A Comparison of Business Intelligence Tools

Comparing QlikTech, Microstrategy, and SAS

Submitted by, Apurva Meshram(PRN:10030141015) Garima Ramdeo (PRN:10030141069)

1. QlikTech
1. 2. 3. 4. Up-and-coming BI company 7,000 customers. Offers a fully functional, free trial, and a 30 -day money-back guarantee. High customer satisfaction scores. Rated a visionary in Gartner s Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence Platforms, 2008.

QlikTech is a global leader in next -generation business intelligence solutions, offering sophisticated in-memory analysis and reporting solutions for enterprise and individual customers. QlikTech supports an open information architecture, where business information is broadly, affordably and quickly av ailable to those who need it. QlikTech s flagship product, QlikView, uses next -generation patented in-memory association technology to make sophisticated analysis dramatically easier to deploy, use and maintain.

1.1 Significant new features of QlikView 9

Enterprise Manageability
y FEATURE: Improved load balancing support. QlikView Access Point has the ability to sense current load on several connected QlikView Servers and direct users to the most appropriate instance. y BENEFITS: Easier resource planning, better memory utilization, and faster response times from user queries.

y FEATURE: Better selection and calculation performance. Several major optimizations have been made in the areas of field frequency calculation. Now, alternative values are shown during common chart aggregation operations. y BENEFITS: Faster response times, more effective handling of larger QlikViews, and overall better QlikView performance when scaling usage across data and users.

Integrated Reporting
y FEATURE: PDF report distribution from QlikView Publisher. A task can now be added in QlikView Publisher to distribute QlikView reports via email with no license user limits on reports. y BENEFITS: Single infrastructure for dynamic analysis and enterprise reporting needs.

y FEATURE: PDF reports and printing from the AJAX and Java clients. y BENEFITS: Allows users to do PDF printing directly from Web -based user clients provides WYSIWYG printing.

QlikView Everywhere
y FEATURE: QlikView for iPhone a native iPhone client now available from Apple s App Store. y BENEFITS: Interactive click through line items on a list box or chart to get to answers, going deep into regional or product data. Cover Flow flip through relevant business analysis, make a new select ion and those changes are instantly reflected throughout. GPS -enabled automatically delivers local customer sales, service or inventory data as reps approach a customer or supplier facility. Feature-rich use search, bookmark and shake to erase.

y FEATURE: J2ME client a Java based client for mobile phones with browsers running Java Virtual Machine (including Blackberry devices). y BENEFITS: QlikView business analysis is now available on the most common mobile platforms, offering anywhere, anytime ac cess to QlikView data.

Usability and Simplicity

y FEATURE: New charts and chart features including Spark lines, Whiskers, Trellis charts, URLs in table box, and live chart backgrounds. y BENEFITS: More flexibility to analyze and display data than e ver before from the most simple and basic approach to complex and granular detail.

y FEATURE: Tree view list box, for displaying a field containing hierarchic data in a list box. y BENEFITS: Get a better overview of how hierarchical data is related. Make selections on different levels in hierarchical data.

y FEATURE: Actions and triggers replaces shortcuts and offers a wider range of operations. y BENEFITS: Replaces many of the most commonly used macros. Triggered by clicking in the UI.

y FEATURE: Document chaining a new action for making it possible to open a new document from inside another document and app ly current selections from the old document to the new document. y BENEFITS: A powerful way of moving user selection states between QlikViews as you move between analysis of different areas of your business.

y FEATURE: Global search, for simultaneously searching in multiple fields. y BENEFITS: QlikView users can at any time, from anywhere in the QlikView application, search all dimensions of underly ing data model. Search results are instantly highlighted and you can at any time make selections as you go.

Real-time information
y FEATURE: Live push of data into memory, which programmatically updates field data in real-time without running the script. y BENEFITS: Enables dynamically updated QlikView data in areas where data changes frequently. Provides new opportunities for doing real -time location, financial, price, and inventory data analysis. y FEATURE: Update, insert, rollback, delete data and other S QL-style syntax for interacting with live QlikView in -memory data. y BENEFITS: Provides low latency for updating QlikView data without the need for running the script. Real -time integration between applications.

Developer Empowerment
y FEATURE: QlikView Personal Edition. y BENEFITS: Fully functional, free downloadable QlikView developer for personal use. y FEATURE: Layout development in AJAX and Java clients. y BENEFITS: This new feature enables everyone to build their own, personalized layout using QlikView zero-footprint AJAX and Java clients running in a standard Web browser.

y FEATURE: Table viewer preview. y BENEFITS: Provides simple and quick access to a rich preview of the actual QlikView data used in QlikView applications.

2. MicroStrategy
y Rated a leader in Gartner s Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence Platforms,2008. y Strong, comprehensive and unified BI functionality reporting, real-time business monitoring, integration, and analysis. y On-demand BI solution was built from the ground-up by MicroStrategy. MicroStrategy is a worldwide provider of business intelligence software that enables companies to report, analyze and monitor the data stored across their enterprise. MicroStrategy provides sophisticated analytical performance to every business user in the format that suits them best, from high -level dashboards to custom reports and advanced analysis via e-mail, Web, fax, wireless and voice communication channels. The company provides integrated reporting, analysis, and monitoring software that helps leading organizations make better business decisions every day. MicroStrategy 9 is the latest release of the MicroStrategy Business Intelligence (BI) Platform, building upon MicroStrategy s industry -leading, world-class BI architecture, and significantly enhancing the performance, accessibility, and scalability of the platform even beyond its already high levels. With MicroStrategy 9, companies will be able to easily deploy and maintain BI at any scale, thanks to a wealth of intuitive, self-service features and the most flexible BI technology in the industry.

2.1 Significant new features of MicroStrategy 9

Multiple Data Source Support

y FEATURE: MicroStrategy MultiSource Option, a new and fully integrated add on component of MicroStrategy Intelligence Server, allows users to seamlessly report, analyze, and monitor data across multiple sources through a single business model. y BENEFITS: Optimal report performance and query times; Fewer servers and IT support required, leading to low BI costs; Easy to gradually migrate from disparate departmental islands of BI into fully integrated, unified enterprise BI.

In-Memory BI
y FEATURE: New Intelligence Cube in MicroStrategy OLAP Services, a dynamic in-memory cache that identifies and streamlines the complex queries that typically take a long time to process in the database, reducing server workload and freeing capacity for other applic ations. y BENEFITS: Minimal query times and eased peak reporting times; Reduced server workload; Ability to work within analytic sandboxes autonomously without impacting enterprise -wide performance.

New Web Interface

y FEATURES: A re-engineered, faster, and more intuitive MicroStrategy Web interface that includes innovative self -service features, tree and accordion style navigation, ribbon toolbars, prompt and filter creation, a new grid and graph designer, easier formatting, and more. y BENEFITS: Rapid response times; Easy grid, graph, and dashboard design; Minimal need for new report designs and support via the high self -service and easy-to-use interface.

Dashboard Design and Analysis Capabilities

y FEATURES: Out-of-the box dashboard templates; quick report -to-document conversion; multi-layout documents, smart placement assistants; dashboard autostyles; Expanded library of advanced visualizations for both DHTML and Flash; complete OLAP and drilling; HTML containers; and more. y BENEFITS: Intuitive, self-service dashboard design for novices, supporting departmental BI by delivering more BI with minimal costs and resources; Rapid dashboard response times .

MicroStrategy Distribution Services

y FEATURE: New product, MicroStrategy Distribution Services, a high-volume automated distribution system for reports, dashboards, and business performance alerts via e -mail, file, and print. y BENEFITS: High-volume, proactive information delivery; Off -loaded peak-hour interactivity lowers BI costs; Time-saving personal distributions and personal alerts.

New Enterprise Reporting Features

y FEATURES: Automatic formatting features in MicroStrategy Report Services, such as horizontal repeating sections, dynamically -selected images, vertical text layout, multi-layout reports, automatic table of contents generation, pagination, and watermarks. y BENEFITS: Quick, easy production of enterprise reports, invoices, and customer statements, without requiring programming or IT support.

Enhanced SQL Engine

y FEATURES: Several levels of intelligent SQL generation that eliminate unnecessary SQL passes and significantly improve multi-pass SQL generation. y BENEFITS: Fast report and dashboard performance, at any time of the day, and at any scale

Internationalization Support
y FEATURES: Ability to translate MicroStrategy objects and data, and deploy a single application in multiple languages, enabling users to view MicroStrategy interfaces, reports, metrics, attributes, other metadata objects, and data in their own language. y BENEFITS: Enhanced collaboration and analysis, as every business user around the world can access essential business information in their own language.

Improved Design and Administration

y FEATURES: New, graphical MicroStrategy Architect allowing users to visually map the business model; seamless object migration via MicroStrategy Object Manager; and more. y BENEFITS: Rapid and streamlined object and application development, delivering fastest time to value, least amount of administrative overhead, and lowest BI costs at any scale.

3.SAS
y Exceptionally strong in advanced analytic analysis. y Full analysis power revealed in the hands of uses with knowledge of SAS programming. y Subscription-based pricing model. y Rated a leader in Gartne r s Magic Quadrant for Business IntelligencePlatforms, 2008. SAS is a leader in business intelligence and analytical software and services. Customers at 43,000 sites use SAS software to improve performance through insight from data, resulting in faster, more accurate business decisions ; more profitable relationships with customers and suppliers; compliance with governmental regulations; research breakthroughs; and better products and processes. SAS Enterprise BI Server is a comprehensive, easy-to-use business intelligence software solution that integrates the power of SAS Analytics and SAS Data Management to provide insights that power better decisions. It includes role based, self-service interfaces for all types of users within a well-defined IT governance framework and a centralized point of administration. This helps organizations simplify and speed business intelligence deployment.

3.1 Significant new features of SAS Enterprise BI Server

Portal and customizable dashboards
Point-and-click dashboard development enables users to create and customize their own dashboards in just minutes from virtually any data source.

Business visualization
Interactive visualization capabilities enable information producers to dynamically explore data, investigate patterns and uncover hidden facts. An extensive suite of customizable graphic presentation options present information and insights to information consumers that are not easily detected in tabular formats.

Web and desktop reporting

A wide variety of targeted, fit-to-task interfaces for report building, viewing and distribution open the power of SAS to all types of users with varying needs and skills, speeding better decision making while relieving the burden on IT.

Mobile analytics
A selection of easy-to-use data visualizations enables you to monitor key indicators and track trends from mobile devices.

Microsoft Office integration

Business users have seamless access to SAS Analytics and business intelligence from within their Microsoft Office applications, so it is easy for them to access data, perform queries and analysis, and create reports. They can also use familiar Microsoft Office functionality to distribute results to others.

Query and analysis

Information producers can easily access and query data on their own without having to learn new skills or make constant demands on IT for data and reports.

OLAP storage and OLAP data exploration interface

A powerful, multidimensional database is designed to handle large volumes of business intelligence data, and a specialized interface makes it easy to build and maintain OLAP data storage cubes. Business users can use their Web browsers to quickly and interactively look at summaries of large volumes of data from multiple angles.

Business metadata management

It's easy to map physical data structures to readily understood business terms so that business users can self-sufficiently access consistent information. An open, central repository means metadata can be integrated, centrally managed and shared across the enterprise.

Flexible deployment options

Flexible deployment options can help you quickly integrate business intelligence into your existing organizational environment.

Guided analysis and model development

SAS Enterprise Guide provides a dynamic Microsoft Windows inte rface for guided analysis and model development that enables business analysts, statisticians and programmers to easily access data and leverage SAS Analytics and efficient processing across all enterprise platforms.

Applications development
In addition to the programming capabilities provided in SAS Enterprise BI Server, SAS AppDev Studio provides a comprehensive environment for developing and customizing applications using a variety of languages and platform choices.

3.2 BENEFITS
y

Provides the information needed to drive faster, better decisions.

IT managers deploying SAS Enterprise BI Server can leverage previous investments, integrate BI quickly into existing environments and provide the information needed to drive the business forward as quickly as possible. This, with the added benefit of freeing resources from tedious tasks to focus on more strategic projects, ensures that IT is a driving force behi nd their organization's success.

Increases data consistency, enables data-driven decisions and streamlines administration.

Through centrally managed data, security and shared metadata, SAS Enterprise BI Server delivers consistent representation and control of information by providing reliable results that can be easily traced back to the source. This alleviates the repetitive task of validating which reports or results are correct. In addition, integration with Microsoft Office allows IT to retake control of ad hoc Excel use without impeding users' desire for this familiar environment.

Enables vendor consolidation comprehensive BI solution.

and

standardization

with

SAS Enterprise BI Server ensures that IT has the breadth of BI capabilities to meet the needs of every type of user, including managers looking for dashboards, groups that want to view or build reports on the Web, analysts or

power users who need advanced data exploration, and IT staff who need to deploy, manage, control and maintain the entire solution.
Vendor MicroStrategy QlikTech SAS

Business Solution

Intelligence MicroStrategy8 QlikView Business Intelligence Solution Business Intelligence Provides advanced QlikView makes it Solution Highlights reporting technology simple to deploy

SAS Intelligence Suite

Business Solution

with a more intuitive user experience and delivery via the Web, giving more users access to report information. Delivers the detailed information that impacts decisionmakers throughout the enterprise. Individuals at all organizational levels and job functions, as well as supply chain partners and customers, rely on powerful, flexible enterprise reporting systems that present targeted data in the most consumable format for day-to-day operations. With easily configurable dashboards, scorecards, and portals, MicroStrategy 8 provides the ability to deliver detailed data on current and historical operational performance so people can see what

powerful analysis. QlikView takes advantage of 64-bit multi-core hardware platforms to allow thousands of users to access billions of records of data. The QlikView in-memory data model allows an integrated view of information through dashboards, ad-hoc analysis, and reports all from a single platform. QlikView is easy to learn and use. Because of its color coded, point- andclick user interface, QlikView is extremely intuitive and easy-to-learn for any employee. Changes to QlikView applications are done in seconds, which makes it easy to respond quickly to the changing BI needs of an organization. With the QlikView Connector Certified for SAP

Delivers self-service reporting, a robust business user view of data, intuitive and familiar wizarddriven interfaces, and unlimited report authors and consumers. Provides ad-hoc and managed reporting, and integration of analytic results and processes. Provides an integrated environment for predictive analytics and descriptive modeling, data mining, text mining, forecasting, optimization, simulation, experimental design and more. Gives you a range of techniques and processes for the collection, classification, analysis and interpretation of data to reveal patterns, anomalies, key variables and relationships, leading

is happening across the enterprise, and how well the business is operating

NetWeaver, SAP customers can now take full advantage of the power of QlikView, the leading in-memory Supports advanced business intelligence and predictive analysis capabilities, solution that allows enabling users for the for dynamic analysis first time to perform and reporting. analyses such as SalesLogix Visual hypothesis testing, churn prediction and Analyzer is a fully customer scoring integrated sales and models within a marketing analysis single unified web module for your interface. SalesLogix CRM system. Based on QlikTechs QlikView business intelligence platform, SalesLogix Visual Analyzer gives SalesLogix users a real-time snapshot of organizational, departmental and individual performance against objectives.

ultimately to new insights for guided decision making. Presents data in charts, graphs and maps integrated within multiple BI applications

Customer Focus

MicroStrategy serves thousands of the world s leading companies, including 7 of the top 10 global retailers, 9 of the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies, and 8 of the top 10 global telecommunications companies.

Business Intelligence MicroStrategy s onTechnology demand BI solution is built and delivered from MicroStrategy

QlikView brings fast results and better decision making to small and mid-sized companies. Industries served include: Consumer Products, Retail & Distribution; Financial Services; Infrastructure Services; Life Sciences & Healthcare; Manufacturing; and Public Sector. Unlike most BI packages, QlikView doesn t rely on OLAP, it is an in-memory

SAS solutions are used at 45,000 sites in 109 countries. Customers include 91 of the top 100 FORTUNE Global 500 companies.

SAS technology is state-of-the-art and while they are evolving better and faster

Intelligence Server, the industry s most advanced, scalable secure and robust business intelligence server. MicroStrategy Intelligence Server provides the core analytical processing and job management for all reporting, analysis and monitoring applications. Employing a ServicesOriented Architecture (SOA), MicroStrategy Intelligence Server makes it easy to standardize on a single, open platform for all an enterprise s reporting and analysis needs through a number of access channels: Web browsers, Microsoft Office, Desktop clients, and emails. It is the first and only BI server to provide the full range of BI applications through a unified metadata and a single integrated server running on Windows, UNIX, or Linux.

analysis solution. QlikView gives you all the benefits of OLAPbased BI multidimensional slice-anddice data analysis without the limitations. QlikView applications deploy quickly, are easy for the IT department to maintain, and give end-users unlimited freedom for ad-hoc queries across any dimensions in the data.

business solutions for companies around the globe, they are also staying in tune with the latest technology in delivering those solutions. SAS offers OnDemand and various options in SaaS hosting solutions for companies. They are committed to your enterprise and what it requires to stay on the competitive edge of business.