Re: OLAP tool recommendation

Craig Sylvester <sylvest@informix.com> wrote: :I'm looking for feedback on which tool(s) users like best :for running queries and reports against a large OnLine :database (in a data warehouse env). :We've narrowed it down to the following tools: :MetaCube :Crystal Reports :BusinessObjects :BrioQuery from Brio Technology :Powerplay from Cognos You seem to be comparing apples and oranges here - very much so. MetaCube - a true ROLAP tool - high quality - "high" price. Crystal Reports - a simple reporting tool (I have the professional ver. 4.0 that is all but useless for anyting but very simple reports, ver. 5 may be better). BusinessObjects, BrioQuery - I don't know too much about these, but as I understand it they are basically reporting tools with some limited OLAP-like fasilities. They seem to be fairly highly regarded for what they do. Powerplay - a multi dimensional analysis tool, used either with it's own local multi dimensional database or as a front end to other MDDBS's (whery different animals than an RDBMS). Critisised by some for limited capabilites, but relatively low price. If MetaCube is an alternative (the price is acceptable) other products one might look at may be DecisionSuite from Information Advantage, the DSS products from MicroStrategy and some others. As you seem to be from Informix itself you might not want to introduce the real competitors to your customers, on the other hand if you do and win you'll impress them that much more. Also remember that for several types of customers a non relational MDDB database may also be the right additional solution to a data warehouse that you should now about and perhaps introduse them to. You may want to look at Essbase from Arbor Software and others. If you want real advice on this sort of thing from people who know a lot (not like me that so far have only read about these things) you might want to post to comp.databases.olap instead. :Thanks, :Craig :-- :Craig Sylvester - Senior Systems Engineer :Informix Software :Vienna, VA :Voice: 703-714-0662 :Fax: 703-714-0699 Nils.Myklebust@ccmail.telemax.no NM Data AS, P.O.Box 9090 Gronland, N-0133 Oslo, Norway My opinions are those of my company