Research Notes/Consolidation Corner
Research Notes/Consolidation Corner
Research Notes
BI Cost Study Uses New Method.
Ventana Research, a content partner of Intelligent Enterprise, created 12 BI "usage scenarios" that can be mixed and matched in order to simplify TCO comparisons across BI implementations. Ventana compared software from Actuate Corp., Cognos, Informatica, Information Builders, and MicroStrategy. The following vendors showed the lowest TCO for 10,000 users in the following usage scenarios: Actuate — dashboards; Information Builders — parameterized reports; Cognos — ad hoc multidimensional OLAP; Informatica — ad hoc relational OLAP.
Manufacturing Leads App Requirements.
The applications software market in North America is dominated by manufacturing companies investing in applications that enhance product design, marketing processes, collaborative manufacturing, and customer and partnership relationships. According to a new report from IDC, more than 23 percent of 2002 applications software revenue originated from companies in the manufacturing sector.
Real-Time Process Optimization Market Growing But Slowing.
Worldwide shipments of real-time process optimization (RPO) and training software and services exceeded $550 million in 2002 and will top $925 million by the year 2007, according to a study from ARC Advisory Group. The RPO marketplace consists of three types of applications: advanced process control (APC), online optimization, and dynamic simulation for training. Growth of the RPO market has been decelerating for the past couple of years, which ARC attributes primarily to the economic slowdown. ARC believes growth is poised to accelerate again soon.
Consolidation Corner
IWay To Integrate Actional Division.
IWay Software, an Information Builders company, has announced the acquisition of Actional Corp.'s adapter business. IWay sells business integration middleware. The deal encompasses the purchase of Actional's adapter business, including all intellectual property (SOAPswitch, Actional Control Broker, and Object Bridge technologies) and all associated adapter products and patent rights. Also, iWay assumes licensing agreements and employees.
Ipsos Strengthens Its CRM Capabilities.
Ipsos, a survey-based market research group, will acquire Marketing Metrics Inc. (MMI), a research company specializing in customer relationship and customer satisfaction management. CRM/CSM will be offered globally under the Ipsos Loyalty brand name in 2004.
Automotive Industry Providers Team Up.
Reynolds and Reynolds provides integrated products, services, and training that help automotive retailers manage change and improve profitability. By acquiring Third Coast Media, it gains the .Net technologies of Web and CRM tools used by nearly 1,000 automotive retailers.
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