The three main advantages of open source business intelligence (OSBI) are its complete independence from vendors, its lower initial projects cost, and that it is far easier to customise.
This is according to Van Zyl Kruger, principal consultant for PBT Group, who will present at the ITWeb Business Intelligence Conference on 26 and 27 February at The Forum, in Bryanston.
Kruger's presentation: "Open source BI: What are the advantages and risks?" introduces the open source concept within the BI arena. Kruger will look at some of the OSBI market leaders. He will take an in-depth look at the advantages, disadvantages and risks of using OSBI as well as present some case studies and views of OSBI implementations.
Kruger says the disadvantages of OSBI include questions surrounding intellectual property, as there is no guarantee of future development, and the status of projects is not always easy to track or determine.
In addition to the disadvantages associated with OSBI, risks such as its longevity and continued support, perceived inability to cope in the "real world", and a lack of skills and training need to be faced, he adds.
As the risks in commercial implementations and open source are similar, the mitigation of these risks is therefore the same, explains Kruger. It is important to employ the correct set of tools before starting with a project to ensure all aspects of the project are considered before the outset.
"After a detailed analysis of the requirements, a toolset should be considered that will fulfil all aspects of the requirements. If the selection process of the tools was conducted properly and proper project management is in place, the possible risk will be mitigated," he concludes.
Kruger has a degree in Mathematical Statistics from the University of Pretoria and is an active member of the Royal Statistical Society. Since 2001, he has worked as a consultant on local and international projects. Kruger has been involved in the BI industry for more than 10 years and spends most of his free time investigating new methods and technologies in the BI space.
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