Closing Big Data’s Bermuda Triangle

by David James (Principal Strategist)

Introduction

A glut of tools and software in big data analytics has created an “echo chamber” of commoditized features. This glut has dominated discussions regarding the ‘what’ and ‘how’ to deploy big data solutions within companies. Some CIOs maintain that ROI is difficult to measure and should be treated “mind over matter”. Non-tech CXOs are now echoing this refrain saying ROI cannot be ascertained or controlled and therefore ROI is a moot point. Against this backdrop, it is surprising that some organisations are still iterating traditional warehouse architecture. These traditional architectures will not meet the demands of modern big data ecosystem that must handle a tsunami of data in real time and top management is questioning the veracity of traditional big data platforms. Companies end up using multiple products, around personnel with specialised skills related to those specific products or tools. Big Data Teams can develop tunnel vision around what they know best, and a final deployment is like kicking the can down road.

These traditional architectures in big data management burgeon expenses which can be hidden around the balance sheet- ascribed to “RnD” or the “tech lab” and can suck up millions of dollars in manpower, tools and time. The Bermuda Triangle in Big Data deployment is the diminishing rate of return on investment against that receding horizon of BI Adoption. It’s that silent sucking sound of cash that no one want to hear.

Investment VS Returns and BD Architectures.

It may be being rhetorical, but it merits repetition: Even if returns are claimed to be intangible, lower the Investment, higher the RoI. Specifically, to Big Data deployment and adoption, when the Investment is predictable, then Returns should be predictable too.

These traditional architectures in big data management burgeon expenses which can be hidden around the balance sheet- ascribed to “RnD” or the “tech lab” and can suck up millions of dollars in manpower, tools and time. The Bermuda Triangle in Big Data deployment is the diminishing rate of return on investment against that receding horizon of BI Adoption. It’s that silent sucking sound of cash that no one want to hear.

Perhaps just two intangible factors that that have an impact on RoI merit discussing:

  1. The first on and, that needs to be made explicit is the Time Value of Money (TVM). The impact of people attrition, training and integration challenges on time to deployment should be self-evident.
  2. The second is, the intangible need expressed by organisations. As Hotlztmann of Gartner puts it, “It's not just about getting the right information to the right people at the right time but determining that the information is in fact generating insights to make better business decisions”.

Indeed, these to some important questions that can flag the state of Big Data deployment ROI in all organisations - “When will BI adoption be considered a success? or has BI deployment percolated across millions in near real time? or is the BI adoption a true reflection of their business perspective?

These issues continue to bedevil CDOs as companies seeking to grow and reduce costs.

Such a back drop beggars the question: Can a modern architecture be deployed across the length and breadth of the organisation in near real time to close that Bermuda triangle of Big Data deployment?

Modern Big Data Pipeline increases RoI exponentially.

The modern big data pipeline architecture is an evolution from traditional architecture, integrating new data sources and using new computing paradigms, integrating IOT Data, artificial intelligence, machine learning algorithms, Deep Learning and Cognitive computing.

Which type of organisations can benefit the most moving to a modern Big Data Pipeline Architecture?

The first are large organisations with heterogenous and large data sets that use multiple products, across the organisation. This could be simply a reflection of skills and comfort but it spawns mini centralised data silos of their own making. What is missing is #DataDemocracy and adoption by users who need insights from their perspective. The 3600 panoramic view of data from those who demand it on call is also missing. The second type is an organisation that is smaller, and are looking at Big Data to increase its operational leverage, but are debating what to use and how to deploy it. Both organisations could do well to examine the Big Data Pipeline architecture. #BDB’s is modular and loosely coupled suite that will allow organisations to use their current products alongside components of the Big Date Pipeline Architecture. (refer white paper) Smaller organisations who are bedevilled with determining which products, challenging manpower issues, have a dead line to deployment, and question whether it if it all will pay off (ROI) in the end, can avail of the entire suite almost instantly. If such an architecture of deploying modern big data pipeline is available on call (a Lambda architecture) to plug and play at an extremely competitive cost, it also raises an additional Human Resource question:

Should we Hire to Build or Build Operate and Transfer(BOT)?

Points to consider with respect to BDB:

  1. The BDB system works in one platform/integrated ecosystem on Cloud rather than working in SILOS like other vendors. There is no need for any other product with BDB Platform, it comes with Big Data Pipeline, ETL, Query Services, Predictive Tool with Machine Learning, Survey Platform, Self Service BI, Advanced Visualization and Dashboards provides everything in one platform, reduces time to deployment to a fraction .
  2. When BDB was compared to several marquee brands, the buyers have admitted that they would have taken about several years to deploy a BI solution, BDB did it in a few months.


  3. A customer can scale from a few 100 users to a 100mm in near real time- Such business solutions can be made available from SaaS to a White Label.
  4. Indeed, instead of selling others licensing package, a customer can sell their own Subscription Services and Licenses – Market opportunity 10x of investment Additional Analytics Services revenue with BDB as Implementation team.
  5. BDB has a 100% track record post a POC

Closing the Bermuda Triangle in BD deployment simply means reducing the fears of flying into the unknown. Or, reducing the Unknowns to Knowns, with a demonstrable impact on your PnL

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