Open Source Solutions

We were contacted by Stephanie Endlich of Jedox GmbH, who suggested a better description for Palo:

"Palo is a memory based Open Source MOLAP which is able to consolidate data hierarchies in real time and which supports write-back of data. It provides a MDDB and a free Microsoft Excel add-in. For flexible integration Palo offers APIs for Java, PHP, C and .NET. From their homepage... 'Palo is an advanced data store for Microsoft Excel that allows you to handle large amounts of Excel data on a small number of worksheets. In addition, it also allows you to share Excel data real-time with your colleagues.'"

We also have the following from their website on Palo Basics.

"Palo is made for Microsoft Excel. It is a cell-based database that is multidimensional, hierarchical and memory-based. Now what does those terms mean in particular?

"Trying to do Business Intelligence, Financial Analysis, Budgeting or Planning with Microsoft Excel? Looking at Excel workbooks that are difficult to maintain because of their size? Then Palo is for you.

"Palo is an advanced data store for Microsoft Excel that allows you to handle large amounts of Excel data on a small number of worksheets. In addition, it also allows you to share Excel data real-time with your collegues. You get exciting new Excel features without loosing Excel's flexibility. Works with your existing Excel 2000/XP/2003."

Let us know what you think in comments, and we'll update our OSBI Lens' linkblog "Links to OSS OLAP Tools" description accordingly.