Hi,
Going the Cloud Pak for Data route would be beneficial if you're planning on bringing together your entire data platform portfolio - data sources, ETL, data governance, cataloging, data science, analytics etc - all in one platform and managed from a single place. If you just want Cognos Analytics in the cloud and nothing else, and don't plan on moving your other data platform capabilities there over time, it would be a very expensive and fairly complicated way to do it.
In terms of the Cognos Analytics capabilities in Cloud Pak for Data, the big things to be aware of are that I think you currently need to use the Cloud Pak for Data authentication mechanism, with no options to use the traditional on-prem providers, plus the latest version of CA available in ICP4D is still 11.1.7.
There's an entirely new skillset required to set up and maintain the OpenShift environment that ICP4D requires. Although the core architecture of CA in this environment is the same, you don't generally get access to things like Cognos Configuration or to the underlying OS (the Cognos architecture is split between seven different CA Pods). For example, copying in a deployment archive to restore, or adding in jdbc drivers or SSL certificates requires you to use OpenShift commands to move them from a linux Bastion Server to the CA Artifacts Pod on the command line. I'm not saying it's difficult - just different and requiring some new skillsets.
Bottom line, if you're just looking for a Cognos Analytics instance in AWS, the simplest, easiest and cheapest route is to provision the AWS virtual machine(s) you need, install Cognos as normal, add a VPN tunnel to connect back to your on-prem data sources/authentication provider etc. If you are starting to migrate your whole set of data fabric capabilities to AWS, including CA, then seriously consider Cloud Pak for Data as a single platform that supports all these capabilities.
Cheers!
MF.
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Mark Fry
Technical Consultant
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Original Message:
Sent: Thu February 24, 2022 03:31 AM
From: Kiran Passumarthi
Subject: Migrating Cognos from on-prem to cloud
Hi MF,
If one has to go for cloud pak for data instead of installing cognos on a VM, do you know if any features will be unavailable?
Also, CP4D has to run on Red Hat Openshift and I am not sure if that adds up to additional infrastructure cost and maintenance and specialized knowledge of administering cognos upgrades etc. Can you throw some light?
Regards
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Kiran Passumarthi
www.linkedin.com/in/kiranpassumarthi
Original Message:
Sent: Wed February 23, 2022 03:51 PM
From: Mark Fry
Subject: Migrating Cognos from on-prem to cloud
Hi,
I'm assuming you will be installing the "on-prem" Cognos Analytics version, but in a VM(s) hosted in AWS? The alternative for AWS would be to spin up IBM Cloud Pak for Data and have the optional Cognos Analytics cartridge provisioned within that, but it doesn't sound like this is your intent? On the basis this is correct, you should end up with the exact same functionality/capabilities/components as any real on-prem install - you'll be using the exact same installers. The only difference will be you'll be running Cognos on cloud-based virtual machines rather than on-prem physical or virtual machines. All the studios and administrative functions will be the same.
I think your challenges will be mostly around your secure connections to on-prem data sources, authentication provider(s) and SMTP email server. If you purchase a dedicated SAAS Cognos instance, the IBM Cloud Team helps you to set up a secure VPN between the cloud instance and your on-prem network to allow you to use these on-prem resources, but as you're provisioning your own cloud setup in AWS, this is something you'll need to plan for and set up yourself. You didn't mention where your content store will be held, but if it's on-prem, the VPN tunnel would be needed for this connection too.
Cheers!
MF.
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Mark Fry
Technical Consultant
TD Synnex
Ramsey NJ
Original Message:
Sent: Tue February 22, 2022 01:06 PM
From: Fawad Jamil
Subject: Migrating Cognos from on-prem to cloud
Cognos gurus, for one of my clients we are evaluating the migration of the on-prem(windows) infrastructure to AWS cloud, while also upgrading 11.0.x to 11.2.x. Most of the data sources used for reporting are on-prem databases, while some are on the cloud. The client still uses Query Studio reports and wants to keep them in the future. I've got two questions:
1. Has anyone seen any latency issues or any other with on client-hosted cloud installation communicating to on-prem database? As they connect to several data sources, upgrading all the databases to cloud is something not in their control.
2. Between VMware and client-hosted cloud install, is there any difference in functionality, capability, or availability of certain components; such as Query Studio or limited administration? I know with SaaS there is a limitation on the administrative side of the application.
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Fawad Jamil
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#CognosAnalyticswithWatson