7/27/2016

IBM has made a lot of positive changes with IBM Cognos Express over the years. The biggest change was with their 10.2.2 release when they made IBM Cognos Express the same software code as the IBM Cognos Enterprise solution. See our blog IBM Cognos Express is Now the SAME Software as Enterprise for more information.

As a business analytics coach at Lodestar Solutions and member of the IBM Partner Advisory board, I was championing this effort because it was better for IBM, the clients, and the partners. When you now download the latest release of IBM Cognos Express, you will notice that you see components you might not have seen before.

WARNING! Just because you can see it and download, doesn’t mean you legally have the rights to it!

As a business analytics coach, it’s my job to ensure you don’t accidentally put yourself in a compliance issue and not know it. It’s very easy to have a technical team member download the IBM Cognos Express software and turn features on. How many of you actually read the licensing agreements? Really?

Here’s the skinny on IBM Cognos Express...

There are “Prohibited Components” in IBM Cognos Express such as Dynamic Cubes that are included in the Enterprise licensing but not included in your Express licensing. You need to police yourself and make sure you don’t accidentally turn on the functionality.  Below is the language you MUST read if you are a IBM Cognos Express client or thinking of becoming one!

“Notwithstanding any provision in the Agreement, Licensee is not authorized to use any of the following components or functions of the Program:
A) IBM Cognos Dynamic Cubes (of IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Analytics Administrator)

B) Multitenancy (of IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Analytics Administrator)

C) IBM Cognos Express Administrators:
IBM Cognos Insight to publish workspaces to the IBM Cognos Analytic Server except with IBM Cognos Express Connector or IBM Cognos Express Connector for Performance Management.

D) IBM Cognos Express User: (TM1 and BI)
- IBM Cognos TM1 Administration
- IBM Cognos Framework Manager
- IBM Cognos Performance Modeler
- IBM Cognos TM1 Operations Console
- IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Administration

E) IBM Cognos Express Business Intelligence User:
- IBM Cognos Analytic Server except as a data source connection
- IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Administration
- IBM Cognos Framework Manager
- IBM Cognos Insight for publishing
- IBM Cognos Mobile Contributor
- IBM Cognos Analysis Studio
- IBM Cognos Query Studio
- IBM Cognos Analysis for Excel for writeback

F) IBM Cognos Express Performance Management User (TM1):
- IBM Cognos TM1 Administration
- IBM Cognos Framework Manager
- IBM Cognos Performance Modeler
- IBM Cognos TM1 Operations Console
- IBM Cognos Insight for distributing
- IBM Cognos Mobile
- IBM Cognos Viewer
- IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Administration
- IBM Cognos Analysis Studio
- IBM Cognos Cube Designer
- IBM Cognos Dynamic Query Analyzer
- IBM Cognos Event Studio
- IBM Cognos for Microsoft Office
- IBM Cognos Query Studio
- IBM Cognos Report Studio
- IBM Cognos Software Development Kit
- IBM Cognos Workspace for non TM1 Data
- IBM Cognos Workspace Advanced

G ) IBM Cognos Express Consumer User:
- IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Administration
- IBM Cognos Analysis Studio
- IBM Cognos Cube Designer
- IBM Cognos Dynamic Query Analyzer
- IBM Cognos Event Studio
- IBM Cognos for Microsoft Office
- IBM Cognos Framework Manager
- IBM Cognos Insight for publishing
- IBM Cognos Report Studio
- IBM Cognos Query Studio
- IBM Cognos Workspace for non TM1 Data
- IBM Cognos Software Development Kit
- IBM Cognos Workspace Advanced
- IBM Cognos Mobile Contributor
- IBM Cognos Analytic Server except as a data source connection
- IBM Cognos Analysis for Excel “

But here’s the fabulous news! If you have IBM Cognos Express BI or the complete user license that includes TM1 and BI, the BI component includes Event Studio for IBM Cognos Express clients. Event Studio allows you to set up alerts so the system notifies you when triggers are met. Don’t you want your solution to tell you when there is a problem?

For more information on Event Studio, here’s a link to one of our blogs on the topic: Cognos Event Studio Policing Data Quality - Somebody's Gotta Do It or check out this link at the IBM Knowledge Center.

For more information, check out my source for this blog and if you like reading legalese check out the IBM License Information Documents.

If you found yourself more confused after reading this, don’t worry! Just give us a call at Lodestar Solutions (813-415-2910) or email us at sales@lodestarsolutions.com. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Additionally, keep an eye out for new blogs on the cost to migrate from IBM Cognos Express to IBM Cognos Enterprise licensing.

Last updated:  7/29/16
Based on the knowledge we have regarding license functionality at the time.