Unified Information Access Infrastructure Component Offers Connectivity with Big Data Insights
January 1, 2013
Visualization of ideas in the form of infographics parlay a level of knowledge, so to speak. However, they usually only features curated content. We found the graphic in Database Landscape Map to be most fascinating as it aims to cover many bases of the current landscape of database technologies. Published by The 451 Group, the original version (not shown in the referenced article) was published for their “NoSQL, NewSQL and Beyond” report.
According to the article, the recently updated version is not quite as useful as the original since it lacks several players in the database space:
I’ll be honest – I’m not convinced that this is as practically useful as the original, although I believe it is more accurate and it was an exhausting interesting exercise to put it together. If anyone spots any glaring omissions or errors please keep them to yourself let us know. Additionally, the image is also available on posters, mugs, t-shirts and mouse pads, for a small fee.
The relational and the non-relational zones are the only two clear delineations that this graphic makes. We would find this much more useful if the authors included key players in all spheres of enterprise information. This would broaden the base to include vital technologies like unified information access infrastructure components.
Megan Feil, January 1, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Beyond Search.
IBM Returns to Pure Software Roots As Technology Evolves
December 27, 2012
Since IBM ceased their production of applications and reorganized into two organizations, Middleware and Solutions in 2011, they have been pumping out infrastructure software and the complementary integration components to go with it. These inner organizational changes have helped them determine the type of solutions they can offer to companies as the industry itself evolves.
Seeking Alpha’s article “So What Does IBM Mean When It Says It’s In The Solutions Business?” explains what type of solutions IBM will be providing in the future:
“It is not individual packaged products per se, but groups of related software products, services, and systems. And we know at very high level where IBM is going to focus its solutions efforts. IBM has always been about software, services, and systems – although in recent years the first two have taken front stage. The flip side is that some of these solutions areas are overly broad. Smarter Analytics is a catch-all covering the familiar areas of business intelligence and performance management, predictive analytics and analytical decision management, and analytic applications.”
The need for sustainable ROI in technology, it is unsurprising that IBM returned to their software roots. IBM seeks opportunities with best in class partners and their association with leading enterprise search companies such as Intrafind,is a relationship that seems to be paying off well. Intrafind was an early IBM Pure integrator and both sides seem to be making the best of the relationship.
Jennifer Shockley, December 27, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Unified Information Access Delivers Growth and Development Opportunities for Businesses
December 25, 2012
Studies or surveys that look into how we utilize time spent at work are inherently valuable since they relate to time, which we all know is money. Venture Beat published an article on the topic of productivity and what does and does not kill it. “When Big Data is a Big Waste of Time…And Powerpoint is Worse for Productivity than a Martini at Lunch” reports on information gleaned from a survey done by business analytic app maker Roambi.
The subjects of the survey were broad: business data, analytics and office life. However, these topics ultimately point to productivity and business growth.
The article states:
And, more than 50 percent of business data is locked away in inaccessible or unfriendly formats, resisting executives’ efforts to review, learn, and react to the most important information in their companies…For instance, 21 percent of those executives said that they could only review and derive value from 10-15 percent of their business data. Another 29.6 percent said they could see and act on between 25 and 50 percent of their business data. For 10 percent, key business data was simply inaccessible.
It is important to note that Roambi surveyed their own customers and their survey said that data was inaccessible. Is there a correlation between using Roambi and not being able to access key data? That is precisely what they have led readers to conclude. To address inaccessible data, companies need to look no farther than PolySpot and their unified information access infrastructure component.
Megan Feil, December 25, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
EA Is Just One Step Towards the Path of Enterprise Zen
December 18, 2012
EA, a revamped source promises to make sense of the enterprise. According to Toolbox’s article “EA to Empower the Wisdom of Seeing the Whole, the Power of Enterprise Knowledge and the Art of Enterprise Collaboration”, corporations have reason to pay attention to enterprise architecture. . Ironically, the article portrays enterprise architecture as a means of reaching a higher power source on an almost spiritual level of organizational empowerment, aka Enterprise Zen, but fails to mention other important factors such as the need for wisdom in choosing partners and integrators.
Some of the points, though phrased in an entertaining proverbial way, are widespread by definition and more business sense than validation:
“Wisdom comes from seeing the whole where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. However, in an organization, most people can only touch the tree without seeing the forest. Knowledge is power; EA does not only enable everyone to see the whole but also enable everyone to know the parts via enterprise knowledge management. Collaboration is more art than science. It is in every organization strategic planning goal and it is also a difficult goal to achieve.”
Enterprise architecture is one cog in the wheel of getting enterprise information out there. Using a reliable technology like Intrafind, that is backed up with a team of solution providers can provide the initial steps necessary to help you make the best of your EA investment and reach true Enterprise Zen.
Jennifer Shockley, December 18, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Products and Processes Drive Data so Accessible Data can Drive Success
December 17, 2012
Companies are not receiving accolades for the amount of data they have. When the phrase big data gets thrown around loosely, it can be confusing for people new to the concept as to what value lies in big data. A recent TechCrunch article, “So What If You Have Big Data? Without Processes and Products It’s Useless” drives an important point home related to this misconception. No one is counting terabytes simply for the sake of piling up the most data.
The real value for big data lies in the way it is utilized and the opportunities and insights that can be created from it. The article discusses the two major ways that companies can turn big data into cold hard cash by creating competitive advantages: data-driven processes and data-driven products.
In addition to learning about processes, we also found out more about the landscape of data-driven products:
Twitter, while not a data product itself, licenses its data to providers like DataSift, who then go on to create a data product that companies gobble up for the insight it provides them. Some media companies package up their audience viewership data into products they turn around and sell to channel programmers and content creators.
Whether companies are dealing in data-driven products or data-driven processes, one thing is for sure. An infrastructure component, such as the solution from PolySpot, is integral to connecting every enterprise employee to the information they need to make vital decisions.
Megan Feil, December 17, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Intrafind Provides Relevant Results throughout Changing Realities
December 6, 2012
Modern technology is changing the way reality can be seen and shown to others. Video cameras and cell phones are being replaced with comfortable, virtually undetectable life capture devices like Google Glasses. These easy to operate wearables literally record all aspects of everyday life, and the lives of those around us.
The collection process is reminiscent of a sci-fi movie, but the data farmed will serve a higher purpose. TechCrunch’s article “Four Perspectives On Augmented Reality And Its Future” explains how developers are taking steps to create devices that not only record, but help users function, think and react:
“Brainwaves in an AR system allows for real-time neuro feedback. This would allow you to know your brain state and have the opportunity to optimize it — being able to choose and be guided into the desired state as you go about your day.The real measure of AR is when it solves real-world problems that may seem boring with realistic and minimal interface. Most AR has had the exciting “wow” factor which lasts for about 15 seconds. It is a big jump from there to useful everyday applications.”
When the initial buzz of the latest, greatest technology trend fades a bit, companies seeking success will be jarred back into reality by the need for relevant results. If your organization wants the security of knowing what theactual reality is, using a search provider like Intrafind that brings that reality to surface may be a better investment than the latest fad.
Jennifer Shockley, December 6, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
IBM Pure Competes with Oracle Exadata Line
November 22, 2012
Large tech companies, such as Oracle and IBM, are addressing Big Data challenges by releasing integrated systems that are designed with hardware and software created to work together for maximum performance. However, these systems are still working out some flaws, according to the article “Oracle’s Secret Sauce: Why Exadata is Rocking the Tech Industry” on Forbes. We learn in the article that some engineered systems are struggling to compete with Oracle’s tested Exadata line in terms of cost and performance.
The article tells us:
“But even IBM is finding that the move to truly optimized and engineered systems takes more than just packaging some components together, which is about the extent of their effort with their initial Pure Systems. Those machines offer only a limited amount of focused IP to optimize the platforms. In addition, while Exadata handles all workloads in one system, IBM has come out with 3 separate database platforms based upon varying workloads.”
However, we believe IBM Pure and similar systems are highly beneficial and necessary for companies because of proven data delivery results and support. The company’s reliance on trusted integrators such as Intrafind helps customers make the best of infrastructure, application, and execution of enterprise search.
Andrea Hayden, November 22, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Agile Solutions for Big Data Make Exabytes Less Overwhelming
November 14, 2012
Many narratives follow the phrase big data and ZDNet discusses the story that EMC tells about big data. Katharin Winkler, vice president of corporate sustainability for EMC, explained the elusive concept in layman’s terms at the Verge @ Greenbuild summit. The main reason that this concept needs to be brought down to a lower level is because big data is affecting everyone’s lives. It has effectively “escaped the data center.”
Back in 2000, two exabytes of new information were created in the world. In 2011, Winkler said the world was creating data at a rate of more than two exabytes of new information everyday.
In the article, “EMC Explains Making Big Data More Concrete to General Public” we learned about EMC’s strategy:
Winkler briefly outlined EMC’s overall strategy, dubbed “The Human Face of Big Data,” which is designed make big data more comprehensible for everyday Internet users. That strategy includes a book of the same name being published later this month, which features images from more than 150 photojournalists worldwide, demonstrating that basically every moment of our lives can now be chronicled in the cloud.
The possibilities with big data may seem overwhelming at times. Inherently, the opportunities are endless. However, these insights and information can only be delivered to decision-makers with the proper infrastructure technologies in place. We have had our eyes on PolySpot for their agile solutions in this department.
Megan Feil, November 14, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
Intrafind Offers Tagging Service Among Other Enterprise Tools
November 12, 2012
We have been increasingly aware of software publisher Intrafind, and decided to take a self-directed tour of the company’s Web site to see what features and tools were offered. We were immediately impressed with the sleek look and easy-to-navigate menus, steering us from products, solutions, case studies, and consulting links.
Our team noted the clear explanations of Intrafind’s products to be particularly useful. The company’s Tagging Service, for example, detailed the types of tagging that are provided as well as how the system could be incorporated into a business’s existing infrastructure. Here’s the description from the product page:
“The IntraFind Tagging Service includes an automated generation of metadata / tags based on the processed content. The generated tags can be either inserted into a leading system or can be incorporated into a workflow of any customer-specific use case. The Tagging Service can be provided as an on-premise or cloud solution.
The service consists of different standardized tagging-types that can also be configured if needed: uncontrolled tagging, controlled tagging, the extraction of named entities and the generation of topic metadata.”
The enterprise data specialist company is located in Germany and has been operating since 2000. The team consists of 25 experts specializing in file systems, databases, document and content management, and Internet content. Intrafind provides everything from introductory analysis to maintenance and support. For more information, steer your browser to the company’s homepage.
Andrea Hayden, November 12, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
PolySpot Delivers Information While Other Big Data Vendors Vie For Attention
November 5, 2012
We have heard it before and we are hearing about it again: it will be a challenge to stock companies with a pool of data scientists able to analyze big data. The article, “Big Data, Big Talent Challenge,” published on Boston focuses on the potential impact Boston, Massachusetts can have in meeting this nationwide struggle.
This iconic New England city feels like they do not get enough credit for technological advances their region has pioneered. However, as the article suggests, their lack of notoriety has little to do with what has technological developments and innovations have happened and more to do with how well they’ve been positioned in relation to big data.
The author advises companies looking for attention to follow talent:
Kendall Square and Boston’s Innovation District — including the revitalized Seaport –have emerged as two of the region’s technology hotbeds, yet many major employers are situated well outside these environs, and are losing Big Data talent to startups with “cool” locations. Several companies, such as Staples, Amazon, and Google have elected to build innovation/R&D organizations in Cambridge or Boston to leverage access to talent and provide a stimulating, enjoyable work environment.
Across the Atlantic a company called PolySpot has caught our eyes. They allow for information delivery through an agile enterprise infrastructure. Now, that is what companies should be focused on: delivering insights and information throughout their organization.
Megan Feil, November 5, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
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