More BI consolidation

As widely predicted the number of independent reporting tool vendors has diminished. Today's takeover target is Cognos (who fell into the arms of IBM for 5 billion USD). With the earlier assimilation of Proclarity (Microsoft); Hyperion, Siebel Analytics & Sigma Dynamics (Oracle); and Business Objects (SAP) little remains of a diverse independent (or was that Vendor Neutral?) sector. It seems that only Netezza and, perhaps, HP do not have a reporting platform of their own.

This basically leaves Microstrategy ploughing a lonely furrow in the 'generalist' reporting space perhaps shadowed by SPSS and SAS Institute in their niche spaces. Other vendors such as Actuate seem to be leaning towards open-source and thereby looking less attractive to be acquired by companies that traditional sell proprietary systems