Express Xcelerator Imports

[declanr]

All,

I have a customer who wants TM1 but quite simply is priced out of the market, obvious next step was to just build the model in CX Xcelerator.

The questions revolves around what is and is not allowed in regards to data imports, since IBM have basically packaged a product with all the functionality of TM1 but said that you are not allowed to use certain parts or you will get your wrists slapped... this being proven by the fact I am certain you are NOT ALLOWED to import data directly from "full fat" BI yet a little bit of testing proved it is still possible... they didn't even hit it hard enough to actually remove the functionality

What are the ways that are considered acceptable for data imports from source systems?

I would make a safe assumption that a good old fashioned import everything from a flat file should never provide legal issues (fingers crossed.)
Can I still just query directly from a SQL table?

Are there any other huge omissions in general that I should be aware of before progressing down the CX route?

I have read other posts on the forum and I have also spoken with IBM directly (possibly the cause of the confusion)... there seems to be a lot of contradictory opinions and info available in general.

My basic idea:
100 users max
1 instance only
No direct connection to BI
Its always going to be the prior version to TM1 (not that we have seen any huge leaps in functionality in a while... apart from autofeeders <shudders>)

There must be something else wrong with it though when the difference in price equates to something in comparison of a Ford Focus vs a Bugatti Veyron!

[lotsaram]

I've been out of the partner game for a while but my recollection is that Xcelerator isn't allowed to "integrate" with Cognos BI meaning the Xcelerator server can't be used as a datasource for BI. I don't recall anything to say data can't be extracted by whatever means from another system and loaded to Xcelerator. Certainly no reason why you couldn't query the underlying tables with ODBC.

Its a full strength TM1 server. The 100 user thing really is the only real limitation.

[tomok]

I'm pretty sure those 100 users are named users, not concurrent ones, and there is also a 4-core processor limitation in CX. Although I have had no direct experience in this, I have also heard that IBM will discount Xcelerator signficantly if you catch the right salesperson at the right time.

[lotsaram]

.. and there is also a 4-core processor limitation in CX.

Are you sure Tom? Last I heard the processor limit for CX was 32 cores (which makes CX pretty compelling when compared to Enterprise TM1 PVU licensing model, that is if it wasn't compelling already.)

[Michel Zijlema]

.. and there is also a 4-core processor limitation in CX.

Are you sure Tom? Last I heard the processor limit for CX was 32 cores (which makes CX pretty compelling when compared to Enterprise TM1 PVU licensing model, that is if it wasn't compelling already.)

My 2c:
An Excelerator license is limited to a maximum of 32 cores in a machine - maybe there is some restriction on max. 4 cores per cpu, but I'm not aware of that.
The user licenses are named licenses and the server license is per ICAS (TM1 Server) instance - if you want to run multiple instances you need multiple licenses.
There is a limitation of max. 100 users per module (Excelerator, Reporter, Advisor, etc.).
The Excelerator install does not include the package connector and you're not allowed to install this under the Excelerator license. As far as I know you're allowed to connect to any source that you can connect to using TI. But it is not allowed to use Excelerator as a source in the full BI suite.

Michel

[tomok]

Are you sure Tom? Last I heard the processor limit for CX was 32 cores (which makes CX pretty compelling when compared to Enterprise TM1 PVU licensing model, that is if it wasn't compelling already.)

No, I'm not sure and must be wrong. I was going off what I was told by a colleague. I'm shocked that you can use 32 cores in CX.

[stephen waters]

An Excelerator license is limited to a maximum of 32 cores in a machine - maybe there is some restriction on max. 4 cores per cpu, but I'm not aware of that.
The user licenses are named licenses and the server license is per ICAS (TM1 Server) instance - if you want to run multiple instances you need multiple licenses.
There is a limitation of max. 100 users per module (Excelerator, Reporter, Advisor, etc.).
The Excelerator install does not include the package connector and you're not allowed to install this under the Excelerator license. As far as I know you're allowed to connect to any source that you can connect to using TI. But it is not allowed to use Excelerator as a source in the full BI suite.
Michel

I am pretty up to date with CX licensing and can confirm most of Michel's comments.
A couple of points:
- The core limitation is 32 and I have seen no reference to the number of CPU's.
- if you purchase the combined\complete connector, the maximum number of users is 100 in total, not per module.

In response to another comment, I would be very surprised if IBM were discounting CX Xcelerator since it is so cheap ( and good value) compared with Enterprise TM1.

[tomok]

In response to another comment, I would be very surprised if IBM were discounting CX Xcelerator since it is so cheap ( and good value) compared with Enterprise TM1.

Unless they have changed the pricing it is $25K per module, and you can get three for $50K, or something like that. I know of a company that purchased standalone Xcelerator for $15K.

[stephen waters]

All,
There must be something else wrong with it though when the difference in price equates to something in comparison of a Ford Focus vs a Bugatti Veyron!

If you are just interested in Enterprise TM1 vs Cognos Express ICAS\Xcelerator, the costs you pay for the massive price difference are:
- a lengthy and complicated install, which can be a nightmare if things go wrong
- a cumbersome double security set up ( CAM and TM1)
- an admin console that, to me , is not very intuitive
- a hard coded server name
- very frequently a load of b***s**t from salesmen who tell you that CX Xcelerator is a cut down version of TM1 that is much easier to install, learn and implement!

However, once it is installed you can ignore most of these and just pretend you are using TM1!

[stephen waters]

Unless they have changed the pricing it is $25K per module, and you can get three for $50K, or something like that. I know of a company that purchased standalone Xcelerator for $15K.

Tomok,
Dont want to go into detail pricing here but CX has never been anywhere near the first pricing you mentioned (assuming we are talking US Dollars). IBM had some price changes at the beginning of this year and the the second price is probably a reasonable reflection of staring point for current configurations.

Its just a shame you cant buy Cognos Express and "only" install the TM1 part of it!

[declanr]

Thanks for all the pointers here, I think it mostly clarifies what I already believed but there are a couple of things for me to think about.

As for it being horrible to install I must admit I didn't find it to be that terrible... by which I mean I hated it until I experienced installing TM1 10. Then strangely enough Express seemed a whole lot more "friendly."