Client or web product - I'm confused

[olap2002]

Hello,

This is a fairly basic question but I really need some help in confirming what products I should need to help introduce the Cognos BI suite to my company. If anyone could provide short answers to these questions it would help me greatly.

a) We'd like to do relational reporting to about 100 users. I am assuming that I would need:
- Impromptu server license
- Impromptu web client pack (100 user)
Now would I also need to buy some Impromptu thick-clients or could I use the web client for report development:

b) Same question but for PowerPlay. Do I need or is there an advantage in having the PowerPlay developers equipped with thick clients.

c) Cognos Visualizer. I'm totally confused about this. The Cognos site isn't very clear if this is a product that allows web based development or thick client development.

Finally a more basic question. Does anyone have any advice on what product mix to purchase. Our requirements are for about 100 power users who'll need to access relational and olap. They would like to have a dashboard display and we'll be accessing data in Analysis Services Cubes.

Thanks in advance

 

[goldsmt]

Hi

Basically you need the following.

1 copy of Impromptu Administrator which you uss to design the catalog and write reports.

For the clients you need Impromptu Web Reports (IWR). Users, via a browser will be able to run pre defined reports. To create a new report the users require Impromptu client software. In the UK a valid license for the web product also allows the user to use the client version. Certainle for the number of users you are talking about then the web product is a must.


For PowerPlay you need 1 copy of PowerPlay Transformation Server to design and build the cubes and PowerPlay Enterprise Server (PPES)for browser access to the cube. The users can navigate through the cube via the browser interface and publish results through the Upfront portal provided with either PowerPlay web or IWR. Again in the UK, a web user also can use the client tools.


For both IWR and PPES the client versions are more powerful but additionally more difficult to learn and to deploy.

Visualizer is a high level graphical scorecarding product that can sit over either Impromptu or PowerPlay data. It's a great tool for high level managers to gain access to the data.

Hope this helps, give me a call if you need any further explanation. Cognos are not great at telling you what you need but their products are first class.

Tony Goldsmith
Frontline Consultancy
tony.goldsmith@frontline-consultancy.co.uk

Tel 44 0870 241 0715