10.2.2 depreciated features

[AussiePete2011]

Hi all,

I'm actually not sure where to put this as it's not really a product question rather a question of a future state of a product based on the latest notification by IBM

REF: http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?infotype=an&subtype=ca&appname=gpateam&supplier=760&letternum=ENUSJP14-0536

Other features that are deprecated
Support for the following features and products will not be continued after the current release:
•   Cognos Query Studio
•   Cognos Analysis Studio
•   OLAP data sources with Compatible Query Mode (CQM), with the exception of Power® Cubes
•   All 32-bit platforms
•   Andale fonts

Has anyone else seen this and does anyone know if this means the end of Analysis Studio and Query Studio?

Cheers

[Lynn]

I think the introduction of Cognos Workspace Advanced (formerly Business Insight Advanced) put the writing on the wall that QS and AS were on the way out and certainly not going to be enhanced in any meaningful way.

It sounds to me like they won't be available after 10.2.2 so you'll be stuck on that version until you migrate your users, but might make sense to talk to your IBM rep directly to get the skinny. Or maybe others have some definitive information.

CWA is better in a number of ways, IMHO.

[cognostechie]

Hi all,

I'm actually not sure where to put this as it's not really a product question rather a question of a future state of a product based on the latest notification by IBM

REF: http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?infotype=an&subtype=ca&appname=gpateam&supplier=760&letternum=ENUSJP14-0536

Other features that are deprecated
Support for the following features and products will not be continued after the current release:
•   Cognos Query Studio
•   Cognos Analysis Studio
•   OLAP data sources with Compatible Query Mode (CQM), with the exception of Power® Cubes
•   All 32-bit platforms
•   Andale fonts

Has anyone else seen this and does anyone know if this means the end of Analysis Studio and Query Studio?

Cheers

It says 'Support for ..' is deprecated. Might mean that support for QS and AS may not be available from IBM but the products itself
might be available. Just my 2 cents..

I would not upgrade anytime soon though..

[bdbits]

You would have one more upgrade, 10.2.2 will still have them. At least that is what I read at the link.

Lynn is right though, the handwriting was on the way. On the flip side, last year at conference they said they would be around for at least a few years, just not enhanced. Oh well.

It seems to me with the summer's licensing changes and this announcement, they are trying to get people on current releases and tools and off of older technologies. Perhaps to limit their support costs. CQM going away is a bit more disconcerting, as we have some 'legacy' packages and now we will have to convert them. And I have PowerCubes, so it sounds like they are doing what they can to get me off of them. I would be happy to do this if they offered a nice migration path without having to rebuild models and reports.

We are in IT - nothing is constant as change.

[AussiePete2011]

Hi all,

I've actually raised a PMR to get clarification so will let you know once I have some further details but thanks for the feedback.  Interesting times.

Cheers
AussiePete

[cognostechie]

Data Manager got discontinued but we can still use it because they automatically migrated our license to Datastage. I hope they add the functionality in CWA to display the parameter values selected . When the report comes up on the screen, it does not show the parameter values selected unless you put your javascript code in there. It also does not let you create a filter on any attribute that comes from a DMR. 

[Lynn]

Data Manager got discontinued but we can still use it because they automatically migrated our license to Datastage. I hope they add the functionality in CWA to display the parameter values selected . When the report comes up on the screen, it does not show the parameter values selected unless you put your javascript code in there. It also does not let you create a filter on any attribute that comes from a DMR.

Check out this post explaining how to use a clipboard fragment to show selected parameter values in CWA. Way easier than JavaScript in my opinion and no worry of breaking on upgrade.

[MFGF]

Check out this post explaining how to use a clipboard fragment to show selected parameter values in CWA. Way easier than JavaScript in my opinion and no worry of breaking on upgrade.

Here's the link to the post (I think) you are referring to :)

http://www.cognoise.com/index.php/topic,26167.msg83179.html#msg83179

I saw Lynn present this at IOD in 2013, and it was terrific!!

MF.

[cognostechie]

Check out this post explaining how to use a clipboard fragment to show selected parameter values in CWA. Way easier than JavaScript in my opinion and no worry of breaking on upgrade.

Yes, I already did that last year for somebody and it is working but this means that for every report the users make, the report will have to be modified by IT and then sent back to the users. Most business users will hate that because they become dependant and at that point the first thing they will do is to compare this to Query Studio and say this is a pain (without considering the additional features of CWA over QS) !

At IBM IOD, most of the folks were probably IT folks and for them any solution which gives them the chance to overcome any limitation is exciting but when the audience changes, the solution will not look like a solution. This does not mean that CWA is not better than QS but just that a solution which requires participation by technical folks for every report is not considered a viable solution by business and CWA is a users tool, not for technical folks. The business would consider something as a solution which they can implement themselves without having to do much.

I had implemented this in a company last year and the way I did is to create a template in CWA, insert a table at the top of the page with 10 columns and inserted this code and asked the users to use the same parameter names which were Parameter1, paremeter2 etc.

[Lynn]

Yes, I already did that last year for somebody and it is working but this means that for every report the users make, the report will have to be modified by IT and then sent back to the users. Most business users will hate that because they become dependant and at that point the first thing they will do is to compare this to Query Studio and say this is a pain (without considering the additional features of CWA over QS) !

At IBM IOD, most of the folks were probably IT folks and for them any solution which gives them the chance to overcome any limitation is exciting but when the audience changes, the solution will not look like a solution. This does not mean that CWA is not better than QS but just that a solution which requires participation by technical folks for every report is not considered a viable solution by business and CWA is a users tool, not for technical folks. The business would consider something as a solution which they can implement themselves without having to do much.

I had implemented this in a company last year and the way I did is to create a template in CWA, insert a table at the top of the page with 10 columns and inserted this code and asked the users to use the same parameter names which were Parameter1, paremeter2 etc.

I agree with all your points, but I do have power users who understand how to add clipboard fragments for themselves. I provide them with a document that has simple instructions and all they need to do is specify the name of their parameter and do a copy/paste. I found the best way to introduce this was by demonstrating and then having them do the same thing in a hands on setting. The document just serves as a reference for later. It is very simple when you show it.

One key difference between a QS/AS vs CWA solution is that there is zero opportunity to even do an IT tweak with the older tools. If the users can't do it then there is often no option other than to make an IT-owed RS report to achieve their requirement. At least with CWA there is the opportunity to make a property change or tweak of some sort and then allow the users carry on with report ownership and maintenance. Of course we'd love the users to be able to do everything they could ever want to do, but then that would require a GUI that could require a higher learning curve.

Even without any IT tweaks I find that CWA offers significantly more functionality to users so I don't look back on QS or AS with any sort of longing or regret. I suppose users who rush to judgement without considering the big picture of benefits will always be a chore to deal with no matter what change comes along.

[AussiePete2011]

Update from IBM

advised the replacement tool for Analysis Studio and   
Query Studio upon advise from Product Management beyond Cognos BI       
10.2.2 release is Cognos Workspace and Cognos Workspace Advanced

There will be an FAQ generated by PM shortly

[CognosPaul]

Cognos 10.2.2 will have a CWA profiling system. CWA is, at the most basic level, simply a skin of report studio. Some features are hidden and some are moved around. In versions prior to 10.2.2 there is actually a way to see certain RS elements in CWA.

The profiling system will allow you to control exactly which features users can see and use. You can essentially recreate all QS functionality, and give them some extra things like layout expressions. Every button, menu item, and function can be hidden or shown.

At the moment it is not a complete replacement though. There are certain things that are not yet available, like drill throughs. Although with the amount of time I spent whining about that to the RS product team, it might hopefully happen soon. Hear that, Eric? Everyone wants drillthroughs!