Microsoft Gains Momentum in Business Intelligence Market as It Prepares to Launch Major BI Offerings


      
            Industry recognizes Microsoft?s achievements in BI market while customers eagerly anticipate Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 and Microsoft SQL Server 2008.
      
      Microsoft Corp. today announced key milestones achieved within the business intelligence (BI) marketplace, including IDC?s recognizing Microsoft as one of the fastest-growing BI vendors in 2006. In IDC?s report, ?Worldwide Business Intelligence Tools 2006 Vendor Shares,?* analysts found that Microsoft had a growth rate of 28 percent, the highest among the top 10 industry vendors. In addition, Microsoft® SQL Server? 2005 was acknowledged by The OLAP Report as the No. 1 online analytical processing (OLAP) server on the market.
      Microsoft?s continued investment in delivering high-performing, low-cost BI solutions for all business users via the Microsoft Office experience and SQL Server 2005 has customers taking notice.
      ?Like most companies, we experience a constant flow of change. Having the ability to monitor my business, analyze key business data, act on it and see real-time results gives me the competitive edge my business needs to survive,? said Michael Saunders, corporate vice president and chief information officer for Kellwood Co. ?Microsoft has given us the ability and confidence to allow our employees at all levels to make informed decisions.?
      SQL Server has established itself as an enterprise-class data platform. A recent BZ Research study found that 74.7 percent of enterprises use SQL Server, compared with 54.5 percent for the nearest competitor.
      
            The Rise in Demand for Pervasive Business Intelligence
      
      In its analysis, IDC states that the BI market grew by more than 11 percent in 2006. The BI tools market continues to be driven by the need for improved performance management and, to a lesser extent, compliance. ?Performance management can take on the form of various decision-support and reporting functions to improve revenue, profit and operational efficiency; decrease costs; uncover new opportunities; or mitigate risk,? said Dan Vesset, an analyst with IDC. ?Microsoft had another strong year in this market.?
      To give businesses a step in the right direction, Microsoft will launch Microsoft Office PerformancePoint? Server 2007 on Sept. 19, and SQL Server 2008 is scheduled to ship in the second quarter of 2008. Customers are invited to attend an event on Sept. 20 to learn more about Office PerformancePoint Server 2007. More information about the event is available at http://www.windowsitpro.com/roadshows/performancepoint.



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