Hyperion Software Corp says it is first to the finishing line with software based on Microsoft Corp’s yet to be released Plato online analytical processing engine, also known as Microsoft OLAP Server (CI No 3,353). Hyperion was demonstrating its new tool, Hyperion MBA (multidimensional business analyst) at the DCI Data Warehouse World show in Florida yesterday. The Stamford, Connecticut-based company has been using the Plato beta and OLE DB for OLAP interfaces to develop the product, which consists of a new family of analytic applications for real-time analysis of business data, supporting business and financial rules and supposedly simplifying the analytical process for non-technical users. The applications are purpose-built for specfic type of analysis: the first – given Hyperion’s roots in the financial management software – is MBA for Ledgers, which links directly to standalone general ledgers for building accounting data marts. Others under development or under consideration are MBA applications for manufacturing, sales and marketing, distribution, performance analysis and benchmarking, and human resources data. Hyperion is using its existing Graphical Report Writer with the tools. Plato merges OLAP with SQL Server and uses technology Microsoft acquired from Israel’s Panorama Software Systems Ltd in 1996. It’s likely to appear alongside SQL Server 7.0, set to be released in the second half of this year.
