If you are considering an upgrade to IBM Cognos 10, you MUST check out Cognos lifecycle manager. Formerly known as Upgrade Manager, IBM has added a number of new features and rebranded it as Lifecycle Manager. It is an application that validates IBM Cognos BI report content during an upgrade by comparing reports that run in different versions of IBM Cognos BI.

Lifecycle Manager helps automate many of your testing and QA tasks when moving from one environment to another. It can be leveraged for:
• C8 to C10 - C10 to C11
• Fix Packs
• Service Packs
• Hardware/Software Updates

Yes, it can even be used when you add patches, or upgrade databases… The application can create a benchmark to quickly test hundreds of reports when something in your environment has changed.  Check out some of the additional functionality below.

Lifecycle Manager Functionality:

• Benchmark projects documented and fully supported
• Compare in different formats (HTML, XML, CSV, XLS as well as PDF)
• Compare in different languages (any language supported by your version of IBM Cognos)
• View project contents by package
• View report execution times
• Import content from an archived project into a new project
• Validate reports executed in the Dynamic Query Mode (if you are not familiar with DQM check out my earlier blog)
• Specify date-time value when comparing reports
• Project and archive names up to 100 Chars (previously 50)

Check out a demo of Lifecycle Manager

How Lifecycle Manager Works

I hope you found this blog on Cognos lifecycle manager educational and can see how Cognos lifecycle manager can help you!  If you are considering upgrading or adding PVU license check out his blog on What the Heck is an IBM Cognos PVU by clicking here.