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Cognos Price Hike - Maybe?

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:45 am
by Alan Kirk
I subscribe to a Google Alerts news feed for TM1 and PALO references. The fact that I've hardly ever before posted something resulting from the feeds tells you why we don't have a dedicated "News" forum on this site. However today something cropped up which may be of interest. It's a report by an outfit called Arrow ECS, claiming to be an IBM partner operating out of New York, about a pending change to the Cognos pricing model though according to this TM1 isn't affected:

http://navigator.arrowecs.com/2010/03/p ... ognos.html
Price Increase Coming for Arrow Partners Selling Cognos
According to IBM, effective April 1st, 2010 PVU and Processor List Prices are being increased by 50% relative to Authorized User prices. This is being done to reflect increases in hardware and software scalability in recent years, as well as to strengthen preference for the Authorized User model for all Cognos BI licenses. The PVU metric price change applies to PA, and the processor metric price change to FCT.

This change only applies to those Cognos 8 BI roles and Series 7 BI products that are available on two price metrics (Authorized User and PVU/Processor). It does not apply to other products which are sold only on a PVU or Processor basis (such as TM1 Analytic Server, Data Manager, etc.)
{Scratches head...} TM1 is only sold on a PVU/Processor basis? Well, it is Tuesday, so I suppose that could be Tuesday's price model...
Current list prices remain in effect for the remainder of Q1, and sales representatives should encourage customers to take advantage of the current list prices and try to close as many deals as possible in Q1. The lower list prices will not be available in Q2, and all outstanding quotes will need to be re-quoted with the then-current list prices.
Now whether this applies worldwide, what conditions may be attached to it... one can only guess. I have no idea what "PA" and "FCT" are for a start though it'll probably turn out to be something obvious that my sleep-deprived brain is overlooking.

As has been observed in another thread you could easily obtain a PhD in analysing IBM / Cognos pricing models if only it were possible for your sanity to hold out that long.

And yes, perhaps this post does belong in the Cognos group but TM1 users may wish to talk to their rep about whether there are in fact any wash-overs from this proposed change that may affect them.

Re: Cognos Price Hike - Maybe?

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 3:14 pm
by stephen waters
I have no idea what "PA" and "FCT" are for a start though it'll probably turn out to be something obvious that my sleep-deprived brain is overlooking.
Obvious...
PA = Passport Advantage ( ie new standard pricing)
FCT = Flexible Contract Term ( ie includes legacy components for longs tanding customers such as RW concurrent ports?)

The real joy of studying the Applix\Cognos\IBM pricing structure is that the subject is exponentially increasing in scope and complexity. In addition there is that added frisson every month or so as the price list self destructs and one is faced with the challenge of finding and downloading the replacement, my fingers are tingling at the prospect as I type!!


Dr Stephen Waters ACA, MA (Cantab) PhD (Armonk and Bedfont Lakes)

Re: Cognos Price Hike - Maybe?

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:25 pm
by Alan Kirk
stephen waters wrote:
I have no idea what "PA" and "FCT" are for a start though it'll probably turn out to be something obvious that my sleep-deprived brain is overlooking.
Obvious...
PA = Passport Advantage ( ie new standard pricing)
FCT = Flexible Contract Term ( ie includes legacy components for longs tanding customers such as RW concurrent ports?)
Ah, I said it might be.

Mind you, if I buy a new car I'm only interested in (a) how much I have to pay, "all up, bottom line, get to the point sunshine" and (b) getting behind the wheel of the thing and pointing it down the M5. Throwing contract acronyms at me would usually leave me with my arms folded, glaring at the salestype.

Re: Cognos Price Hike - Maybe?

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:52 am
by stephen waters
Throwing contract acronyms at me would usually leave me with my arms folded, glaring at the salestype.
You will struggle dealing with IBM who apparently have an internal booklet listing the meanings of their multi-hundred abbreviations.

I was puzzled earlier this year to be told by IBM I was not "GPP enabled". As a Hitch Hiker's fan I was relieved to find I was not joining Marvin, Eddie, smug doors and Neutrimatic drinks dispensers. I subsequently discovered I had not been enabled on the "Global Partner Portal".

see
http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=135

http://hitchhikers.wetpaint.com/page/Ge ... sonalities

share and enjoy!