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Big Data And Business Intelligence In The Cloud

I will talk about big data and business intelligence and how the cloud will act as an enabler for these happenings in this post. There has always been a fascination for big and massive, right from the days of David and Goliath. In myths and legends the small and weak always win but in case of the cloud it’s big and bigger all the way.

Why Big Data will accelerate cloud infrastructure development?

As the name suggests, Big Data involves a humungous amount of digital content. Enterprises are collecting, collating and simply adding information to their database at a fantastic rate. Data such as name, address and telephone numbers, which may seem frivolous, forms a large part of this gargantuan effort. Social media sites like Facebook are sitting on top of a huge pile of seemingly useless info. Google itself is a storehouse of massive data aggregation. I wonder about the kind of infrastructure which will be required to store such a gigantic pile of bit and bytes. Obviously, the Cloud has to step in to enable storage, retrieval and computation of such data.

Because of Big Data, cloud providers should be able to provide highest possible resiliency in the flow to and from data centers. GMO Cloud America, Inc. offers such resiliency with fast and reliable network connectivity.

Is there a method to this madness?

Data storage itself costs money and unless enterprises can convert the bytes into gold there is no point in wasting resources. Cost of Data Storage in the cloud will certainly dip phenomenally with rise in demand.  The cloud infrastructure will take a leap in comparison with traditional storage due to certain factors which I will discuss in later part of this post. Obviously the cloud will be the backbone of Big Data in the coming days. Coming to the reason why enterprises are collecting seemingly useless information, we have to look at the future – this leads us to Business intelligence.

The Business of Business Intelligence

A decade back, I was involved with a project on artificial intelligence and expert systems. AI was in its infancy and I worked with ‘Small Talk’, software designed to create expert systems packages. The idea was to connect the dots between various unrelated data and extract intelligence from it. We have undoubtedly come a long way and the boys have grown into Big Data.

This is where Cloud infrastructure comes into picture. I would not be able to manipulate data and extract intelligence from it if I were to store it in traditional storage formats like tapes and even local servers. I need access to live and active data which can only happen when information is stored in live online medium. Under such circumstances, there is no option but to access cloud infrastructure. Remember that extracting intelligence is a complex process and the interplay and interaction of data is not a straightforward process. There is a Yin and Yang in the consciousness of seemingly lifeless and inert data. Bringing out the latent intelligence from these bits and pieces of information is the goal. All of it can happen only if data is readily available, live and active.

Conclusion 

A significant driver for future growth of the cloud will be developments in the field of Big Data and Business intelligence.

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About the Guest Author:

Sankarambadi Srinivasan, ‘Srini’, is a maverick writer, technopreneur, geek and online marketing enthusiast rolled into one. He began his career as a Naval weapon specialist. Later, he sold his maiden venture and became head of an offshore Database administration company in Mumbai. He moved on as Chief Technology Officer of one of the largest online entities, where he led consolidation of 300 online servers and introduced several Web 2.0 initiatives. He holds a Master’s degree in Electronics and Telecommunication.

Which Way Will The Cloud Blow In 2014?

I have spoken or shall I say written a lot about the practical side of adopting cloud technology. I decided to take a break from this practice and delve on the future of cloud in 2014 and what will drive this phenomenon.

Social is becoming big and the cloud is drifting towards it

Everyone is trying to be a Facebook. I am not talking about small guys but even big players like Microsoft, IBM and cronies are looking for acquisition in this space. Not that Facebook is raking in the money – it’s not. But the attraction for this big companies is not the money they would make from it but to stitch their numerous offerings together with the thread of social interaction. Obviously this can only happen along with the growth of cloud technology. Therefore I would predict that Social platforms will blow the Cloud quite strongly.

Big Data means Big Bucks

According to an IDC report for 2013, the digitized world would be around 4ZB in size, which they claim is an understatement. Digital Data capture and storage has seen phenomenal growth in the past few years. Not only is the volume of data humongous but the technology to analyze data is galloping at a tremendous speed. Online marketing is shifting towards discovering and predicting future trends which means crunching data at an extremely high rate. All this would require huge cloud infrastructure because traditional storage would cost exorbitantly. Big data therefore directly correlates with the size of Cloud infrastructure. Big data would bring in better efficiency in cloud management and related technologies.

SaaS as a driver for Cloud infrastructure growth

Software as a service has seen dramatic advances in 2013. End users and commercial enterprises have realized the advantages consuming software as a service rather than as a product. I will not go into the details of SaaS but only emphasize the fact that SaaS to be successfully implemented requires robust infrastructure and the cloud is perfectly suited to meet these requirements. Numerous reports suggest that big SaaS players would acquire an existing Cloud infrastructure vendor or develop their own. Either way the total size of the cloud would expand to support various SaaS offerings.

Games and Animation Industry  

More and more traditional games platforms are moving into the cloud. Games are consuming higher amount of memory, both for storage and for rapid deployment. Massively multi-player online games require enormous amount of storage and this thirst can only be fulfilled by adding to the available cloud infrastructure.

With all of these in mind the gaming industry should consider a Cloud vendor that can flexibly expand and contract their system configuration.  GMO Cloud America, Inc offers such game server which is also capable in handling sudden heavy traffic.

The online animation industry has till now been in the shadows. Development and distribution of animation sequences requires high capacity and high speed networks which were hitherto not available. The technology related to cloud infrastructure including network is becoming sophisticated and likely to support delivery of animation products at high speed.

Conclusion

I can come up with many more products and services which directly impact on the growth of Cloud infrastructure. The ones I have mentioned are likely to have a greater impact on IaaS.

Be Part of Our Cloud Conversation

Our articles are written to provide you with tools and information to meet your IT and cloud solution needs. Join us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Guest Author:

Sankarambadi Srinivasan, ‘Srini’, is a maverick writer, technopreneur, geek and online marketing enthusiast rolled into one. He began his career as a Naval weapon specialist. Later, he sold his maiden venture and became head of an offshore Database administration company in Mumbai. He moved on as Chief Technology Officer of one of the largest online entities, where he led consolidation of 300 online servers and introduced several Web 2.0 initiatives. He holds a Master’s degree in Electronics and Telecommunication.

Why Enterprises Should Avoid Big Cloud Players?

There is a general feeling that cloud infrastructure is a breeze to implement. It’s only when you get your hands dirty with the details you realize that it’s not so easy. Big cloud players bring in a higher level of complexity – one which can only be handled by large technical staff. Here are some reasons why you should avoid biggies in the cloud.

Absence of Help desk

Let’s face it – even the best technical staff needs support maintaining online servers. There are some procedures which can be carried out only by datacenter staff. Even otherwise there may be numerous reasons why you may need the assistance of ‘Help Desk’. Unfortunately big cloud players don’t seem to understand this or they are not bothered – I suspect that the latter is the case. As a consequence, users are left in the lurch in case of any outrage in their services. In comparison, small cloud vendors do provide assistance and hand holding which is essential in the beginning stages of migration. I would strongly recommend small and medium enterprises to embrace cloud infrastructure providers who know the value of customer care.

A reliable customer support and an extensive support content including manuals altogether is what GMO Cloud America, Inc provides for free. Even task outsourcing is possible. This is what makes GMO Cloud America, Inc. a true patron of customer service indeed!

Lock-in by big cloud vendors

Remember the days when Microsoft ruled the world? Office suite will only work with Windows, Internet explorer came bundled with Windows and you could listen to music only through their Windows media player. It’s the same when you choose a big cloud vendor. They have ensured that their suite of apps, tools and configuration works only in a close environment. If you buy one piece of their cloud offering you have to buy the entire lot. In a way this is monopolistic and unfair. I would rather avoid such monoliths, not simply because of emotional reasons. What happens if you want to integrate some other database with your cloud infrastructure? What if you want to migrate to another cloud vendor? I am sure you will face tremendous problems. Better to avoid such complications.

Complex integration

This is another reason why I would avoid big cloud players. They have intentionally built complex processes and systems which calls for technical expertise to implement. One of the reasons why enterprises wish to migrate to cloud services is to avoid employing technical staff. But with big players this ambition is completely thwarted. For example there are numerous options for creating different instances (local and global etc.) which can confuse and confound technical staff.

Cannot build hybrid cloud

This conclusion is obvious. If you are locked in by big cloud players, you have no option but to go the whole hog. Experimentation and hybrid cloud infrastructure is out of question – not a pleasant thought for most of us. I would rather avoid such a situation.

Conclusion

Engaging in big cloud players works out for large enterprises. Even this conclusion is at best tongue in cheek. For small and medium enterprises I would recommend managed cloud service providers. You can have flexibility in operations and option to migrate part or whole of your online infrastructure. Moreover, help is only a click or two away when you opt for smaller cloud vendors.
 

Be Part of Our Cloud Conversation

Our articles are written to provide you with tools and information to meet your IT and cloud solution needs. Join us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Guest Author:

Sankarambadi Srinivasan, ‘Srini’, is a maverick writer, technopreneur, geek and online marketing enthusiast rolled into one. He began his career as a Naval weapon specialist. Later, he sold his maiden venture and became head of an offshore Database administration company in Mumbai. He moved on as Chief Technology Officer of one of the largest online entities, where he led consolidation of 300 online servers and introduced several Web 2.0 initiatives. He holds a Master’s degree in Electronics and Telecommunication.

Four Top Reasons Why Enterprises Embrace the Cloud Technology

Cloud technology means different things to different people. Some are attracted by the lower costs while others find the efficiency and flexibility as the main attractive features. Here are four top reasons why enterprises find the cloud as an important development.

Better customer acquisition and retention

This is the most important reason why companies have moved into and are already present in the cloud. After all, an enterprise has to look at their bottom line and this means customers. How does cloud technology lead to better customer acquisition and retention is still being debated among the marketing circles but the conclusion is beyond doubt. We can speculate that better customer engagement, smoother interactions and near faultless transactions have been made possible by the cloud. Whatever may be the real cause for the dramatic improvement in customer acquisition, it cannot be denied that cloud has been an important factor.

Cloud is a Web 2.0 enabler

Let’s not forget that this era, I mean Web 2.0 era, belongs to collaboration – between manufacturers, vendors, suppliers, customers and even between competitors. This enabling process has become easier due to internet technology which has made communication seamless and extremely interactive. There are many tools, protocols, technologies and systems which have led to the collaborative milieu. Numerous studies have shown that cloud computing has contributed significantly in creating this environment and has lately become integral part of it.

Modern enterprises that have embraced Web 2.0 in a big way have also incorporated cloud technology mainly because they go well together. The tools and processes which enhance Web 2.0 experience are readily available in a cloud and don’t have to be developed independently. This has given a boost to cloud technology.

Flexibility in deploying online infrastructure

I am sure that readers would be surprised at ‘flexibility’ as a factor finding third position. If you go by popularity and the hype surrounding cloud computing, flexibility should have come first in the list of priorities. But mature enterprises have plenty of experience in managing infrastructure and have found ways to create flexibility even while working in traditional server based datacenter technology. As such, only new enterprises and entrepreneurs find this factor attractive because they are unable to anticipate load on their servers due to fluctuating traffic. This is the reason why ‘flexibility’ finds third position in my list.

Discussing further fluctuating traffic, GMO Cloud America offers free Auto Scaling, wherein stable server operations are to be expected even during heavy server load emergencies.

Cost considerations

I have hammered on this fact so many times that I am embarrassed when I talk about cost savings when enterprises migrate to the cloud. It’s like stating the obvious. Various enterprises have found cloud to be economical in various degrees depending on the kind of cloud configuration and vendors which they have chosen. Some ventures have surprisingly found no solace in the cloud. Expenses connected with training employees to adopt new technology can sometimes outweigh the cost savings. Sometimes faulty approach towards migration to the cloud may lead to unanticipated expenditure.

Conclusion

We have to get our priorities right if we want our cloud migration to be successful. Looking at things purely from cost perspective can lead to disappointment. A holistic approach towards cloud technology is required. This fact has been confirmed by enterprises that have experienced change after migration.

Be Part of Our Cloud Conversation

Our articles are written to provide you with tools and information to meet your IT and cloud solution needs. Join us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Guest Author:

Sankarambadi Srinivasan, ‘Srini’, is a maverick writer, technopreneur, geek and online marketing enthusiast rolled into one. He began his career as a Naval weapon specialist. Later, he sold his maiden venture and became head of an offshore Database administration company in Mumbai. He moved on as Chief Technology Officer of one of the largest online entities, where he led consolidation of 300 online servers and introduced several Web 2.0 initiatives. He holds a Master’s degree in Electronics and Telecommunication.

Digging Deeper Into The Cloud – The Psychology Behind Cloud Adaptation Part 2

This post is in continuation of my last where I discussed some issues which play an important role in successful cloud implementation. Here I would like to talk about the hidden cost involved in cloud migration, the pains which you may have to suffer during the process and ways to cope with it.

Costs involved in change   

The cost savings in terms of infrastructure and technical manpower are obvious when you move into a cloud. However most of us fail to appreciate the cost of retraining the staff to handle and manage the new environment. Retrenchment of old technical staff that was operating the traditional infrastructure can lead to resentment among the employees. This may in turn affect the productivity of people who are retained.  One of the ways to work around this problem is to outsource the entire workload with respect to the cloud operations. Still you have to cope with the delicate situation arising out of the process.

Coping up with the delicate situation out of cloud migration and retrenchment of technical staff, GMO Cloud America takes this into consideration by designing GMO Cloud API.  With the use of GMO Cloud API, operations can be performed through external programs, and can reduce your operational loads and costs via automating system operations as well.

Expect pain and pangs

Nothing can be achieved without pain. Cloud migration is not an exception to this rule. There are bound to be inflexion points which will be discomforting. We have to understand that software packages don’t work in isolation. Database connectivity and code compatibility issues can be complex. I would like to give a small example.  We have added an additional Linux server to meet increased traffic to our site.  However, our software which was working perfectly well on other servers did not work on this particular server. We struggled for more than two days and finally realized that the Linux version was different and causing the problem. The good news is that all technical glitches are eventually sorted out, but the migration can be painful. This is the reason why I recommend a graded approach to cloud migration.

It’s about changing mindsets

This is the most important factor to be considered while migrating to cloud infrastructure. It has been well documented that employees resent change. For that matter, human mind is wired to work in a stable and structured environment. We resist change and this is where conflict situations arise. Reorganization, reallocation of jobs and responsibilities will certainly bring conflicts to the fore. It is crucial that top echelons of the enterprise are fully involved in change management. It’s seen that success rates jump dramatically when senior staff is at the helm of affairs.

Training of employees must be undertaken to ensure that they slip into the new environment smoothly and with minimum abrasiveness.  Ultimately it’s your employees who will make or break the transition.

Conclusion

Technical procedures and processes are more likely to succeed if you manage expectations. Too much of optimism can lead to suffering. Change must happen gradually and in a graded manner. You must expect pain while migrating to a new environment. Fortunately, cloud technology is easy to understand. Moreover, cloud infrastructure providers can hold your hand by managing the entire process. Both big and small players can benefit from utilizing the services provided by them. The cost involved in migrating to the cloud can be reduced significantly if you understand the psychology behind the cloud.

Be Part of Our Cloud Conversation

Our articles are written to provide you with tools and information to meet your IT and cloud solution needs. Join us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Guest Author:

Sankarambadi Srinivasan, ‘Srini’, is a maverick writer, technopreneur, geek and online marketing enthusiast rolled into one. He began his career as a Naval weapon specialist. Later, he sold his maiden venture and became head of an offshore Database administration company in Mumbai. He moved on as Chief Technology Officer of one of the largest online entities, where he led consolidation of 300 online servers and introduced several Web 2.0 initiatives. He holds a Master’s degree in Electronics and Telecommunication.