SAP Adds Apache Iceberg to Business Data Cloud
SAP's cloud analytics platform now natively supports the open Apache Iceberg table format and an expanded Databricks partnership.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Data Centers
SAP has adopted native support for Apache Iceberg, the open table format, in its Business Data Cloud and extended its partnership with Databricks to bring legacy ERP data into its cloud analytics platform. The company also bought Dremio in May 2026 and integrated its SQL query engine.
Why it matters
The move lets customers query data across multiple platforms without copying it, reducing the cost and complexity of moving enterprise data between systems. It signals that SAP is aligning its analytics offering with open standards rather than relying solely on proprietary formats.
SAP's Business Data Cloud now supports native Apache Iceberg and zero-copy data sharing across Databricks, Snowflake, Google, AWS, and Microsoft, with Dremio's SQL engine enabling queries against SQL Server, MongoDB, Oracle, and PostgreSQL without moving data. Performance benchmarks and pricing for these integrations were not disclosed.
The players
SAP
SAP is a German enterprise software company that makes ERP systems used by large businesses worldwide.
Databricks
Databricks is a data and AI company that provides a lakehouse analytics platform built on open-source technologies.
The details
SAP's Business Data Cloud will include a universal catalog powered by Apache Polaris and continue to support Delta Lake. SAP Application Data Foundation brings historic order data from SAP ECC into SAP Databricks for combination with third-party data.
Timeline
May 2026: SAP acquired Dremio, a lakehouse platform built on Apache Iceberg.
Early November 2026, during the week of the SAP TechEd conference: SAP announced Apache Iceberg support and the expanded Databricks partnership.
The Tech Race
SAP's adoption of Apache Iceberg places it alongside other enterprise platforms moving toward open table formats instead of proprietary data lakes. The move positions SAP to compete with Snowflake and Databricks for control of enterprise data analytics.
Enterprise teams using SAP can query data across several databases without copying it, which may reduce storage duplication and integration work. Companies not on SAP's platform will see no direct change to their own systems.
The takeaway
Organizations evaluating enterprise analytics platforms should check whether their data stack supports open table formats like Apache Iceberg, since that determines how easily data can move between vendors.
Further reading
For more on how cloud platforms store and move large volumes of enterprise data, see Data Centers.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TheRegister.
