Business Intelligence Revolution. Really?
January 30, 2011
“Gartner Predicts Business Intelligence Revolution” reports on the four key trends that Gartner predicts for BI. One: a 33% rise in BI tools on handheld devices by 2013 / shift to dedicated mobile analytic applications by 2012. Two: 40% of BI spending on systems integrators by 2014. Three: 15% of all BI tool deployments containing social software/collaboration elements in their decision-making environments by 2013. Four: 30% of analytic applications becoming more proactive and predictive in their forecasts and using in-memory functionality to increase scale and computational speeds by 2014. Not exactly earth-shaking, and others are commenting that these numbers are too conservative. “Roger Llewellyn, chief executive of BI and analytics firm Kognitio, argued that Gartner’s estimates are too cautious, and that the rise in the use of BI within other areas of businesses will drive the use of new systems.” Llewellyn says the 30% of analytic applications using in-memory functions figure should be more like a “surge.” As most of these developments have been around for a while, I would tend to agree. Same old wine, new blue chipped bottle. We have heard this before. In fact, one big dog search firm won’t use the phrase “business intelligence”. Good idea that. I don’t know what business intelligence is. Do you?
Alice Wasielewski, January 30, 2011
Search Based Application Book Available
January 29, 2011
We noted a new book Search-Based Applications: At the Confluence of Search and Database Technologies. According to Exalead’s Web log:
Published in the series of Synthesis Lectures on Information Concepts, Retrieval, and Services under the direction of Gary Marchionini University of North Carolina, this book provides students, researchers and professionals, a description of the concept and practice of the SBA. At the same time, the [Greg Grefenstette and Laura Wilber] highlight the increasing convergence of search technologies and databases, presenting the latest developments in the field of search that allow the SBA revolution. [The authors] have also located the phenomenon SBA in a broader context, taking into account current developments in the Web – notions of deep Web (or deep web – invisible), Semantic Web and mobile Web, and their influences on the next generation of SBA.
You can download a sample chapter at www.searchbasedapplications.com or order the book at this link.
Stephen E Arnold, January 29, 2011
Freebie but we know Dr. Grefenstette and expect him to for over a KFC meal the next time we are in France.
Microsoft and Its Compete with Google Playbook
January 28, 2011
I was poking around the labyrinthine Microsoft Web site. Sad to say that neither Bing.com’s system nor the Google.com Microsoft service makes it easy to find information about Fast Search & Transfer’s system. The name “fast” does not help, nor do the weird acronyms that Microsoft uses; for instance, MFSS. MF! Wow. King’s Speech misstep, anyone?
What I found by clicking and scanning was “Selling Microsoft Online Services against Google Apps.” You can access this page at https://partner.microsoft.com/Italy/40029528/ Among the goodies available is a big fat download button and a number of links to such content objects as:
- Taking Your Business Online? Important Things to Consider Before Adopting Google Apps
- Evaluating Google Apps to Reduce IT Costs?
- Look Before You Leap into Google’s Cloud Services
We looked at some of these documents and found them mildly amusing but pretty much what one would expect from a giant corporation fighting yesterday’s upstart. Now that Google and Microsoft are increasingly alike–maybe fraternal twins?—we did not spot too much new.
You may, however, be like a field of newly driven snow. Tromp on through. If you work at Google, you probably don’t care about Microsoft. My advice? Don’t read this blog and don’t learn what Microsoft is telling its partners to say about Google’s enterprise offerings.
Stephen E Arnold, January 28, 2011
Freebie
After a Decade, Open Source Search Is Okay, Says Mid Tier Consultancy
January 27, 2011
The Inquirer reports that “Ovum Source Search Engine is Ready for Enterprise.” Ovum’s free-to-use open source enterprise search and retrieval software is great for companies who need a search application when they don’t want to rely on a commercial product. The article also recommends that companies should stick with open source products and only buy software when their needs aren’t met.
Ovum analyzed the top competitors and barely found any difference between them. “ ‘The key message for enterprises is that they should be aware that there is a raft of available products, including credible open source options, and not just look at the ‘usual suspects.’” Sometimes it pays to want free products! Does Ovum use open source search? Do its analysts have expertise in open source search? We don’t know, but we sure hope they do.
A decade after the début of Lucene, the consultants have discovered a “big thing” if our source is spot on. Yes!
Whitney Grace, January 27, 2011
Freebie
OpenText License
January 26, 2011
Short honk: We were poking around for sample licenses from major vendors. We happened upon a site called Nettopdf. We ran a couple of queries. When we searched for “OpenText”, the system generated a page of links here that seemed to point to documents from the Canadian content management and search vendor. We could not get the file to download from a Windows computer, but our Mac sucked down the agreement quickly. To snag the file, get a Mac (just kidding). Navigate to http://nettopdf.info. Enter the query “Open Text Inc.” The file you want is “license available on line for you to review – OPEN TEXT .…” There are ferw other Open Text documents on offer. Several are 2011, including the Q1 2011 Investor Presentation from October 2010. The presentation beat the drum for Open Text’s focus on profitability and its growing market share in “global ECM.” Open Text reported that it had almost 20 percent of this sector, ahead of IBM, EMC, Autonomy, and “others.” Lots of numbers and MBA words. Not much about search. Interesting because Open Text has lots of search systems and if you license RedDot, you get Autonomy within RedDot.
Stephen E Arnold, January 26, 2011
Freebie
The Sinequa Shuffle
January 25, 2011
According to some French news reports from ITRnews.com and Channelnews.com, as of December 31, 2010 Sinequa president Jean Ferré has stepped up or aside to make way for Alexandre Bilger. Bilger, who has served as Product Architect and company Co-Director since 2004, is now tasked with driving a “focus on the operational development of its turnover while maintaining its lead in the technological and functional.”
Although Ferré is leaving after a five year reign marked with success, he won’t be going too far. The former CEO will retain a seat as Vice-Chairman while at the same time lingering as a shareholder. Bilger will be trading in some of his duties on the technical side in an effort to spend more time with customers and partners. All in all, most seem to agree this is a win-win situation.
Sinequa provides business search for companies with a plethora of data sources and complex security and connectivity issues. This firm seeks to refine enterprise search methods while cutting down on required infrastructure. Sinequa’s technology solutions can be seen across several legs of industry, including banking, consulting, consumer products, government, media, telco, manufacturing and retail per the establishment’s website.
Sarah Rogers, January 25, 2011
Freebie
Information Governance Solution from Autonomy
January 24, 2011
Those in a variety of sectors looking for a better information management solution should read the article “New IDOL Powered Autonomy Records Manager Ushers in New Era of Information Governance” detailing the features of Autonomy’s Record Manager. The product has modules for enterprise, legal, and government customers and includes auto-classification and cloud computing capabilities.
Chris Hathaway, director at local distributor Soarsoft Africa, touts Autonomy’s competitive advantage. “Manual records management tools are just no longer viable amid today’s complex information governance requirements, high volumes of information and the ever increasing intensity and pace of business operations. Autonomy Records Manager offers a solution to this challenge, using IDOL’s ability to automatically understand and apply policies to all forms of information,” he said.
Quality information governance can address a variety of challenges—cost effective e-Discovery, storage solutions, and privacy issues—in today’s complex information landscape. We believe Autonomy’s solution is a good approach in confronting these issues.
Christina Sheley, January 24, 2011
Freebie
Smart Business after the 2008 Implosion!
January 23, 2011
Is analytics everything these days? “10 Insights: A First Look At The New Intelligent Enterprise Survey” tells of the results of a MIT SMR/IBM global survey of executives who were asked about their use of information and analytics in management goals and practices.
Notable quote:
“Executives named ‘innovating to achieve competitive differentiation’ their top business challenge, significantly ahead of runners-up ‘growing revenue,’ ‘reducing costs’ and ‘acquiring customers.’ Top performing companies put an even higher premium on innovation than lower performers did.”
Hmmm. The economy has been the worst since the Great Depression, and increasing income and decreasing expenses rank way below innovation. Does this mean the economic crisis is really over or that companies simply recognize the power of setting themselves apart and above?
When there’s blood in the streets, buy property. Some other themes of the survey were the importance of company culture over technology, the need for someone to manage analytics at the central enterprise level like a “chief analytics officer,” methods for making information tangible, and the importance of analytics in every type of industry.
The real question can’t be answered by a survey, which is: Are companies smart enough to accomplish these goals?
Alice Wasielewski, January 23, 2011
Freebie.
Recommind Expands in the UK
January 22, 2011
Recommind doubles London presence and expands European operations by 30% paints an optimistic future for the producer of end-to-end eDiscovery, enterprise search and automated categorization software. With the help of some recent appointments of expert personnel in several areas of the business, Recommind plans to “increase its footprint in key European countries as well as pave the way for further penetration into both the information access and eDiscovery markets.”
Among the new hires is Karen Hogan, a former employee of both Vivisimo and PC Docs/Hummingbird who has learned a thing or two about information management. Ms. Hogan has been placed in the London office’s regional sales manager position, and is only the tip of the new-hire iceberg for the London team. There is also a new eDiscovery regional manager and accompanying Project Management staff, plus a slew of fresh staff for the sales engineering and technical support teams. Even the German sector is seeing expansion. Per Simon Price, Recommind’s European director, “As a leader in information management, we are not only attracting staff with a high level of expertise but also new customers that are looking for strong solutions to help manage what is quickly becoming their most important asset – digital information – across the entire organization.”
Recommind works to be considered one of the “leader[s] in predictive information management software”, having developed best practices in the arenas of eDiscovery, regulatory compliance, records management and data retention. Check out their website for more information.
Sarah Rogers, January 22, 2011
Freebie. An outfit with lawyers. No surprise,eh?
Attention OmniFind Sys Admins
January 21, 2011
Here are a couple of links worth tucking away in a bookmark if you are an OmniFind system administrator.
We noticed a tech tip about a bug in OmniFind Discovery Edition here. According to the IBM Technote:
“I have OmniFind Discovery Edition integrated with WebSphere Commerce but the build is failing during the calculatePopularity step in popularity.py”
The page details the problem and suggests a solution.
We also found a valuable link to an IBM overview page with links to some documentation on the IBM Web site.
Enjoy. IBM may win at Jeopardy, but finding some information on its Web site is a more difficult challenge.
Cynthia Murrell January 21, 2011
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