looking for a front-end to microsoft-analysys Analysis Services

[zeevgetner]

hello
i am looking for a front-end to microsoft-analysys Analysis Services.
it has to be something like the olap browser in the enterprise manager itself, but look better, and be web enabled.
what options do i have?

 

[pabloj]

Look for Microsoft Business Intelligence portal (as a start)

Stick to your guns

 

[yankezulu]

Does Microsoft BI portal works on windows 2000 or windows Xp

or BI requires windows server

thanks in advance

 

[johnherman]

Cognos Power Play, Business Objects, and Brio also work, although all 3 cost more than Excel 2000

Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side because there is more manure there - original.

 

[JayKusch]

Another option is Proclarity

Thanks

J. Kusch

 

[MDXer]

The front end you choose can depend upon a number of items such as:

Level of reporting needs - This ranges from basic adhoc queries to the creation of dynamic and complex user calculations.

Level of user experience - If typical users are managment and above then a tool that allows the use of complicated mdx may not be needed, however if complicated MDX is needed for upper managment then a possible thick/thin client implementation.

Current features - What tool has the features you and your users desire. Items such as Dimension Search capability, Report Scheduling, Alert mechanisms, user created calculations.

Ease of adding custom features - Not all tools are created equal and it is not likely that anyone tool has everything a user may be after, so you want to ensure that you have the ability to create custom features such as search utilities or report schedulers.

Security - Does the applications security model meet your needs.

Cost - Typically a big issue but if possible it is better to go for the one that best suits your needs and invest a bit more, rather than buying based solely on price.

A good way to approach this is to
1) Find out the needs of your users.
2) Research the available products to find their offerings olapreport.com is a good place to start.
3) Contact the vendors that seem to best suit your needs and request further technical information if needed.
4) Create a document comparing features and cost
5) Present to managment with your recommendations

Cognos, Business Objects, Panorama Novaview. Proclarity, AlphaBlox, Excel3 (Excel cubed) are all wonderful produts each with their own strengths and weaknesses, along with probably a dozen other tools.

"Shoot Me! Shoot Me NOW!!!"
- Daffy Duck

 

[JayKusch]

It is unfortunate that olapreport.com makes you pay a subscription fee to read their reviews. But hey ... a little money up front can save you a bunch of money on an OLAP suite that does not fit your needs!



Thanks

J. Kusch

 

[dean12]

I've had good luck with ProClarity. Didn't think much of Crystal Analysis.

 

[MDXer]

Jay,

You are so right in both your points. I have found some of the freebies on OLAP report to be helpful. As for the saving money in the long run, my last project would was going to cost 500K+ to get a solution that we needed and would have served us as we needed. We did little research in the begining and it probably cost us 200K in wasted time and money.

"Shoot Me! Shoot Me NOW!!!"
- Daffy Duck

 

[dean12]

Get the free ProClarity eval from their site. Single user license is less than $750.

 

[MicroControl]

Proclarity is really really really ( did I say that 3 X?) good but a bit pricey now.

Have you thought of MicroSofts' Data Analyser as a thick client (last time I looked it was in the region of $160)with or perhaps also using some bespoke ADOMD/Com+ for some web deployed charts/ drill throughs?

 

[zeevgetner]

hi everybody,
i appriciate all of your help.
still, some comments
1) MicroSofts' Data Analyser isn't worth much.
2) what i really want is an activex or asp.net component to show microsoft anlysyis service cubes, and to be simple and chip. i cant belive that there isn't any.

 

[MDXer]

very few of the companies making MS AS reporting tools have any .net apps on the market. As of 1.5 years ago only BO and Proclarity had considered it. Since many companies as of yet have not bought into .NET as a platform many vendors have not started releasing .NET based applications, the most common thin clients are either ASP based or J2EE based. As i said before it is more than just which is the best, because the best is based upon your needs and your audience. If the audience is Upper managment who wants single at a glance info which requires dashboards would Proclarity be the Best? No Would Cognos or AlphaBlox? Probably. If your requirements call for the ability of using complex MDX calculations would Cognos be your best choice? no Would Novaview or Alphablox? probably.

As for cheap well most things that are cheap aren't worth much.

Basic questions are
1) Needed Funcionality
2) Number of users
3) Price Range

Those 3 items can help with recomendations.

"Shoot Me! Shoot Me NOW!!!"
- Daffy Duck

 

[NickvanDal]

Hi,

ProClarity Analytic Development Platform is designed specifically for programmers and developers to start working with the ProClarity object model (ActiveX and .NET components). The platform is fully documented and provides developers with essential information for quickly building, customizing business analysis solutions using the ProClarity's software development kit.

Definitely something that you want to investigate. If so, let me know and I can put you into contact with them.

Nick

 

[Matt2004]

If your organisation uses MS-Office 2000+ and MS-Frontpage Server extensions, then you could use the Office Web Components as a "free" alternative. These allow the same functionality as Excel - including Web Based Pivot Charts.

I have found the components to be much simpler and more flexible to use than Excel itself.

 

[Alfredu2]

olap.com - nuff said.

 

[kusnier]

Take look at this thread:

http://groups.google.com/groups?dq=...oup=microsoft.public.sqlserver.olap&start=150

Especially interesting is:
Visual Studio .NET Web Control for Business Intelligence