The document compares the architecture of Cognos 8.2, OBIEE 10g, and OBIEE 11g across several features. Some key differences include: - OBIEE 10g and 11g are based on N-tier architectures while Cognos uses a web-based service-oriented architecture. - OBIEE 10g and 11g require desktop tools for repository development and management while Cognos 8.2 is platform independent. - OBIEE 11g improved support for clustering, load balancing, and in-memory capabilities compared to earlier versions. - All three support integration with external applications, single sign-on, and LDAP integration for security. However,

1. Area Feature Cognos 8.2 OBIEE 10g(10.1.3.4) OBIEE 11g(11.1.1.5)
Architecure Architecture The IBM Cognos architecture OBIEE 10g is based on N Tier OBIEE 11g is based on N tier architecure. Two
delivers the capabilities to architecture. Major main component types the OBIEE 11g:
manage business intelligence components are as below System Components: These are non-J2EE
applications with centralized, Oracle BI server components, such as processes and services
web-based administration Oracle Presentation Server written in C++ and java.
that provides a complete view Oracle Business Intelligence BI Server
of system activity as well as Scheduler BI Presentation Services
system metrics and thresholds Oracle Business Intelligence BI Scheduler
so that organizations can Publisher BI JavaHost
resolve potential issues before Oracle Business Intelligence BI Cluster Controller
there is a business impact. Java Host Java Components
The IBM Cognos architecture Oracle Business Intelligence Web Logic Admin Server
is built on a web-based service- Presentation Services Plug-in Web Logic Managed Server
oriented-architecture (SOA) can be deployed on OC4j or BI Plugin
that is designed for scalability, IIS. BI Security
availability, and openness. Oracle Business Intelligence BI Action Services
Cognos BI made up by 3- for Microsoft Office BI Office
tiered architecture BI Publisher (Reporting System)
Web tier, OBIEE 11g System uses a set of metadata tables
Application Tier stored in a relational database Schema which is
Database tier required at time of installation of OBIEE 11g.
Architecure Hardware platforms / OS supported Platform Independent (Sun Can be installed on Major Can be installed on Major HW/OS. RPD
Solaris, IBM AIX, HP-UX, Linux, HW/OS. RPD Administration Administration tool and Catalog Manager required
Microsoft Windows NT, tool and Catalog Manager Windows Box
Microsoft Windows 2000 and required Windows Box
Microsoft Windows XP etc..)
Architecure Integration between different application Supports ( Java ,. Net and Can be integrated with Can be integrated with External Application(
components? (Integrated solution vs. non- Lotus Connections etc..) External Application (Oracle (Oracle ERP, Sieble etc). Extensive support for
integrated) ERP, Sieble etc) Application integration using Action framework,
Webservice and SOA architecture
Architecure Integration with the data modeling tool No No No
(important to track changes in the data)
Architecure Provision for distribution of BI content to a Yes Yes(Ibots) Yes(Agent Framework)
mass audience

2. Area Feature Cognos 8.2 OBIEE 10g(10.1.3.4) OBIEE 11g(11.1.1.5)
Architecure Scalability Server scalabilty supported Support Cluster based high Support Cluster based high availablity and Load
availablity and Load Balancing Balancing(in 11g Enterprise Managed based UI for
Clustering configuration is available which has
made this process easy)
Architecure Zero-footprint definer Support Need desktop based admin Need desktop based admin tool(client) for
tool(client) for Repository Repository development and Catalog Managment.
development and Catalog Rest of development plus management activities
Managment. are using web interface. Reports/Dashbaord and
Reports/Dashbaord and accessblity and system management is using Web
accessblity is using Web UI. UI.
Architecure Design are resubale across BI applications Yes Yes Yes
Architecure Supports In-Memory or Caching No Caching is supported, In Caching is supported, In Memory not avaialble in
Memory not avaialble base product. Exalytics BI Machine provide In
memory and advance visualization and data
discovery and performance capablity
Architecure Memory footprint requirement for Not very high Not very high At least 6 GB machine is required for development
Development Machine activities
Architecure Support Single Repository Supports single repository as a Single repository for BI OBIEE, BIP and OLAP have their own repository
cognos content manager Reporting Development. BI but they can be access as part of single interface
Publisher has own repository. for report development(OBIEE RPD/OBIEE Web
Interface)
Security Single sign-on support supports (IBM Cognos Yes Yes
provides for single signon
authentication )
Security LDAP Integration Supports all major LDAP Supports all major LDAP Supports all major LDAP systems. . In OBIEE11g is
systems systems users and groups are no longer held primarily in
the repository; instead, these details are stored by
default in the WebLogic Server LDAP server, which
gets installed alongside OBIEE when you install the
product. RPD is encrypted and password
protected
Security Support for Data Supports datalevel security in Very well supported using Very well supported using multiple approaches
authorization(Rows/Columns) frameworkmanger multiple approaches
Security Object Level Security Supports datalevel security in Supported Supported
frameworkmanger
Collabration Flexibility to share report via email Yes ,Microsoft outlook can Yes(Using Ibot) Yes(Using Agents)
supports

3. Area Feature Cognos 8.2 OBIEE 10g(10.1.3.4) OBIEE 11g(11.1.1.5)
Collabration Publish reports on the web(Portal) yes, Cognos Connection is a Yes(portal Integration) Yes(Portal Intgeration)
Web portal provided with
Cognos 8 BI, providing a single
access point to the corporate
Reports available.
Reporting Dashboard Dashboards are done in Yes Yes(OBIEE 11g has lots of new features , New
report studio and capabilities in Oracle Answers,Updated
implemented in cognos dashboard, catalog, search and home page)
conection
Reporting Ability to combine multiple sources in a Yes(Ability combine Yes Yes
single report. externalize sources .xls, .txt,
.csv, .xml file into Cognos and
create reports )
Reporting Ability to reuse calculations on multiple reports (should be done in
Yes Yes(Logical Modeling in Yes(Logical Modeling in semantic layer)
modeling level) semantic layer)
Reporting Ability to schedule reports Yes , Cognos can support Yes Yes
scheduling reports/ entries to
run at a time that is
convenient for users
Reporting Add subtotals and grand totals Yes Yes Yes
Reporting Basic Sorting Yes Yes Yes
Reporting Can whole templates for reports or graphs Yes ,Report templete can re- Limited(create sample reports Limited(create sample reports and user can
be saved for further usage? used and user can change columns change columns at runtime to create their own
at runtime to create their own report)
report)
Reporting Combine tables, graphics, text, and data in a Supported Supported Supported
single report.

4. Area Feature Cognos 8.2 OBIEE 10g(10.1.3.4) OBIEE 11g(11.1.1.5)
Reporting Enterprise reporting. Yes. Using Cognos report OBIEE as BI reporting solution OBIEE as BI reporting solution and Business
studio reports can created and Business Intelligence Intelligence Publisher for Pixel Perfect reproting.
Publisher for Pixel Perfect Several new features has been added to Business
reproting Intelligence Publisher in 11g some of them as
follow
New Online Template Builder
Interactive Viewer
Updated Data Model editor
ADF DVT visualizations
Report templates can now be defined online
Ability to add charts, tables, crosstabs, gauges and
other items
Interactive Viewer allows manipulation, drilling,
filtering of data
Event framework allows “wiring together” of
charts, reports for filtering
Reporting Filtering data in the report Yes ( Data can be filtered by Yes(Filter, prompts) Yes(Filter, prompts)
dynamically (prompts) and
static (detailed and summary)
in the report)
Reporting Flexibility to change text attributes (font Yes Yes Yes
size, style, color)
Reporting Mobile Support Limited(no Iphone support) No Limited(Android not supported)
Reporting Provides graphing capabilities Yes Yes Yes
Reporting Search capabilities. No No Yes
Reporting Meta data search Yes(using Audit Data) No Yes
Reporting Supports Role-based dash boards and Yes Yes Yes
Report
Reporting Hierarchies stored in repository Yes, Hierarchies can be stored Yes(Level Based hierarchies) Major enhancement in hierarchies.OBIEE 11g also
in repository (Content store) support OLAP style hierarchies Ragged, Skip Level.
Support for values based hierarchy as well.
Support presentation based hierachy which is
used report for OLAP style reporting
Reporting Support for Export to multiple formats Yes Yes Yes
Reporting Write-back facilities yes yes Yes
Reporting Support for Balanced scorecarding Yes (Metric studio) No Yes
Reporting Support for self-service NA Yes Yes
Reporting support for Publish and subscribe Supported Supported Supported
Reporting Adhoc reporting Yes(Query Studio) Yes(Answer) Yes(Answer)

5. Area Feature Cognos 8.2 OBIEE 10g(10.1.3.4) OBIEE 11g(11.1.1.5)
Reporting Ability to access and view all reports Yes Yes Yes
through a single portal interface
Reporting Does the product / tool provide integrated yes, Cognos has various kinds Yes(various Graphs and Yes(Major enhacement in charting engine versus
graphing and charting? charts and graphs Charts) OBIEE 10g .
Graphing engine in OBIEE 11g has been moved to
ADF DVT
Easy access to graph types from main Results tab
New layout controls to determine X, Y axis,
measures graphed etc
Ability to define time-based animations, and
opening animations
Graph Prompts
Chart zoom
Reporting MS Office Integration Supports Office (Go-office ) Yes(BI office Plugin) Yes(BI office Plugin)
Reporting Pivot / Drill Down yes Yes Yes
Reporting Time Series Analysis Yes Yes(Couple of new functions has been added in
11g for Time series)
Reporting Addition of Group Members/Calculated yes(DMR models) Limited support in Pivot table OBIEE 11g support OLAP style reporting which
Members
Reporting Provision to integrate BI products with yes (through cognos SDK) Limited Seamless using Action framework
application programs(Actionable
intelligence)
Visualization Map Integration Yes Limited and complex OBIEE 11g ships with Oracle MapViewer 11g
integration Use in conjunction with Oracle RDBMS and spatial
datasets to add map views
Google Maps and Bing Maps can be used for
background maps

6. Area Feature Cognos 8.2 OBIEE 10g(10.1.3.4) OBIEE 11g(11.1.1.5)
Visualization OLAP style reporting yes (DMR) No
OBIEE 11g supports concept of “hierarchical
columns”
In-column drilling up and down a hierarchy
Supports level-based and ragged (parent-child)
hierarchies
Flexible totalling and ability to determine leaf-
levels,ancestors, parents etc
Works with both relational and OLAP
(Essbase,Oracle OLAP etc) data sources
Hierarchical columns can be used in pivot tables
Incremental (status-aware) filter steps can be
defined for hierarchical columns
Add member conditions referencing measures
Visualization Conditional Formatting of values/ Traffic Yes, Advanced conditional Yes Yes
lighitng formatting and Traffic lighitng
supported
Visualization KPI, Scorecards and Strategy Maps Metric designer and metric No Yes
studio is avialble for
scorecarding
Visualization Gauges and Controls yes Yes Yes(Some new control has been added in 11g)
Visualization Graphs Animation, Zooming, Sliders No No Yes
Visualization Master/Detail linking between reports in yes No New in 11g
Dashboards
Query and Analysis OLAP Cube Support only virtual cube creation is Limited support for Essbase Seamless intgeration with Essbase Cube, Oracle
done in 8.2 and Oracle OLAP OLAP Cube and MS SSAS Cube
Advance Analytics Data Mining, Statistical Analysis No Very minimum Very Minimum
Performance Aggregate awareness Yes ( It can be performed in Yes(RPD layer Modeling) Yes(RPD layer Modeling)
the FM and report studio)
Performance Aggregate stores (ROLAP/MOLAP) NA Not available in Base Not available in Base product(Essbase, SSAS,
product(Essbase can be Oracle OLAP can be integrated as MOLAP store)
integrated as MOLAP store)
Performance Automatic selection of best aggregate NA Yes(RPD layer Modeling) Yes(RPD layer Modeling)
Performance Role based workload management yes Yes Yes
Performance Connection Pooling supported supported
Performance Result Caching No Yes Yes

7. Area Feature Cognos 8.2 OBIEE 10g(10.1.3.4) OBIEE 11g(11.1.1.5)
Database Supports ODBC and OLEDB etc.. Supports ODBC and OLEDB Yes Yes
Connectivity etc..
Database Smart Push-Down architecture No Yes Yes
Connectivity
Database DB features/Functions usage in BI layer yes Yes Yes
Connectivity
Administration Single Point Administration supports Single Point of NA Most of the admin tasks can be done using FMW
Administration Enterprise Manager and admin console
Administration Usage Tracking yes (cognos audit) Yes Yes
Administration Out-of-the-Box System-wide Monitoring Supports server and Reports Limited Yes
Monitoring
Administration Installation/configuration easy Easy Complex
Misc Error log, debugging capabilities no Yes Yes
Misc Data lineage and Impact Analysis support No BI Layer only If ODI 11g is ETL tool then OBIEE and ODI Data
Linegae is available else BI Layer only
Misc Save reports and queries for reuse Yes Yes Yes
Misc Availability of tool training Yes Yes Yes
COGNOS VS OBIEE
Asis Mohanty
CBIP, CDMP
asismohanty@gmail.com