Why Base System Architecture on Data?
Enterprise Apps Today covered a discussion from IBM’s Dave Turek on the future of computer systems architecture. The main focus of his speech centered on the benefits of using data-centric system architecture. One advantage of keeping data at the center of new designs is that it could offer companies a larger competitive advantage than simply using off-the-shelf applications or data analysis tools that every other business in the industry might employ. Instead of having a business force their information to fit a system’s architecture, the architecture should fit the company’s vital information.
Guidelines to Employ Data-Driven Architecture for Computer Systems
How does an IT staff design this kind of architecture? These are basic guidelines to follow:
- Use data virtualization: When proponents of this kind of architecture call data the center of their work, they don’t mean that all information has to reside in some central, physical storage unit. It wouldn’t even be possible to take advantage of some new technologies, like cloud storage, that way. It means that a virtual model of the new database should be created and used as the basis for everything else. Vendors offer data-virtualization applications to help with this step.
- Ensure quality data: Companies lose millions of dollars each year because of poor data quality. A central focus of any system design should be ensuring the quality of old data that gets migrated and new data that will eventually get entered into the system. This may require a substantial audit of the old data and the business processes that led to errors.
- Perform data-focused analysis: It’s very common for analysts to create the same sort of data structures that have been used in the past. This may be because that’s what’s always been done or that’s what the analysts know how to do. Instead, it’s important to understand what type of analytics and reports that users expect and what data is needed to meet their needs.
We Can Help Develop a Data-Driven Architecture for Your Business
Successful companies learn to value their information as a large asset and the key to enjoying a competitive advantage over their competitors. In fact, we can even simplify your data management with our own data warehouse solutions that can be customized for your needs. Let’s talk about the way we can sharpen your company’s competitive advantage with the right data-driven architecture.