For clients that are on older IBM Cognos PowerPlay licenses, this document is to help explain your options for migrating from PowerPlay to Cognos BI 10. IBM Cognos BI (8 & 10) are completely different solutions than Series 7. IBM Cognos BI provides different and expanded capability as well as functionality when compared to Series 7 products. These architectural and functionality differences are also reflected in the licensing of IBM Cognos BI – which is based upon User Roles rather than the individual product licensing applicable to IBM Cognos Series 7 products.

TRADE UP PROGRAM

IBM utilizes a Tiered Trade-up Program which is an optional program offering reduced prices for a wide range of Trade-up scenarios for existing customers wanting to move from Series 7 products to the IBM Cognos BI platform. By leveraging prior investment in supported IBM Cognos Series 7 products, customers can take advantage of IBM Cognos BI functionality and capabilities to meet changing business needs at reduced cost compared to a new purchase.

Clients who pay annual support fees (S&S) have access to IBM support and a new version of what you own. S&S does not give you a general purpose software exchange program. So, if you have a Series 7 PowerPlay client, you can trade that in for C8/10 PowerPlay Client.

The Trade-up program is a vehicle to increase your functionality. The Trade-up cost includes 12 months S&S and includes a year of free dual use to move over. Since Trade-ups include a year of support, it’s best to trade-up when your renewal bill is due. Alternatively, Lodestar Solutions can help to see you receive a prorated credit for support already paid.

Under Series 7 Power Play there were a couple licensing options:

1. 1. Power Play Server + Web
2. 2. Power Play Client – Authorized User

*Years ago, some clients were sold bundles that included a PowerPlay client and Web license for a single user. Cognos did not have a part number that included both, so they typically are displayed as two line items on your support bill.

MIGRATION PowerPlay to Cognos BI 10

As a Series 7 PowerPlay client, you must choose whether to remain as PowerPlay users, moving to the IBM Cognos 10 BI PowerPlay licenses, or declare "I am just a reporting user and go to BI Consumer or Enhanced Consumer.”

There are a number of clients that used PowerPlay web as a reporting tool and not for analysis. These clients may consider trading up to a BI Consumer/BI Enhanced Consumer (recommended for C10).

The challenge is where a client is using PowerPlay for analysis and also wants the new IBM Cognos 10 features such as Business Insight (standard mode) which is included in IBM Cognos BI Enhanced Consumer license and higher. PowerPlay Analyst does not have Business Insight functionality. In this case, the client can either trade-up to C8/10 PowerPlay users and licensed Consumers or Enhanced Consumer functionality separately or trade-up their PowerPlay licenses to Consumer or Enhanced Consumer and purchase PowerPlay Studio additionally.

Trade-up only roles

These roles are available to existing customers only.

IBM Cognos 8 BI PowerPlay Analyst

This license provides the right for a specified number of Authorized Users to:

• Access through IBM Cognos Connection Portal to select reports, view reports and set personal preferences (for languages, time zones etc.)
• Use the IBM Cognos Connection Portal to create and consume portal pages, including use of all of the portlet types provided with IBM Cognos Connection.
• Run and schedule reports created by a licensed IBM Cognos 8 BI Studio module, interact with prompts, output the reports to other formats such as PDF and CSV.
• Subscribe to a scheduled report, create and manage report folders and personalized standard reports.
• Receive Event Studio notifications & set and manage personal alerts.
• Use the IBM Cognos Go! Office module and functionality.
• Use the PowerPlay Studio module and functionality.
• Licensee will configure the Software to ensure that those users are restricted from using any other Software functionality.

IBM Cognos 8 BI PowerPlay User

This license provides the right for a specified number of Authorized Users to:

• Access through IBM Cognos Connection Portal to select and view only reports created by PowerPlay Studio module or published from PowerPlay Client (Windows) (“PowerPlay Reports”) and set personal preferences (for languages, time zones etc.)
• Run and schedule PowerPlay Reports, interact with prompts, output the PowerPlay Reports to other formats such as PDF and CSV
• Subscribe to a scheduled PowerPlay Report, create and manage PowerPlay Report folders and portal pages
• Use the IBM Cognos Connection Portal to create and consume portal pages, including use of all of the portlet types provided with IBM Cognos Connection and personalize standard PowerPlay Reports.
• Use the PowerPlay Studio module and functionality.
• Licensee will configure the Software to ensure that those users are restricted from using any other Software functionality.

IBM Cognos 8 BI PowerPlay Studio User Add-on

This license is available to existing Series 7 PowerPlay customers only.

Permits the specified number of Named Users that have the specified base IBM Cognos BI license the rights to also use IBM Cognos 8 BI PowerPlay Studio Software, and Licensee will configure the Software to ensure that those users are restricted from using any other Software functionality.

IBM Cognos 8 BI PowerPlay Client (Windows)

This license provides the right to install the PowerPlay Client Software on a Windows personal computer and an authorized user may access the Software from the same Windows personal computer to:

• To create, view, or personalize PowerPlay reports based on a PowerCube, including the output of those reports to other formats such as PDF or CSV, interact with prompts and set personal preferences
• Access a remote PowerCube data source, by online continuous connection to a PowerPlay service (i.e., a client/server connection between the user and IBM Cognos BI)
• While online, to save a PowerCube Sub-Cube for use offline
• To access offline via the personal computer desktop (disconnected from any online client/server connection) to a local PowerCube data source on the same computer or a local PowerCube Sub-Cube data source on the same computer
• To publish PowerPlay reports to the IBM Cognos Connection Portal via a PowerPlay service connection, provided Licensee is licensed to use one or more licenses that includes the rights to use the PowerPlay Studio module
  Licensee will configure the Software to ensure that those users are restricted from using any other Software functionality.

IBM Cognos 8 BI PowerPlay Administrator (Trade-up Only)

This license provides the right for a specified number of Authorized Users to

• Access through IBM Cognos Connection Portal to select reports, view reports and set personal preferences (for languages, time zones etc.)
• Run and schedule reports created by a licensed IBM Cognos BI Studio module, interact with prompts, output the reports to other formats such as PDF and CSV.
• Subscribe to a scheduled report, create and manage report folders and portal pages and use the IBM Cognos Connection Portal to create and consume portal pages, including use of all of the portlet types provided with IBM Cognos Connection, personalize standard reports.
• Use the IBM Cognos Go! Office module
• Use the PowerPlay Studio module and functionality
• Use the IBM Cognos 8 BI PowerPlay Client (Windows) module and functionality
• Administer the IBM Cognos BI Software environment in relation to server, security and report scheduling administration and the ability to model metadata via Framework Manager
• Use the IBM Cognos Transformer PowerCube Builder and Modeler modules and functionality
• Licensee will configure the Software to ensure that those users are restricted from using any other Software functionality.

If you liked this blog on migrating PowerPlay to Cognos BI 10, then check out this blog on what is new in Cognos 11 by clicking here.