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Hyperion Objects
Oracle Express
Objects
COGNOS
Business Objects
Microstrategy
Brio Intelligence
MS Data Analyzer
PowerAnalyzer
1.5
6.3
6.5
3.5
Application developers
can define rotation,
perspective, lighting,
and the color of charts.
It also allows end users
to change any of these
properties at run-time.
Hyperion Objects
provides more than 30
different kinds of charts
for powerful data
visualization that
automatically access
and display Hyperion
Essbase information
without programming.
Standard chart types
included are 2D and 3D
line, scatter, bar, trend,
pie, Gantt, radar,
doughnut, and many
more.
Express Objects
provides point-and-click
functionality so
developers can rapidly
create applications for
users. Express Objects
automatically populates
a table or graph with
the appropriate data
and all the dimensions
that define it. The dataaware controls in
Express Objects
understand
multidimensional data.
Users can readily
access, rotate, page
through, select, and drill
to detail.
Not Supported
( Although Hyperion
released a version of
Wired for OLAP that
accessed Microsoft
OLAP Services using
OLE DB for OLAP)
Supports OLE
automation
Supports OLE
automation. And also
Impromptu report
output can be saved as
Excel using the new
OLE automation
Supports OLE
automation
Copy/Paste to
other application
OLE Compliance
Seamless Spread
Sheet Access
Ad-hoc querying is
possible thru Oracle
Discoverer. Discoverer
users can export their
workbooks to Express
Objects for further
analysis.
Supports Creation of
Calculated member on
the Fly. Additionally
Accumulate and
Exponentiation
functions are now
available.
Supports Creation of
Calculated member on the
Fly. It allows to perform
complex calculations that
manipulate data and allows
drilling from summary to
detail. A new formula
language enables users to
create custom calculations.
Formulas can be reused as
variables in different
reports in the same
document.In BO6.0 it can
be done by both Thick
client as well as WEBI. In
earlier version this feature
was not available for WEBI.
Within Hyperion
Objects applications,
developers can specify
specific time periods to
take advantage of
Hyperion Essbase's
dynamic time series
functionality.
Provides
Financial and statistical
functions
Provides Powerful
Statistical functions
(Beta Deviation,
Binomial Distribution,
Covariance, Kurtosis,
Lognormal
Distribution.etc.),
Financial functions
( Accrued Interest,
Cumulative Interest
paid, Macaulay
duration..etc.) and
Time Series analysis can
be done. Apart from this
OLAP functions like
Running count, moving
sum, Running standard
deviation are available.
PowerPlay is available in
English, French,
German, Swedish,
Spanish, Dutch and
Japanese. A double-byte
version allows for native
translations into
languages requiring
double-byte characters.
The translation includes
all character handling,
error and help
messages, dialog boxes,
and date and number
formats. The scripting
language is not
translated
BusinessObjects is available
wide range of languages,
including English, French,
German, Spanish, Italian,
Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian,
Danish, Portuguese, Hebrew
and Kanji (Japanese).
Unicode is also supported in
SDK
Doesnt support
directly but can be
achieved using
Hyperion Currency
Conversion tool which
translates, analyzes,
and reports of foreign
financial data.
Currency conversion
can be achieved using
Oracle Financial
Analyzer
From version 6,
Multi currency functionality
PowerPlay supports
is supported including Euro
simple currency
conversion on-the-fly,
including euro currency
triangulation, with the
ability to use historically
adjusted conversion
rates.
There is no currency
support per se.
However, calculated
fields can be used to
circumvent this
limitation
Microsoft Office XP
provides Euro Currency
Converter Smart Tag
available in nine
languages. But, Data
Analyzer support for
currency conversion is not
clear.
Create Ad Hoc
Calculated
Members
Statistical/Financi
al/Time Series
Analysis
Language Support
Currency Support
Hyperion Objects is a
comprehensive set of
OLAP-aware 32-bit
ActiveX controls for
building robust analytic
applications. Hyperion
Objects provides a
complete set of
controls for data
navigation, selection,
reporting, and
visualization.
Developers can quickly
create sophisticated
analytic applications
and they can also
deploy Hyperion
Objects applications in
a wide range of
computing
environments standalone, client/server,
Web, or distributed
processing.
PowerPlay incorporates
the CognosScript
Language, a BASIC-like
language provided with
all Cognos business
intelligence products for
writing macro
Provides Application
Integration & Embedded
Intelligence. I.e.
Software Development
Kit (SDK) for intelligence
server and Web
developer. It supports
the following languages:
1. VB 2. VC++ 3. VBA 4.
VBScript or Jscript(for
use in active server
pages)
Simple EIS-Style
applications can be
built with the help of
Java Scripting
PowerAnalyzer provides
SDK with Java API, XML API,
Web Services, and Portal
Integration Kit allowing
developers for custom
development of
applications and also
embed within or integrate
with existing applications.
1. For deployment to
large user groups for
departments, the
enterprise, or beyond,
MicroStrategy Web's
fully functional, easy-touse, all HTML interface
is ideal. MSTR Provides
an Ultra-thin, all HTML
web client that allows
users to run the reports
they need.
2. MSTR Web is
available in three
versions Web Analyst
(enables the user to
interact with and
manipulate data on the
fly, Web Reporter(a
simplified version that
provides interactive
slice and dice
capabilities) and Web
Viewer(enables viewing
of static report
Web Access
Deploying analytic
applications is easy
and cost-effective with
Hyperion Objects.
When the end users
access a Hyperion
Objects application
through the web
browsers, the
application is
automatically
downloaded and set up
on their client
workstations.
Filtering on Numeric
values
Supports filtering on
numeric values
Supports filtering on
numeric values
Supports filtering on
numeric values
Supports filtering on
numeric values
Supports filtering on
numeric values
Supports filtering on
numeric values
Supports filtering on
numeric values
Supports filtering on
numeric values
Can dispatch
applications without
user interfaces, such as
agent and alert
systems, across
multiple processors for
additional levels of
scalability
Express Objects
supports Exception
reporting. For
streamlined building of
enterprise OLAP,
Express Objects
uniquely supports
Agents and alerts.
Good exception
highlighting, but no inbuilt agents, exception
searching or automated
drill-down. Agents can
be written as macros
that can scan data in
PowerCubes using the
API and take
appropriate actions,
such as producing and
e-mailing reports, on
detecting exceptions.
BusinessObjects includes
server based 'intelligent
agents' for automatic
exception detection. Agents
run on the Document Agent
Server and automatically
send reports to users when
conditions are met. These
conditions can be based on
data in both relational and
multidimensional sources.
Exception Handling
features are good in
Microstrategy. Event
Based Triggers and Time
based triggers sends
reports to user
community.
No built in capabilities
for exception detection,
although a spotlighter
feature in pivots and
details allow to specify
special formatting to
numbers that meet
certain conditions. Also,
If..Then..Else logic
functions in all reports
allows the user to build
exception analyses.
Exception based
highlighting is supported in
reports and dashboards.
Based on the defined
criteria metric values can
be highlighted in different
colors or images.
Intelligent
Agents/Exception
Reporting
It is possible to create
the report using the
data from multiple data
sources.
Drill-down to underlying
relational databases is
now available via
Impromptu (or to other
products, using
PowerPlay macros). Via
PPConnect, definitions
of drill-though targets in
the PowerPlay stub
cube can be defined.
This will aid the
development and rollout of an "Analyze then
Query" model when
using non-PowerCube
data sources.
Drill up or down on an
entire dimension or a
single member, or to
specific levels.
Should support as
Essbase (engine) has
good multi-write
facilities
Drill through
Common OLAP/RDBMS
GUI
Maintainability
Information not
available
In Designer module,
Supports Time Series
automatic time hierarchy
Intelligence.
can be established between
year,Quarter, Month. But if
hierarchy has to be
established further down
the level, it has to be
established manually .
Hyperion Reports
supports Dynamic
scheduling, which
allows for automated
reporting
Supports reporting
scheduling facilities
using the on demand
server
Supports scheduling of
reports creating caches.
Supports Hyperion
Essbase which is a
MDDB
Automated Time
Dimension Rollups
Scheduling of reports
Portability
Data Accessibility
Portable Machine
Support
Security
Security Layer
Supports Microsoft
Windows 95, Windows
98, and Windows NT.
It connects to
Hyperion Essbase on all
supported server
platforms.
Full functionality on
stand-alone machines
running either Windows
95/98 or NT
Supports Microsoft
Windows 95, Windows
98, Windows NT and
2000. And HP-UX, IBM
AIX, and Sun Solaris. It
is possible to save the
data along with the
report and work offline
Excellent, automated
distribution of microcubes
to stand-alone machines.
Supports Microsoft
Windows 98, Windows NT
and 2000.
Supports Microsoft
Windows 98, Windows NT
4.0 and 2000, Unix (Solaris,
HP-UX, IBM AIX).
Application Manager
component (part of
Essbase engine)
provides global, user
level, filter and cell
level security. No
network security
Excellent dimension
member and cell level
security is built in
BusinessObjects
implements security via the
Supervisor tool. Access to
particular data sources,
rows, documents or
features of the product can
be controlled by user, or
groups of users. In BO 6,
Platform-level resource and
security management is
provided, using which the
task of administration is
simplified. Enterprise 6
works with multiple security
options, including
sophisticated firewall
configurations, secure
sockets layer (SSL),proxy
servers, LDAP, and
Windows authentication.
Offers security at
Network/OS Level . The
following authentication
modes is set for each
project source at the
client front end tool
A.
Standard(MicroStrategy
environment)
B. Win NT
authentication(should
link all users in MSTR
environment to Win NT
users)
C. LDAP authentication
(linking users to LDAP
servers)
Performance
Response Times
Memory Requirements
Architecture
Client Server
architecture (1,2 or 3 tier)
Compiled Hyperion
Objects analytic
applications provide up
to 20 times better
performance than
application
development tools that
use an interpreted runtime environment. For
maximum performance
and minimal resource
consumption, you can
compile Hyperion
Objects applications
into native optimized
code. Hyperion Objects
uses a thin-client
processing model that
minimizes both
network traffic and
client hardware
requirements. Hyperion
Objects delivers high
levels of developer
productivity through
object-oriented
application
development. Hyperion
Objects applications
are compiled to native
code for maximum
performance and
minimum client
resource consumption.
Although Express
Objects demands a
relatively high powered
machine, the range of
facilities that it includes
should lead
theoretically, overall, to
better performing
applications than
before, though not as
fast as compiled VB5.
Potentially good runtime performance, but
the complex data
structures can slow it
down.
MicroStrategy is a
ROLAP Tool. Lot of
aggregate tables,
indexing should be build
to reduce query
response time. Also
saving report as caches
on local and distributes
systems increases
performance. MSTR
provides Clustering
which is a collection of
two or more machines
that provide services to
a common set of clients.
It allows to implement
following features
1. Fail over (Load
distribution, Transaction
recovery & state
recovery)
2. Load Balancing
(Database load
balancing, server load
balancing & distributed
processing)
Clustering architecture
is suggested for better
response time.
PowerAnalyzer a ROLAP
engine, provides intelligent
caching to improve
performance. Database
level aggregated fact
tables, indexing,
partitioning and other fine
tuning techniques need to
be adopted for optimal
performance.
IBM or compatible PC
Normal query will run
with an Intel 80486DX
on 64 MB Pc
running at 66 MHz (or
greater). Minimum of
24MB of RAM. At least
20MB available on hard
drive for Express
Objects files. CD-ROM
drive. Microsoft
Windows Version 3.1 or
higher with DOS Version
5.0 or higher running in
386 Enhanced Mode, or
Windows 95 or Windows
NT
BusinessObjects is now
widely used for large
applications, but we expect
that the maximum size of
data set suitable for
downloaded analysis is, at
most, a few hundred
thousand rows on a typical
128Mb PC. But it solely
depends on the number of
users and size
Server Requirements:
Operating System Windows 2000, Windows
NT 4.0, or Unix (Solaris, HPUX, IBM AIX), Memory: 512
MB RAM, Hard Disk Space:
500 MB.
Client System: MS Internet
Explorer 5.5, 6.0
Screen
Plotter
It is assumed that
report data can be
directed to the plotter
for the interface is the
same as that of the
printer
Supports as the
interface is same as
that of the printer
Supports Excel
Supports Excel,
Delimited ASCII & PDF
It provides Documents
which is a formatted
object of specific type
such as HTML , TML ,
Excel , XML or a
preformatted file that
acts as a container for
both static and dynamic
content. Then these
formatted information
will be send to recipients
by information
transmitters. Different
Information Transmitters
and devices are created
by administrators for
different publications.
It provides an object
Does not directly
called Information
support voice output.
Transmitter that delivers
formatted content to
recipient devices. Here
the Information
Transmitter serves the
purpose of sending
wireless messages using
SIMS gateway.
Output Media
Voicemail
MicroStrategy
Narrowcast Server has
services that contain
different publications to
support various devices
such as HTML, E-mail,
pagers, and WARP. For
E-mail the service
contains publication that
uses email(SMTP)
information transmitter.
MicroStrategy has
provided an excellent
price calculator called 7
Price Calculator
v2.1( This information
will be provided as an
attachment). Also the
price list is available on
the URL for each MSTR
Component. For
enterprise edition per
CPU Pricing
MicroStrategy
Desktop(Agent,
Architect, Administrator,
SDK) - 60,000 $ . Also
MSTR provides License
manager that allows you
determine the number
of licenses in use for a
specified MSTR product
or products and upgrade
those licenses as
necessary.
Hyperion Objects
$10,000
Price*
Price Structure
PowerAnalyzer is priced
starting at $50,000 on
server based licenses.
Vendor
Note
Vendor Services
Hyperion is a global
leader in business
intelligence software
and its sole focus is on
building the Hyperion
Business Intelligence
Platform featuring
world-class extensible
solutions. Hyperion's
award-winning support
organization is based
on customer-centric
principles. Hyperion's
Standard Support
provides productrelated expertise from
a broad pool of
technical and nontechnical experts.
Informatica Corporation
founded in 1993 and
headquartered in Redwood
City, California, is a major
player in providing
business analytics software
to monitor and manage the
performance of key
business operations across
the enterprise. Informatica
data integration software
allows customers to build
and manage data
warehouses.