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.

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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.

Modules

The following diagram provides an overview of the various iCube.NET modules and their relation to other Client and 3rd Party systems.  All items are part of the iCube.NET system with the exception of items 9 and 10 which are the sources of data on which iCube.NET system reports and which are already owned and operated by the client.

Standard Features

This is what iCube.NET will allow you to do...

Alternative to Excel Services and SharePoint Server

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 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.  iCube.NET is a "Rolling Stone" (it gathers no MOSS!).  Once installed, iCube.NET 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.

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
• Weightmans
• Foot Anstey
• Holman, Fenwick and Willians
• London Borough of Greenwich Council

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 as a Microsoft Gold Certified 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 demonstrations of iCube.NET illustrate the facilities provided to the two available categories of user: Cube Viewer and Administrator. The title and run time of each demonstration is given below. Registration will be required before viewing the files.

Flash Demos Cube Viewer Overview View a demonstration of how iCube.NET displays OLAP data (51s). Using the Cube Viewer View a more detailed demonstration of browsing OLAP data (1m 57s). Administrator Overview Get an overview of the admin features of iCube.NET (1m 05s). Cube Admin View a detailed demonstration of managing OLAP Cubes (1m 43s). User Admin View a detailed demonstration of managing Users and security (1m 15s). Department Admin View a detailed demonstration of managing Department security (1m 18s). required to view the demo files (minimum screen size 1024 x 768)

PDF Documentation Overview of iCube.NET This pdf provides an over view of the features of iCube.NET v4. iCube.NET User Guide This user guide gives detailed instructions on how iCube.NET can be used to view OLAP data. required to view PDF files

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 cost of iCube.NET for your organisation and please call us if you have any queries.  It doesn't cost anything to ask us a question.

Bronze Silver Gold Platinum Server Licence 1 Proof of Concept Server licence free 1 1 server licence £1000 Multiple servers £1000 Multiple servers £3000 per server installation Client Access Licences (CALs) 5 CALs free 1 Volume based licensing per seat subject to agreement. Unlimited CALs 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 Software Assurance and Upgrades 20% of Licence Fee and Bespoke Development per annum. Upgrades are charged at full Server Licence and Client Access Licence rates. 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 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 'Trial Version' restrictions apply to the Bronze licence:

• iCube.NET is restricted to a 30 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 Platinum 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 Platinum Customisation offering is subject to technical feasibility.

What to do next?

Please register here for our online demonstrations or, if you would like to discuss how iCube.NET could improve the BI reporting in a particular area of your business, please contact us for a friendly discussion and a no obligation, competitive quote.

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Prerequisites

You need to have the following environment to install iCube.NET:

• Windows 2003/2008 Server with IIS.
• Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or 2005.
• Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services 2000 or 2005.
• DotNet Framework Version 2.0.