| Is it time for a Business Objects migration | | | | 1) Compliance - if you're not using |
| project at your company? If employees use | | | | BusinessObjects XI R2, you won't be supported |
| business intelligence (BI) tools from | | | | and won't be able to take advantage of new |
| Business Objects to slice and dice enterprise | | | | technology and updates. |
| data and produce reports and metrics on | | | | |
| corporate performance, the answer is likely | | | | 2) Improved functionality - the new product |
| to be a resounding 'Yes'. | | | | offers enhanced Web-based business |
| | | | intelligence, dashboard capabilities that |
| In less than a year, the company will end | | | | present a simplified view of key performance |
| support for older versions of its software, | | | | indicators (KPIs), and integration with |
| including BusinessObjects versions 5 and 6 | | | | Microsoft Office, so that information can be |
| and Crystal Reports versions 6 to 10. From | | | | presented to users via familiar formats such |
| June 2008, in fact, the latest version of its | | | | as PowerPoint, Excel and Word. |
| technology, BusinessObjects XI R2, will | | | | |
| become the only supported version. | | | | 3) Future proofing - subsequent migrations to |
| | | | newer Business Objects technology will become |
| As a result, XI migration is now a high | | | | easier if you're running the latest version. |
| priority for many companies, reports Mike | | | | |
| Perks, senior consultant on the business | | | | 4) Reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) - |
| information services team at Logicalis. | | | | the new product combines both the popular |
| | | | BusinessObjects and Crystal reporting tools, |
| But it is also a "substantial challenge", he | | | | so that companies can standardise on a single |
| adds. "In our experience, a Business Objects | | | | toolset, lowering TCO by reducing |
| migration project typically involves | | | | maintenance, hardware, end-user training and |
| purchasing and installing new hardware, | | | | support costs. Also, because full reporting |
| migrating complex reports, and setting up new | | | | capabilities can be accessed via a simple web |
| security models. Above all, you need an | | | | browser, there's no need for software to be |
| in-depth understanding of data management | | | | downloaded onto users' PCs, which reduces |
| issues and the information needs of the | | | | desktop support costs. |
| workforce in question," he says. | | | | |
| | | | 5) Performance, reliability, scaleability |
| For these reasons, Logicalis been asked to | | | | ‑ the distributed architecture of the |
| work with several clients, including a major | | | | new product makes BusinessObjects XI R2 more |
| high street retailer, to smooth the | | | | robust, reliable and easier to scale |
| transition. | | | | vertically or horizontally than earlier |
| | | | versions. |
| Despite the effort involved, however, there | | | | |
| are five good reasons to migrate: | | | | . |
| | | | |