MicroStrategy Inc’s next-generation ‘Caster’ relational OLAP server, due around year-end, is being architected to support programs written for Microsoft Corp’s forthcoming Plato OLAP server and will have all remaining schema dependencies removed, the company says. In addition to componentizing its ROLAP relational on-line analytical processing products using ActiveX, the company says removing all constraints on what form or model of relational database data may be stored in – such as star, snowflake or hybrid – will increase performance, remove so-called ‘question gaps’ in which the ability to query the data is restricted by the use of a particular schema, and enable queries to be processed in real-time. Moreover, MicroStrategy believes the schema and not middleware or interfaces is the battleground for competing OLAP products. Caster will feature greater web functionality – the web-enabled environment is being enhanced to provide the same features and power as its Windows-based products – a new set of analytical tools and increased use of Java. MicroStrategy is currently evaluating use of Dynamic HTML. Supporting Microsoft’s OLE DB for OLAP ‘Tensa’ interfaces will mean that applications written for use with Plato can be processed against Caster and that queries which comply with OLE DB for OLAP will work against MicroStrategy servers, the company says. It hopes customers will begin to use its software as a gateway to their data and says although it may lose some low-end business to Plato – MicroStategy’s form of OLAP is targeted at a much higher point in the market than Plato – Microsoft’s entry will make OLAP a household name and foster increased use of all types of OLAP products. The company’s ‘Bigmouth’ DSS Broadcaster publish and subscribe system which can deliver event data – such as notes about low inventory level – by email, fax or pager (CI No 3,372) will ship in the third quarter priced from $50,000.
