Service Terms for Cognos Services. 1 About Us

Transcription

1 Service Terms for Cognos Services 1 About Us CognosService.com is a specific service offering developed by SC DataWizard SRL. SC DataWizard SRL is a service company under Western European management based in Timisoara, Romania. We specialize in Data Warehouse, OLAP, planning and BI services with a specific front-end focus on the components of the IBM Cognos Business Analytics stack. The objective is enabling end-to-end Business Intelligence services with the benefits of offshore and nearshore services without the traditional offshoring pains and shortcomings. Our team consists of motivated, open minded and forward thinking BI people with heterogeneous backgrounds. The last 7 years we gathered extensive experience in business intelligence and planning solutions for both small businesses and global multinationals. Our recipe for success is a never ending enthusiasm to build and support solutions that are better, faster and more insightful, a lot of hard work, a culture of constant improvement and knowledge sharing, and last but not least; improving your business. We are located in the third largest city of Romania, Timisoara, in the west of the country which is the second ICT center next to Bucharestwith inhabitants, 7 universities and students annually. The company runs under Belgian ownership and management. Western management enables and facilitates communication and overcomes any cultural differences. Being located relatively close to most European countries and within Europe enables efficient administration, same time zone operations and easy communication. At the same time we can offer our services at a competitive pricing. Contact: SC DataWizard SRL Strada Memorandului Timişoara, Judet Timiş, Romania J35/397/2012 contact@cognosservice.com This document describes the terms under which we offer our services. This document is for information purposes only and is by no means intended as an agreement or contract or considered as such. Page 1 of 11

2 2 Service Plans 2.1 Flexible Service Plan Our Flexible Service Plan is tailored for organizations that need specialized help with their Cognos environment and their underlying Data Warehouse and OLAP setup on a flexible ad-hoc basis. With the Flexible Service Plan you only pay for what you consume without any further commitments and without a minimum purchase quantity. A one-time setup fee is charged that is used to arrange all the initial practicalities like setting up a VPN connection, documenting the environment, defining a governance model and more. From then onwards we have all the necessary records to service your environment at any time you deem necessary or not at all. Reasons why customers engage in this service can be: Just as an insurance. Knowing that you have a team standby just in case something happens is very comforting. Organizations with a limited BI or planning environment don t need full time support but still need a knowledgeable partner from time to time. As a service and help desk for end-users or as second line support desk. For unplanned interventions or critical issues. Organizations looking for an affordable alternative for their current situation. Our Flexible Service Plan is currently offered for 36 per hour per person and with a one-time setup fee of Contracts are made for a minimum of one year, but can be cancelled at any time. 2.2 Fixed Service Plan Our Fixed Service Plan is tailored for organizations that need specialized help with their Cognos environment and their underlying Data Warehouse and OLAP setup. With the Fixed Service Plan you can choose one or more resources that are at your disposal on a full time basis. This enables us not only to offer you a very competitive pricing, but also to assign you dedicated team members, thus increasing quality and efficiency. Reasons why customers engage in this service can be: You need full time support for your environment. You have constantly projects or initiatives running requiring full time teams at your disposal. As a service and help desk for end-users or as second line support desk. You are looking for an affordable alternative for your current situation. You have reached the break point between our Flexible and Fixed Service Plan, and it will be more affordable switching to our Fixed Service Plan. Our Fixed Service Plan is currently offered for per month per resource ( 25 per hour per resource), with a guaranteed availability per resource for at least 200 days per year. The minimum contract term is one year. Page 2 of 11

3 2.3 Bespoke Apart from our standard offerings we can also specifically tailor a solution for you. This might be useful when you are planning a well-defined project or when you require a specific SLA. Contact us to discuss what we can do, we will be more than happy to tailor for your needs. 3 Supported Services Regardless the type of agreement you can enjoy our full service offering. We are specialized in the IBM Cognos solution suite and supporting middleware. You can expect us to develop and support any solution you might have or want in this technology spectrum. Below a number of examples is presented on cases where we can help you. 3.1 End-User Service Desk We provide support and service desk activities for Cognos platforms. Our services are not limited to incident management but can also include various other activities related with your Cognos platform and BI/IM setup. This may e.g. include: Incident resolution management Resolving issues Provide support for users facing difficulties or time constraints Maintaining security and users Compiling manuals and instructions for new users Change management for new requests 3.2 Front-End Design and Development We offer a full set of services for almost every user facing component of the different IBM Cognos suites. Examples: Report building for mobile usage Metric development for balanced scorecarding models Design visually and logically appealing reports and analytics Design templates and corporate branding Turn spreadsheets and table data sets into dynamic and visually appealing reports and analytics Integration of different components in Cognos Connection Develop dashboards 3.3 Second Line Support Desk One side effect of our focus on Cognos is that we have been in many different situations experiencing issues and challenges on all levels. This knowledge can benefit your own teams in the form of a second line support desk that they can call. We assess a situation and deliver alternative paths to work towards a solution. Examples: Page 3 of 11

4 Help on how to work around known bugs and issues Take care of communication with IBM Support Deal with performance issues in large FM models Optimize multi query reports Analyze system logs to identify problems Design best practices and methodologies 3.4 Risk Mitigation and Sustainability We noticed that several of our clients like the idea of having a team at hand just in case. We tailored for this with a flexible offering that can be used when required. This is ideal if you want the assurance of a backup service just in case something happens with your current team or service provider. 3.5 ETL, Data Warehouse and OLAP Development Any good BI or planning solution is based on a setup or combination of underlying data structures and OLAP objects. This depends on what the intended solution should be capable of doing. Nevertheless it is important that these structures are designed and build according to the possibilities and constraints of Cognos. Examples: Data Warehouse and/or OLAP design and development TM1 Cube design and development ETL design and development Transformer/PowerPlay Cube design and development Planning application design and development Developing metadata models in FM 3.6 Development of Budget and Forecast solutions In case you are setting up a complete new solution for a business process we offer a-2-z services to help you through this process. Typical solutions that we have worked on are e.g.: Sales and finance forecasting and budgeting solutions Office of finance reporting solutions CRM and compensation management solutions Cost and price calculation models Operational reporting 3.7 Security Management and License Compliancy Managing security and users properly can be challenging. We can not only manage your users and security, but also monitor user behavior and corresponding license compliancy checks. Setting up Cognos security following best practices and rules Logging user function and data access behavior Test the architecture and entire installation for security vulnerabilities Setting up and integrating data security with Framework Manager models and TM1 Cubes Page 4 of 11

5 Designing, maintaining and documenting structured security and user access processes Perform license compliancy checks 3.8 Performance Tuning Performance is measured by the relative expectations of end-users. It is the single most significant complaint when analyzing user feedback. This means that performance of a BI, Planning or Performance Management environment is critical to monitor and maintain. We can for example execute the following tasks: Analyze report queries from source to appliance and optimize that process Rebuilt Data Warehouse and OLAP structures for optimized performance Monitor platform usage and performance indicators Reconfigure environments to optimize for performance Analyze and optimize data and ETL processes 3.9 Knowledge and Documentation Management A main challenge with a Cognos environment, just as with any other technology platform, is to keep and maintain a knowledge level allowing an organization to be sustainable and independent. In many cases this is restricted, caused by budget pressure or retention issues, leading to lack of decent documentation or potentially incomplete or outdated documentation. We operate a wikibased knowledge platform that allows us to develop and maintain a documentation set for your environment and users Platform Maintenance and Support A Cognos solution is in most cases a custom solution designed for your specific business and requirements. Even when no new developments are planned, someone has to manage the environment. Examples: Cognos platform usage monitoring Solving issues and bugs Perform the communication with IBM Support Maintain the security policy and setup of new users Disk, memory and CPU monitoring Installation, migration and upgrade services Cognos platform tweaking and configuration Monitor, report and advice on user behavior and usage on the Cognos platform Architecture and setup design for Cognos installations 3.11 Business Solution Design Any good business idea needs proper execution. When you decide to integrate a part of your business processes into your information management system, you need to do this properly. Every software environment has its specifics, as does Cognos. We know the ins and outs of Cognos and can design with the Cognos end-result in mind, delivering better results. Typical things we do: Page 5 of 11

6 Designing business process flows for TM1 planning solutions Design dimensionally modeled data structures both for relational and OLAP applications Shaping Cognos Connection and templates to facilitate business users Automation of events and notifications to support business processes Converting BPM(N) models into BI specifications 3.12 Integration Services If you are using Cognos BI, TM1 or another component, integration with other platforms and underlying data structures can be crucial. We have a good understanding of what is possible and how to do it. Examples: Integration of TM1 and BI or BI and Planning Integration of Controller with TM1 and BI using the FAP Integration with underlying data sources, e.g. SAP BW, MS SQL Server, MS SSAS, Oracle, DB2 and PostgreSQL Integration towards other platforms like MS SharePoint or other file ETL conscious platforms Integration with MS Office components If the title was misleading, we also work with MS SSIS/BIDS. 4 Supported Technologies Below you can find the list of tools and components we currently support. If you are familiar with Cognos then you are aware that naming is not always unambiguous. Sometimes components and tools carry different labels depending on the commercial packaging, or names change between different versions, or even some components don t have a specific name. In general we work with all versions of IBM Cognos BI, TM1, Planning and Express that are actively supported by IBM and in most cases previous versions as well. IBM Cognos BI (8.x-10.x) Active Reports Administration Analysis Studio BI for Microsoft Office Business Insight Business Insight Advanced Collaboration Dynamic Cubes Dynamic Query Mode Event Studio Framework Manager Insight Metric Designer Metric Studio Mobile PowerPlay Query Studio IBM Cognos TM1 (9.x-10.x) Architect Contributor Web Financial Analytics Publisher (Controller FAP) Insight Operations Console Package Connector Performance Modeler Perspectives Web IBM Cognos Express (9.x-10.x) Administration Advisor Architect Data Advisor Framework Manager Manager Planner Page 6 of 11

7 Report Studio Server Transformer Workspace Workspace Advanced IBM Cognos Planning (7.x-10.x) Analyst Analyst Add-In for Microsoft Excel Contributor Contributor Administration Manager Other Planner Administrator Query Studio (Reporter) Report Studio (Reporter) Xcelerator Business Viewpoint Cognos Configuration Data Manager Executive Viewer Lifecycle Manager Virtual View Manager Middleware & Sources Microsoft SQL Server Oracle DB2 Mainframe Position based raw files Text files PostgreSQL Excel IBM Cognos Controller ETL Tools Microsoft SSIS/BIDS Oracle PL/SQL DataStage DataManager Pentaho 5 Management and Governance 5.1 Initialization and Setup At the start of the agreement you will receive a number of information requests in order to arrange all the practicalities to provide you with the best service setup. Depending on your specifications these tasks will have as deliverables: A working VPN connection to access the necessary client and server machines. A network and architecture topography A software component and version schema Environment documentation describing: o Framework Models o Security setup o PowerPlay cubes and Transformer models o TM1 process model o ETL documentation o Connection setup o Data source documentation o User list o Other important objects Page 7 of 11

8 Communication and governance model Defining the authorized user list 5.2 Communication We communicate either via , phone, online meeting or our online task and management platform. At the start you will receive a request to define an authorized user list. This list will contain all persons that you define that can make use of our services. This will allow you to decide who can use our services and to monitor who uses them. A split by user or department can also be visible in our billing information, allowing you to perform a cost center based allocation of our services. You will receive a dedicated address This is the primary address for all communication via . All persons you included in the authorized user list can send and receive e- mails from and to this mail address. This address is part of our online task and management system allowing for easy follow up and automated tracking of tasks and task requests. Phone: You will receive a phone number that can be used by all persons included in the authorized user list. Online Meeting: We provide the ability to set up online meetings with us. This can be useful in situations where cases need to be tested, specific requirements need to be explained, etc. We have our own system that allows online audio calls, video conferencing, chat, desktop sharing, online presentations, remote support and file transfer. Most companies however have their own internal online meeting system and prefer us to use that system as to facilitate users. This is possible without additional charge. However we hold the right in rare cases to deny this service, if this causes changes or investments on our side that we cannot or don't want to manage. Tasks and Management System:We manage all our services using an online task and management platform. This allows you to follow up on tasks assigned, status, ongoing communication and general follow up on the services. This platform also includes knowledge management and wiki capabilities to manage documentation and information. Technical Access: In order for us to execute the services we require the possibility to access your environment remotely. Usually your environment and its users will reside on a company lan or wan network. By default we only connect via a VPN connection from our machines to your network. This implies that you grant us access and take the necessary steps to make this possible. We are open to other secure connection methods. For system side work we prefer not to access the servers directly. If this is required and no alternatives exist, this will be done by a remote desktop connection or similar. In other cases the server will be approached remotely from a local or remote client. For server side development we develop via remote desktop over VPN on a local client with the client tools installed. No development work will be carried out on our machines, nor will we install any of your clients, unless specifically agreed. For client side development and support that involves end-users directly, tasks will be executed using the web applications either via remote desktop on a local machine or via a remote machine connected via VPN to your network. Page 8 of 11

9 5.3 Response Time By default we make a distinction between issues and changes or tasks that can be planned. When it concerns tasks that can be planned we will discuss an individual SLA and workflow procedure with you at the start of the services. This may e.g. include a workflow where we assess the task, make an estimation of work, submit it for approval with you and then plan and execute the work. When it concerns issues that require prompt action our default SLA includes the following: Critical Issues: o Functionality is down for multiple users caused by an unexpected non-repetitive event o Incident Resolution Target: Within 4 business hours Medium Impact Issues: o Functionality down for one user, or service degraded for multiple users o Incident Resolution Target: Within 8 business hours Low Impact Issues: o Functionality or service degraded o Incident Resolution Target: Within 16 business hours Others: o Conditions discussed at the beginning General Parameters: Our general working days are from Monday to Friday, 08h00 to 18h30 (GMT+2). We hold the right to deny service during 10 days per year, usually during July/August and around Christmas/New Year. This with the purpose of team events, group training and similar activities. Specific dates will be communicated and discussed well beforehand. 5.4 Governance At the start a governance and communication model will be discussed and agreed. This will include by default: Type and scope of the services. Workflow and approval flow for different types of tasks, e.g. issues versus changes. Authorized user list. Communication flow and management, e.g. weekly project meeting, monthly LT meeting. 5.5 Reporting You will receive detailed monthly reporting allowing you to follow up on the services we provide: We use an online task and management system that allows for detailed follow up on the services rendered. You will be provided with a login allowing you at all times to check on the ongoing work. Page 9 of 11

10 At the end of each month the billing will include a detailed timesheet listing task durations, task contents, task requesters and task descriptions. On periodic moments in time we will also request your feedback on our work in order to constantly improve our services. 6 Pricing, Billing and Invoicing Our Flexible Service Plan is currently offered for 36 per hour per person and with a one-time setup fee of Contracts are made for a minimum of one year, but can be cancelled at any time. Our Fixed Service Plan is currently offered for per month per resource ( 25 per hour per resource), with a guaranteed availability per resource for at least 200 days per year. The minimum contract term is one year. For any bespoke service setup we will offer you our best possible rates, contact us for more details. All services will be billed via an invoice on a monthly basis including a detailed timesheet and all invoices are payable within 30 calendar days.the initial one time setup fee in our Flexible Service Plan will be billed immediately. All rates indicated are excluding VAT. Each invoice sent to companies based in the European Economic Area with a valid and verifiable VAT number will not include VAT for the services rendered according to art. 133 of the Romanian Fiscal Code. It is the obligation of the Client to include the corresponding VAT due in the VAT declaration of the Client. For all other cases the VAT rate of 24% will apply. 7 Service Agreement At the start an agreement will be drafted. No services will be delivered prior to the exchange of signed copies of an agreement between you and us. Each agreement will have a minimum duration of one year. An agreement can be renewed at the end of the agreement duration if both parties agree. Each contract can be cancelled by you at any time not negating any outstanding invoices or services still to be invoiced. Cancelling a Flexible Service Plan does not incur any costs. For cancelling a Fixed Service Plan a cancellation fee will be applied equal to 2 months of services. We can cancel the contract when invoices are not paid in time or in case of force majeure. 8 Final Notes 8.1 About CognosService.com CognosService.com is intended to provide visitors with information about our services. Page 10 of 11

11 SC DataWizard SRL will in no case be liable as a result of the use of the information provided on this site or because of lack of specific information on this site. Nothing on this site can be considered as a binding offer for the services mentioned or as a contract. However, the utmost care is taken to keep the information on this site up to date and correct we do not guarantee that the information on the site is correct or complete. SC DataWizard SRL reserves the right to change any information on this site at any time without prior notice. Any reproduction, in part or in whole, in any form and on any medium whatsoever, without the express permission of SC DataWizard SRL is prohibited. SC DataWizard SRL is not affiliated with IBM in any way. All trademarks mentioned belong to their respective owners. Page 11 of 11