BI Tools¶
A reference library for Solution Architects working on BI reporting migration and modernization engagements. Each tool page is designed to help you quickly understand the components, artifact lifecycle, and delivery model of a BI platform — so you can assess scope, map concepts, and guide customers toward a modern analytics stack on Databricks.
Why This Exists¶
Enterprise BI migrations are deceptively complex. Customers have years of report logic, embedded security, and delivery automation built into tools like SSRS, Cognos, or Business Objects — and they need help understanding what they have, how it actually works under the hood, and what maps cleanly to a modern platform.
This section helps SAs answer:
- What are the core components and artifacts in this BI tool?
- How does data flow from source to consumer — what is server-side vs. client-side?
- What is the artifact lifecycle: what gets built, deployed, compiled, cached, and rendered?
- How do I inventory and scope the estate for migration?
- How do concepts in this tool map to Databricks SQL, Lakeview, or a connected BI layer?
Available Tools¶
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| SSRS | Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services — components, artifact lifecycle, RDL/RDS/RSD formats, RLS patterns, and Databricks migration mapping |
| IBM Cognos | IBM Cognos Analytics — component architecture, Framework Manager semantic layer, burst delivery, OLAP/TM1 mapping, and Databricks migration assessment |
| Amazon QuickSight | AWS managed cloud BI — SPICE engine, embedding SDK, tag-based RLS, dataset model, and Databricks migration mapping |
| Power BI | Microsoft Power BI — semantic model / DAX layer, Import vs. DirectQuery modes, data-driven subscriptions, Power BI Embedded, and Databricks migration mapping |
| Tableau | Tableau — VizQL engine, LOD expressions, hyper extracts, JS Embedding API, Analytics Extensions (TabPy), and Databricks migration mapping |
| Oracle OBIEE | Oracle BI Enterprise Edition — RPD semantic layer, BI Publisher pixel-perfect reports, iBot bursting, Essbase/MDX mapping, and Databricks migration assessment |
| SAP BusinessObjects | SAP BO — Crystal Reports vs. Webi workstreams, Universe semantic layer, AJS bursting, BEx/BW dependencies, and Databricks migration mapping |
More tools will be added over time. Each follows the same structure: ecosystem overview → component architecture → artifact lifecycle → migration assessment → Databricks mapping.