Ontology Systems Bests Vivisimo and Information Optimization

May 8, 2012

I read “Ontology Systems Set to Unveil OSS/BSS Intelligence Semantic Search Apps at Management World 2012.” The write up focuses on a forthcoming announcement of technology for “enterprise data alignment.”

When I read this, I thought of IBM Vivisimo’s “information optimization” catchphrase. I am not exactly sure what information optimization means. I think I am unclear about OSS BSS intelligent semantic search apps for enterprise data alignment. The Ontology Systems’ Web site includes detailed information about the company’s method.

My hunch this technology is a search system with semantic functions. The company describes itself this way:

Ontology Systems have caused Communications Service Providers (CSPs) to rethink the way they find and align customer, equipment and service information. CSPs spend vast sums of money attempting to do this via integration but getting usable results is hard. The world’s largest misaligned system is the Internet and you search the Internet. Ontology believes you should search your systems too.

The benefits of the company’s approach are explained in terms of an “ontology” seasoned approach:

Using state-of-the-art semantic search technologies, Ontology quickly finds and aligns business entities in operational, business and infrastructure systems. We provide a single, accurate, enterprise-wide view of customers, services and network assets.  An organization using OSS BSS intelligent semantic search apps for enterprise data alignment can, according to the write up, “increase profit and reduce costs by preventing revenue leaks, improving service management, enhancing customer experience, maximizing network assets and improving the speed and accuracy of migration.”

The conclusion which the company suggests for me is “Ontology is semantic search for Enterprise Data Alignment.”

Stepping back, I had several observations:

  1. Vivisimo’s use of “information optimization” allowed IBM to perceive Vivisimo as a “big data” company. My hunch is that with a phrase which is ambiguous, convincing a cash rich purchaser to buy becomes easier. There are no pesky concrete explanations to block a “pivot” or deft repositioning. The Ontology Systems’ catchphrase is, to me, similar to Vivisimo’s choice of words.
  2. I am not sure what the undefined acronyms mean. I thought briefly about trying to untangle the “OSS BSS” pair, but if the writer did not explain them, it is not important to an addled goose. A brief explanation to an uninformed reader such as I was obviously unnecessary for the company’s target market.
  3. The “ontology” buzzword is used without associations to big data, analytics, and social media. Most of the articles I read about enterprise semantics are shifting from the taxonomy/ontology hooks to concepts which are getting more sales traction. There is a notable example of a well known Microsoft centric vendor scrambling to find a market positioning that captures SharePoint licensees’ interest. Ontology Systems seems to have a unique angle to make money with an ontology centric approach.

You can keep up with some of the vendors in the taxonomy and ontology sector with a subset of our Overflight service. Take a look at our free subsite http://www.arnoldit.com/taxonomy/. When you click on a company name, you can determine if the company is active in the market and get an indication of what is being said about the firm. We will add Ontology Systems to the public facing service so you can track this firm with a mouse click.

Stephen E Arnold, May 7, 2012

Sponsored by PolySpot

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