Qlik Sense

Basic Information

Qlik Sense is a comprehensive analytics platform designed for modern, self-service business intelligence. It leverages a patented associative engine for data exploration and insights. The platform offers various deployment models to suit different organizational needs, from individual users to large enterprises.

• Model: Qlik Sense Enterprise on Windows, Qlik Sense Enterprise SaaS, Qlik Sense Desktop, Qlik Sense Business, Qlik Sense Enterprise on Cloud Services.
• Version: Qlik Sense follows a continuous release cycle, with major updates typically released multiple times a year (e.g., May, August, November, February). The latest stable versions are continuously updated.
• Release Date: Releases occur periodically throughout the year. Specific release dates are documented in the Qlik Sense Enterprise on Windows Product Lifecycle.
• Minimum Requirements:
  • Qlik Sense Desktop: Intel Core 2 Duo or higher (AVX support recommended), 4 GB RAM minimum, 5.0 GB disk space for installation.
  • Qlik Sense Enterprise on Windows: Multi-core x64 compatible processors (4 cores recommended, AVX support), 8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB recommended), 5.0 GB total disk space for installation (40 GB recommended for deployment).
• Supported Operating Systems:
  • Qlik Sense Enterprise on Windows: Microsoft Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022, 2025. For development/testing: Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit), Windows 11.
  • Qlik Sense Desktop: Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit), Windows 11.
  • Qlik Sense Client-Managed Mobile: iOS 15 or later, iPadOS 15 or later, Android 11 or later.
• Latest Stable Version: Qlik maintains continuous releases. Users should refer to the official Qlik Product Lifecycle for the most current stable version and patch information.
• End of Support Date: Each Qlik Sense Enterprise on Windows release is generally supported for 2 years from its release date. Specific end-of-support dates are published in the product lifecycle documentation.
• End of Life Date: End-of-life dates are specific to individual product versions and are detailed in the Qlik Product Lifecycle policy.
• License Type: Subscription-based. Licensing models include serial and control numbers or signed license keys. Options include user-based licenses (Professional and Analyzer Users) and capacity-based licenses (Analyzer Capacity), as well as token-based licenses for existing customers.
• Deployment Model: On-premise (single-node or multi-node on Windows or Kubernetes), Cloud (SaaS, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), and Hybrid architectures are supported.

Technical Requirements

Qlik Sense is an in-memory analytics platform, meaning its performance is highly dependent on available memory and processing power to handle data volumes.

• RAM:
  • Qlik Sense Desktop: 4 GB minimum.
  • Qlik Sense Enterprise: 8 GB minimum, with 16 GB or more recommended, directly correlating to the amount of data analyzed.
• Processor:
  • Qlik Sense Desktop: Intel Core 2 Duo or higher, with Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) support recommended.
  • Qlik Sense Enterprise: Multi-core x64 compatible processors (minimum 4 cores per node recommended), with AVX support and a high clock rate per core for optimal performance.
• Storage:
  • Qlik Sense Desktop: 5.0 GB total for installation.
  • Qlik Sense Enterprise: 5.0 GB total for installation, with sufficient storage for the volume of apps and content. A network file share (SMB or NFS) is required for multi-server deployments.
• Display: Minimum screen resolution of 1024x768 for desktops, laptops, and tablets; 320x568 for small screens.
• Ports: WebSockets support is required for web browsers and infrastructure components (proxies, routers).
• Operating System: Refer to the "Supported Operating Systems" in the Basic Information section.

Analysis of Technical Requirements

The technical requirements for Qlik Sense emphasize its in-memory architecture, which necessitates substantial RAM proportional to the data volume being analyzed. Multi-core x64 processors with AVX support are crucial for efficient data processing and calculation. While minimums exist, enterprise deployments benefit significantly from higher core counts and clock speeds. Storage needs are moderate for installation but scale with the volume of analytical applications and data. Network file shares are essential for distributed environments to ensure data accessibility across nodes.

Support & Compatibility

Qlik Sense offers broad compatibility and support across various platforms and languages, ensuring a flexible and accessible analytics environment.

• Latest Version: Qlik provides continuous releases and patches. Users should consult the official Qlik Product Lifecycle for the most up-to-date version information.
• OS Support:
  • Server: Microsoft Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022, 2025.
  • Desktop: Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit), Windows 11.
  • Mobile: iOS 15+, iPadOS 15+, Android 11+.
• End of Support Date: Each major release of Qlik Sense Enterprise on Windows typically receives support for 2 years. Detailed dates are available in Qlik's Product Lifecycle documentation.
• Localization: Qlik Sense supports numerous languages, including English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Simplified Chinese, Polish, Turkish, Korean, and Traditional Chinese. The language displayed is typically detected from the web browser's preferences.
• Available Drivers: Qlik Sense integrates with various data sources through connectors. It includes PostgreSQL as a bundled repository database, with support for other versions.

Analysis of Overall Support & Compatibility Status

Qlik Sense demonstrates strong support and compatibility, catering to a wide range of enterprise environments. Its extensive operating system support, including modern Windows Server and desktop versions, alongside mobile platforms, ensures broad accessibility. The clear product lifecycle policy helps organizations plan upgrades and maintenance. Furthermore, comprehensive localization support makes Qlik Sense adaptable for global deployments, allowing users to interact with the platform in their preferred language. While traditional "drivers" are not applicable, its robust data connector framework allows integration with diverse data sources.

Security Status

Qlik Sense incorporates a multi-layered security framework to protect data and ensure controlled access within enterprise environments.

• Security Features:
  • Network security via Transport Layer Security (TLS) and digital certificates for encrypted communication.
  • Server security leveraging operating system controls for access to certificates, storage, memory, and CPU resources.
  • Process security through rigorous testing against known threats during development.
  • Application security with Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC).
  • Row and column-level data reduction using Section Access.
  • Auditing, monitoring, and logging capabilities via the Qlik Management Console (QMC).
  • Encryption of sensitive information like passwords and data connection strings.
• Known Vulnerabilities: Several critical vulnerabilities have been identified and patched, including:
  • CVE-2023-41265 (HTTP Tunneling Vulnerability, CVSS 9.6) allowing privilege escalation.
  • CVE-2023-41266 (Path Traversal Vulnerability, CVSS 8.2) allowing unauthenticated session creation.
  • CVE-2023-48365 (Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution, CVSS 9.9) due to an incomplete patch for CVE-2023-41265.
  • CVE-2024-55580 (Remote Code Execution, CVSS 7.5) allowing unprivileged users to execute remote commands.
  • CVE-2024-55579 (Arbitrary EXE execution, CVSS 8.8) allowing unprivileged users to create connection objects triggering EXE files.
  • CVE-2024-36077 (Privilege Escalation, CVSS 8.8) allowing remote attackers to elevate privileges to an internal system role.
  • These have been added to the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
• Blacklist Status: Not applicable.
• Certifications: While specific certifications are not detailed in the provided information, Qlik Sense leverages internal and external resources to manage security and compliance.
• Encryption Support: TLS for all network communications, encryption of data at rest (recommended for databases), and sensitive information.
• Authentication Methods: Microsoft Active Directory, Microsoft Windows Integrated Authentication (NTLM or Kerberos), SAML, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), HTTP Headers, and configurable anonymous access.
• General Recommendations: Implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and the principle of least privilege. Utilize Section Access for granular data-level security and stream-level security. Regularly audit security rules and monitor access logs. Apply all security patches and updates promptly.

Analysis on the Overall Security Rating

Qlik Sense provides a robust, multi-layered security architecture encompassing network, server, process, and application levels. It supports industry-standard encryption (TLS) and a variety of authentication methods, making it suitable for secure enterprise deployments. Features like RBAC, ABAC, and Section Access offer granular control over user access and data visibility. However, the discovery of several critical vulnerabilities, some of which have been actively exploited (e.g., by Cactus ransomware), underscores the paramount importance of diligent patching and adherence to Qlik's security recommendations. Organizations must maintain an up-to-date patching strategy and implement security best practices to mitigate potential risks.

Performance & Benchmarks

Qlik Sense performance is driven by its in-memory associative engine, which allows for rapid data exploration and calculation. Performance is highly scalable and dependent on hardware configuration and application design.

• Benchmark Scores: Qlik conducts "Qlik Capacity Benchmark" tests, which measure CPU and RAM utilization, and response times under varying conditions (data volumes, concurrent users, application complexity). For example, Qlik Sense 3.2 on an 8 vCPU system could handle 125-200 concurrent users on a 10 million row dataset.
• Real-world Performance Metrics: Performance is measured by CPU utilization, RAM utilization, and response times. The in-memory engine processes calculations at runtime, making memory and CPU clock speed critical. Scalability is achieved by distributing services across multiple nodes.
• Power Consumption: While not a direct software metric, server hardware recommendations suggest disabling energy-saving features and activating "Turbo Boost" for optimal Qlik Sense performance, as the engine utilizes all CPUs in bursts.
• Carbon Footprint: Not a directly measured metric for the software itself; it is influenced by the underlying hardware and data center efficiency.
• Comparison with Similar Assets: Qlik Sense is positioned as a powerful BI tool. Pricing comparisons sometimes show it against alternatives like Power BI, but direct performance benchmarks against competitors are not detailed in the provided snippets.

Analysis of the Overall Performance Status

Qlik Sense delivers strong performance, particularly for associative data exploration, due to its in-memory engine. Performance is highly scalable, adapting from single-server deployments to multi-node clusters for large organizations. Key factors influencing performance include the amount of RAM, the number and clock speed of CPU cores, and the complexity of applications and data models. Optimizing server BIOS settings and disabling energy-saving features are recommended for maximizing performance. Effective performance management also involves monitoring resource usage, optimizing app design, and ensuring robust network connectivity.

User Reviews & Feedback

User feedback for Qlik Sense generally highlights its strengths in data exploration and self-service capabilities, making it a powerful tool for various analytical needs.

• Strengths:
  • Intuitive, self-service visual analytics and associative exploration.
  • Scalability and governance for enterprise-wide deployments.
  • Flexible multi-cloud architecture and data integration capabilities.
  • Ability to handle complex data models and provide rapid insights.
• Weaknesses:
  • Performance can be sensitive to hardware sizing and application design, requiring careful optimization for large datasets.
  • The continuous release cycle necessitates ongoing patching to address security vulnerabilities.
• Recommended Use Cases:
  • Self-service data visualization and exploration for business users.
  • Enterprise-level reporting and analytics with strong governance.
  • Data preparation and integration across diverse sources.
  • Deployments requiring multi-cloud or hybrid environments.

Summary

Qlik Sense stands as a robust and highly capable enterprise analytics platform, distinguished by its powerful in-memory associative engine. This core technology enables users to perform intuitive, self-service data exploration and derive insights rapidly, even from complex datasets. The platform offers significant deployment flexibility, supporting on-premise, cloud (SaaS, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), and hybrid environments, catering to diverse organizational infrastructures.

Strengths of Qlik Sense include its comprehensive, multi-layered security framework, which incorporates network encryption, robust authentication methods, and granular access controls like RBAC, ABAC, and Section Access. Its extensive localization support further enhances its appeal for global enterprises. Performance is highly scalable, adapting to varying data volumes and user loads through optimized hardware configurations and multi-node deployments.

However, the platform's reliance on in-memory processing means that performance is directly tied to adequate RAM and CPU resources, necessitating careful sizing and optimization, particularly for very large datasets. Recent critical security vulnerabilities, some of which have been actively exploited, highlight the ongoing need for organizations to maintain a vigilant patching schedule and adhere strictly to security best practices.

In conclusion, Qlik Sense is an excellent choice for organizations seeking a powerful, flexible, and secure analytics solution that empowers users with self-service capabilities. To maximize its benefits, it is recommended to invest in appropriate hardware, meticulously design applications for performance, and diligently apply all security updates and patches. Adherence to Qlik's best practices for security and performance is crucial for a successful and resilient deployment.

The information provided is based on publicly available data and may vary depending on specific device configurations. For up-to-date information, please consult official manufacturer resources.