Hortonworks Presents a Hadoop Version
June 13, 2012
When one really begins to break down product lifecycle management (PLM) they find at the heart of any platform data management tools. With this knowledge firmly held as true Hortonworks has released a Hadoop version of their data analytics platform. The article, “Hortonworks Releases Its Hadoop Version”, on Computer World, explains how the Hadoop platform will make Hortonworks more accessible.
Included in the newest version is a nod to PLM as the article explains:
“To aid in management, the package includes a customized version of Apache Ambari, a Hadoop monitoring and lifecycle management program. With this software, an administrator can set up a single Hadoop instance across a number of servers. Once Hadoop is installed, the software then monitors performance of the servers as well as the Hadoop jobs themselves, presenting the data on a dashboard.”
It is impossible to separate data analytics from data management which, as mentioned above, is the glue that binds all PLM solutions. Inforbix, a leader in PLM solutions for the engineering industry, has long understood the importance of data management solutions and has achieved a reputation for innovation by providing apps with a focus on finding, sharing and reusing data. With a commitment to open source technology Inforbix is leading the way to the PLM solutions of tomorrow.
Catherine Lamfusss, June 13, 2012
Another Award for Fabasoft Mindbreeze
June 12, 2012
One of the greatest strengths of the Fabasoft suite of solutions is their interoperability. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise is a wonderful compliment and/or alternative to SharePoint. But the flagship product is not the only product getting attention. “Fabasoft Wins EuroCloud Austria Award 2012,” tells us that Folio Cloud is the best Cloud service product in Austria. We would argue that the product can hold its own internationally.
The article reports:
Karl Mayrhofer, Managing Director at Fabasoft Distribution GmbH accepted the award together with Fabasoft Folio Cloud Product Owner Mag. Harald Pfoser: ‘We are pleased to receive this award as the best Cloud service product in Austria. The expert jury showed a clear focus on more security in the Cloud and particularly highlighted the Cloud access with Digital ID, state-proofed identities. In Austria Folio Cloud supports this with mobile signature, in Germany with the digital ID card and in Switzerland with the SuisseID. Because business partners want absolute clarity concerning whom they are collaborating with online in Europe.’
More information about the Folio Cloud product can be found on the Fabasoft web site:
Folio Cloud stands for security and agility. Folio Cloud is the optimal online tool for efficient data management on all devices and secure online storage. Whether at home on your PC or on the move with your smartphone. Folio Cloud has established itself as the best solution for your mobile, secure data exchange. Agile data management and secure online collaboration are hereby guaranteed. Folio Cloud stands for a secure alternative to FTP Server.
So for SharePoint users who are struggling with Cloud service and mobile accessibility features, an implementation of Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise, teamed up with Folio Cloud may just offer the needed solution. The award-winning combo is definitely worth a second look.
Emily Rae Aldridge, June 12, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Codex of PLM Openness Now in Effect
June 12, 2012
In an often time highly competitive field it is refreshing to see a major provider of product lifecycle management solutions, SAP, commit to high standards of openness with other providers and customers. A recent Market Watch article, “Newsbyte: SAP Joins Codex of PLM Openness”, explains how SAP has joined the Codex of PLM Openness (CPO) and what that exactly means.
The article describes the CPO by saying,
“The CPO defines criteria for the openness of IT solutions used in PLM in order to help ensure that data created throughout the product life cycle can be used throughout the business as well. ProSTEP iViP has driven the CPO in close cooperation with PLM software users, PLM software vendors and implementation partners. The initiative describes a common understanding of the openness of systems in the context of PLM.”
We applaud SAP’s efforts to collaborate with others within the industry rather than mark territory which ultimately will destroy progress. Hopefully through careful partnering of companies offering PLM solutions innovation can flourish and the problems facing all industries utilizing PLM can be addressed with real resolution as an outcome.
Catherine Lamsfuss, June 12, 2012
Inteltrax: Top Stories, June 4 to June 8
June 11, 2012
Inteltrax, the data fusion and business intelligence information service, captured three key stories germane to search this week, specifically, how financial markets are being influenced and affected by big data analytics.
In “Venture Capitalists Invest in Cloud Based API Provider” we explore how tons of financial investments, namely in the cloud, are changing the game of big data.
In “UK Financial Industry Benefiting from Analytics” we discovered how England is attempting to avoid Eurozone financial catastrophe with analytics.
Finally, our feature, “Quantitative Financial Analytics is a Serious Weapon” dove headlong into this new buzzword and its impact on financial markets and the vendors supplying software.
With global markets plummeting or rising in equally shaky motions, analytics looks to be a potential stabilizing force. We’ll keep watching to see what kind of aid it can be.
Follow the Inteltrax news stream by visiting www.inteltrax.com
Patrick Roland, Editor, Inteltrax.
June 11, 2012
Dirty Secrets of SharePoint Online
June 11, 2012
SharePoint Online is getting a lot of buzz, and rightfully so. For many, the simplicity of a fully online solution is desirable. However, despite the hype, there are some seemingly essential features that have been overlooked, or have been poorly drawn.
Pankaj Taneja provides the details for Sys-Con Media in, “5 Dirty Sharepoint Online Secrets You Didn’t Know About.”
When you go through vendor feature datasheets, you get a view of features at a very high level. It’s only once you dive deep and actually start using the software do you get a sense of how it works. The experience might sometimes yield unexpected surprises . . . So while you might have absorbed some of Sharepoint Online’s marketing hype, here are some things they failed to mention.
The negative feedback ranges from the inability to cut and paste to customization difficulties to the fragmented overall structure.
For those who desire the low overhead of an online enterprise deployment, but the intuitiveness and customization of an on-site installation, we encourage you to explore Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise. Mindbreeze has both Cloud and on-site installations, both of which are updated are far more regular intervals than SharePoint. Mindbreeze can stand alone or work alongside an existing SharePoint installation.
Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise finds every scrap of information within a very short time, whether document, contract, note, e-mail or calendar entry, in intranet or internet, person- or text-related. The software solution finds all required information, regardless of source, for its users. Get a comprehensive overview of corporate knowledge in seconds without redundancy or loss of data.
In addition, Fabasoft Mindbreeze finds strengths in its seamless integration with other auxiliary services. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Connectors incorporates all manner of electronic data repositories. Mobile search and public-facing web site search are all done with Mindbreeze, while full attention is given to security concerns.
For a flexible and intuitive third-party enterprise solution, consider the offerings of Fabasoft Mindbreeze.
Emily Rae Aldridge, June 11, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Electronic Industry Focuses on Technology and Open Source
June 11, 2012
While manufacturing may be one of the largest industries employing product lifecycle management (PLM) to keep costs down and processes moving as efficiently as possible other industries are gaining speed in PLM adoption as they realize the many benefits solutions offer. A recent Virtual Strategy Magazine article, “SUB10 Systems Limited Selects Aras Solution Suite Combined with Minerva EHT for Enterprise Product Lifecycle Management”, explains how one Electronics company recently joined forces with a PLM provider with a lot to offer.
Leon Lauritsen, Director at Minerva, was quoted in the article as saying,
“At Minerva, we’ve applied our more 10 years of experience implementing PLM solutions specifically for the Electronic industry into a solution that combines advanced technology with an open source business model to enable companies such as SUB10 Systems to get their PLM projects up and running quickly and cost-effectively with minimal risk.”
No matter in which industry a company seeking PLM solutions may be involved the need for the solution to be open source is a growing requirement as is a quick implementation of the software and/or updates. While those are very important considerations when choosing a PLM provider we also would like to add the requirement of upgraded data management solutions. Inforbix, a leader in the field, is self-described as “…integrated cloud solutions for manufacturing companies that tackle everyday tasks such as finding, reusing, and sharing product data without the overhead of traditional data management systems.” Combine those qualities with competitive pricing and excellent customer service and training and anyone can see how they are among our favorites.
Catherine Lamsfuss, June 11, 2012
IBM Concerned with Personal Mobile Device Security
June 8, 2012
In an age where technology is moving completely towards mobile, including enterprise and content management solutions, concerns about security are valid and growing. General security awareness regarding mobile technology has not yet caught up to the level that is assumed for desktop or in-network computing.
David Roe gives a full report for CMS Wire in, “IBM Curtails Use of Personal Mobile Devices Over Unsecured App Fears.”
According to an article in the MIT Technology Review, IBM is stopping employees from using their own portable devices in the IBM workplace.
Some of the concern is about business intelligence and keeping a tight lid on proprietary information.
Public file transfer systems like Dropbox have been banned as has Apple’s iCloud; instead, employees use an IBM-hosted version called MyMobileHub as, Horan says, there is the possibility that internal, sensitive information will get loose and into the wild. Also getting the chop is Apple’s personal assistant Siri based on fears that confidential information will get out. It seems that the licensing agreement says that anything recorded using the app will also be recorded by Apple servers so you can see why IBM might be nervous.
However, this opens up a broader discussion about the security of mobile devices and software, and its continued usage for business essentials such as enterprise search. SharePoint deployments are common, but secure means to access the farm remotely are plagued with security concerns. Some third party solutions are doing a good job of anticipating the need and bridging the gap.
We like Fabasoft Mindbreeze and their attention to the mobility needs of the enterprise.
Smartphones and tablets allow you to act quickly in business matters – an invaluable competitive advantage. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Mobile makes company knowledge available on all mobile devices. You can act freely, independently and yet always securely. Irrespective of what format the data is in. Full functionality: Search results are displayed homogenously to the web client with regards to clear design and intuitive navigation.
Keep an eye on Fabasoft Mindbreeze and their ability to adapt quickly to the ever changing needs of SharePoint users or enterprise newcomers.
Emily Rae Aldridge, June 8, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Kenesto Rolls Out Latest Process Automation Solution
June 8, 2012
Any company utilizing a product lifecycle management solution understands how frustrating the discord between design and manufacturing can be. Kenesto, a leader in the industry, has recently announced its latest edition with simplicity the emphasis. The article, “Kenesto 2012 Is Generally Available”, on Digital Technology explains the problems facing enterprises and what measures Kenesto is providing to avoid such costly mishaps.
The article describes Kenesto’s best qualities:
“By combining cloud technology with unsurpassed ease of use, Kenesto overcomes the rigidity, cost and complexity of legacy systems like product lifecycle management systems (PLM) and business process management systems (BPMS). Kenesto enables enterprises to know more about their business, involve their suppliers and customers in important processes and reduce the time-to-market for products. More importantly, Kenesto achieves the universal acceptance that has eluded legacy systems because Kenesto allows people to create processes that work the way users want them to.”
It is important to note that like other leaders in PLM solutions Kenesto is accessing cloud technology as the basis for their new software. They also understand the importance of data management as a major component of successful PLM solutions. Another leader in the industry, Inforbix, is following a parallel path in their PLM development. Intent on helping clients find, share and reuse data Inforbix exceeds client expectations and is committed to innovation.
Catherine Lamsfuss, June 8, 2012
Final Considerations During a SharePoint Deployment Project
June 7, 2012
Robert Schifreen spent around eight months deploying and chronicling a SharePoint implementation project. In the twelfth and final installment of his SharePoint 2010 series, “SharePoint Deployment: The Final Chapter,” Schifreen highlights final configurations and the unavoidable prospect of going live. Schifreen summarizes the experience:
So where are we now? My two-server test farm is long since gone, and is now a proper six-server, three-tier farm that’s almost working the way we want. After that, and some user testing, duplicating my efforts on the production farm should be relatively straightforward. Then it’s a case of migrating users’ data from our existing network shares, at which point we can begin to roll out a working SharePoint environment for all our staff.
Longer term, we have great plans for what we hope will become a core strategic service for all staff and students. We’ll be looking for SharePoint development skills within the next year or two, as we begin to create a true intranet and portal that means our users have just a single point of entry into all our systems. Our intranet will evolve from a document collection into a proper intranet/portal.
Schifreen adds this comment about user challenges:
We’re conscious that the biggest complaint from users about our existing intranet and document repositories is that people can’t find what they’re looking for, so conversations these days include “taxonomy” or “managed metadata” in every sentence. Frequently both.
Schifreen’s series may be a valuable one to follow if you’ve been involved with a SharePoint implementation and deployment project. We also know that user complaints about search in SharePoint are not isolated to the deployment stage. Gaps in the out-of-the-box SharePoint search feature have many users turning to a third party solution. We like the feedback we’ve seen about Fabasoft Mindbreeze. With clear navigation and a self-explanatory interface, Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise facilitates findability.
Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise finds every scrap of information within a very short time, whether document, contract, note, e-mail or calendar entry, in intranet or internet, person- or text-related. The software solution finds all required information, regardless of source, for its users. Get a comprehensive overview of corporate knowledge in seconds without redundancy or loss of data.
While discussion about SharePoint user-adoption seems to be a constant among the community, Mindbreeze can save employees time by connecting them to the right information now via a user-friendly interface. Navigate to http://www.mindbreeze.com/ to read more.
Philip West, June 7, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Siemens Keeps Up with Innovation
June 7, 2012
Many industries rely on product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions to streamline processes, save unnecessary waste, and connect departments as items begin in research and development and make their way through the manufacturing process. Since PLM solutions are not easy nor are they inexpensive many within the PLM community are realizing that add-ons must be created to introduce the latest technological advancements. Siemens has done so with their Active Workspace, designed to work cooperatively with their PLM platform according to the article, “Siemens Steps Up Search & 3D Data Sharing”, on Design News.
The article explains the decision to create the program as:
“The idea for Active Workspace was spawned from the fact that there is increasing complexity surrounding product development across the board and across industry segments. The other reality is that no one PLM system holds all product-related data, meaning that development teams are often moving between siloed systems and data sources, with no real guidelines or roadmap to where the data they need to effectively make decisions resides.”
There is no PLM solution that can anticipate all of the problems a company may encounter during the next decade (the average lifespan of a PLM solution). There is also not a platform that can anticipate innovations in technology. These realities combined make it necessary for all PLM solutions adopted across industries to be flexible and able to easily incorporate new features such as Active Workspace.
Catherine Lamsfuss, June 7, 2012
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