- 100% independent information
- MicroStrategy scored on 197 criteria
- Used in over 100 countries
- Insight into MicroStrategy's qualities
MicroStrategy: provider of Enterprise BI Solutions
MicroStrategy is mainly used in large (Enterprise) organizations with a lot of (big) data and a large number of users. Interestingly, the users are very satisfied with both the product and its implementations. MicroStrategy BI implementations are often described as very successful. In our view, success is determined by the (very good) performance of the product with large volumes of data. A disadvantage is that implementations can turn out to be relatively expensive compared to other Enterprise BI vendors.
Our Independent BI Tools Survey
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The extraction of data with MicroStrategy (MSTR)
MicroStrategy (MSTR) itself indicates that its focus is on the extraction of large amounts of data, which is then safely stored. This data can be real-time. The software company has been offering mobile BI solutions since 2010, which makes them one of the pioneers in the field of mobile BI.
The strong growth in sales and profits in recent years is attributed to the simplicity of the product (single platform for reporting, dashboarding, analysis, big data and predictive analytics) and end users’ satisfaction with the product. MicroStrategy should, as a challenger of the established Enterprise BI suppliers, now take steps to fulfill its role.
What are the pros of MicroStrategy BI?
The most notable advantages of MicroStrategy BI are:
- Excellent performance in an environment with a lot of data and users.
- The package itself is highly valued and the implementations are (almost) always successful.
- The product has a very sophisticated multi-source input area with possibilities for data manipulation.
- The licensing model has been greatly simplified since version 10, and the company pays great attention to the (online) community.
- The product is ahead of the competition when it comes to secure data storage, data warehouse solutions, real-time data processing and reporting, as well as mobile BI.
What could be improved in MicroStrategy BI?
There are many advantages, but organizations that want to use MicroStrategy (MSTR) have to take the following into account:
- The product is rated very highly, but not so much in the sales process and customer service departments. MicroStrategy is working to improve these points.
- Although the product is relatively easy to use, the learning curve is still higher than that of comparable players like Cognos and Tableau Analytics.
- They score below average in the area of Social performance management and BI in our Business Intelligence Tools Survey 2019.
- The implementation of this package is relatively expensive, especially compared to comparable solutions.
- The MicroStrategy environment is much less suitable for medium-sized organizations. Implementations are actually reserved only for large organizations.
MicroStrategy as a supplier
MicroStrategy (MSTR) was founded in 1989 by some MIT students who were working on data discovery solutions. Since the late 90s, they have been listed on the US stock exchange and have experienced strong growth.
MicroStrategy was not only a provider of BI solutions, but they also provided voice solutions within the contact center. The voice solution Angel was sold to Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories in 2013. Since then, the organization’s main focus in on BI once again.
MicroStrategy is strong in mobile and Cloud
MicroStrategy recognized that mobile access would play a major role within the BI domain early on. In 2010 they became one of the first mobile BI suppliers with the product MicroStrategy Mobile. For some time now, it has also been possible to completely operate within the MicroStrategy Cloud environment so you’ll no longer be dependent on a (personal) data center. This gives customers the flexibility to choose between different solutions.
MicroStrategy has close ties with big hardware companies like HP and Fujitsu. It’s not inconceivable that in the long term, their cooperation will go even further, or that MicroStrategy will be acquired in its entirety.
MicroStrategy compared to other solutions
MicroStrategy shines most brightly in large data-driven organizations with a lot of (big) data and many users. The solution provides a lot of options for data governance. The solution also differs in data security and mobile solutions. The business-driven data definitions in particular, which may be used by the organization as a whole, are very distinctive compared to other solutions.
Both on-premise as well as cloud solutions are offered. To learn more about MicroStrategy and to compare it with other solutions, consult our independent survey.
If you’re a big data-driven organization and you have (a lot) money available for deployment, then MicroStrategy is definitely a good choice. Otherwise, other suppliers might be a better match.
MicroStrategy BI and other BI tools
MicroStrategy is relatively expensive, but when it’s implemented in organizations it’s also very successful. The solution is often presented as the one central solution offered by the (IT) organization.
MicroStrategy focuses on organizations with large amounts of data. So if you need a large number of (big) data solutions, then this may be the solution. With the latest release, major steps have been taken in the fields of data integration, enrichment and clean-ups. But perhaps other aspects of your organizations are equally important.
The fully independent research from Passionned Group compares suppliers in many aspects. The Business Intelligence Tools Survey 2019 will help you make the right decision. That way you can quickly choose the right solution for you. Because the question is: which solution offers the best options when it comes to big data, data governance and data security?
MicroStrategy advisors
DAAN VAN BEEK MSc
Senior researcher & CEO
DICK POUW MBA
Senior BI-tool advisor
Other BI tools
Determining whether MicroStrategy is the best choice for your organization can be difficult. Also take a look at the other BI suppliers that Passionned Group has covered.
Expertise in MicroStrategy BI field
MicroStrategy is used by many employees in an organization as soon as it is implemented. However, these implementations are relatively expensive. With the knowledge and expertise of our MicroStrategy BI experts you will be able to finalize your implementation project faster.
Our experts are the right people to help you. Feel free to contact us to talk further about our MicroStrategy expertise.
Business Analytics and MicroStrategy are not isolated
Passionned Group has, in addition to specific knowledge about MicroStrategy, a wide range of services available for your organization. You will be able to access our extensive knowledge base and business intelligence training programs. We also offer support in selecting the right interim BI specialists.
Passionned Group can answer all of your questions when it comes to making data-driven decisions within your organization. Do you want to present a specific problem to us? No problem! Please fill out the contact form with your question. We’ll contact you shortly.
About Passionned Group
Passionned Group is the independent party specializing in Business Analytics & Data Science advice and implementation. All of our dedicated consultants help companies to get smarter.
