BI Tools Comparison

Comparison Criterion Ascential DataStage (v7.0)

1. System RequirementsH/W Requirements Server Server

RAM: 512 MB (Recommended)

Platform support

2. Administration

Informatica Power Center (v8.0)

Disk Space: 600 MB Disk Space: 1.3 GBRepository: Disk Space: 150 MB of database space*

RAM: 1GB (Recommended) RAM: 1 GB (Recommended)

Client: Client: Disk Space: 256 MB Disk Space: 300 MB


Server: Windows NT, IBM AIX, HP-UX, Sun Solaris, COMPAQ Tru64

Server: UNIX (Sun Solaris, HPUX, AIX) or LINUX (Red Hat Linux, SUSE Linux) or Windows (DEC or Intel).

Client: Windows 2000 or Windows XP.

Client: Windows NT 4.0/95/98/2000, Unix, Linux

Job Monitoring

Logging mechanism

3. Data Source/Target Supported

Can be monitored using DataStage. Monitor window displays summary information about relevant stages in a job that is being run or validated. And also displays link information, status, Number of rows processed, Start time, Elapsed time and percentage of CPU against each stage

Workflow manager allows for centralized administration of all sessions and batches. Repo Mgr. Allows for centralized administration of all users, groups and privileges.Monitor Window keeps displaying the state of a mapping/job that has been scheduled to run. The various stages are: scheduled, initializing, running and completed.

Logs the details about the job execution in log window through DataStage Director. But not able to capture log details in separate file. Also provides detailed message for each event in the job log file through ‘Event Detail window’. We can write into a logfile using in-built routine "DSJobReport"

User can set Trace level to log level of details. The trace levels are - Normal , Terse, Verbose Data and Verbose Initialization. It can be set either through widget level in Designer or at session level in WorkFlow Manager.

Controlling ETL Process Execution & Recovery

DataStage Director can abort and restart the job at any point of time. Does not support ETL Process in "Recovery Mode"

User can Abort at any point in time . Restart and recovery is built in to the tool and invoked by a checkbox.

Heterogeneous Data sources and Targets

Supports IBM DB2 UDB, Informix Dynamic Server, Informix Red Brick, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase Adaptive Server, UniVerse, UniData, ADABAS, VSAM/QSAM/ISAM, IMS, IDMS, Teradata, Flat Files, Complex File Format (CFF)MQ Series, FTP, ODBC and OLE/DB

ODBC, Flat file/XML, MS Excel, COBOL files Also supports databases Oracle, Sybase, SQL Server, Informix, Teradata and DB2.PowerConnect™ support for AS/400, SAP R/3, Siebel, IBM MQSeries, PeopleSoft & Mainframe systems.

Support of Bulk loaders

4. Deployment Facility

Yes

5. Loading strategies supportedIncremental load Supports

Supports

6. Data Transformation

Native support for Relational Databases

Supports for Oracle OCI , Native plug-in for Sybase RedBrick,DB2

Support for Oracle, Sybase, Informix, DB2, SQL server,Terrdata.

Supports for Oracle, Informix, Sybase Adaptive Server, Sybase Adaptive Server IQ, MSSQL, Redbrick, and IBM DB2 UDB

Supports for Oracle, Terradata, Informix, Sybase, MSSQL and DB2

Ability to manage multiple environments (development, production, testing) / Deployment

Supports moving the system from one environment to another by using "import" and "export" utilities.

The System can be migrated from one environment to another by copying the Repository folders available in Repository Manager or throgh Mapping/Session/other objects xml import/export

Support for multi-user development environment

Yes ,Relational metadata ensures concurrency while maintaining data integrity

Incremental Load supported for aggregation.

Supports Multiple Target Loading

Multiple Targets can be loaded in the same job/batch

Multiple targets of same RDBMS can be loaded in the same mapping

Supports multiple heterogeneous Source Extraction

Yes, Mainframe & AS/400 Data can be accessed Via PowerConnect for Mainframe/AS400

Supports BASIC

Supports Does not Supports

Aggregation

Ease of Design (GUI or otherwise)

Simple GUI (DataStage Designer) for Designing Transformation

GUI, Dataflow diagramming intreface (PowerCenter Designer)

Ability to automatically generate source code (SQL, C, COBOL)

Supported. Source code is generated in BASIC language for each and every transforer stage in a Job.

Does not support Code generation

Built-in scripting language (4GL,Basic)

Informatica Transformation Language (TX) ,C++

No of available transformation functions

More than 28 transformation functions (String, Date, Numeric)

Around 60 functions (Numeric, Date, Conversion, Scientific and String)

Support for conditional structures

Supports. Able to apply conditional structures like ‘if then else’ in a Transformation.

Supports conditional structures in the form of ‘if then else’ in a Transformation. Also support CASE statements through router transformation.

Support for looping the source row (For While Loop)

Support for comparing the Previous record. (Row Comparison Routines)

Supports for comparing immediate previous record using variable ports.

Ability to call Exit routines (SQL, UNIX Apps, NT Apps)

Supported in-built DataStage Functions: Minimum, Maximum, Count, Sum, Average and Standard Deviation

Has built-in functions and supports Aggregator transformation.

Support through Lookup table

Does not Support

Artificial Key generation

Data conversion functions

Supports Supports

Database functions

Index creation & drop

Rejected Records Can be captured in a reject file Can be captured

Filters

API function calls Can be called Supported

Slowly Changing Dimension (SCD)

Supports only through Custom scripts. Does not have a wizard to do this

Supports Full history, recent values, Current & Previous values programmatically as well as through wizards.

Reference (Lookup) Table support

Supports through ‘in-memory’ hash files and ODBC look-up is also possible.

Time Dimension generation

Supports in Enterprise edition not in server edition

Supports by Sequence generator

Supports (Sequence Transformation)

In-built conversion functions are available.

Character, Numeric, Scientific, String

Invoking Stored Procedures (SPs)

It can be used in source and target DB stages but cannot be used directly in transformation. But DataStage in-built functions can be used.

Database functions can be used directly in transformations (like Source Qualifier etc.)

Supports through Custom scripts in pre session.Supports through Before & After SQL Executiion property and the Stage Level

Supports through Custom scripts in pre session

Supports by Constraints and Rejects

Supports through Filter & Router Transformation

Flat File format (Unix, DOS Style)

Able to specify the flat file format through DataStage Designer. Import the Flat file format using Manager

Able to specify the flat file format through Source Designer

Debugging Facility

View SQL Statements

Reusability functions

7. Application Integration Functionality

Supports basic debugging facilities for testing. Able to set and edit break points based on number of rows and Expression. Able to watch each column values before and after transformation through "Add Watch" option

Supported through debugger wizard in PowerCenter Designer. Able to set and edit break points based on number of rows and Expression.

Able to view SQL Statements at stage . (For example, if the transformation includes loading of data to a table from flat file, Developer can view the equivalent INSERT statements in DataStage Designer)

SQL Statements can be viewed using Generate SQLs and Update overrides available in Source Qualifier and Target respectively.

Supports. DataStage Manager allows creating user-defined functions, Macros, Routines and Transforms. Also supports Shared Containers which can be reused across jobs

Supported in the form of reusable Transformations and Mapplets

Setting Row processing and Warning Messages

Able to set limit on number of rows processed and warning messages in ‘Job- Run option’ through DataStage Director

Supports. Able to set limit on number of rows processed. Can set warning message at row level.

Yes, Supports MQ Series

Support for CORBA/XML

8. Meta DataSupports through MetaBrokers

Support for real Time Data Exchange

Supported thru PowerCenterRT, has interface for MQSeries,TIBCO,JMS and WebMethodsKey FeaturesBi-directional Integration – Integrates real time data (from messaging systems, mainframes, RDBMs, applications), its meta data and historic data in EDW. Guaranteed delivery – Ensures the message data persists till target confirms the successful consumption. Rollback & Recovery – Robust mechanisms for rollback and recovery that prevents duplicate data loading during recovery.Supports transactional based loading ordered based on key relationships and constraints using source based / user defined commits.

In Datstage 7 and above supports XML

Support for XML sources & targets

Support for Metadata standards (OMG/CWM)

Supports CWM Metadata Exchange standards

External acquisition /Design Tools/Business Intelligence tools

Supports. DataStage accomplishes Meta data integration with other data tools using MetaBroker products.

Supports through MetaData Exchange (MX2) for ERWIN, PowerDesigner. Supports SAP R/3 , Siebel, Peoplesoft Ability to view & navigate

metadata on the webNot Available with core product. To be bought as MetaStage. Web based application not available directly

The repository information can be viewed on web with the help of Metadata Reporter toolKey Features: Data Linage & “Where used” analysis - Graphical representation via Web browser Process Validation and Impact Reporting at run time Data Access from disparate Sources Regulatory Compliance by Audit Trail

Not Available

Can import input schema Supports

Yes

9. Performance Parameter ControlsParallel processing

Ability to Customize views of metadata for different users (DBA Vs Business user)

Can be customized by writing database Views

Reverse engineering of the input schema

Metadata repository can be stored in RDBMS

In latest Datstage Hawk release(IBM) we have the option to crate repository in RDBMS.

DataStage engine supports multiple CPU environments by automatically distributing independent job flow across multiple processes. Only availabe in Datstage Enterprise Edition not in Server Edition.

Grid Option delivers cost-effective scalability utilizing grid computing environment. By determining parallel execution plan at run time, the amount and frequency of data mapping modifications are minimized in case of node addition/removal from grid.Key Features: Limited degree of High AvailabilitySessions on Grids Adaptive Load BalancingDynamic Partitioning Advantages : Continuous uptime through self monitoring of Power Center services, ensures seamless fail over and guaranteed flexible recovery. Can execute optimal parallel sessions by dividing data processing into subsets, which run in parallel and are automatically partitioned reliably and optimally among available CPUs in a multi-processor system. Smooth operations and reliable scale-out for unexpected utilizations loads. Auto adjustment to parallel execution plan for added /

Caching No caching on DataStage server

Tuning Metrics

Yes with DataStage TX

10. Support and maintenance

In-memory Server-side caching

Ability to monitor session load performance

Able to monitor Job execution and performance through DataStage Designer through ‘view Monitor’ option. 2. Able to monitor Job execution and performance through DataStage Designer through ‘view Perforamce Statistics’ option.

Able to monitor Job execution and performance through WorkFlow Manager.

Optimization of execution path

1. Use job Sequencer to Sequence jobs in the optimized path.2. Optimization at the job level can be done using the Buffer Properties.3. Optimization at the Transformation level can be done using the Link Partitioners and Collectors4. Can define array size at source stage.

Session optimization is possible through concurrent batches, reducing error tracing ,partitioning sessions, tuning session parameters.

Able to view Number of Rows processed, Start Time End Time and percentage of CPU for each event in Log window through DataStage Director

User can view the statistics using workflow manager and Repository Manager

Level of automation – does the tool perform auto-optimization of its jobs, does it perform load balancing of the server tasks?

Pushdown optimization option provides flexibility to process the data transformation either within a source or target or through power center server.Advantages : Dynamically optimizes mapping performance according to runtime demands, peak processing needs, and other dynamic

Maintenance of transformation and cleaning workflow

Maintenance include: Setting up users Deleing, moving and adding DataStage projects Cleaning up project files Purging job log files

User /Group privileges/permissions Re-usable transformation and mapplets. Populates the design changes automatically

Command line operation

Yes Yes

11. Job Controlling & SchedulingTime-Based

Event based

Not Supported

Support for error recovery Does not support error recovery. Supports error recovery

Supported Supported

Yes Availabe.Ability to Execue the Jobs and read the Metadata from the Command Line

Pmcmd –server interface for command line Pmrep - repository interface for command line

Backup and recovery of metadata

When you take export of Jobs, metadata also included in the export. Export generates a text file, which will be interpreted by Import. Export generates a xml or dsx file.

Backup/Recovery of metadata supported through menu interface as well as command line

Ability to maintain versions of mappings

Supports DataStage Director is used for scheduling Jobs and Batches Available Scheduling frequency options: Today, Tomorrow, Every Day, Next and Daily with Specified Time option.

Sessions and Batches can be scheduled to run on demand, run once, run every given minutes / seconds or in a customized manner.

Scheduling Sequence of jobs in a batch

Supports. Able to add jobs sequentially in a batch. And also supports a pre-defined order in which it should execute. Can code manually in a batch job to execute jobs in a predefined sequence or in a sequencer job.

Physical order of sessions is the order in which it executes. However u can define the run criteria of a session (on success of previous session)

Supports. Event Based Triggering is possible (Like, Wait for a File to arrive or disappear.).

Supports Event based scheduling with the help of indicator file. The file can be generated through shell command, scripts or batch program.

Support for conditional commit

Supported Using the Transaction size on the Target Stage

Supports row based commit interval on Targets & Source.

Existence of rollback functions (when bad data has been loaded)

Controlled using the Transaction Size in Target Stage

Ability to trace & debug scheduled events

Supported

Alerts like sending mails Supports Supported.

12. SecuritySecurity

Roles that can be created.

13. Other featuresPart of a end-to-end suite

Support for ERP packages Supports

Support for Pre session & Post Session events

Supports. Can write code that shall execute before an session occurs & after it occurs

Able to assign access to user groups at project level through DataStage Administrator. Does not support Security at job/mapping level. Cannot grant access on individual user, can only to user groups.

Object and Operational level security. Security implemented through User groups, Repository Users/Privileges/Folders and locking.

Roles can be assigned at Project Level through DataStage Administrator Roles & responsibilities: DataStage Developer: Setting up a project, Developing a job, Programming, Debugging, Compiling, Releasing a job, Importing , Exporting and Packaging jobs. DataStage Operator: Running compiled Jobs, creating batches and Monitoring jobs and log window.Production Manager: All the access to Datastage developer plus can protect or unprotect a project.

User defined ,Administrator

DataStage is part of End-to-end data integration suite

Informatica Data Integration SuiteSupport for ERP source & targets. PowerConnect for SAP R/3, PeopleSoft & Siebel systems.

Supported through QualityStagePredefined Cleaning or Intgeration with Clenaing Tools

Data Cleansing and match feature helps to standardize, validate, enhance, and correct data records. This also provides algorithmic data matching capability to identify relationships between data records for de-duplication or group-based processing.

Key Features : Standardization & Parsing - Identifies, verifies, and standardizes free-form text data elements through configuration business rules Data Matching – Correct the records against accurate secondary sources. Leverage Power center’s various connectivity options, parallelization and grid computing capabilities when cleansing and matching the data

Data federation provides on demand access to data from operational source systems without data being moved physically to data warehouse.

Key Features : Fast delivery of data it the

Ab-Initio

1. System RequirementsServer (Co>Op System)

Disk Space: 118 MB Disk Space: 55 MB

Information Not Available. 128 MB of RAM

Client: Client: Client: Disk Space: 55 MB Disk Space: 850 MB


2. Administration

Cognos Decision Stream Designer

Oracle Warehouse Builder 10g (Release 2)

Server Server

Disk Space: 850 MB(Windows) , 1100 MB (Unix, Linux)

768 MB of RAM , 1GB Page file size.

Disk Space: 40 MB RAM: 64 MB (Recommended)


Server: Compaq Tru64 UnixDIGITAL UNIXHP-UXIBM AIXNCR MP-RASRed hot linuxIBM/Sequent DYNIX/ptxSiemens Pyramid Reliant UNIXSilicon Graphics IRIXSun SolorisWindows NT and Windows 2000

Server: HP-UX, Sun SPARC Solaris, IBM AIX, Compaq Tru64 UNIX, Windows NT, or Windows 2000.

Server: Microsoft Windows,Microsoft Windows (64-bit Itanium),Linux x86,Linux Itanium,Linux x86-64,Linux on Power,Solaris Operating System (x86),Solaris Operating System (SPARC),HP-UX PA-RISC (64-bit),HP-UX Itanium,AIX5L Based Systems (64-bit),IBM zSeries Based Linux

Client: Windows NT or Windows 2000 , Unix.

Client: Windows 2000, Windows NT, or Windows XP.

Client: Windows 2000, Windows NT, or Windows XP, Unix,Linux

3. Data Source/Target Supported

We have EME (Enterprise Meta Environment) to monitor thejobs.The host computer to which the GDE(graphical development environment) users Connect to, acts as a central point of control for the Co>operating System installed on Several machines.Co>operating system of Ab initio monitors the jobs and issues reports. Job controlling is done within the script. Priority setting needs to be done by external Schedulers.

Can be monitored using Decision Stream. Monitor window displays summary information about relavant stages in job.

ETL jobs can be scheduled and monitored using Schedule Editor. A manual refresh is required to see the status of the run.

Availability of logs in a format that is easily readable by other applications (preferably text).Logs can be re-directed to separate files.

User can set Trace level to log level of details. The trace levels are - Progress,Detail,Internal,SQL,Executed SQL,Variable and User. It can be set either through build level or job level in Decision Stream Designer.

The Oracle Warehouse Builder Repository Browser is a browser-based tool that generates reports data stored in Oracle Warehouse Builder repositories. Using the Repository Browser, you can view:■ Detailed information about the design of a repository. Reports are generated fromdata stored in the Warehouse Builder repositories.■ Reports that provide access to both high-level and detailed ETL runtime information. This information includes the following: ■ Timings for each mapping and process flows ■ Details of activities for each process flowUnsuccessful job Executions

are re-covered automatically. No manual intervention is required unless there is a OS crash.

User can Abort at any point of time . Restart and recovery is built in to the tool and invoked by a checkbox.

Users can Abort at any point of time. Restart and recovery is not built-in to the tool.

Ab initio supports heterogeneous sources and heterogeneous targets.

IBM DB2, DB2/PE, DB2EEE,UDB,IMSOracleInformix XPSSybaseTeradataMS SQL Server 7OLE-DBODBC are supported

Supports Oracle, Informix, Sybase, MS SQL Server, DB2, Teradata, ODBC, or Flat Files. Other Target Support: Cognos PowerPlay, Impromptu, or Architect, or other OLAP Servers such as Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services.

Oracle db 8.1, 9.0, 9.2, 10.1, 10.2,SAP R/3 3.x, 4.x,Oracle E-Business Suite,PeopleSoft 8, 9,Delimited and fixed-length flat files,Any database accessible through Oracle Heterogeneous Services,including but not limited to DB2,DRDA, Informix, SQL Server,Sybase, and Teradata.Any data store accessible through the ODBC Data Source Administrator, including but not limited to Excel and MS Access.

Oracle, Db2 UDB, Tera Data Only Oracle database

Supports for Oracle

4. Deployment Facility

Yes Yes

5. Loading strategies supportedSupports Supports Supports

Yes

Supports Supports Supports

6. Data Transformation

Support for Oracle, Sybase, Informix, DB2, SQL server,Terrdata.

Oracle,DB2 Loader , Tera Data

Supports for Oracle, Informix,Redbrick and DB2

The System can be migrated from one environment to another by copying the Repository folders available in Sand Box or Manual movement.

Multiple environments can be manage through import and export utilities.

Supports moving the system from one environment to another by using "import" and "export" utilities.

Yes.supported through source code control, component packages, backup and restore.

Multiple Targets can be loaded in the same job.

Multiple Targets can be loaded in the same job.

GUI based. GUI based

Yes. Supports

Supported. Supports Supports

GUI Based (Decision Stream Designer)

Supported. Source code is generated in Unix Shell Programming language/C/C++.

Does not support Code generation

Supported. Source code can be generated in PL/SQL language

Yes. Ab-Initio Has its own Language called DML( Data Manipulation Language)

Yes.Decision Stream has its own Scripting language called Decision Stream Scripting language.

Buil-in Scripting Language called OMB Plus

More than 200 Functions are available.(String, Date, Error, Miscellaneous etc)

Around 112 functions(Conversion,Control, Logical,Mathematical, Mamber, Text, Date and User defined functions)

Supports all Oracle PL/SQL functions.

Supports conditional structures in the form of 'if then else' and CASE statements.

Yes, While, for loops available in Scripting

Supports in the form of 'While do' statement.

Yes, While, for loops available in Scripting

sophisticated Built in Aggregate Functions , Components are available.

Supported througj Built in Aggregatiom methods: Sum, Max, Min, Count, Avg, Var, Stddev, First, First Non-null, Last and Last non-null

Has built-in functions and supports Aggregator transformation.


Does not Support Does not Supports Supports through wizards.

Supports Supports

Can be captured Can be captured

Supports through components.

Yes Can be called Can be Called

Yes.

Needs Programming, no Wizards.

Point and click facility automatically creates and maintains slowly changing dimensions.

Supports Full history, recent values, Current & Previous values through wizards.

Lookup File Support and Join with DB will act like LOOKUP table


Supports(Assign Key Component



In-built conversion functions are available



Can be Invoked through a wrappered Shell program.

Database functions are not listed but can be used in free hand SQLs

Database functions can be used directly in transformations

Database functions can be used directly in transformations

Supports through Custom scripts in start script and end scripts.

Supports through Custom scripts in pre session

Supports through Custom scripts through process flows

Using reject files, rejected data can be captured.

Supports through Level Filter and Output Filter in Fact deliveries.

Supports through Filter & Router Transformation

Able to specify the flat file format through SQL Text Designer

Able to specify the flat file format .

Yes

Yes. Supports . Supports

Yes

7. Application Integration Functionality

Supports basic debugging facilities for testing. Able to add watch files and able to watch each field and record.

Suported through debug-related variables to save to the execution log file.

Supported through debugger wizard in OWB Mapping designer. Able to set watch, define/edit test data, etc.

Able to view the SQL statements through SQL Term and SQL Helper

Able to view the SQL statements.

Supports in the form of reusable confirmed dimensions, user-defined functions and Jobs.



Yes Does not support

Supports XML. Does not support

8. Meta DataNo Supports CWM standards.

Information Not Available.

Information Not Available. Not Available

Supported using external drivers like Data Direct. No In-built support.

Support for XML sources & targets

Supports through MetaData Exchange for Cognos products

Supports through MetaData Exchange.

Meta data information can be viewed through Metadata Dependency Manager

Not Applicable Not Available Not Available

Supports Can import input schema Supports

No Yes Yes

9. Performance Parameter ControlsSupports partitioningAb-Initio supports multiple CPU

environments by automatically distributing the processes across multiple nodes.

Decision Stream ETL engine supports partitioning tasks or jobstreams to use multiple CPUs which can be performed in sequence or parallel.


Not Available

No Not Supported Not Supported

10. Support and maintenancePersonally Controlled Personally Controlled


Supports Refernce data caching on demand.

Able to view the no. of rows processed by every step in the process, the process start/end time in the process in GDE.

Able to monitor job execution and performance through Execution log file.

Able to monitor job execution and performance through Execution Schedule Report

Use Jobstreams to sequence jobs in the optimized path.

Mapping Optimization is supported with various optimization parameters.

Able to view Number of Rows processed, Start Time End Time and percentage of CPU for each event in Log window through Track Detail Option / in the Audit file

User can view the statistics through execution log which provides basic tuning information

Users can view the statistics using Execution Schedule Report

Yes Available

Not Applicable

Yes Yes Yes

11. Job Controlling & Scheduling

Not Applicable Supports Sequential execution.

Not Applicable Supports throgh Oracle Workflow.

Not Supported Not Supported

No Does not support No Built-in Support

Not Applicable Supported Supported

Available.Full command line access delivers flexible transformation package integration.

Backup/Recovery of metadata is supported through menu interface as well as command line

Backup/Recovery of metadata supported through menu interface as well as scripting language.

No Scheduling in Ab-Initio. We need to use a third party tool.

Jobstreams and Builds can be scheduled to run on demand,run once,run every given minutes/seconds or in a customized manner through crontab in WRQ Reflection for HP.

Process flows can be scheduled to run on demand, run once, run every given minutes / seconds or in a customized manner.

Supports. Able to add jobs sequentially in a batch. And also supports a pre-defined order in which it should execute.

Supports. Event Based Triggering is possible




Commit or Rollback can be set using Manual Commit control.

Yes Supported

Supported.

12. SecurityPersonally Controlled Personally Controlled

NA NA User Defined and Administrator

13. Other features

Possible using ODBC drivers.

Supported Pre and Post mapping events.

Yes. Can call other applications.

Supported through Alert or Email node in jobstreams.

Object and Operational level security. Security implemented through User Roles & Folders.

Part of Cognos suite of products

Part of Oracle Business Intelligence 10g Suite

Support for SAP R/3 systems using the add-on Cognos Decision Stream connector for SAP R/3 product

Supports SAP, Oracle eBusiness Suite and PeopleSoft ERP

It supports Trillium In-built Data Profiling option Not Supported

Color Codes - Excellent

Very GoodAverage

Poor

Feature/Measure SAS OBIEEMeta data ModelingPerformance – High Volume DataPerformance – Across Server queriesDiagnosticsDevelopment / Maintenance easeSecurityReport Look and feelDashboardsLicensing / PricingRepositoryReport Level Formatting Migration (e.g. QA to Prod)AlertingSybase database supportSource control User Learning / Training Market Share Stability RatingGeography Fit for EDW PurposeArchitecture/Scalability & PerformanceImplementationSupportIntegration of heterogeneous data sourcesSupport for compliance and auditIntegrated data management platformHigh developer/designer productivityDeep partner and third-party development communityFamiliar, easy-to-use skillsLower TCOprocessing formulae and sentencestop n, bottom n, etc custom filtersExporting of reports Reports navigationPlatformClient ToolsServer ToolsReport ProcessingClusteringLoad BalancingWeb SupportCaching

Business Objects

AuthenticationObject SecuritySource ConnectivityPublishingSchedule calendarExport formatsDelivery channelsAlertsEventsReport historyLinked reportsDrill down reports to n-levelReport with subreportCross-tab reportsOLAP reportsMulti-column reportsLabelsMapsFormulasSQL expressionsParametersCascading parametersPictures, lines, and figuresCustom and user-defined functionsShared data sourcesMultiple data regions on a report (tables, matrices, charts, and so on)Top-N, bottom-N, top %, bottom %Drill-down on same pageMultipassData MiningAd hoc ReportingTrending IndicatorsMultiple Report Export OptionDocumentation / White PapersTechinal Forums Scheduling of ReportsGuage Control ReportingSupport on PDA/Mobile Devices OLAP AnalysisSupport for 32 bit & 64 bit MachinesBackward Compatability Integration with OfficeRole Based Dashboards/Reports/KPIs/CubesSupport for DOLAPData QualityPredictive AnalyticsText AnalysisSupport for ERP packages

Unified BI ArchitectureMarket Proven Enterprise Scalability and PerformanceReusable and Rich Metadata LayerInteractive WY SIWYG Web interfaceIndustrial Strength Multi-level SecurityDynamic Report PersonalizationCentralized Enterprise AdministrationSeamless Microsoft Office IntegrationHeterogeneous Data Source Access from a Single Web DocumentRobust Enterprise ReportingInformation DeliveryReportingQueryOLAPDashboardsArchitecture

Hyperion MicroStrategy Cognos MS-BI

Documents

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