It used to be that data was something stored in a database. It had structure; it had persistence. And everyone knew exactly where to go and how to get it.
The nature of data is changing rapidly though, and most of these truisms no longer apply. More and more data is now outside of structured databases, on the web, in social sites, in SaaS applications. It may not even look like data. GPS locations of trucks, trains, and shipping vessels, utility meter readouts, customer reviews, and industrial telemetry are just a few examples of this broad class of what we call “data in motion.”
Bring Data in Motion Together with Static Data
This new class of data is not only huge and growing rapidly, it has value and lots of it. The value goes up when you start to correlate this data in motion with the static data in your databases. The level of insight you can gain into your customers, business operations, and trading partners through this correlation is amazing.
Companies that will succeed in the 21st century are those that understand the shifting nature of data, who can connect all of their data sources to develop a 360-degree view of their customers and marketplace, and can identify and act on business opportunities instantly.
New Technology to Tackle New Challenges
The secret sauce that makes all of this possible is integration technology. Not the crusty old stuff that many companies still have in place today, but something that’s designed for the emerging world of the cloud, big data, mobility, and event correlation.
Of course, as you embrace and integrate these new sources of data, you have to ensure it works with what you already have. New technology rarely replaces what you already own—it’s layered on top of it.
At TIBCO, we’ve given a lot of thought to the challenge of how to cost-effectively integrate these new data sources into an IT landscape. Click here to read a short 7-page paper that outlines an approach for developing a comprehensive integration strategy for the 21st century.
