Transformer Lifecycle

[gordread]

Aside from this document: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/cognos-analytics-11-support-powerplay-transformer

Is there any formal announcements for support or end-of-support for Transformer?  Just want to be sure that it will be around for a while before we invest any more time in developing solution based on the Transoformer cubes.

Thank you,

Gordon

[MFGF]

Aside from this document: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/cognos-analytics-11-support-powerplay-transformer

Is there any formal announcements for support or end-of-support for Transformer?  Just want to be sure that it will be around for a while before we invest any more time in developing solution based on the Transoformer cubes.

Thank you,

Gordon

Hi,

I haven't seen or heard anything about Transformer going end-of-life, but that doesn't mean IBM definitely won't do it. Personally I would be thinking very hard before creating any new solutions using PowerCubes at this point. It is a very old technology, and ties you to using Compatible Query. If you want to move to the CA on-demand cloud at a later date, this would give you a headache, and I think the CA cartridge for Cloud Pak for Data doesn't support PowerCubes (although it might possibly in future). It also means you're limiting your users in their AI-led Explore capabilities on the data, as the enrichment it requires does not support OLAP cubes.
Is there a particular reason PowerCubes are required? Do things like Data Sets and Data Modules give you the capabilities you need?

Lastly a caveat - all of the above is my personal opinion and not necessarily messaging you would hear from IBM or from my employer. I love PowerCubes, but I think there are better options for any new development...

Cheers!

MF.

[gordread]

Thank you for your thoughts MF.  I don't disagree with anything that you've said.  We are looking at using data modules and data sets to see if they will fit the 'bill'.  We have looked at dynamic cubes, but have come to the conclusion that they may not be what we are looking for.

One of the main reasons that we are looking at continuing to use power cubes is that our folks know how to build and support them relatively easily, and our clients need a quick turn around on some of the new work that they are requesting.

We are trying to weigh out whether or not it is worth pushing back on the client's timeline in order to investigate and implement using a new technology, and if we had some sort of official work from IBM, it might help to make that decisions.  The more I have dug into it over the past 24 hours or so, it seems that IBM is going to continue to support Transformer and the use of PowerCubes (in their current form) for several years to come (they typically give at least 18 - 24 months of warning before retiring a product, and there is no indication of such yet).

Gordon