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Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise) vs. IBM Cognos Analytics

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)

    Score8.7 out of 10
    Mid-Size Companies (51-1,000 employees)
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder is a no-code solution for designing and automating data pipelines. It allows users to read and write data across various file formats, databases, and applications. Users can execute ETL and ELT pipelines manually, schedule automated reruns, or integrate them into broader data management processes.N/A

    IBM Cognos Analytics

    Score7.7 out of 10
    N/AIBM Cognos is a full-featured business intelligence suite by IBM, designed for larger deployments. It comprises Query Studio, Reporting Studio, Analysis Studio and Event Studio, and Cognos Administration along with tools for Microsoft Office integration, full-text search, and dashboards.

    $11.25

    per month per user

    Pricing
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)IBM Cognos Analytics
    Editions & Modules
    Centerprise Enterprise
    Contact rep
    Lifetime License per Seat
    On Demand - Standard
    USD 11.25
    per month per user
    On Demand - Premium
    USD 44.90
    per month per user
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)IBM Cognos Analytics
    Free Trial
    YesYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptional
    Additional DetailsDiscounts are provided for 10 pack, 20 pack, 50 pack, and enterprise wide Centerprise Professional licenses.—
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)IBM Cognos Analytics
    Considered Both Products
    Astera Software
    Chose Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
    Much easier and faster development time, better interface.
    Incentivized
    IBM
    Chose IBM Cognos Analytics
    Provides inbuilt AI for self-service report authoring on top of reporting.
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    97%
    Would buy again
    30 Answers
    97%
    Would buy again
    93 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    27 Answers
    94%
    Delivers good value for the price
    79 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    97%
    Happy with the feature set
    30 Answers
    96%
    Happy with the feature set
    92 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    27 Answers
    93%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    55 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    100%
    Implementation went as expected
    31 Answers
    96%
    Implementation went as expected
    65 Answers
    Features
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)IBM Cognos Analytics
    Data Source Connection
    Comparison of Data Source Connection features of Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise) and IBM Cognos Analytics
    Feature
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
    8.2
    32 Ratings
    2% below category average
    IBM Cognos Analytics
    -
    Ratings
    Connect to traditional data sources9.132 Ratings00 Ratings
    Connecto to Big Data and NoSQL7.31 Ratings00 Ratings
    Data Transformations
    Comparison of Data Transformations features of Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise) and IBM Cognos Analytics
    Feature
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
    6.9
    33 Ratings
    16% below category average
    IBM Cognos Analytics
    -
    Ratings
    Simple transformations9.233 Ratings00 Ratings
    Complex transformations4.631 Ratings00 Ratings
    Data Modeling
    Comparison of Data Modeling features of Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise) and IBM Cognos Analytics
    Feature
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
    7.0
    31 Ratings
    13% below category average
    IBM Cognos Analytics
    -
    Ratings
    Data model creation9.220 Ratings00 Ratings
    Business rules and workflow9.928 Ratings00 Ratings
    Collaboration6.41 Ratings00 Ratings
    Testing and debugging2.828 Ratings00 Ratings
    Data Governance
    Comparison of Data Governance features of Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise) and IBM Cognos Analytics
    Feature
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
    8.2
    1 Ratings
    1% above category average
    IBM Cognos Analytics
    -
    Ratings
    Integration with data quality tools8.21 Ratings00 Ratings
    Integration with MDM tools8.21 Ratings00 Ratings
    BI Standard Reporting
    Comparison of BI Standard Reporting features of Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise) and IBM Cognos Analytics
    Feature
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
    -
    Ratings
    IBM Cognos Analytics
    7.7
    139 Ratings
    6% below category average
    Pixel Perfect reports00 Ratings7.6130 Ratings
    Customizable dashboards00 Ratings8.0137 Ratings
    Report Formatting Templates00 Ratings7.5132 Ratings
    Ad-hoc Reporting
    Comparison of Ad-hoc Reporting features of Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise) and IBM Cognos Analytics
    Feature
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
    -
    Ratings
    IBM Cognos Analytics
    7.9
    139 Ratings
    1% below category average
    Drill-down analysis00 Ratings7.4137 Ratings
    Formatting capabilities00 Ratings8.3140 Ratings
    Integration with R or other statistical packages00 Ratings7.397 Ratings
    Report sharing and collaboration00 Ratings8.6134 Ratings
    Report Output and Scheduling
    Comparison of Report Output and Scheduling features of Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise) and IBM Cognos Analytics
    Feature
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
    -
    Ratings
    IBM Cognos Analytics
    9.2
    137 Ratings
    11% above category average
    Publish to Web00 Ratings9.837 Ratings
    Publish to PDF00 Ratings8.3133 Ratings
    Report Versioning00 Ratings9.834 Ratings
    Report Delivery Scheduling00 Ratings8.2135 Ratings
    Delivery to Remote Servers00 Ratings9.918 Ratings
    Data Discovery and Visualization
    Comparison of Data Discovery and Visualization features of Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise) and IBM Cognos Analytics
    Feature
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
    -
    Ratings
    IBM Cognos Analytics
    7.4
    125 Ratings
    8% below category average
    Pre-built visualization formats (heatmaps, scatter plots etc.)00 Ratings7.9122 Ratings
    Location Analytics / Geographic Visualization00 Ratings8.0115 Ratings
    Predictive Analytics00 Ratings6.7111 Ratings
    Pattern Recognition and Data Mining00 Ratings6.948 Ratings
    Access Control and Security
    Comparison of Access Control and Security features of Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise) and IBM Cognos Analytics
    Feature
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
    -
    Ratings
    IBM Cognos Analytics
    7.8
    131 Ratings
    8% below category average
    Multi-User Support (named login)00 Ratings7.5130 Ratings
    Role-Based Security Model00 Ratings7.5128 Ratings
    Multiple Access Permission Levels (Create, Read, Delete)00 Ratings7.4128 Ratings
    Report-Level Access Control00 Ratings8.258 Ratings
    Single Sign-On (SSO)00 Ratings8.6112 Ratings
    Mobile Capabilities
    Comparison of Mobile Capabilities features of Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise) and IBM Cognos Analytics
    Feature
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
    -
    Ratings
    IBM Cognos Analytics
    6.3
    109 Ratings
    21% below category average
    Responsive Design for Web Access00 Ratings6.8104 Ratings
    Mobile Application00 Ratings6.390 Ratings
    Dashboard / Report / Visualization Interactivity on Mobile00 Ratings6.696 Ratings
    Application Program Interfaces (APIs) / Embedding
    Comparison of Application Program Interfaces (APIs) / Embedding features of Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise) and IBM Cognos Analytics
    Feature
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
    -
    Ratings
    IBM Cognos Analytics
    9.2
    87 Ratings
    17% above category average
    REST API00 Ratings7.683 Ratings
    Javascript API00 Ratings7.779 Ratings
    iFrames00 Ratings9.912 Ratings
    Java API00 Ratings10.013 Ratings
    Themeable User Interface (UI)00 Ratings9.915 Ratings
    Customizable Platform (Open Source)00 Ratings9.99 Ratings
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    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)IBM Cognos Analytics
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    User Ratings
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)IBM Cognos Analytics
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.7
    (46 ratings)
    8.0
    (159 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.2
    (7 ratings)
    8.4
    (31 ratings)
    Usability
    7.3
    (10 ratings)
    7.3
    (10 ratings)
    Availability
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    8.6
    (4 ratings)
    Performance
    8.6
    (2 ratings)
    9.0
    (5 ratings)
    Support Rating
    8.4
    (21 ratings)
    1.0
    (9 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.7
    (4 ratings)
    Online Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.0
    (4 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    8.2
    (4 ratings)
    7.0
    (7 ratings)
    Configurability
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    7.0
    (3 ratings)
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    7.3
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Data Sharing and Collaboration
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.6
    (40 ratings)
    Data Sources
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.3
    (40 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    5.5
    (6 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    7.6
    (2 ratings)
    6.4
    (5 ratings)
    Professional Services
    8.2
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    7.0
    (1 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    7.0
    (1 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)IBM Cognos Analytics
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Astera Software
    I have only been using Astera Centerprise for about 6 months and I am still learning the ins and out of it. A scenario where it seems to do well is in generating reports from SQL queries that we already had and no longer have to run the reports manually. The SQL Query Source object has been the most useful tool for me thus far. I have yet to fully stress test the server side of Astera Centerprise, but currently there have been some version updates that required me to re-set up all the scheduled jobs that we have. We only have 8 jobs thus far but have plans to expand this into the hundreds and those same updates would require exponential amounts of work.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    In our environment, we used to use a reporting tool called Crystal Reports and we replaced this tool with Cognos. I would recommend this switch for any one who's using a report tool that can be replaced with Cognos. This eliminates any JDBC or ODBC connections and User setups within any databases which was needed so the users can gain access to the report. Cognos makes logging in and fetching any report much easier.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Astera Software
    • API integrations vis REST Web Service transformation
    • Stored Procedure integration via SQL statement Lookup transformation
    • Bulk imports and exports to and from tables
    • Data dumps from SQL tables to excel, csv, text files etc...
    • EDI Integrations like 810, 856, 940, 945 etc.. via Astera Centerprise Data Integrator plus EDI Connect
    Read full review
    IBM
    • Enterprise reporting - Create, customise, and run reports on sales trends, consumer sentiment, etc.
    • Dashboard creation and data exploration & analysis - Using drag and drop feature to create ad-hoc visualisation. Additionally, using AI powered natural language query feature for data analysis and dashboard input (formation of pie, bar, line charts). It's useful for no-technical person to put queries around the spreadsheet data to get quick answers.
    • Building insights for accurate decision making - Package reports with data backed insights for stakeholders in pdf, and Excel format to support business ad-hoc cases, forecasting and strategic recommendations on relevant asks.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Astera Software
    • When purchasing Astera Centerprise you are given options on how you would like to be trained and each option comes with a different price tag. We chose to be trained using online meetings over several days. The training went too fast and it was not always easy to understand until I started using the product.
    • I am a person that wants to learn how and why something works so that I can use the knowledge in the future. When contacting the support team they take the problem, create a solution for you and send it back. The solutions always work, but when I get the solution I have to review every field and function to understand how it works so that I can re-create it for another solution I need. I would much rather have the support team explain what I had done incorrectly and what they changed or I would like to find a solution with them instead of having it handed to me.
    • Astera uses license keys to allow their customers rights to only the functionality that was purchased. Each user and server has its own key and each key is only good for one year. There have been 2 different times that we received keys that had less functionality that we purchased. It wasn't until it created problems that we noticed and had to request new keys. This year our sales representative made sure she was available when we updated our keys so that if there was a problem she could fix it right away; however, there were not issues this year. I believe this is something they pay closer attention to now.
    Read full review
    IBM
    • IBM Cognos Analytics enables customer data segmentation, which is essential for marketing, improving and streamlining purchasing behavior and preferences. This helps companies create more targeted and effective marketing campaigns.
    • Our clients Through data analysis, we can identify and observe trends in the behavior of other clients, allowing us to anticipate needs and adjust strategies to avoid consequences.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Astera Software
    We've been using Astera Centerprise application for the last 6 years and we've already added EDI connect to it. Both applications are working really well for our enterprise needs so far with no issues, so we'll continue renewing the licenses.
    Read full review
    IBM
    For an existing solution, renewing licenses does provide a good return on investment. Additionally, while rolling out scorecards and dashboards with little adhoc capabilities, to end users, cognos is very easily scalable. It also allows to create a solution that has a mix of OLAP and relational data-sources, which is a limitation with other tools. Synchronizing with existing security setup is easy too.
    Read full review
    Usability
    Astera Software
    Centerprise is highly usable; however the version we are currently using could be a little more intuitive in some areas though by no means unworkable. I think some of the issues we have have been addressed and solved in the latest version.
    Read full review
    IBM
    We have a strong user base (3500 users) that are highly utilizing this tool. Basic users are able to consume content within the applied security model. We have a set of advanced users that really push the limits of Cognos with Report and Query Studio. These users have created a lot of personal content and stored it in 'My Reports'. Users enjoy this flexibility.
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Astera Software
    In most cases Astera is stable. However, our client experiences the error from time to time. Mostly they are related to cdc file and ServerAdminConfig.xml file.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    Reports can typically be viewed through any browser that can access the server, so the availability is ultimately up to what the company utilizing it is comfortable with allowing, though report development tends to be more picky about browsers and settings as mentioned above. It also has an optional iPad app and general mobile browsing support, but dashboards lack the mobile compatibility. What keeps it from getting a higher score is the desktop tools that are vital to the development process. The compatibility with only Windows when the server has a wide range of compatibility can be a real sore point for a company that outfits its employees exclusively with Mac or Linux machines. Of course, if they are planning on outsourcing the development anyways, it's a rather moot point
    Read full review
    Performance
    Astera Software
    I think the performance for Astera is great when compare with other similar software.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    Overall no major complaints but it doesn't handle DMR (Dimensionally Modeled for Relational) very well. DMR modelling is a capability that IBM Cognos Framework Manager provides allowing you to specify dimensional information for relational metadata and allows for OLAP-style queries. However, the capability is not very efficient and, for example, if I'm using only 2 columns on a 20-column model, the software is not smart enough to exclude 18 columns and the query side gets progressively larger and larger until it's effectively unusable.
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Astera Software
    Support is great! No matter if you need technical assistance or you have general questions about the tool - the support is very responsive and provides solutions quickly. They are available via various channels, which makes it very convenient to get in touch with them (Support portal, direct email contact, LinkedIn).
    Incentivized
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    IBM
    Why is their web application not working as fast as you think it should? They never know, and it is always a a bunch of shots in the dark to find out. Trying to download software from them is like trying to find a book at the library before computers were invented.
    Incentivized
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    In-Person Training
    Astera Software
    No answers on this topic
    IBM
    Onsite training provided by IBM Cognos was effective and as expected. They did not perform training with our data which was a bit difficult for our end-users.
    Read full review
    Online Training
    Astera Software
    No answers on this topic
    IBM
    The online courses they offer are thorough and presented in such a way that someone who isn't already familiar with the general design methodologies used in this field will be capable of making a good design. The training environments are provided as a fully self contained virtual machine with everything needed already to create the environments. We've had some persisting issues with the environments becoming unavailable, but support has been responsive when these issues arise and straightening them out for us
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Astera Software
    Astera support provided us implementation/installation tutorial and we were able to perform all the activities. Also one of the support was there to shadow us to make sure the process was smooth with no issues
    Read full review
    IBM
    Make sure that any custom tables that you have, are built into your metadata packages. You can still access them via SQL queries in Cognos, but it is much easier to have them as a part of the available metadata packages.
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Astera Software
    We looked at continuing to use SSIS as an alternative. Although we own SSIS as part of our SQL licensing, we found that it takes a much higher skill level to create solutions. It also does not have the ability to parse unstructured data the way that Centerprise Data Integrator can. We also looked at Datawatch Monarch as a possibility but found it over-all to be cost-prohibitive. We also looked at a cheaper alternative called SimX but did not have a strong confidence in the product as we evaluated it. We landed on Centerprise Data Integrator as it met all of our business requirements and we know we could leverage it for many uses across our enterprise.
    Read full review
    IBM
    Power BI is stronger for quick ad-hoc analysis and dashboards, but IBM Cognos Analytics is better when consistency, precision, and mass distribution matter. Tableau is best for interactive analysis, while IBM Cognos Analytics is better for standardized, repeatable enterprise reporting. Sigma shines for customizable dashboards and drill-down analysis while IBM Cognos Analytics holds an edge in data discovery and visualization.
    Incentivized
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    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    Astera Software
    I was helping on purchase this product but I am not sure about the term and pricing for it. But based on what I understand that the term of the licenses are good.
    Incentivized
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    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Scalability
    Astera Software
    I think Astera can do multiple things. However, we are not sure what it can do. We only know the basic features. If they can give us some kind of training, then we maybe able to benefit for it. We are planning to use their Azure connection in the future. If they can provide the training for it, it will be wonderful.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    We rate IBM Cognos Analytics a 9 out of 10 for overall scalability. The platform handles large numbers of users, reports, and analytical workloads very reliably. We have experienced strong performance even in demanding enterprise environments with substantial data volumes. Its architecture provides sufficient flexibility to scale resources according to demand, making it well suited for large, business-critical deployments.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Professional Services
    Astera Software
    Centerprise is very easy to use and can transfer the data quickly
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    Astera Software
    • It is tough to say on how Centerprise would have helped us with ROI. Unfortunately our project (after 3 years) was scrapped (put on hold) due to the impromptu purchase of another Crop Insurance company. But with that, Centerprise was huge in getting our warehouse loaded for our BI Team to make important decisions about our policies.
    Read full review
    IBM
    • The platform can be pretty pricey.
    • Convoluted contracts and they fine you for any breach during audits.
    • Things are changed between releases without any warning and break.
    • It is second to none at being able to customize list and crosstab type reports.
    • You can easily set up a report to be emailed out every day and even have it export the report to a shared folder.
    • On-prem environments can be scaled up pretty much as much as you would like.
    Incentivized
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    ScreenShots

    Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise) Screenshots

    Screenshot of Centerprise's data profiling feature, that ensures that only quality data is delivered to end users.Screenshot of a variety of write strategies available for workflows.Screenshot of the built-in scheduler used to automate most tasks. Triggers can be based on time, event or even a file or mail drop.Screenshot of the AI-powered mapping that allows users to automate the mapping process from source to destination. The tool also supports The Dynamic Layout/Template Mapping feature in Astera Centerprise that allows users to create a template dataflow that can be used to process multiple files and generate copies of the same dataflow, without changing the mapping links individually for each source dataset. Upon execution, Centerprise replaces the values dynamically and generates a new dataflow automatically for all source files.Screenshot of the two types of transformations supported by Astera Centerprise: record level and set level transformation. Record level transformations are used to create derived values by applying a Lookup, Function, or Expression to fields from a single record. Set level transformations, on the other hand, operate on a group of records and may result in the Joining, Reordering, Eliminating, or aggregating of records.

    IBM Cognos Analytics Screenshots

    Product screenshotProduct screenshotProduct screenshotProduct screenshotProduct screenshotProduct screenshot