IBM Cognos and Planning Analytics Upgrades
IBM has done a great job pushing out updates for both Cognos Analytics and Planning Analytics with Watson. Updates are important, often providing new features, enhanced security, and bug fixes as well as other improvements. IBM Cognos upgrades do come with a potential challenge – Keeping up! Customers should perform an IBM Cognos and/or Planning Analytics upgrade at least once a year. Below I will discuss some of the challenges and pain points associated with upgrading and how Kinetek is solving the IBM Cognos and Planning Analytics upgrade challenge.
IBM Cognos and Planning Analytics Upgrade Pain Points
We love that IBM is continually rolling out new updates, enhancements, and functionality however it does create some challenges... and even a few pain points.
- Frequency of IBM Cognos upgrade releases – Frequent IBM Cognos releases are awesome! IBM has done a great job of enhancing Cognos Analytics and Planning Analytics. However, with such frequency comes costs. Whether you are using internal resources or outside consultants to help you with the upgrades, resources cost – both time and money.
- IBM Cognos upgrades are not IT’s top priority – Often the business is on board with upgrades, they keep the business and your data secure. Yet, most businesses do not have the internal support to upgrade on a timely basis. Thus, upgrading a couple of times a year may not be a priority for your IT team – Start with an annual upgrade plan and build from it.
- Additional technical support – Upgrades often come with the need for additional technical consulting assistance. For some clients, getting a statement of work signed can be a long or even frustrating process.
- New features and enhancements – When you perform a Cognos upgrade, you typically get a bunch of new features and enhancements. (Stay tuned for our next blog ‘What’s New in Cognos 11.2’) The new functionality can be overwhelming, and even intimidating. End users can be resistant to the change, this fear can delay upgrades and even cause upgrades to be pushed off or completely abandoned.
- IT lacks the knowledge to upgrade – IBM Cognos upgrades can be tricky for some clients who do not have internal technical Cognos experts to complete the upgrade. Technology changes so rapidly it can be difficult to keep up.
How can Kinetek solve the challenges and pain of upgrading?
- Our team works directly with IBM - As both an IBM partner and reseller we get the insider track on the upgrades and enhancements that will be coming to market. This allows us to create an action plan specifically tailored to the upgrades your business needs – Saving you both time and money.
- Let us help you create an annual upgrade plan – Our project management team is ready to create an upgrade plan that raises the level of your project performance and elevates your team toward meeting its new system goals.
- Our technical sales team - Will work with you to make sure your SOW contains only the upgrades you need and provide support throughout the entire upgrade process.
- We offer training - Our consultants are here to help teach your team about all the new features, modules, and enhancements included in your upgrade. Our custom courses are available at our training facility, on-site, and virtually to accommodate your specific needs. Enquire below for more details.
- Detailed documentation - Our upgrades include detailed documentation and desktop procedures, helping you keep your internal team and processes working long after the engagement and upgrades are completed.
The Bottom Line
Do not wait to upgrade, reach out to us today to take advantage of the latest IBM Cognos and Planning Analytics upgrade offers. IBM just released Cognos Analytics 11.2 and you don’t want to miss taking advantage of the latest enhancements. Stay tuned for our next blog covering Everything that's new in Cognos 11.2!