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Home -> Community -> Usenet -> c.d.o.misc -> Re: Data Warehousing Tools - To Bundle Or Not to Bundle?
I'll take a stab at this. We're a fortune 500 company and have Sticker Shock Disorder from the prices some companies are asking for their products. Not to say it's not worth it, yeh, you get what you pay for, but. We have survived on our existing Oracle database with MS Access for a long time. This runs reports and queries well, but is lacking in the OLAP, and data mining.
That's background, now to the questions.
"Ade Atobatele" <webmaster_at_nigeria.net> wrote:
>Anybody going to answer questions 1 - 4
>
>1. Are "Back Office" type data warehousing bundles the way to go?
I don't think so. Start with the database. Oracle is required for
large companies. Smaller ones can run SQL just fine. This relates to
the previous threads about transaction performance. High volume
requires a robust database. Low volume will run on SQL just fine. So
if you are Low volume, you can get the microsoft bundle. SQL, MS
Access, fits in well with the windows appliction structure most
companies have. If you need OLAP and data mining you are still open
to outside products.
>
>2. If they are what category of tools should make up a bundle? What, if
>anything, should not be in a bundle?
Database, Data Extraction tool, report/query tool (client), OLAP tool,
data mining tool.
Plus ODBC/SQL drivers if required, client OS, and network
infrastructure (Duh!).
>
>3. If money was not an issue and you were able to put together a
>cross-vendor bundle, what currently shipping products would you put in it?
No limit? I might just go with Straight Oracle.
>
>4. Since money actually is an issue in the real world, what would be the
>optimum price that a customer should pay for a bundle? This figure has
>nothing to do with consultancy or hardware.
Real world we all have budgets, and you can get along fine with
existing products. As I said earlier, we have an existing Oracle DB,
and a site license for MS Access. This has served us well and didn't
cost us an extra dime. We did look at other products but they all
cost too much for what improvements we were getting. And once you get
in bed with those guys they will milk you for more money.
Real world budgets depend on the size of your company. If you had to
start from ground zero expect to pay $1M! Database, user licenses,
development costs, etc. If you have existing infrastructure, your
costs will be less. My advice is to leverage off of existing
infrastructure.
>
>5. What effect will the pending Microsoft BackOffice that includes NT5.0/SQL
>Server 7.0 do to the efforts of the vendors currently offering similar one
>stop data warehousing bundles.
It will drive the price down. Take a serious look at MS. They are
geared toward the masses. The small and medium size companies that
don't have a fortune and have already invested in MS products.
But if you have an existing database then you will want to go down that path.
OBTW:
We have multiple source databases (IMS, Oracle, DB2)
We have Oracle 8.0 DB for DW tables
Query tool=MS Access (custom interface).
OLAP=Cognos (just getting this going).
We use ETIs extract tool to move the data but we have reservations
recommending this tool. It's not for wimps.
My .02
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