making it easier to find relevant columns.
- SQL: Use
DESCRIBE TABLE EXTENDEDto view table and column comments and key constraints. QueryINFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_TAGSto view SAP governance tags. - Genie: In a Genie space that includes SAP BDC tables, users can ask questions in natural language without needing to understand SAP naming conventions.
- Governance: Use synced SAP governance tags in ABAC policies to control access to sensitive data.
- Audit logs: Metadata sync events, including tag assignments, comment updates, and constraint changes, are recorded in audit logs. Use audit logs to track when SAP BDC metadata was ingested or updated in your catalog.