The central role played by Enterprise Optimization is the realization of efficiencies by finding optimal solutions to problems where many constraints exist. A typical problem might be the use of manufacturing equipment given the constraints of time, money, skills and materials. The solution might optimize for overall profitability give that each product would sell in different quantities and realize differing levels of profitability. Linear ( and sometimes quadratic) programming techniques are at the heart of this technology, but it is also necessary to present information so that it can be used in a production environment.
| Company/Product | Description | Application | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBM ILOG | Since 2009 ILOG has been part of IBM and completes an impressive array of optimization capabilities. IBM ILOG CPLEX Optimization Studio provides an environment for model development via mathematical and constraint programming. IBM ILOG ODM Enterprise is a platform for building optimization based planning and scheduling applications. Supply Chain Optimization is also offered as a particular solution. | IBM claims that over 50% of the world's largest companies use its optimization products, along with thousands of universities and application providers. | Large |
| River Logic | Enterprise Optimizer has several components. Workstation supports rapid development of decision-support applications. EO Server supports deployment of planning and analytics solutions. EO IBP Framework facilitates integrated business planning. Strong integration with Microsoft systems architectures. | Runs a large partners program and many solutions delivered through this channel. | Medium - Large |
| Solver | An Excel add-on that supports up to 8,000 decision variables. Constraint wizard to define constraints and linear/quadratic programming, SOCP Barrier, Interval Global and Evolutionary Solver techniques supported. | Applications in corporate finance, investment, production, distribution, purchasing, HR and so on. Used in many industries. | Small - Large |