Esri Maps for IBM Cognos

Esri Maps for IBM Cognos is one of the Esri Location Analytics products that provides data visualization and geographic intelligence for the IBM Cognos Business Intelligence (BI) suite. Powered by SpotOn Vantage, Esri Maps for IBM Cognos is a web-based software that integrates Esri maps and data into IBM Cognos business intelligence reports. The product enables location analytics by business users via a seamless plug-in that fits in the BI environment.

Other similar products under Esri Location Analytics are Esri Maps for MicroStrategy and Esri Maps for SAP BusinessObjects (coming soon)

History
Esri Maps for IBM Cognos (previously known as SpotOn Vantage Maps) was developed by SpotOn Systems in 2009, a firm that integrates maps into IBM Cognos business intelligence applications. In 2011 Esri acquired SpotOn Systems, and only in July 2012 the SpotOn Vantage Maps name was dropped and replaced with Esri Maps for IBM Cognos, in-line with its Esri’s product naming convention.

Esri Maps for IBM Cognos
Esri Maps for IBM Cognos is an add-in for the IBM Cognos business intelligence suite. It supports close integration of dynamic Esri Maps into IBM Cognos reports and dashboard.

The three primary user interface components of Esri Maps for IBM Cognos: Esri’s spatial analytics, global data, and map visualization inside Cognos Reports brings geospatial query, reporting, and dashboarding capability to Cognos. The user interface lets Cognos report authors and consumers use mouse gestures, with zero coding knowledge.
 * An extension to IBM Cognos Report Studio in the form of an Esri Viewer tool, allows IBM Cognos report authors to map enable their reports using the same toolbox and drag-and-drop capability they use for other reporting capabilities.
 * Design-time components called Vantage Administration and Vantage Map Studio work together to allow report authors to configure and style maps embedded into IBM Cognos reports, and to establish how the maps interact with IBM Cognos report objects and data
 * A runtime component allows BI users to explore their BI data on maps using simple gestures and spatial filters to analyze performance.

Users of Esri Maps for IBM Cognos
Business intelligence report consumers that require to view and analyze data in a spatial or geographic context are the primary users of Esri Maps for IBM Cognos. These consumers utilize IBM Cognos BI reports to make data-driven business decisions that affect how the business runs.

Secondary groups that use Esri Maps for IBM Cognos are report authors that build and deploy reports for business intelligence report consumers. BI system and security administrators are users in the background that ensure BI data and applications remain running efficiently and securely, as the Esri Maps for IBM Cognos integrates tightly with the administrative and security framework of the underlying IBM Cognos environment.

Mapping with Esri Maps for IBM Cognos
IBM Cognos report authors are able to utilize the following features when building reports:
 * Rich basemaps enhance BI data visualization. Overlay multiple basemaps in a single visualization.
 * Zoom and pan to whichever area on the map is of interest, directly in the context of an IBM Cognos BI report.
 * Analyze regions by linking BI data, Esri data, or both to thematically shaded regions on a map, providing instant visualization of key business measures in a highly visual way. A single map can symbolize multiple business measures, which can be viewed and analyzed in the context of standard regions or based on custom regions.
 * Analyze points by viewing and analyzing specific points or groups on a map, with key measures or attributes of things like sales outlets, customers, or equipment symbolized using any custom graphic or color scheme.
 * Map to report broadcast objects by using intuitive spatial query tools to update the content of the report. Users can use rectangular or radial selections, polygons, and buffered lines to select regions and/or points on the map, and update related report content based on the selection.
 * Drill through from higher to lower-level regions, for either relational or OLAP data.
 * Map layer queries data in map services to discover relationships with IBM Cognos BI data.
 * Ease of authoring IBM Cognos BI report with in-place authoring workflow. No coding or custom skills (including GIS skills) are required.

Map Services Options
Esri Maps for IBM Cognos provides total flexibility when it comes to map services. Users can access and employ basemaps via ArcGIS Online for all the options listed below.
 * Utilize In-Place Esri Map Services – Organizations already using ArcGIS for Server and have published dynamic, queryable map services that can be consumed using the Representational State Transfer (REST) interface. These services can be consumed in Esri Maps for IBM Cognos.

Two options are available for organizations using IBM Cognos BI but do not have access to ArcGIS for Server:
 * Cloud-Based Map Services – Organizations which require Esri Maps for IBM Cognos to drive location analytics, analyze BI data based on known regions, and wish to leverage totally secure, scalable, web-based cloud map services to perform analysis. The map services provided via this option grant access to a suite of known boundaries. Delivery of these map services are totally secure, and no client BI data is ever utilized by or transmitted to the cloud servers.
 * On-Premises Map Services – Organizations which require all their software solutions to be on premises, behind the corporate firewall. This installs and configures as many instances of ArcGIS for Server Enterprise Standard required to meet the anticipated needs of IBM Cognos BI applications. This solution is subject to the condition that utilization of on-premises ArcGIS servers is restricted solely to be used with IBM Cognos BI applications.

System Requirements
Esri Maps for IBM Cognos supports IBM Cognos BI version 8.4 and greater. It is also supported on the following platforms:


 * Windows Server 2003, 2008 (32 or 64-bit)
 * SUSE Linux (32 or 64-bit)
 * Red Hat Linux (32 or 64-bit)
 * IBM AIX, IBM z-Linux