Comparison of operational analytics and reports features

Comparison of operational analytics and reports features

Compare the reports and operational analytics features to know why and how to best use each.
With the introduction of the MPF Operational Analytics, enabling the BIRT feature is redundant. A comparison of the capabilities of these two features can help clarify the strengths of each, and help determine how we can best use them.
The data that is collected by the Reports database feature is a subset of the total data that is collected as part of the Operational Analytics feature. Use the reports database and the operational analytics feature simultaneously, but usage of both in a production environment is redundant. Use the reports feature in cases where you want direct access to the Reports database to run custom queries. An example of a scenario where direct database access is needed is the use of BIRT or a customized online analytics processing (OLAP) system that runs database queries directly against the Reports database.

Operational analytics feature Reports feature
Primary usage Problem determination, device usage summary, geographic view of mobile activity Device usage summary
Typical user Administrator, operational support personnel, developer, analyst Administrator, analyst
Data used in analytics App crash from clients, MobileFirst Server log, MobileFirst app to server interaction activities MobileFirst app to server interaction activities
Data storage mechanism Files on the MPF Operational Analytics Relational database
Analytics mechanism Each log event is treated as a JSON document. The data in the document is indexed so that it can be searched by keyword in the document and presented in a canonical form that shows the app, version, some device data, location (if enabled), timestamp, adapter (if present in the document) and other data. Each log event is treated as a row in the raw Reports database table and then aggregated for statistics into the app_activities database table, summarized to app, device operating system, and timestamp relationships.
Access mechanism operations console BIRT or other reporting tools that can understand data cubes
Extendable Extending the published reports is not supported. Data can be extracted from the database tables using any means that you desire, including but not limited to, BIRT.
Search across logs Yes No
Optional Yes Yes

In addition to an at-a-glance view of the mobile and web application analytics, the operational analytics includes the capability to perform raw search against server logs, client activities, captured client crash data. The operational analytics feature can also search any additional data that you explicitly provide through client and server-side API function calls that feed into the MPF Operational Analytics.

Parent topic: Analytics

	Operational analytics feature	Reports feature
Primary usage	Problem determination, device usage summary, geographic view of mobile activity	Device usage summary
Typical user	Administrator, operational support personnel, developer, analyst	Administrator, analyst
Data used in analytics	App crash from clients, MobileFirst Server log, MobileFirst app to server interaction activities	MobileFirst app to server interaction activities
Data storage mechanism	Files on the MPF Operational Analytics	Relational database
Analytics mechanism	Each log event is treated as a JSON document. The data in the document is indexed so that it can be searched by keyword in the document and presented in a canonical form that shows the app, version, some device data, location (if enabled), timestamp, adapter (if present in the document) and other data.	Each log event is treated as a row in the raw Reports database table and then aggregated for statistics into the app_activities database table, summarized to app, device operating system, and timestamp relationships.
Access mechanism	operations console	BIRT or other reporting tools that can understand data cubes
Extendable	Extending the published reports is not supported.	Data can be extracted from the database tables using any means that you desire, including but not limited to, BIRT.
Search across logs	Yes	No
Optional	Yes	Yes