It’s time for a Tweet chat recap that’s all about the cloud, business intelligence and the wisdom of some industry experts including host Howard Dresner.
The topic for the March 28 #BIWisdom chat was cloud BI. There was a lot of back and forth, but we’ll focus on one aspect (actually two related aspects) the risks/benefits of cloud BI.
Interest in Cloud BI Is Growing
Dresner (@howarddresner) says that there’s been an increased interest in cloud BI over the past couple years. In fact, he notes that in 2013, 35% of people believe the cloud “critical” or “very important” compared to 31% in 2012.
“For 2014 – based on preliminary results – this has grown by four percentage points to 39% over 2013,” Dresner says.
One participant couldn’t believe that the numbers are so low, especially given all the new players that are focused on the cloud. Another says that Dresner’s numbers indicate that there’s still room for “primary education” on the benefits of cloud BI – or maybe the need for better products.
But according to Dresner, although the market is still nascent, it is growing more quickly than others.
But Some Businesses Are Still Cautious
One of the main reasons companies don’t move to the cloud – and by extension cloud BI – is security, notes one contributor. That’s because enterprises are still a bit cautious about their data being in the cloud, another expert adds.
“I think it is [because of] user reticence due to control and security concerns, [that the] main players are pushing it aside,” notes another chat attendee.
Dresner agrees that security and loss of control are concerns, although there are many ways to mitigate those concerns.
The Benefits of Cloud BI Are Real
Of course, cloud BI has its benefits, as well.
“Recently I’ve discovered [the] collaborative strengths of #CloudBI, great being able to share,” notes one participant.
Our own Brett Stupakevich (@Brett2point0) also notes some of the benefits of cloud BI.
“With “Return on Time Investment” benefits, total cost of ownership, I can see how time-to-market is a key driver for #CloudBI,” he explains. “And the cloud makes sense for the “aaS” professional services offerings/consultants. Again, speed to implementation.”
Another attendee concurs with Stupakevich’s sentiments, saying, “Payback period, time-to-implement, & time-to-manage all favor of #CloudBI, especially for new projects.”
And this participant notes, “Users are a little more excited now about #CloudBI cost/benefit & speed to deliver than [they are] concerned about security & control, and IT.”
More Thoughts on Cloud BI
Here are some other interesting comments from the chat about cloud BI:
“In an #BigData world, if I am paying per TB for #CloudBI, my tab can get up into the stratosphere before you know it.”
“Many have come to the realization that #cloud is better for certain classes of apps.”
“Trust and security of sensitive financial data is the potential roadblock.”
“#CloudBI could well be the driver for expanding #BI out of the traditional finance and CRM depts.”
“I believe #Finance support for #CloudBI will go a long way in breaking down barriers to adoption,” Dresner says.
Tune in to the chat each Friday at 1 p.m. Eastern by following the #BIWisdom hashtag on Twitter and begin following the conversation.
Next Steps:
- We invite you to download Howard Dresner’s “Wisdom of Crowds SME Business Intelligence Study” to learn more about the enterprise business intelligence market.
- Subscribe to our blog to stay up to date on the latest insights and trends in big data, and big data analytics.
