OBIEE 11g Mobile Client - Not Free

[Mark Rittman]

Hi All,

Just a quick note following our BI Forum event in Atlanta last week.
Something that came up in terms of news, is that the Mobile Client
(iPad, iPhone) client for OBIEE 11.1.1.5 is only "free" when you
license the Oracle BI Foundation Suite ($450k/cpu, which includes OBIEE
+, Essbase and Scorecard & Strategy Management. If you've only
licensed OBIEE+ ($295k/cpu), "Business Intelligence Mobile" is $350/
named user, plus maintenance etc.

This is detailed in the May 12th price list :
http://www.oracle.com/us/corporate/pricing/technology-price-list-070617.pdf.
The above prices are all list prices, before discounts etc.

I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere else, so I thought I'd post a
warning to the list.

regards, Mark

[Shyam Varan Nath]

Mark

Thanks for this post, it has implications for BI Application 7.9.6.3 customers too. While there is no additional applications cost to use iPhone or iPad to access BI Applications content, the platform pre-requisite to use the mobile app is as stated below:

- if the customer is covered under a "BI Foundation Suite" or "BI Foundation Suite for Oracle Applications" license (both OBIEE platform options are valid pre-req's for Fusion BI Applications), then the mobile license is included.

- if the user is covered under just OBIEE, they will need to separately license the mobile add-on.

Thanks

Shyam

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[nge...@gmail.com]

Mark / Shyam,

Help me understand something here. I've installed 11.1.1.5 and I have
downloaded the iPhone/iPad OBI Application from the iTunes App Store.

I have been able to immediately configure the App and connect to my
OBI 11.1.1.5 instance immediately with the App having no major
issues. I was not prompted for any additional license information,
etc.

So, what is the mobile add-on that I see mentioned? What exactly does
the $350 Business Intelligence Mobile per User license fee provide or
enable that doesn't already come with the base installation and
configuration of OBIEE?

I don't see a different service, add-on, etc. running so are users
ultimately paying for a FREE app?
I guess it would have been strange to see an App in the iTunes App
Store with a $300 price tag. But how would Oracle track who is using
the Mobile App once it is downloaded to a user's iPad/iPhone to know
that they are using the mobile piece of OBIEE 11g? Hmmm...

Christian

On Jun 2, 7:57 am, Shyam Varan Nath <shyamva...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Mark
> Thanks for this post, it has implications for BI Application 7.9.6.3
> customers too. While there is no additional applications cost to use iPhone
> or iPad to access BI Applications content, the platform pre-requisite to use
> the mobile app is as stated below:
> - if the customer is covered under a "BI Foundation Suite" or "BI Foundation
> Suite for Oracle Applications" license (both OBIEE platform options are
> valid pre-req's for Fusion BI Applications), then the mobile license is
> included.
> - if the user is covered under just OBIEE, they will need to separately
> license the mobile add-on.
>
> Thanks
> Shyam
>
> On Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 2:18 PM, Mark Rittman

> <mark.ritt...@rittmanmead.com>wrote:

>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Hi All,
>
> > Just a quick note following our BI Forum event in Atlanta last week.
> > Something that came up in terms of news, is that the Mobile Client
> > (iPad, iPhone) client for OBIEE 11.1.1.5 is only "free" when you
> > license the Oracle BI Foundation Suite ($450k/cpu, which includes OBIEE
> > +, Essbase and Scorecard & Strategy Management. If you've only
> > licensed OBIEE+ ($295k/cpu), "Business Intelligence Mobile" is $350/
> > named user, plus maintenance etc.
>
> > This is detailed in the May 12th price list :

> >http://www.oracle.com/us/corporate/pricing/technology-price-list-0706...
> > .

[Mark Rittman]

Hi Christian

Yes, as you say, you can download the iPad/iPhone client from the app store, connect it and it'll work OK. Just like with installing OBIEE itself, there's no license key to enter anymore, it's just something you have to sort with Oracle licensing. 

So the deal is - if you want to use the iPhone/iPad clients, Oracle consider this a new license line item called "Mobile BI" (or something like that). If you only have OBIEE+ licensed (as opposed to Foundation Suite) you're then on the hook for $350/named user, minimum license transaction 25 named users. The twist to it, as you highlight, is that the OBIEE administrator has no idea that anyone is using the mobile client, as the OBIEE server doesn't need any special configuration, and there's not even a permission to disable mobile access for anyone. So you could be in breach of license terms without even knowing it. Equally, as you say, there's no way for Oracle to audit its use (unless there's some internal logging going on that's not been disclosed).

Mark

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[Wayne Van Sluys]

true the App is free,

but when Oracle comes and does a license review and they see that the
Mobile Apps Service is running be ready with your checkbook.

-w

[Mark Rittman]

Wayne, but that's the point - there is no Mobile Apps Service that runs, it's all done through the hybrid iPad app - it's part Objective-C app, part rendering of existing presentation server content. There's no "service" to enable or disable, except "service: in the general sense that you're providing to your users (as in, a "BI service").

[nge...@gmail.com]

Mark,

Yes, that is exactly what is it seems like here. No tracking, no
service, just an iOS app that bumps against the OBI Web Services.

I smell new business opportunity to create a mobile platform (Or a
better app) for OBIEE. Hmmm...

Thanks for clarifying.

On Jun 8, 3:29 am, Mark Rittman <mark.ritt...@rittmanmead.com> wrote:
> Wayne, but that's the point - there is no Mobile Apps Service that runs,
> it's all done through the hybrid iPad app - it's part Objective-C app, part
> rendering of existing presentation server content. There's no "service" to
> enable or disable, except "service: in the general sense that you're
> providing to your users (as in, a "BI service").
>

> On Tue, Jun 7, 2011 at 9:33 PM, Wayne Van Sluys <wvansl...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > true the App is free,
>
> > but when Oracle comes and does a license review and they see that the
> > Mobile Apps Service is running be ready with your checkbook.
>
> > -w
>

> E: mark.ritt...@rittmanmead.com

[Kevin McGinley]

Christian,

Lots of 3rd party vendors are already ahead of you here.  Not to squelch your creativity, but there are some great apps already out there. :)

HOWEVER, let me defend Oracle a little here and say, while the app itself won't make you ooooh and ahhhh, it is dead simple to deploy.  Oracle deserves credit for this, because other mobile apps require a new development environment.  This is not a bad thing, as it allows you to build cool new stuff, but you have to build cool new stuff.  No building required with Oracle's solution.  And it is a 1.1 solution (I'll call Business Indicators 1.0).

As for the cost, I agree it is disappointing, but not surprising.  I like the new BI Foundation license, though, and I'm glad it's included as part of that.  Frankly, all new OBI customers should be buying that.

Kevin

[Ravi]

I agree with Kevin, it's pretty straight forward to configure. Takes no more than 10 minutes. 

But no interaction with charts, like mouse over or drill down, which will restrict the usage, no?

Sent from my iPad

--

[Jit Dutta]

Hi All-

Have anyone used RoamBI mobile app for OBIEE 11g? What are your impressions about it and how does it differ from the Oracle BI mobile app?

Thanks,

Jit

---

From: mark.r...@rittmanmead.com
Date: Wed, 8 Jun 2011 10:29:55 +0300
Subject: Re: [OBIEE EMG] Re: OBIEE 11g Mobile Client - Not Free
To: obiee-enterpri...@googlegroups.com

[Jit Dutta]

Hi All -

Are there any separate high availability, scalability or security considerations while deploying the mobile app or is its impact the same as a user accessing the OBIEE dashboard from a  PC browser?

Thanks,

Jit

> Date: Tue, 7 Jun 2011 10:28:23 -0700
> Subject: [OBIEE EMG] Re: OBIEE 11g Mobile Client - Not Free
> From: nge...@gmail.com
> To: obiee-enterpri...@googlegroups.com

[Kevin McGinley]

The primary difference is that Oracle takes a "build once, deploy everywhere" mentality, where Roambi is about building new views that really take advantage of the multi-touch UI using OBIEE as a back-end data source.  Oracle's approach will require less implementation - you can get up and running on mobile faster and the UI will be (largely) consistent between the browser and the mobile device.  With Roambi, you have to spend time building new content, but that content will likely be received better by certain types of user audiences.  Roambi's views are fixed, though, so if you run into a requirement that can't really be addressed by Roambi's views, you're stuck.

[Kevin McGinley]

The impact is largely the same.  Oracle's mobile app does support SSL and SSO, but there may be a devil in the details, depending on the security setup.  Otherwise, a mobile user is just like a browser user.

[chet justice]

I believe this is a related question, if not, I'm happy to start a new thread.

I saw Kevin's (McGinley) presentation at the BI Forum in Atlanta (which was great) and the question about web vs native came up.

Personally, I would prefer web as it's truly a write-once run-anywhere thing. The web-server would detect the client connecting and apply the appropriate style to the page. Of course, given the very limited real-estate as compared to a desktop monitor, you'd have to rethink how you build out your pages and dashboards as well.

There are times to go native as well, just curious as to this audience's experience in that matter.

chet

chet justice

ORACLENERD | Twitter | LinkedIn

On Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 10:06 PM, Kevin McGinley <mcgin...@gmail.com> wrote:

The primary difference is that Oracle takes a "build once, deploy everywhere" mentality, where Roambi is about building new views that really take advantage of the multi-touch UI using OBIEE as a back-end data source.  Oracle's approach will require less implementation - you can get up and running on mobile faster and the UI will be (largely) consistent between the browser and the mobile device.  With Roambi, you have to spend time building new content, but that content will likely be received better by certain types of user audiences.  Roambi's views are fixed, though, so if you run into a requirement that can't really be addressed by Roambi's views, you're stuck.

--

[Jit Dutta]

Most of the clients have their OBIEE dashboards behind corporate firewall that are accessible only through VPN tunnel. Are there any ports that need to be opened on the presentation server that would allow accessing the dashboards from Oracle BI mobile app in iPhone or iPad bypassing the VPN? Has anyone one encountered this yet and what was the fix?

Thanks,

Jit

---

Date: Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:06:08 -0700
From: mcgin...@gmail.com
To: obiee-enterpri...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: RE: [OBIEE EMG] Re: OBIEE 11g Mobile Client - Not Free

The primary difference is that Oracle takes a "build once, deploy everywhere" mentality, where Roambi is about building new views that really take advantage of the multi-touch UI using OBIEE as a back-end data source.  Oracle's approach will require less implementation - you can get up and running on mobile faster and the UI will be (largely) consistent between the browser and the mobile device.  With Roambi, you have to spend time building new content, but that content will likely be received better by certain types of user audiences.  Roambi's views are fixed, though, so if you run into a requirement that can't really be addressed by Roambi's views, you're stuck.

[Venkat]

A quick update on this. It looks like we can control end
applications(specifically the ipad and iphone apps) from logging in/
using the iphone/ipad app by blocking certain user agents. BI EE
Presentation Services now supports the following 3 tags.

1. PermittedUserAgentType - The name field associated with the
browser. This typically maps to filemap key names.
2. minVersion - The minimum version supported. This needs to be a
string as browsers do things like 3.0b1.
3. maxVersion - The maximum version supported. This needs to be a
string as browsers do things like 3.0b1. This should typically not be
specified.

These are there as part of the xsd of instanceconfig.xml. So,
essentially by specifying the PermittedUserAgentType tag we can
restrict the iPhone/iPad apps from logging in inside BI EE. I haven't
tested this yet. But looking at these tags, i think these were added
for the specific reason of controlling the login from different
browsers. Atleast this way we can sort of enforce the license
compliance.

-Venkat

On Jun 1, 11:18 pm, Mark Rittman <mark.ritt...@rittmanmead.com> wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> Just a quick note following our BI Forum event in Atlanta last week.
> Something that came up in terms of news, is that the Mobile Client
> (iPad, iPhone) client for OBIEE 11.1.1.5 is only "free" when you
> license the Oracle BI Foundation Suite ($450k/cpu, which includes OBIEE
> +, Essbase and Scorecard & Strategy Management. If you've only
> licensed OBIEE+ ($295k/cpu), "Business Intelligence Mobile" is $350/
> named user, plus maintenance etc.
>

> This is detailed in the May 12th price list :http://www.oracle.com/us/corporate/pricing/technology-price-list-0706....