Autonomy: Ready to Disrupt Again
February 17, 2012
When Hewlett-Packard (HP) purchased the enterprise software company Autonomy for a hefty 10.3 billion last August, the world was left wondering what would come of this new partnership. While HP has the hardware, Autonomy’s unique software allows enterprises to provide insight and structure to electronic data, including unstructured information, such as text, email, web pages, voice, or video.
Now, six months after the acquisition, word has broken and Business Insider’s Julie Bort has written “HP Finally Explains Its Big Plans for its $10 Billion Purchase, Autonomy” which shares some of the new products that HP has planned for Autonomy.
According to the article, HP is working on several hardware appliances that will power enterprise search and ideally out compete Google’s Search Appliance. HP also unveiled a new Autonomy video application.
In addition to this, Bort writes:
“HP is working on mobile Autonomy applications that will let you view images of physical world objects such as a movie poster and interact with them online. That’s nothing special, as lots of companies are working on similar technology, known as “augmented reality.” But this type of thing hasn’t gone mainstream yet, so there’s plenty of room for a big player like HP to own it if it ever does.”
While HP many not be using Autonomy to create the most innovative products right off the bat, HP’s extensive resources and purchasing power paired with Autonomy’s software make a duo that will be difficult to compete with.
Jasmine Ashton, February 17, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Enterprise Search Giants Keep Focus on Cloud and Social Solutions
February 17, 2012
Sim Ahmed discusses IBM vs. Microsoft in enterprise search in his recent ComputerWorld article, “SharePoint is a ‘Document Coffin,’ says IBM.” The ‘document coffin’ comments from IBM happened at the Lotusphere 2012 conference where they announced a host of new features for their line of enterprise software in an effort to offer up some competitive edge against SharePoint and Google’s Apps for Businesses. IBM is no stranger to critiques for their lacking enterprise software as SharePoint adoption continues to increase.
So what does IBM have in store?
The theme of this year’s Lotusphere is business made social, and IBM has taken the opportunity to announce several social networking orientated changes to its line of enterprise software. IBM demoed new additions to its Connections community portal product, including the new Activity Stream feature which resembles status feeds on most popular social networks. The Activity Stream can pull in information from multiple apps and feeds, including third party applications by using the OpenSocial framework. Community managers can gain a better understanding of their users with built in metrics and sentiment tracking.
In addition, IBM showcased their much anticipated cloud-based document collaboration and editing software called IBM Docs. But critics have been quick to point out that any system can become a document graveyard without the right people and planning in place ahead of time.
No matter your system, you need the right solutions in place to facilitate findability and reusability of your business information. For an established Cloud solution, consider Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Here you can read and see the easy and powerful search features of Mindbreeze in Folio Cloud.
William Wallace explains,
Whether you need to find an e-mail, document, contact, team room or any other object, Mindbreeze searches your Cloud with speed and intelligence. Under Mindbreeze in Folio Cloud you can select the sources that you want to search quite simply via a menu box directly in the search screen. You can conveniently select the source(s) that are relevant for your search and also select restrictions based on the tick-box options.
Folio Cloud gives you search and collaboration capabilities and the most return for your enterprise search investments. Point your browser to Fabasoft Mindbreeze to find what works for you.
Philip West, February 17, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
PLM Must Change Warns Respected Blogger
February 17, 2012
There has been a lot of discussion about the future of PLM technologies. With the introduction of cloud technology in the last decade PLM has begun the first truly radical change since it began almost thirty years ago. In the blogpost titled, PLM, RDBMS and Future Data Management Challenges, on PLM Think Tank, author Oleg Shilovitsky points out the effect PLM’s out-of-date technology is having on data.
When PLM first started there was relatively little data floating around in the world. As computer use has increased, the internet explosion and now all systems within a company computerized data is growing at exponential rates. And yet, PLM is still being done basically the same.
As the post summarizes,
“I think, the weak point of existing RDBMS technologies in the context of PLM is a growing complexity of data – both from structural and unstructured aspects. The amount of data will raise lots of questions in front of enterprise IT in manufacturing companies and PLM vendors.”
For a company to stay competitive in this global economy that has really come to exist in the last two decades PLM strategies must be changed and companies must adopt new data management solutions to go along with those changes. Cloud technology now allows for PLM that keeps up with a growing company’s rapidly changing data management needs. The evidence of Shilovitsky’s admonishments can be seen in the growing number of PLM providers switching to the cloud and focusing more on data management in relation to enterprise search.
Catherine Lamsfuss, February 17, 2012
Protected: Free SharePoint Training Videos Teach the Basics
February 17, 2012
Another Take on Visual SharePoint
February 16, 2012
We noted the excellent article “How to Do Visual Best Bets for Built In SharePoint Search”. Mikael Svenson has done a very good job of explaining the details of an earlier article about best bets (content which may of interest to a user) enhancements to SharePoint FS4SP.
Users find useful suggestions and content flagged as having particular relevance to a query. The suggestions in many systems are in the form of “facets” or highlighted results. Busy users can scan the results list and note the suggestions. A visual component can make it even easier for a SharePoint user to spot potentially useful content.
We learned from Mr. Svenson:
Visual Best Bets is a feature of FAST Search for SharePoint which lets you point to a file with html content to be displayed above your search results. For example an image, Silverlight or flash content can be used to graphically enhance what is linked to the keyword term. The Visual Web Part uses an iframe to accomplish this and loads up your content inside the iframe. This is useful as you can easily edit the html file at will. But why go the extra mile for a separate file, or opt in for FS4SP for this feature? The Best Bet web part support the showing of keywords and keyword definitions. Keyword definitions are formatted as html. And a definition with html formatting is in effect a Visual Best Bet. (If you have more than one Visual Best Bet you want to assign to the keyword you would have to add them all to the same html for this to work.)
We agree, and we want to add that there are numerous other options available to a SharePoint licensee. These range from the integration of visual displays from Microsoft-certified third party developers to custom code. One company with some interesting technologies is Nevron. The firm’s components can convert a SharePoint page into an advanced dashboard or a report. The user no longer looks at a results list. With Nevron-type technology, the user sees a report which answers a specific business question.
At Search Technologies, the technical team can implement FS4SP via PowerShell or other system, integrate third party components, or develop a customized solution to meet a SharePoint licensee’s specific needs. To learn more about Search Technologies’ customization and FS4SP services, navigate to the Search Technologies’ Web site.
Iain Fletcher, February 16, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Protected: DocAve and SharePoint Swim in Content Oceans
February 16, 2012
Keeping Enterprise Content Alive
February 16, 2012
It is easy to dump content into one of the popular content management systems, but assigning value to that content while storing it and making it searchable is quite a challenge. Word of Pie weighs in on keeping enterprise systems alive, be it in SharePoint or through other solutions in, “Keeping Your Content Alive, With or Without SharePoint.” The author points out that the issue lies not with any one particular system, but rather with an overall need to refocus content management systems.
The author states:
. . . a strong collaborative system, properly designed and implemented, can give Content life. I think Billy (Cripe) puts it best when he says that Content should be exhibited. I think that this type of system where Content is developed and readily revisited and leveraged is great. It just isn’t the only way.
The author goes on to explain that the value of information lies in its context; therefore, a successful content management solution will incorporate the context in assigning value to the content. Fabasoft Mindbreeze and their suite of enterprise search solutions assigns this type of value and context to the content it manages.
Read more in the press release, “More Time for the Essentials with Fabasoft Mindbreeze.”
With the new release, Fabasoft Mindbreeze displays search results clearer and more structured. Index tabs break down search results in specific groups and topics. That way, users see immediately what documents contain the search term and in what context it is mentioned. With this structured overview, users find what they are looking for much faster.
Subsequent releases have improved on the performance of Mindbreeze, but the framework listed above remains the same. If your organization needs to bring its content back to life, include Fabasoft Mindbreeze on your list of options.
Emily Rae Aldridge, February 16, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
PLM Users Explore Trust Issues with the Cloud
February 16, 2012
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) users seem to be a bit reluctant to move their information into the cloud. They are having difficulty deciding when or even if they should explore what the cloud has to offer. Cadalyst.com goes as far as to ask Does PLM Belong in the Cloud?
Most experts believe “that the power and potential of cloud computing, properly leveraged and deployed, can have a significant impact on thePLMindustry.” However:
“Some users feel apprehension about moving sensitive information — such as that managed in PLM — to the cloud. Adoption is gradually gaining momentum, however, as more customers learn about the available options and advantages.”
Cloud-based PLM is in its early stages and few have fully deployed, but it is only a matter of time until it picks up speed due “to the great benefits at stake.”
At the moment, trust is the barrier between PLM and the cloud, but the writing is on the wall. PLM will eventually be consumed by the cloud. Technology companies are trying to put consumers at ease. Inforbix, which is cloud-based solution, discusses this very issue in its blog entry Inforbix, Cloud, and Trust. We think Inforbix is doing it right by addressing the issue and earning the trust of their users as the cloud becomes a way of life.
Jennifer Wensink, February 13, 2012
Protected: SharePoint Search Can Be Visual
February 15, 2012
Hyundai, Kia Deploy New PLM System
February 15, 2012
The auto industry continues to regain momentum and excel with product lifecycle management (PLM) by its side. Recently reported, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation Completes First Phase of PTC PLM System Deployment.
Combined, Kia and Hyundai are the fourth largest and fastest growing automotive company in the world. Their robustPLM solution “enables global concurrent product development and supports its rapidly changing vehicle requirements.”
“Our company believes that new thinking leads to new possibilities,” said ChangKy Kang, executive vice president and head of vehicle development center 4. “This philosophy is what led us to selectPTCas our strategicPLMpartner. We are pleased by the collaboration betweenPTCand our project teams in achieving this aggressive implementation milestone on schedule.”
With the success of the first phase, they will begin planning for the second very soon.
PLMtechnology certainly has helped the car industry regain its footing. There is no doubt as PLMgrows and expands, so will automotive manufacturing. Companies such as Inforbix are going above and beyond. Not only have they simplified the approach to data access, but are doing it in a cost effective manner. It is certainly time for the auto industry to take notice of Inforbix and use their technology to continue down their path back to prominence.
Jennifer Wensink, February 15, 2012
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