Hyperion intends to open up its System 9 BI platform to work with the reporting, OLAP analysis and data integration technologies included in Microsoft’s SQL Server 2005 platform.
This means that Microsoft customers will be able to access SQL Server Analysis Services data and SQL Server Reporting Services using Hyperion System 9 BI+. For example, Hyperion customers will be able to use Reporting Services to access Systems 9 BI+ Essbase Analytics and also display Microsoft reports in System 9’s unified Workspace environment.
Additionally System 9 customers can also tap into SQL Server Integration Services for data integration functions like ETL.
The move deepens integration between the two companies on yet another product dimension. Hyperion already ties into Microsoft’s Office suite.
The technical alliance is perhaps most significant because it now paves the way for interoperability between each company’s OLAP server products — Hyperion Essbase and SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services.
Not so long ago Essbase and OLAP Services were deemed to be directly competitive products. Supporting one another’s technology now shows how OLAP technology is becoming increasingly commoditized in BI and business deployments.
System 9 BI+ is part of Hyperion’s Business Performance Management (BPM) solution. From Microsoft’s perspective this opens up the possibility of delivering sophisticated BPM capabilities like financial planning and budgeting to its SQL Server customers – something the company has been lacking up to now.
Neither Hyperion nor Microsoft offered a timetable for product integration. Microsoft and Hyperion have around 4,000 joint customers.
