Crystal Analysis
Encyclopedia
Crystal Analysis is an On Line Analytical Processing
(OLAP) application for analysing business data originally developed by Seagate Software
.
It was first released under the name Seagate Analysis as a free application written in Java
released in 1999. After disappointing application performance, a decision was made to rewrite using ATL
COM
in C++
. The initial rewrite only supported Microsoft Analysis Services
, but support for other vendors soon followed, with Holos
cubes
in version 8.5, Essbase
, IBM DB2
and SAP BW following in later releases. The web client was rewritten using an XSLT
abstraction layer for the version 9.0 release, with better standards compliance to support Mozilla
based browsers -- this work also set the building blocks for support for Safari
.
Crystal Analysis relies on Crystal Enterprise
for distribution of analytical applications created with it.
Future versions will be released under the name, BusinessObjects OLAP Intelligence
.
OLAP
In computing, online analytical processing, or OLAP , is an approach to swiftly answer multi-dimensional analytical queries. OLAP is part of the broader category of business intelligence, which also encompasses relational reporting and data mining...
(OLAP) application for analysing business data originally developed by Seagate Software
Seagate Software
Seagate Software was an international software corporation headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, United States. It was a majority owned subsidiary of Seagate Technology, the largest independent disc drive and related components company in the world....
.
It was first released under the name Seagate Analysis as a free application written in Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
released in 1999. After disappointing application performance, a decision was made to rewrite using ATL
Active Template Library
The Active Template Library is a set of template-based C++ classes developed by Microsoft, intended to simplify the programming of Component Object Model objects. The COM support in Microsoft Visual C++ allows developers to create a variety of COM objects, OLE Automation servers, and ActiveX...
COM
Component Object Model
Component Object Model is a binary-interface standard for software componentry introduced by Microsoft in 1993. It is used to enable interprocess communication and dynamic object creation in a large range of programming languages...
in C++
C++
C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
. The initial rewrite only supported Microsoft Analysis Services
Microsoft Analysis Services
Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services is part of Microsoft SQL Server, a database management system. Microsoft has included a number of services in SQL Server related to business intelligence and data warehousing. These services include Integration Services and Analysis Services...
, but support for other vendors soon followed, with Holos
Holos
Holos is an influential OLAP product of the 1990s. Developed by Holistic Systems in 1987, the product remained in use until around 2004.-Conception:...
cubes
OLAP cube
An OLAP cube is a data structure that allows fast analysis of data. It can also be defined as the capability of manipulating and analyzing data from multiple perspectives...
in version 8.5, Essbase
Essbase
Essbase is a multidimensional database management system that provides a multidimensional database platform upon which to build analytic applications. Essbase, whose name derives from "Extended Spread Sheet dataBASE", began as a product of Arbor Software, which merged with Hyperion Software in 1998...
, IBM DB2
IBM DB2
The IBM DB2 Enterprise Server Edition is a relational model database server developed by IBM. It primarily runs on Unix , Linux, IBM i , z/OS and Windows servers. DB2 also powers the different IBM InfoSphere Warehouse editions...
and SAP BW following in later releases. The web client was rewritten using an XSLT
XSLT
XSLT is a declarative, XML-based language used for the transformation of XML documents. The original document is not changed; rather, a new document is created based on the content of an existing one. The new document may be serialized by the processor in standard XML syntax or in another format,...
abstraction layer for the version 9.0 release, with better standards compliance to support Mozilla
Mozilla
Mozilla is a term used in a number of ways in relation to the Mozilla.org project and the Mozilla Foundation, their defunct commercial predecessor Netscape Communications Corporation, and their related application software....
based browsers -- this work also set the building blocks for support for Safari
Safari (web browser)
Safari is a web browser developed by Apple Inc. and included with the Mac OS X and iOS operating systems. First released as a public beta on January 7, 2003 on the company's Mac OS X operating system, it became Apple's default browser beginning with Mac OS X v10.3 "Panther". Safari is also the...
.
Crystal Analysis relies on Crystal Enterprise
Crystal Enterprise
Crystal Enterprise is the Business Objects server-based delivery platform for Crystal Reports and Crystal Analysis originally developed by Crystal Decisions....
for distribution of analytical applications created with it.
Release timeline
- Seagate Analysis 1999, by Seagate SoftwareSeagate SoftwareSeagate Software was an international software corporation headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, United States. It was a majority owned subsidiary of Seagate Technology, the largest independent disc drive and related components company in the world....
- Crystal Analysis Professional v8.0, 29 May 2001http://www.businessobjects.com/news/presscd/2001/052901.asp by Crystal DecisionsCrystal DecisionsCrystal Decisions is the name of a company that was known for its Business intelligence products....
- Crystal Analysis Professional v8.1, Q4 2001 by Crystal Decisions
- Crystal Analysis Professional v8.5 9 July 2002http://www.businessobjects.com/news/presscd/2002/070901.asp, by Crystal Decisions
- Crystal Analysis Professional v9.0 9 April 2003http://www.businessobjects.com/news/presscd/2003/040902.asp, by Crystal Decisions
- Crystal Analysis Professional v10.0 8 January 2004http://www.businessobjects.com/news/press/press2004/prod_crystal_v10_08012003.asp, by Business ObjectsBusiness Objects (company)SAP Business Objects is a French enterprise software company, specializing in business intelligence . Since 2007, it has been a part of SAP AG. The company claimed more than 46,000 customers worldwide in its final earnings release...
- Crystal Analysis Professional v11.0 31 January 2005, by Business Objects
- Crystal Analysis Professional v11.0 Release 2 30 November 2005http://www.businessobjects.com/news/press/press2005/20051130_bo_xir2_prod.asp, by Business Objects
Future versions will be released under the name, BusinessObjects OLAP Intelligence
BusinessObjects OLAP Intelligence
BusinessObjects OLAP Intelligence is an On Line Analytical Processing application for analysing business data. It was previously known as Crystal Analysis Professional.-External links:*...
.