Microsoft Forms Alliance for Data Warehousing

PHOENIX Sept. 17, 1996 Microsoft Corp. today announced the Microsoft Alliance for Data Warehousing, which brings together many of the industry’s leading providers of data warehousing technology and applications to deliver simpler, more cost-effective data warehousing solutions to customers using Microsoft® SQL Server
™
.

The founding members of the Microsoft Alliance for Data Warehousing are Business Objects SA, ExecuSoft Systems Inc., Informatica Corp., NCR Corp., Pilot Software, PLATINUM technology inc., Praxis International and SAP AG.

“Strong relationships with industry leaders are critical to the success of Microsoft SQL Server-based data warehousing solutions,”
said Jim Allchin, senior vice president of the desktop and business systems division at Microsoft.
“The Microsoft Alliance for Data Warehousing will ensure that Microsoft technologies work very well with other data warehousing products and applications, making it easier and more cost-effective for customers to implement solutions based on the combined technologies.”

The members of the Microsoft Alliance for Data Warehousing will work closely with Microsoft to increase the use of Microsoft SQL Server as a data warehousing solution.

The group is working with Microsoft to define the Microsoft Active Data Warehousing Framework, a set of extensible, COM-based interfaces designed to simplify integration and management of data warehousing solutions. The framework will undergo a rigorous design review by the members of the Microsoft Alliance for Data Warehousing and other developers later this year using Microsoft Open Process design reviews.

The alliance members will cooperate with Microsoft to provide products and services to speed implementation of data warehousing solutions based on Microsoft SQL Server. The members will also participate in joint marketing and selling activities such as seminars, trade shows and advertising.

The founding alliance members currently ship leading data warehousing products and applications that complement the capabilities of Microsoft SQL Server. Their products cover key areas of data warehousing such as data acquisition, data movement and replication, data transformation and scrubbing, data analysis and online analytical processing (OLAP), and administration.

Microsoft Alliance for Data Warehousing Members

Business Objects offers integrated query, reporting and OLAP tools that simplify data analysis for end users and work on top of leading relational databases such as Microsoft SQL Server. The company also offers BusinessQuery, an add-on product for Microsoft Excel users.
“We are very pleased to be working with Microsoft as part of its Alliance for Data Warehousing,”
said Dave Kellogg, vice president of corporate marketing at Business Objects.
“The 32-bit architecture, Office compatibility, and Windows® logo certification for Business Objects 4.0 show strong synergy between our products and Microsoft’s. We’re confident that by working together, we will provide even more value to customers as they move forward with data warehouses based on Microsoft SQL Server.”

ExecuSoft’s Symbiator provides near real-time replication to and from a wide range of data sources including IBM DB2, AS/400 and Microsoft SQL Server.
“ExecuSoft Systems is very happy to be part of the charge Microsoft is making with its data warehousing strategy,”
said David Bishop, director of development at ExecuSoft Systems.

Combining the Microsoft BackOffice
™suite of products with Symbiator, ExecuSoft’s bidirectional replication software, provides AS/400 customers easy access to near-real-time AS/400 data that has been replicated to Microsoft SQL Server databases and keeps them synchronized with the AS/400.”

Informatica’s PowerMart suite is an integrated set of client/server tools that address all the major steps of data warehouse design and management, including data extraction, mapping and transformation.
“Microsoft’s data warehousing strategy will produce benefits for both the user and vendor communities,”
said Gaurav Dhillon, Informatica’s CEO.
“Customers will benefit from reduced implementation times, lower costs and less complexity. Vendors that offer complementary products should see their revenues rise as Microsoft’s strategy expands overall demand.”

NCR provides a wide variety of solutions for data warehousing ranging from multiprocessor servers, the Teradata database and services for data warehousing solutions.
“This strategy focuses on making data warehouses better decision tools for more businesses,”
said Bill Eisenman, senior vice president and general manager of NCR’s Computer Systems Group.
“NCR is proud to apply its expertise in database systems, computing systems and professional services to this effort.”

Pilot Software offers comprehensive data mining and OLAP tools that are tightly integrated with Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Excel.
“We are extremely pleased to work with Microsoft in its Alliance for Data Warehousing,”
said Eric Kim, Pilot’s president and chief executive officer.
“Microsoft’s Active Data Warehousing Framework and Pilot’s industry-leading decision support tools deliver a scalable, affordable platform for transforming, managing and analyzing critical corporate data to solve real business problems.”

PLATINUM technology offers over two dozen products that work with Microsoft SQL Server. Of special interest in light of today’s announcement are InfoBeacon, which allows access to traditional mainframe data sources such as IMS, VSAM and DB2, and InfoPump for access to relational data sources such as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase and Informix.
“Whether you’re implementing a data mart solution for a single functional area or an enterprisewide data warehouse, PLATINUM technology’s data warehouse products, such as InfoBeacon and InfoPump, and Microsoft SQL Server are a great combination,”
said Andrew Filipowski, president and CEO, PLATINUM technology inc.
“The joint effort of Microsoft and PLATINUM technology will not only deliver powerful data mart and data warehousing solutions, but also greatly expand the total market for data warehousing.”

Praxis International’s OmniReplicator is a near real-time, heterogeneous data replication tool that supports the movement of data to and from DB2/MVS, Informix, Oracle, Sybase and Microsoft SQL Server.
“As a leading provider of data replication products for moving heterogeneous enterprise data into data warehouses, Praxis International is excited about participating in the Microsoft Alliance for Data Warehousing,”
said Gareth Taube, vice president of marketing at Praxis International.
“Helping make data warehousing simpler enables our customers to more easily create competitive advantage from their corporate data.”

SAP is a market and technology leader in client/server business application software, providing comprehensive solutions for companies of all sizes and all industry sectors. SAP delivers scalable solutions that enable its customers to continually improve upon best business practices, respond quickly and decisively to dynamic market conditions, and achieve and maintain a competitive advantage.
“SAP and Microsoft already have a close relationship, and we are very pleased with its results, including over 200 customer installations worldwide that are using the SAP R/3 solution based on Microsoft SQL Server,”
said Guenther Tolkmit, vice president of technology marketing at SAP AG.
“And now, as part of the Microsoft Alliance for Data Warehousing, we are working together to make it even easier for R/3 and SQL Server customers to successfully implement data warehousing solutions.”

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft, Windows and BackOffice are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

For online product information:

Visit the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/sql/ .

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.

Related Posts