Chapter 7. Qlik Sense? Apps in the Cloud

In the previous chapters, we looked at how to go about creating Qlik Sense apps.

In this chapter, we look at sharing those apps with colleagues and friends in the cloud. We will cover the following topics:

• Why using the cloud makes sense
• Sharing Qlik Sense Desktop apps in the cloud
• Creating Qlik Sense apps directly in the cloud
• Maintaining Qlik Sense Cloud apps
• Adding context through external data from Qlik DataMarket

Why use the cloud?

Deploying software in the cloud removes infrastructure challenges and provides access to data and computing power, software, and services from virtually anywhere. For Qlik Sense Enterprise customers, this might mean a large organization choosing to deploy Qlik Sense apps on a private (internal) cloud, using a platform such as AWS, for example. This could enable them to scale up their applications in a cost-effective and flexible manner. Deploying using a private cloud model is out of the scope of this chapter; however, it instead covers how Qlik Sense Desktop users can also get the benefits of the public cloud in two ways—through sharing apps and adding data content.

Cloud sharing

The key value of cloud enablement for Qlik Sense is bringing together data and people by deploying apps in the cloud. This fosters collaboration through the sharing of insights and allows more people to create and discover through Qlik Sense.

Qlik Sense Cloud allows developers to share dashboards and storyboards for free via the Web for up to five users. Qlik Sense Cloud also offers the ability to create apps in the cloud, removing the need to use the desktop, and meaning that apps can be developed without the need to download a Windows executable, on any device running an HTML5-enabled web browser.

Cloud content

Qlik Sense developers can use the cloud as a source of data to broaden the scope of their Qlik Sense apps via Qlik DataMarket.

Qlik DataMarket provides and integrates third-party data with the Qlik Sense visual analytics platform, much of it for free. With data-as-a-service, app developers can use a comprehensive library of external data directly within Qlik Sense, allowing them to augment and cross-reference their internal data to gain context and so drive new insights.

Qlik DataMarket comes preconfigured with many ready-to-use data sources via a subscription model. Data sources include business demographics, currencies, population, economic indicators, development indicators, and weather, all offered at various levels of granularity, some down to postal code.