This page lists answers to the questions we have seen most often. We update it regularly based on incoming inquiries. You can click the icon to the right to download the complete list of questions and responses.
Q: Is SpotOn Vantage Maps compatible with IBM Cognos 10?
A: Yes. We announced support for IBM Cognos 10 at IBM Information on Demand 2010 in Las Vegas.
Q: If we subscribe to hosted Esri map service, will Esri see our data?
A: Absolutely not. The product pulls data from the hosted Esri map service, and joins it to your IBM Cognos data completely within your BI environment. As highlighted during the webinar, this is one of the major advantages of using SpotOn Vantage Maps over Google Maps.
Q: How easy or difficult it is to integrate and configure with Cognos?
A: The installation of SpotOn Vantage tends to be as easy or easier than the installation of IBM Cognos software, and depends on the complexity of your configuration (multiple gateways, dispatchers, etc…). The install process is fully documented, and it’s common for our customers to be up and running in less than a day.
Q: Does SpotOn Maps work with Active Reports in Cognos10?
A: Not at this time. However, we are investigating this for a future release.
One of the main benefits of IBM Cognos 10 Active Reports is that they are totally disconnected from any network and the internet. They are local versions of reports, with all of the data and images required to render based on the included controls. Geospatial information systems, based on enterprise map services like Esri, or even based on more consumer-based services like Google, require connectivity to leverage the underlying map services. That having been said, it is certainly possible (and easy) to render a SpotOn Vantage map as in PDF format for distribution and offline consumption.
Q: Can you show historic demographics on the Map to match the Cognos selected data period? For example if I need to see last year's sales compared to last year's average household income?
A: Absolutely. The demo did not include IBM Cognos prompts, but if your queries and report objects have filters applied, you can certainly apply them to the measures displayed on maps.