PerformancePoint to merge into SharePoint 2010

It's been more than 2 years since Microsoft purchased ProClarity Corporation to strengthen their BI (Business Intelligence) offering.

ProClarity, a Gold Partner experienced in BI, had developed market leading Advanced Data Analysis and Visualization software that worked with Microsoft's SQL Server database product set and Microsoft's SQL Server BI tools, together with the ProClarity analytics and visualisation tools, became the toolset to beat in the BI market place.

Initially Microsoft just rebadged and sold the ProClarity system, later the technology was incorporated into the new more integrated product "PerformancePoint 2007"

PerformancePoint 2007 currently consists of two main server products:

• Monitoring Server: Collates data from multiple data sources, and from the SQL Server database engine and SQL Server Analysis Server in particular, and collates them into KPIs, Scorecards, Reports, Charts, Maps and Dashboards ultimately for display on a SharePoint portal. Monitoring Server is all about effective visualisation of actual data verses target. An end user can immediately see it business performance is off target and can drill down and slice and dice the data to see why.
• Planning Server: Manages the gathering of planning data and collates and aggregates it to produce the targets for the business. An Excel Add-In and a job scheduling system are the main tools used to gather the data. The targets are then stored and compared with actual data from production systems using Monitoring Server.

The future of PerformancePoint is spelled out on Microsoft's web site. Take a look at www.microsoft.com/performancepoint and you will see:

Based on customer feedback, Microsoft is moving the scorecard, dashboard, and analytic functionality from Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server into Office SharePoint Server Enterprise, making these highly valuable capabilities available throughout the organization at a lower total cost of ownership. As of April 1, 2009, PerformancePoint Server 2007 will no longer be available for purchase. During mid 2009, Microsoft will release PerformancePoint Server 2007 "Service Pack 3" which will include updates to the current product's Planning module.

In other words the Monitoring Server is to be come part of SharePoint 2010 Enterprise and planning server is to be discontinued, but still supported.

This is really great news for SharePoint Enterprise license holders because it means that Performance Point will essentially become a free product.

SharePoint Standard license holders will need to pay the extra for an Enterprise CAL but will still get PerformancePoint cheaper than before The plans for PerformancePoint in SharePoint 2010 promises to include new features and improved integration as well.

If you would like to know more about new Microsoft products or technologies, or how Ballard Chalmers can help you, please contact Andrew Chalmers on andrew.chalmers@ballardchalmers.com or call 01342 410223.

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