iCube.NET, a springboard OLAP Cube Viewer for Microsoft Analysis Services

Introduction

Developed by TCS, iCube.NET is an intranet application which simplifies the viewing and administration of OLAP cubes (either as a table and/or a graph) developed using Microsoft Analysis Services (which is provided with Microsoft SQL Server).

It utilises the Microsoft Office 2003 Web Component as the cube viewer and iCube.NET provides the facility to save user defined views within its own SQL Server database.

For ease of deployment iCube.NET is accessed via your Web browser.

Learn more

If you have already invested in Microsoft SQL Server, iCube.NET can take advantage of the power of SQL Server Analysis Services to deliver a cost effective, secure and flexible OLAP reporting solution across your intranet.

Think of iCube.NET as a stepping stone to allow you to explore the potential for BI without the significant investment that products like PerformancePoint Server 2007, Hyperion or Cognos require.

Stepping Stone

iCube.NET is not designed to compete with large products such as Business Scorecard Manager 2005 (BSM) or PerformancePoint Server 2007 (PPS), but it is designed to be a Stepping Stone towards your future implementation of a richer BI solution.  iCube.NET is therefore an entry level BI reporting tool that is a much cheaper alternative.

The promised nirvana of Excel Services delivering cheap BI capability is still a long way from being realised.  Just like PPS and BSM, Excel Services requires Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS) to deliver its narrow and fixed capabilities.

Once iCube.NET is installed, it will provide a dynamic view of your data straight out of the box without the need for a costly and time consuming MOSS installation.

iCube.NET is therefore a pragmatic, easily installed and maintained, low cost tool for organisations beginning to consolidate and improve their BI.

If you want to step up to a more powerful reporting solution at a later time, then your investment in developing a set of OLAP Cubes will not be lost as these are likely to be viewable with other products.

Standard Features

The following are standard features of iCube.NET...

Who uses iCube.NET?

The reporting features of iCube.NET are designed to cater for both vertical market and horizontal functions within your organisation.

From financial reporting to stock reporting, monitoring staff productivity to reporting KPIs and scorecard data, iCube.NET will provide a simple to use yet flexible tool to quickly compile, pivot, analyse and publish reports.

iCube.NET is currently being used by

• ASB Law
• Cyril Sweett PLC
• Foot Anstey
• Holman, Fenwick and Willians
• Greenwich Council
• JBS Packerland
• Weightmans
• ...and many more.

Microsoft Tested

When financial data is being reported, you need to know that the software that is delivering the data is accurate and reliable.

You can trust iCube.NET.

The software has undergone strict testing at VeriTest (Microsoft's software certification partner) and has been awarded the "Microsoft Platform Test for ISV Solutions" certificate.  This means you will benefit from our commitment to delivering software that is reliable and gives a good end-user experience.

Click the following link to view details about iCube.NET on the Microsoft Solution Centre....

https://solutionfinder.microsoft.com/Solutions/iCube.NET

Also details about TCS Computer Services qualifying as a Registered Microsoft Partner can be found here...

https://solutionfinder.microsoft.com/Partners/TCSComputerServices

Installation and Future Support Partnership with TCS

Although iCube.NET can be installed by its flexible and automatic installation program within minutes, the real power comes from the OLAP Cube building services of TCS Computer Services.

With a rolling annual maintenance and support contract for iCube.NET you will be investing in the security of a BI reporting solution that can adapt and grow with your business.

How we can deliver this to you

We can offer a flexible approach to managing your iCube.NET installation and will tailor our support style to suit your requirements. 

If you have a serious drive to establish a BI reporting infrastructure in your organisation we will treat your installation as a 'live' project with appropriate change control procedures in place to ensure accuracy and consistency of the information delivered.

If you want to use iCube.NET to explore what BI reporting can offer your organisation, we can treat your installation as a 'proof of concept' which offers a higher degree of flexibility and lower overheads to creating and modifying the underlying OLAP cubes and data sources.

Whatever your requirements, TCS can work in partnership with you to achieve your BI goals with iCube.NET.

Online Demonstrations

The following demonstration video gives an overview of how iCube.NET can provide an entry-level BI reporting solution that is installed easily within your existing SQL Server environment.

Screenshots

The following screenshots provide an overview of the various iCube.NET modules.

Pricing

Our pricing structure is tailored to the approach you take with your iCube.NET installation and licence prices can therefore vary according to the level of support you will require to establish the underlying OLAP data sources.

Please use the following as a guide to calculating the price of iCube.NET for your organisation and please call us if you have any queries.  You can also calculate the price on the Buy tab.

Trial Small Business Standard Enterprise Server Licence Single server Proof of Concept licence: free 1. Single server licence: £2,250. Single server licence: £3,250. Multiple servers:£12,000. Client Access Licences (CALs) 5 CALs free 1. Volume per seat licensing subject to agreement.  5 CALs included.  Max 50. Unlimited CALs (i.e. 50 or more) Accessibility No licensing restrictions imposed on Intranet or Extranet access. Time limits 10 day evaluation. None. Installation DIY + email support. DIY + telephone support. DIY + telephone or remote assistance if required. Inclusive onsite Assistance by prior arrangement if requested. Setup 2 DIY + email support. DIY + telephone support. DIY + telephone or remote assistance if required. Inclusive setup of iCube.NET to your requirements. Maintenance and Support, Software Assurance and Upgrades None.  Upgrades are charged at full Server Licence and Client Access Licence rates. 20% of Licence Fee and Bespoke Development per annum. 20% of Licence Fee and Bespoke Development per annum with remote assistance to upgrade to latest versions. 20% of Licence Fee and Bespoke Development per annum with remote or onsite assistance 6 to upgrade to latest versions. Integration Standalone installation. Standalone installation with customised parameters according to your requirements 3. Standalone or embedded installation with customised parameters according to your requirements 4. Customisation None enabled. Stylesheet formatting enabled. Bespoke customisation of software to allow integration into your environment 5. Bespoke OLAP Datasource, Cube and Dimension Development TCS standard daily fee rates with free initial consultation and estimate apply to all modifications. All modifications to datasources (e.g. SQL Server database development), cubes and dimensions up to one day of estimated time are inclusive of support price.   Further work over and above one day is charged at TCS standard daily fee rates with free initial consultation and estimate. Bespoke Relational Database Development and Integration

Notes

¹  The following restrictions apply to the 'Trial' version:

• iCube.NET is restricted to a 10 day trial after which the software becomes locked until a valid non-trial licence key is entered or the trial period is extended at the discretion of TCS Computer Services Limited.
• The trial version can be derestricted by upgrading to the Silver support level once your BI confidence is established.
• A maximum of 5 CALs can be registered.
• The iCube.NET website software must be installed on the same server as the OLAP data source.
• A maximum of 3 cubes can be registered within iCube.NET.
• A maximum of 15 views can be created within iCube.NET.

²  The following limits are applied when seeking assistance with Setup at all levels of support.

• Establishing up to 3 OLAP Data Sources.
• Creation of 1 OLAP Database.
• Creation of up to 3 Cubes.
• Creation of up to 5 standard dimensions per Cube.
• Creation of up to 5 shared dimensions.

³  Customised parameters allow you to link directly to iCube.NET views and apply filtering and other criteria.  The Gold Integration offering is subject to technical feasibility.

⁴  Embedding will allow you to embed iCube.NET secured reports and charts directly to your intranet pages with filtering and other criteria applied.  The Enterprise Integration offering is subject to technical feasibility.

⁵  Bespoke customisation of the software will allow you to have iCube.NET tailored to your exact requirements.  However, this applies only to iCube.NET and not to any 3rd Party tools, controls or utilities that are used within the iCube.NET application, e.g. the Microsoft Office Web Components can only be modified through the OWC API.  The Enterprise Customisation offering is subject to technical feasibility.

⁶  Onsite Assistance applies to sites within England only and is subject to travel costs and expenses being paid for by the client. Onsite Assistance for sites outside of England may be arranged, but is also subject to travel costs and expenses being paid for by the client.

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Any Feedback?

We are continually investing in iCube.NET to extend the features and functionality available.

If you have used iCube.NET and have any feedback, we would love to hear it. Any feedback you give to us will be strictly anonymous and will help us improve our service to you.  So, if you have a couple of minutes, please complete our iCube.NET Feedback Questionnaire.