Oracle Business Intelligence Cloud Services Reviews & Pricing

Key Features

• Visual Analytics: Creates graphical visualizations of data to make analyzing insights faster, easier and more accessible.
• Connected Interface: Data and all visualizations are all tied together, and changes or highlighting in one will be mirrored in the others. This dynamic experience lets visualizations function as connected filters and guiding users through their exploration.
• Data Blending: Infers correlations between data sets to easily mash personal with managed data. Extends dimensions to add facts or improve the timeliness and relevance of analysis.
• Mobile Application: Provides an agile mobile experience spanning users’ data portfolio that offers a consistent interface with the desktop application. Users can access analytics instantly on any device.
• Range of Report Types: The system offers a variety of report types including ad-hoc queries and analysis, enterprise reporting, dashboards, mobile analytics, multidimensional OLAP, scorecards and predictive analytics.
• BI Server: In-memory optimizations provide quick rollups, powerful compression, faster rollups and sophisticated memory usage for a range of data sizes.

Approach to Common Challenges

• Data Silos and Lack of Integration: Oracle BICS integrates data from various sources into a single platform, removing silos and providing a unified view of business performance.
• Limited Data Access and Visibility: BICS empowers users across departments with self-service analytics tools and mobile access, enabling data-driven decision-making at all levels.
• Complex Data Analysis and Processing: BICS offers pre-built dashboards and intuitive data exploration tools, simplifying complex analysis and making insights readily available.
• Lack of Scalability and Flexibility: BICS's cloud-based scalability accommodates growing data volumes and evolving business needs.
• High Cost of On-premises Infrastructure: Oracle BICS eliminates the need for expensive on-premises hardware and software, offering a cost-effective solution.

Cost Of Ownership

• Q: What is the overall price range for Oracle BICS?
  A: Oracle BICS pricing varies based on several factors such as deployment options, features selected, and user volume. While specific details are not publicly available, estimates suggest a range of $150 to $750 per user per month for standard deployments. Additional fees may apply for premium features and storage requirements.
• Q: What are the different payment options available?
  A: Oracle BICS offers flexible payment options including monthly and annual subscriptions. This allows businesses to choose a plan that aligns with their budget and usage needs. Additionally, pay-as-you-go models are available for short-term projects or limited usage scenarios.
• Q: How do BICS pricing compare to other BI solutions?
  A: BICS pricing falls within the competitive range compared to similar offerings from major vendors. While some solutions might offer lower entry-level prices, BICS provides comprehensive features and scalability, potentially leading to cost savings in the long run. Evaluating total cost of ownership, including infrastructure, maintenance, and hidden fees, provides a more accurate comparison between BICS and competitors.

Limitations

• Oracle BI requires intensive metadata modeling and therefore is not user-friendly
• The solution does not provide an automated data dictionary to store volumes of data
• Not well suited for running complex queries such as unions
• Does not provide an intuitive UI for easy navigation
• Requires extensive support by internal IT teams for installation, support and maintenance

Suite Support

FAQ

• Q: What type of data can be analyzed with BICS?
  A: BICS supports structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data from diverse sources including on-premise databases, cloud applications, and social media. This enables holistic analysis across various aspects of an organization.
• Q: Does BICS offer real-time data analysis capabilities?
  A: While BICS primarily focuses on historical data analysis, it incorporates real-time data streaming capabilities through integrations with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and third-party streaming platforms. This allows for monitoring and responding to dynamic business situations.
• Q: What level of customization is available for dashboards and reports?
  A: BICS provides a balance between ease of use and customization. While pre-built dashboards offer quick insights, users can customize dashboards with visual elements, filters, and calculated fields to suit specific needs. However, extensive scripting and code-based customization capabilities are limited.
• Q: How secure is BICS for sensitive data storage and analysis?
  A: BICS leverages industry-standard security measures including encryption, access controls, and data auditing. Additionally, Oracle's cloud infrastructure offers robust security features to ensure data protection and compliance.
• Q: What level of technical expertise is required to use BICS?
  A: BICS boasts a user-friendly interface and intuitive features, making it accessible for users with varying technical backgrounds. Self-service analytics tools empower non-technical users to explore data and generate insights, while advanced features cater to data analysts and business intelligence professionals.