Open Source Search: Momentum Building
May 10, 2012
It has happened.
The self-appointed experts have discovered open source search, reveals CIO in “Wide-Open Search.” With exponentially growing amounts of data to contend with, organizations from Twitter and Facebook to the Library of Congress are turning to open source solutions. Such groups, Stacy Collett writes:
“. . . venture into the seemingly untamed world of open-source search applications, not just for the cost savings, but also for the ability to customize and modify applications quickly. Plus, open source has an active community that can help solve related problems.”
All true. Collett points to Lucene, developed by Lucid Imagination, as her open source example, which seems like a good choice to us. She emphasizes that Lucene is a formidable application built for enterprises with sophisticated search needs. Smaller-scale tools based on Lucene are also available, like Elasticsearch.
Lucid Imagination provides an enterprise open source search solution as well as consulting and engineering services. Lucene Solr leads the field in independent enterprise search platforms, with 200,000 to 300,000 downloads per month. As other search application vendors get snapped up by the giant companies, Lucid relies on adaptability. The write up informs us:
“Lucid Imagination plans to move into the business intelligence and data warehousing spaces and enable integration with big-data technologies, [Lucid CEO Paul] Doscher says. ‘If you put traditional data warehouse or business intelligence-type applications on top of Hadoop, in some instances, it’s almost like trying to take this manhole cover of opportunity and shove it through a garden hose,’ he says.”
Nice metaphor.
We’re okay with Lucid, but he mid-tier consultants. . . . Well, mid-tier exists for a reason. You can get profiles of key open source search vendors for free by clicking on the Profiles link at our sister information service, OpenSearchNews.com.
Cynthia Murrell, May 10, 2012
Sponsored by HighGainBlog
New SharePoint On-Demand Release from Ascendum Seeks to Ease SharePoint Implementation
May 9, 2012
SharePoint is becoming the industry standard for content management with over 65,000 companies using the software and more than 100 million licenses in place worldwide. In “Ascendum Unveils Latest Innovation: New SharePoint On Demand(TM) Changes the Rules by Taking Away the Hassles but Not the Power of Industry-Leading Platform,” Eric Weissmann discusses a new SharePoint On Demand ™ program that seeks to take the worry and hassle out of managing a SharePoint integration. The release aims to meet the needs for companies that have limited budget and administration resources but are still looking for the full power of the SharePoint platform.
A spokesperson from Ascendum comments on the release:
This simple yet powerful solution will unleash the true power and functionality of the SharePoint platform for our customers,” said Tim Ryan, Ascendum’s Vice President of Business Development. “This new product shows again how we at Ascendum are continuously innovating to meet the needs of the market here in Cincinnati and throughout the Midwest.
Two levels, Basic and Advanced, are available in SharePoint On Demand ™ and each comes with a set amount of administrative time from Ascendum and off-premises hosting. Ascendum is a global IT services firm headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The firm focuses on IT consulting, application development management, infrastructure management services, talent management, and on-demand services.
The press release is a brief read that may be worth looking at to stay in the loop on the new application that may help your company implement SharePoint. To maximize your SharePoint investments beyond implementation, consider Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Part of the full suite of solutions is the Fabasoft Folio Connector, which provides uniform, reliable management of your digital content. Here is a highlight:
Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise is able to search all data sources connected to the platform simultaneously. In addition to data from, for example, Microsoft Exchange or the file system, the Fabasoft Folio Connector allows to query information objects and documents from Fabasoft Folio, too.
With on-premise and Cloud information pairing capabilities, Mindbreeze provides a comprehensive and enterprise-grade solution that adds rich value to your business knowledge. Read more at Mindbreeze, where they seem to have the benefits of a proper installation down pat.
Philip West, May 9, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Supporting Growth in the LED Ceiling Light Industry
May 9, 2012
The prevalence of ceiling-mounted lighting based on light-emitting diode (LED) technology is increasing as consumers become more energy-conscious, as the cost of such fixtures continues to drop, and as more styles of these lights are produced. However, given the level of competition present in the lighting industry, the design process involved in creating attractive fixtures, and the relatively limited market for replacement parts, manufacturers of LED ceiling lights must manage their product information efficiently in order to succeed.
The market prospects for the industry is described in a recent blog post entitled “LED Ceiling Light Market Trends”:
“… the selling point of the LED bulb [is that it] has a product life cycle cost [that] is less than … [that of] incandescent bulbs, so the market is able to expand …”
Considering this growth potential, manufacturers of LED ceiling lighting would be well-advised to implement an agile product lifecycle management (PLM) solution that would enable them to find, reuse, and share their product data effectively so that they will be able to quickly react to market trends and maintain their competitive advantage.
Tonya Weikel, May 9, 2012
Free DataStax Open Source Search Profile Now Available
May 8, 2012
OpenSearchNews.com has posted another open source search engine profile. Like the two previous profiles—Basho Riak and Doculibre Constellio—the discussion of the search system is available for one week. Navigate to the OpenSearchNews.com profile page and click the link for the DataStax report.
OpenSearchNews.com is a service of ArnoldIT, which provides information and analysis of selected open source search solutions. Many proprietary vendors of search are reluctant to admit that open source search is becoming an increasingly disruptive force in the enterprise market.
According to Stephen E Arnold, “This series of profiles is designed to make it easy for an individual to get basic information about open source search. We want to provide these profiles at no cost because access to the information is more important than monetary considerations. Self appointed experts have not stepped forward to cover this important market sector. The team at Beyond Search has taken an important step forward.”
For more information about ArnoldIT, the publisher of these profiles, navigate to www.arnoldit.com and www.augmentext.com.
Don C. Anderson, May 8, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT
Managing Change and User Adoption during a SharePoint Deployment
May 8, 2012
Symon Garfield discusses transition in the 16th installment of his Art of SharePoint Success series at the CMSWire.com Blog. In the article, “The Art of SharePoint Success: Transition – There’s No Such Thing as a SharePoint Project,” Garfield uses Transition as an umbrella term to include change management and user adoption. He also looks at Transition as the fourth element, behind Governance, Strategy, and Architecture, in a four point framework for ensuring long term return on a SharePoint investment.
SharePoint’s potential as a catalyst for a big change in an organization means you need a plan. Garfield explains:
A structured approach means that we have a plan. Transitioning from the current state means that you understand the current situation and know where you are starting from. A desired future state means you know what you are trying to achieve and will recognize when we have done it. A controlled manner means that you have some means of measuring your progress. If you don’t have all of these elements in place then you’re not ready to start.
Because SharePoint can facilitate change in business processes, organizational structures, power shifts, individual behavior, and business relationships, Garfield stresses understanding the different types of change and how to plan for them. For example, an incremental or gradual change, versus a radical or fundamental change, is often the secret to success with SharePoint, according to Garfield. Other types of changes, including organizational versus sub-system and remedial versus developmental, are also covered. Managing change and user adoption is no doubt a challenge for organizations. Garfield brings up some valid points that may be worth the read if you’re implementing a SharePoint system.
To help manage the change, consider a quality third party solution, like Fabasoft Mindbreeze, that gets your users the right information and the right time. Mindbreeze can really get you the most out of your enterprise search investments and extend the capabilities of your SharePoint system. For a deep solution that connects your business information with the Cloud and gives your users the search and navigation experience they need, check out Mindbreeze.
Philip West, May 8, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Mining Industry Turns to Data Management
May 8, 2012
More and more industries are turning to PLM to save money and cut costs. One of the latest industries to embrace such data analytics is the mining industry. A recent article, “Dassault Breaks Ground in Mining Market”, on Design News, explores how one PLM provider is offering real changes for an industry suffering from a lack of data management.
The article explains of Gemcom’s adoption of Dassault PLM software as,
“The move seems to be in keeping with Dassault’s ongoing commitment to broaden its reach into industries that have been slower to embrace PLM technology than the traditional automotive and aerospace industries — for example, apparel, electronics, and ship building. Gemcom’s 3D simulation tools also fit well with Dassault’s simulation offerings as part of the SIMULIA product line.”
Finding new industries into which introduce PLM solutions is crucial in today’s economy. More than ever all industries need to find ways to eliminate waste and streamline production. For that reason we recommend all companies, regardless of size or specialty, contact the professionals at Inforbix for top of the line PLM solutions customized to the client’s needs. By implementing enterprise wide PLM procedures any company will be amazed at the results.
Catherine Lamsfuss, May 8, 2012
Inteltrax: Top Stories, April 30 to May 4
May 7, 2012
Inteltrax, the data fusion and business intelligence information service, captured three key stories germane to search this week, specifically, where the power lies in the analytic world.
Our story, “Korea Gets Analytic Attention” shows that China doesn’t deserve all the analytic attention when discussing Asian superpowers.
However, that doesn’t mean that China isn’t astoundingly powerful in the big data market. Our story, “Beijing Set to be the new Analytic Wall Street” all but solidifies that notion.
However, nations don’t hold all the strength. “Analytic Partner Power” highlights the growing shift of strong analytic companies teaming together to weather any storm.
Whether nations are on the rise, staying on top or innovative business ideas are helping forge new strengths, we’ll be keeping an eye on everything in the big data analytics sphere. Keep up with the news every day.
Follow the Inteltrax news stream by visiting www.inteltrax.com
Patrick Roland, Editor, Inteltrax.
May 7, 2012
SharePoint 2010 Server Administrator Training Opportunities Announced for Multiple Cities
May 7, 2012
Upcoming SharePoint Server Administrator continuing education opportunities are discussed in the recent Virtual-Stretegy.com post, “SharePoint 2010 Server Administrators Training Now Available in Multiple Cities.” The three-day training session titled Introduction to SharePoint 2010 for Server Administrators is scheduled for May 15 – 17 in Nashville; June 5 – 7 in Washington, DC; and June 26 – 28 in Chicago.
The course, which is intended for server administrators seeking to learn best practices for installing, implementing and managing SharePoint 2010 servers, is explained:
The course serves as an introduction to both SharePoint Foundation 2010 (the free edition of SharePoint 2010) and SharePoint Server 2010 Standard and Enterprise Editions. It uses a sample company in the lab exercises to teach IT professionals how to apply SharePoint 2010 from concept to implementation in a typical environment.
The course author and Senior Instructor for SharePoint Solutions, Ricky Spears, explains the expected student outcomes:
Students will learn how to determine which edition of SharePoint is best for their organization; the tasks end users perform most frequently with SharePoint; and how to establish site security. Then, they will set up SharePoint 2010 from scratch under the watch eye of a Microsoft-certified SharePoint 2010 administrator.
The training may be worth checking out if you need to boost your implementation and administration in SharePoint 2010. But we also know that valuable development resources are often limited. Consider a comprehensive out of the box solution, like Fabasoft Mindbreeze, to extend your SharePoint system without the need for extensive training.
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.
Further, Mindbreeze offers enterprise-grade support and training to help you along the way and maximize your enterprise search investments. The solution is worth a second look at http://www.mindbreeze.com/.
Philip West, May 7, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Data Management Solutions for Any Size Company Demanded
May 7, 2012
Small and midsized businesses have long suffered in a word of too much data because data management solutions were not scalable for their modest needs. All that has changed, however, with cloud technology. Now any company regardless of size can benefit from product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions. A recent article, “How Arena Is Bringing PLM Implementation Back to Basics”, on Arena Solutions’ website, explains how their PLM solutions (available in three sizes) allow even the smallest companies access to data management.
The article explains the problem facing these small companies as,
“Prior to Arena and the advent of cloud, PLM was an expensive gamble. PLM solutions took a long time to implement, and implementations frequently failed. Faced with frightening odds, small and mid-size manufacturers used makeshift tools like spreadsheets to keep product data organized. And while the spreadsheets were free, the resulting miscommunications and mistakes were not.”
While we could not agree Arena’s premise that small and midsized companies have every right to utilize PLM just as their larger counterparts have been doing for years we disagree with the presentation. Instead of offering pre-packaged data management solutions we recommend small companies turn to Inforbix, a leader in PLM solutions that caters to small and midsized enterprises with customized data management solutions including a heavy dose of customer support, to guarantee that every company can find, share and reuse data as needed.
Catherine Lamsfuss, May 7, 2012
Autonomy Offers Automatic Classification and Taxonomy Generation
May 7, 2012
Conceptualizing the processes and methods behind the storage and organization of data in our current age ruled by unstructured content and meta-tags can prove overwhelming. We found a great source of information from Autonomy, which explains their offering of Automatic Classification and Taxonomy Generation.
With their eye on functionality, IDOL’s classification solutions help users to circumvent issues that have arisen in a time of exponential data growth.
In addition to Taxonomy Libraries and Automatic Categorization and Channels, the Autonomy Collaborative Classifier is included. Their website clearly delineates how these elements work.
The website states the following information regarding Taxonomy Libraries:
“Built by experienced knowledge engineers using best practices learned through hundreds of consulting engagements, Autonomy taxonomies let organizations rapidly deploy industry-standard taxonomies that can be combined with your corporate taxonomies or easily customized to meet company and industry-specific requirements. Each Autonomy taxonomy is based on industry standards, and built using IDOL’s conceptual analysis that provides the highest level of accuracy.”
There are a variety of taxonomies IDOL consists of ranging from biotechnology to financial services: a comprehensive solution, indeed. Overall, IDOL seems equipped to eradicate the need for time consuming intervention required in the past. But open source alternatives exist and should be considered by procurement teams.
Megan Feil, May 9, 2012
Sponsored by Ikanow
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