Business Objects, the world`s leading provider of integrated enterprise decision support tools, today announced the beta interface between BUSINESSOBJECTS , the industry`s leading integrated query, reporting and analysis tool, and Microsoft`s online analytical processing (OLAP) server, code named Plato. This native integration, called the BUSINESSOBJECTS Plato OLAP Access Pack, gives end user access to Microsoft`s OLAP server via the BUSINESSOBJECTS OLAP Panel, providing users with rich analytical capabilities and a full set of production reporting tools to create and distribute reports throughout the enterprise. "We are very pleased to extend our relationship with Microsoft by providing an integration to their OLAP server," said Bernard Liautaud, president and CEO of Business Objects. "Microsoft`s entrance into the OLAP server market is an indication of the significant benefit of providing OLAP capabilities for mainstream users. Business Objects already enables business users to access a wide range of data sources, including relational databases, OLAP servers, and packaged business applications. By integrating with Plato through OLE DB for OLAP, a standard OLAP API, we are giving customers yet another data access option." "This tight integration provides customers with the combined benefits of working with two industry leaders," said Steve Murchie, data warehousing product manager at Microsoft. "With the robust software from Business Objects on the front end, users will quickly and easily take advantage of the powerful analytic capabilities of Plato. BUSINESSOBJECTS has the intuitive look and feel of the Microsoft desktop platform, offering a large audience of users access to a wide range of OLAP applications across the enterprise." Business Objects will be the first ISV to demonstrate client access to Plato at the Microsoft SQL Server Workshops to be held in Europe in March and April. The BUSINESSOBJECTS Plato OLAP Access Pack offers the following benefits: * Report writing and desktop analysis: BUSINESSOBJECTS is the first client/server decision support tool to provide a wide range of enterprise DSS functionality from production reporting to end user reporting to OLAP analysis directly against OLAP servers, all from one interface. Customers can take advantage of the popular BUSINESSOBJECTS tool for integrated query, reporting, and analysis, to give end users added analytical power, and exploit the full power of Microsoft`s highly configurable OLAP server. * Automatic report distribution: BUSINESSOBJECTS can automatically generate and distribute reports containing data from Plato and other data sources. This offers customers the ability to schedule reports for enterprise-wide distribution. * Combining multiple data sources: Customers can join relational and Plato data, as well as personal/desktop data, enabling them to report on and analyze data from multiple data sources using BUSINESSOBJECTS. * Data Mining: Users will be able to quickly load Plato and other data into BUSINESSMINER, the powerful desktop data mining tool from Business Objects that lets non-technical users perform automatic analysis on their BUSINESSOBJECTS reports. * Mobile computing: The OLAP Panel will allow customers to pull Plato data into BUSINESSOBJECTS dynamic microcubes that provide OLAP on the desktop. Users can then perform local analysis and reporting while disconnected from Plato and from the network. Pricing and Availability The integration between BUSINESSOBJECTS and Plato is currently in beta. Pricing will be announced at the time of production availability.
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