Alternative web based front-ends

[Jeroen Eynikel]

Hi,

I am looking for an alternate web based front-end to TM-1.

The requirements are as follows:


- Graphical in nature. I.e. should be very easy to create for instance a zoomable/clickable map of Europe with several data points on it showing TM-1 data. I.e. think flash-like animations if possible.

- Synched with the underlying TM1 model in real time. (or really, really close to it)

- Write back possibilities to TM-1 and possibility to launch TI processes would be very nice

- Stable and as network lightweight as possible.

Now I have worked with TM1 for a long time but have never had a lot of interest in the front-end side of things. I.e. I know TM1 web & Contributor can't do this. I remember something like Temtec's Executive Viewer that was if I recall correctly able to do at least some of these things, but no idea whether it supported all of them, is still being developed or is dead@bigblue.com and how good it was/is in RL.

I really don't know what Cognos 10 is able to do in this regard or whether there's other options I haven't even considered yet.

Any input / rl experience with something similar?

Thanks,

Jeroen

[Alan Kirk]

Hi,

I am looking for an alternate web based front-end to TM-1.

You might want to take a look at Quebit's "Olap Objects" product. (http://www.quebit.com/OLAPObjects.asp) I haven't used it myself, though our NZ branch (which runs a separate instance of TM1) does and seems quite happy with it to the extent that if I ever get the money to upgrade this side of the Tasman I'll certainly be looking at it.

(Very, very tenuous conflict of interest disclaimer; one of the other Forum Admins does work for Quebit, but in this context I'm nothing more than a potential customer of his.)

[jim wood]

I've just completed a project that did something like this but not quite the same. We used a mixture. We used executive viewer for the nice looking dashboards and we used custom built code that interfaced the API. I don't know how good your coding skills are but both TM1 and executive viewer have decent API interfaces and you can do some powerfull stuff.

[Michel Zijlema]

Hi Jeroen,

You could have a look at Cubeware Cockpit. There is a free, non-expiring and full functional version available for download. The 'only' limitation of this free version is that it is single user and you can only use the Cockpit reports on the machine on which they were developed.

Michel

[Jeroen Eynikel]

@ all: thanks for the suggestions so far

@ jim. Having to use the api is a definite drawback. Firstly because I have very little knowledge of the api and also because it is not something I see myself spending a lot of time on learning to master it.

Now that being said; rather than learn it myself I would probably be able to get someone proficient in .net (but not having a clue about TM1) on board. I don't know how feasible it is for an experienced .net programmer to work with the TM1 api, but it sounds more feasible to me than the other way around.

That said there remains the drawback that I don't see an end-user mastering the .api so end-users would remain dependant of IT to create their reports. Ideally that should not be the case.

@anyone: have any experience with Cognos 10 as a front-end to TM1? The good/bad/ugly?