News

News

• September 22, 2015 22 Sep'15

  Madsen looks at shift in big data analytics applications

  At a TDWI Boston Chapter meeting, Mark Madsen says some notions of information become outdated in the face of big data analytics. This is part one of two.

• September 22, 2015 22 Sep'15

  New models of processing stalk big data analytics applications

  Operations and big data analytics applications are beginning to blend, causing changes in data strategies, Mark Madsen tells a TDWI Boston Chapter meeting. This is part two of two.

• September 22, 2015 22 Sep'15

  Big Data Myth 2: Analytics Requires Big data

  In Part 1 of this series on big data myths I indicated that the goal of most big data projects is analytics. In other words, big data systems are almost always developed to improve the analytical ...

• September 18, 2015 18 Sep'15

  Big Data Myth 1: Big Data is the Goal

  Big data is an incredibly popular topic. Plentiful articles, books, and blogs have been written on this topic and countless sessions have been presented that discuss some aspect of big data. I am a ...

• September 17, 2015 17 Sep'15

  Low adoption nags Hadoop technology; data storytelling rises

  The latest episode of BizApps Today examines barriers to Hadoop technology adoption, SQL-on-Hadoop options and the new concept of data storytelling.

• September 10, 2015 10 Sep'15

  Alteryx software targets Amazon big data

  The latest Alteryx analytics engine gets enterprises close to Amazon big data, with nods to spreadsheet aficionados and R language.

• September 09, 2015 09 Sep'15

  Evaluating SQL-on-Hadoop tools? Start with the use case

  In a Q&A, Clarity Solution Group CTO Tripp Smith says to base SQL-on-Hadoop software decisions on actual workloads. Some Hadoop tools target batch jobs, while others are intended for interactive ones.

• August 31, 2015 31 Aug'15

  IBM pushes MPP engine to boost cloud database services line

  IBM has added massively parallel processing and R language support to its dashDB software -- important steps for a data warehouse database tailored for distributed cloud computing.

• August 18, 2015 18 Aug'15

  Finding a way off data isolation island

  New technology is supposed to eliminate problems. With data isolation, new business tools are only making the longstanding issue worse. Companies are amassing on-premises tools and cloud applications. And those cloud apps come in many varieties: ...

• August 18, 2015 18 Aug'15

  Vertica 'Excavator' release adds Kafka messaging and more

  HP's Vertica analytics platform update will include better streaming data support via Kafka, and SQL-on-Hadoop improvements.

• August 14, 2015 14 Aug'15

  DataTorrent data ingestion tool aims to speed Hadoop feeds

  A new data ingestion and extraction tool supporting the Hadoop Distributed File System is at the heart of startup vendor DataTorrent's efforts to broaden its big data analytics engine's appeal.

• August 13, 2015 13 Aug'15

  Don't throw out design principles when jumping in Hadoop data lake

  In a Q&A, data warehousing expert Joe Caserta explains why a new generation of developers building Hadoop clusters and other big data systems may need an introduction to some fundamental rules of ETL.

• August 07, 2015 07 Aug'15

  Take measured steps to build a Hadoop cluster architecture

  RelayHealth's Raheem Daya described the path he took to deploy and expand a Hadoop cluster for distributed data processing during a presentation at the 2015 TDWI conference in Boston.

• August 07, 2015 07 Aug'15

  MongoDB database shines; customer data analysis brings challenges

  This episode of BizApps Today looks at the appeal of MongoDB database features and why companies struggle with determining a unified view of their customers.

• July 31, 2015 31 Jul'15

  Stonebraker points to data curation as next integration step

  Database pioneer Michael Stonebraker told an MIT conference that data curation tools offer a step forward on data integration. Others said things are already progressing through other means.

• July 31, 2015 31 Jul'15

  Couchbase NoSQL database addresses mobility, synching issues

  Couchbase offers an embedded version of its NoSQL database, which can fit on a smartphone. That feature turned out to be a plus for air carrier Ryanair.

• July 27, 2015 27 Jul'15

  Metanautix Quest follows Dremel path to virtual data marts

  Metanautix Quest 2.0 is an upgraded query engine and data integration platform. Its designers helped create Google Dremel, a precursor for new big data query tools.

• July 02, 2015 02 Jul'15

  Convergence of Data Virtualization Servers and SQL-on-Hadoop Engines?

  Hadoop has become a popular and powerful platform for data storage and data processing. Data stored in Hadoop can be used by a wide range of applications and tools and for a wide range of use ...

• June 30, 2015 30 Jun'15

  Warehouse is purpose-built for JSON data

  SonarW is a columnar data warehouse built especially to handle JSON data. It can support data warehousing for MongoDB systems and some data lakes.

• June 30, 2015 30 Jun'15

  The Data Strategy is the Puzzle

  In the history of IT, the number of times that IT departments proposed to top management to invest in a new technology, a new data quality program, or a new design technique, but were not able to ...

• June 16, 2015 16 Jun'15

  New tools tap SQL skills in bid to boost Hadoop platform adoption

  In many organizations, Hadoop is still pushing to go beyond proof-of-concept projects. Some vendors hope new tools that enable familiar SQL querying will lead it to broader adoption.

• June 15, 2015 15 Jun'15

  Sales intelligence tools shape strategies, customer experience

  Sales intelligence is making brainiacs out of sales reps. As companies look for ways to capture the attention of customers new and old, many are turning to analytics tools and data to help seal the deal.
  
  Some use data to shape sales ...

• June 09, 2015 09 Jun'15

  MongoDB enters world of swappable data storage engines

  MongoDB 3.0, which now has swappable data storage engine support, gained much attention at MongoDBWorld 2015, even as MongoDB 3.2 details emerged.

• June 08, 2015 08 Jun'15

  Embarcadero XE7 data models adapt to Agile methods

  Embarcadero’s XE7 ER/Studio tool suite intends to make data models a more intrinsic part of Agile development projects.

• May 29, 2015 29 May'15

  CTO looks to open source big data tools to help take company higher

  Big data technologies have become vital to online ad platform developer Altitude Digital. And as the tools have evolved, CTO Manny Puentes has learned some lessons about using them.

• May 29, 2015 29 May'15

  Book author says big data NoSQL databases need proper application

  Consultant Dan Sullivan, author of "NoSQL for Mere Mortals," discusses some of the pertinent points for IT shops to consider before entering the new world of NoSQL databases.

• May 28, 2015 28 May'15

  Neo4j software update focuses on NoSQL database engine room

  The latest release of Neo Technology's Neo4j graph database boosts the NoSQL software's performance and scalability through faster processing of both data reads and writes.

• May 28, 2015 28 May'15

  Talking Data podcast goes to data journalism and analytics school

  In this episode of the Talking Data podcast, TechTarget editors report on their experiences learning to do data journalism, including all the work needed to get data ready for analysis.

• May 28, 2015 28 May'15

  Microsoft Power BI in Convergence spotlight; Apache Spark draws interest

  While Power BI took center stage at Microsoft Convergence, many users are struggling with CRM basics. Also: insight on the Spark processing engine.

• April 29, 2015 29 Apr'15

  SQL-on-Hadoop startup JethroData releases 1.0 engine

  Startup JethroData's namesake Version 1.0 software is an index-based, SQL-on-Hadoop engine that forgoes full scans of Hadoop data sources.

• April 27, 2015 27 Apr'15

  Spark helps power Paxata big data preparation platform

  Count Paxata among startups set to apply machine learning to problems of big data preparation.

• April 24, 2015 24 Apr'15

  New thinking needed in IT to make NoSQL data modeling process work

  As NoSQL databases become more prevalent in enterprise processing, designing data models for the flexible-schema systems is a looming challenge for data architects and developers.

• April 15, 2015 15 Apr'15

  How Self-Service BI is Changing Data Modeling

  There was a time when data models were only touched by experts in white coats wearing soft cotton gloves while carrying them around. The data models were kept in a vault that Fort Knox would have ...

• March 31, 2015 31 Mar'15

  Polyglot Persistence and Future Integration Costs

  Polyglot persistence must be the ugliest term we have ever come up with in the IT industry. It means that different persistency technologies (read data storage technologies) are used to store data. ...

• March 31, 2015 31 Mar'15

  Data Virtualization and Data Vault: Double Agility

  Data vault is a modern approach to design enterprise data warehouses. The two key benefits of data vault are data model extensibility and reproducibility of reporting results. Unfortunately, from a ...

• March 26, 2015 26 Mar'15

  For some companies, business applications in the cloud is first choice

  Cloud applications are no longer curious IT experiments -- now they're often on shortlists of deployment options.

• March 25, 2015 25 Mar'15

  Couchbase, VoltDB pursue more database scalability in big data apps

  New database updates address large-scale applications. Included are Couchbase Server 4.0 with multidimensional scaling support and VoltDB 5.0 with links to Hadoop data streaming tools.

• March 09, 2015 09 Mar'15

  New Hadoop projects aim to boost interoperability, data lake benefits

  As companies get a better handle on how to use big data wisely, a new effort on interoperability for Hadoop projects gets a mixed reaction.

• March 02, 2015 02 Mar'15

  MapR Hadoop update plies data center waters; Azure learns new tricks

  Hadoop vendor MapR's latest release puts the focus on database replication across data centers. Also, Microsoft has built a Python-friendly Azure service for machine learning in the cloud.

• February 24, 2015 24 Feb'15

  Ferment accompanies new Hadoop ecosystem initiative

  The Open Data Platform has arrived, but not all Hadoop vendors are on board. The initiative, aimed at boosting interoperability, formed a backdrop for discussion at the Strata + Hadoop World 2015 conference.

• February 20, 2015 20 Feb'15

  Western Union connects the dots to enable enterprise Hadoop use

  Building and running enterprise Hadoop applications takes more than data crunching. First, Hadoop data must be absorbed into company processes, a Western Union IT manager says.

• February 17, 2015 17 Feb'15

  Hadoop data lakes must get more efficient, less 'messy' to oust EDWs

  In a Q&A, Forrester analyst Mike Gualtieri said Hadoop-based data lakes can become an alternative to enterprise data warehouses. But first, faster I/O and better data governance are needed.

• February 09, 2015 09 Feb'15

  Forget meaningful use; for healthcare providers, it's all about interoperability

  With digital records finally the norm in healthcare organizations, providers are today looking at how to use that data to help achieve more positive medical outcomes.

• February 06, 2015 06 Feb'15

  Hadoop data lake not a place for just lounging around

  A new Gartner report says the storage repository isn’t the trouble-free panacea many observers hail it to be. New data governance practices -- and new skills -- are critical.

• January 30, 2015 30 Jan'15

  Initiative targets Hadoop data management, better data policies

  Hortonworks forms a data management initiative with Merck and others. Meanwhile, SQL and NoSQL may blur a bit.

• January 22, 2015 22 Jan'15

  Oracle GoldenGate updates; Xplenty, Segment in deal

  An update to Oracle's GoldenGate replicator is on tap. And, Xplenty and Segment connect on Hadoop processing in the cloud.

• January 20, 2015 20 Jan'15

  IBM works to deliver on Watson's cognitive computing promise

  Watson Analytics and a Watson school competition look to bring IBM cognitive computing initiatives to the commercial sphere.

• January 16, 2015 16 Jan'15

  Data management plan with integration focus drives healthy analytics

  Don't let the buzz around analytics fool you. Solid data management capabilities are required to enable advanced analytics, as an example from the healthcare sector attests.

• January 06, 2015 06 Jan'15

  Data warehouse software not ready for retirement in age of big data

  Hadoop clusters, NoSQL databases and other modern technologies have roles to play in business intelligence and analytics environments. But traditional data warehouses still do, too.

• July 29, 2014 29 Jul'14

  Agile data warehousing casts business light on dark process

  At the TDWI Executive Summit in Boston, users talked about the benefits and challenges of incorporating Agile development methodologies into data warehouse and business intelligence projects.

• June 18, 2014 18 Jun'14

  Apache Kafka committer Jay Kreps on the way of the log

  To keep big data in motion, LinkedIn developers devised Apache Kafka, a publish-and-subscribe message dispatcher based on the concept of logs.

• March 31, 2014 31 Mar'14

  Chief information architect: A compass for information management

  In a Q&A, author William McKnight discusses the importance of building a robust information architecture -- and having the right person in the lead.

• February 28, 2014 28 Feb'14

  Data quality assessment requires business ties -- and a human touch

  In an interview, author and data quality architect Laura Sebastian-Coleman discusses steps organizations should take to improve data quality levels.

• October 31, 2013 31 Oct'13

  In relational database design, don't shortchange requirements stage

  Requirements gathering shouldn't get short shrift in the database rush, says Michael J. Hernandez, author of 'Database Design for Mere Mortals.'

• October 15, 2013 15 Oct'13

  Google's big data infrastructure: Don't try this at home?

  Google's Jeromy Carriere spoke about the search engine giant's big data infrastructure at a recent TDWI meeting. Should it influence other efforts?

• May 07, 2013 07 May'13

  Data warehouse performance killers -- and how to avoid them

  In a podcast Q&A, consultant William McKnight offers advice on steering clear of common hazards that can puncture the performance of data warehouses.

• March 07, 2013 07 Mar'13

  Motorcycle icon Yamaha updates dealer site with fast database drivers

  Database drivers are sometimes an afterthought. But JDBC drivers came to the fore when Yamaha Motor Europe rebuilt its e-commerce website for dealers.

• March 01, 2013 01 Mar'13

  Confronting MapReduce, Hadoop problems and complexities

  The challenges of using Hadoop and its MapReduce programming model confront big data users. But taking some good first steps can help avoid problems.

• January 10, 2013 10 Jan'13

  'Big data' in motion: Where does it make sense?

  Data architects creating operational business intelligence applications may need to put streams of Hadoop data into a fast messaging infrastructure.

• December 18, 2012 18 Dec'12

  Gartner Magic Quadrant: Customer MDM market maturing despite confusion

  This year's Magic Quadrant for customer MDM software reveals a market nearing maturity, yet still brimming with diverse products and vendors.

• October 11, 2012 11 Oct'12

  IT pros reveal benefits, drawbacks of data virtualization software

  Attendees at Composite Software's Data Virtualization Day conference had plenty of advice for companies considering a data virtualization project.

• August 19, 2012 19 Aug'12

  Make communication, purpose priorities in a data governance program

  Data governance can be all bureaucracy and no benefit. To avoid that, managing the process effectively is a must, says consultant Danette McGilvray.

• August 12, 2012 12 Aug'12

  Decision time: Automated data integration tools versus manual coding

  In many companies, data integration remains a manual task -- by choice. But it might be time to automate that process, says consultant Rick Sherman.

• August 08, 2012 08 Aug'12

  Mission impossible? Data governance process takes on 'big data'

  Effective governance can help companies get the most out of their "big data" environments. But at this point, there's no formula for how to do that.

• July 28, 2012 28 Jul'12

  Internal data quality standards not just a game for business users

  Ensuring that business users follow corporate standards when entering and updating data is vital to the success of data quality improvement efforts.

• July 03, 2012 03 Jul'12

  Zornes: MDM software vendors struggling with data governance

  Master data management vendors and practitioners face some difficulties in linking MDM and data governance initiatives, consultant Aaron Zornes says.

• June 12, 2012 12 Jun'12

  Data quality process needs all hands on deck

  Data accuracy is critical in technology-driven business processes, making it a must to involve business users in data quality efforts, analysts say.

• May 11, 2012 11 May'12

  Bank of America IT exec: EIM drivers key to shaping project plans

  Enterprise information management programs should be molded around clear business objectives, says a senior information architect at Bank of America.

• March 28, 2012 28 Mar'12

  IBM users reveal five data governance best practices to remember

  IBM customers Nationwide Insurance and Cardinal Health reveal five rules of thumb they learned while implementing highly ambitious data governance programs.

• March 08, 2012 08 Mar'12

  Data governance programs expose hills to climb on path to success

  IT professionals from Sallie Mae and Fannie Mae offered insight on data governance challenges and tips on how to overcome them in separate sessions at two recent conferences.

• February 29, 2012 29 Feb'12

  'Big data' management changing the face of data warehousing

  Gartner says the onslaught of “big data” is turning data warehouses into distributed data processing platforms. But Hadoop and other big data tools aren’t as widespread as you might think -- yet.

• February 27, 2012 27 Feb'12

  Categorizing 'big data' processing systems

  In the past, analytics applications typically were powered by relational databases. Now the options are more varied and less straightforward, says TechTarget's Wayne Eckerson.

• February 01, 2012 01 Feb'12

  AAA picks Dell Boomi cloud integration tools over IBM, Jitterbit

  A local AAA auto club serving three western states is using cloud-based data integration tools to help drive an aggressive cloud computing strategy.

• December 08, 2011 08 Dec'11

  ComScore moves 'big data' analytics environment from Cloudera to MapR

  IT officials at Web intelligence firm comScore Inc. explain why they switched to a new Hadoop distribution for managing its vast pool of online data.

• September 15, 2011 15 Sep'11

  Can't Inmon and Kimball just get along?

  A longtime data management professional illustrates the synergies that exist between the Inmon and Kimball data warehousing methodologies.

• September 13, 2011 13 Sep'11

  Bill Inmon: Kimball methodology ignores the value of textual data

  In an interview, data warehousing pioneer Bill Inmon states his case on the merits of his namesake methodology vs. Ralph Kimball's and discusses the "DW 2.0" version of the Inmon architecture.

• September 01, 2011 01 Sep'11

  Omaha Power makes the business case for data modeling tools

  Data warehouse architect Bill Harrison explains how he got the go-ahead to purchase a new set of graphical data modeling tools.

• August 11, 2011 11 Aug'11

  Customary data warehouse concepts vs. Hadoop: Forrester makes the call

  Forrester analyst James Kobielus discusses traditional data warehouse concepts, Hadoop and the three best ways to start making sense of "big data."

• July 29, 2011 29 Jul'11

  Sallie Mae exec: Meetings, metrics spur data governance best practices

  In an interview, Michele Koch discusses the data governance program she leads at Sallie Mae and provides insight on key governance best practices.

• July 28, 2011 28 Jul'11

  Dealing with 'big data' challenges: Real-world strategies and advice

  IT pros and analysts offer guidance on how to cope with the complexities of "big data" installations in data warehouses and alternative data stores.

• July 14, 2011 14 Jul'11

  Avoiding the pitfalls of deploying packaged data warehouse systems

  Vendors tout data warehouse appliances as easier to install than traditional data warehouses are. But there are deployment challenges to be aware of.

• July 13, 2011 13 Jul'11

  Data warehouse hardware, software bundles: benefits vs. limitations

  Data warehouse appliances can make it easier for organizations to take advantage of data warehousing technology. But they also have some potential drawbacks to be aware of.

• June 24, 2011 24 Jun'11

  Navigating the data management lifecycle: end-to-end info management

  Building effective processes for managing data throughout its lifecycle can help maximize the value of information. But that’s easier said than done.

• June 22, 2011 22 Jun'11

  Creating an effective enterprise information management program

  Enterprise information management aims to optimize the use of data as a corporate asset. But setting up an EIM program presents a variety of challenges and potential missteps to watch out for.

• June 14, 2011 14 Jun'11

  Consultants emphasize the need for proactive data quality management

  Consultants and IT pros offer tips on creating highly proactive data quality management strategies – and on overcoming the challenges that presents.

• May 03, 2011 03 May'11

  Informatica Cloud update addresses growing trend toward 'hybrid IT'

  Informatica Cloud Summer 2011 includes new features for organizations that want to tighten integration between SaaS and in-house applications.

• April 21, 2011 21 Apr'11

  Disney discovers a whole new world of data warehouse best practices

  The director of data warehousing and analytics at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts shares some important BI and data warehouse best practices.

• March 25, 2011 25 Mar'11

  What is data redundancy?

  The truth is redundancy of data is absolutely a normal part of life.

• March 23, 2011 23 Mar'11

  Capacity planning for the data warehouse environment

  Capacity planning is essential for all data warehouse environments. Data warehouses grow at high rates and must be managed to keep budgets under control.

• March 14, 2011 14 Mar'11

  What not to do on an analytical MDM project: Five mistakes to avoid

  Analytical MDM initiatives can go horribly wrong, thanks to some common missteps. Get expert advice on mistakes to avoid when designing and implementing an analytical MDM project.

• February 22, 2011 22 Feb'11

  Forrester: Expect more enterprise data warehouse software bundles

  Enterprises can expect an influx of preconfigured data warehouse packages geared toward specific industries or business functions, according to a new Forrester Wave report.

• January 11, 2011 11 Jan'11

  Gartner Magic Quadrant reveals SAP master data management soft spots

  SAP master data management technologies are getting better, but Gartner cautions there are still some things that current and potential users should keep in mind.

• December 14, 2010 14 Dec'10

  Buyer’s Guide: Choosing data quality tools and software

  All the reporting tools in the world mean nothing if you’re using dirty data. Learn how to select the right data quality tools and management software for your organization.

• December 14, 2010 14 Dec'10

  Salesforce.com’s cloud-based database enters the proving grounds

  Salesforce.com has a solid reputation when it comes to CRM, but the company will have to prove itself again if it wants its new cloud-based database to be a success, according to experts.

• December 09, 2010 09 Dec'10

  Which emerging database technologies are right for your organization?

  Data management expert David Menninger explains what enterprises need to know about Hadoop, NoSQL and other emerging database technologies.

• December 06, 2010 06 Dec'10

  Database planning tips for a successful data management strategy

  Learn about key issues to consider as part of the database planning process, and get advice from consultant Mark Whitehorn on developing a successful database strategy.

• December 02, 2010 02 Dec'10

  Cbeyond picks Oracle-GoldenGate data replication tools over Attunity

  Find out why Atlanta-based hosted services provider Cbeyond chose Oracle-GoldenGate data replication software over Attunity, IBM and Radiant Logic.

• November 26, 2010 26 Nov'10

  Creating a database strategy that can adapt to changing business needs

  Crafting a successful database strategy requires technology flexibility, the right skill sets and a strong focus on application requirements, according to IT pros and analysts.

• November 22, 2010 22 Nov'10

  Making sense of Database as a Service and cloud database technologies

  Database as a Service (DaaS) technology is becoming a more viable alternative to on-premises databases. Get guidance on the pros and cons of using cloud database software.

• November 10, 2010 10 Nov'10

  Emerging database technologies hit DBMS mainstream, add to choices

  Emerging database technologies such as column-based database software, NoSQL databases and Database as a Service (DaaS) platforms are starting to make a splash in the IT market.