As many companies begin to look to other methods of data storage other than traditional methods such as data warehouses, cloud storage has become a popular option that organizations are beginning to use. Cloud offers companies better cost and more flexibility than traditional storage methods and companies are beginning to make use of Cloud and its advantages. When considering cloud storage options, there are lots of different questions that a company must weigh. Sarah Maston, developer advocate with IBM Cloud Data Services, covered the move to the cloud in a recent DBTA webinar.
Cloud data services are a set of integrated services that have been built to work with each other out of the gate. The key word is integration. IBM has a clear mission in mind when it comes to the journey to cloud based analytics, “to provide the best experience for developers with a comprehensive set of rich, integrated cloud data services covering content, data, and analytics.” Maston stated that this vision is achievable with three steps: faster innovation, better IT economics, and lower risk of failure. “The integration of these data services is key. With Cloudant and DashDB, they were both built with each other in mind and with a push of a button they could be integrated. It allows for data to be moved quickly and you don’t have to spend time building a bridge,” explained Maston.
An intimidating proposition that may be asked of IT employees is to “build a data warehouse,” said Maston who offered up a solution that is simple and gets the desired results: an operational data store (ODS). Maston wanted to find an answer for how to get SaaS data to an ODS, and came up with the solution and named it the “Simple Data Pipe.” It’s a streamlined solution that requires three steps: setup OAuth, select “all tables,” and schedule. The “Simple Data Pipe” will allow for users to move numerous different types of SaaS data to ODS.
In this webcast, Maston discussed the challenges that organizations face in data warehousing, and introduced the audience to IBM dashDB. She also walked through a number of use cases for moving to the cloud, and shared real world ways to tap into cloud applications to further analyze data. In particular, she presented the Simple Data Pipe, a solution for moving Salesforce CRM data to an enterprise data warehouse, powered by dashDB.
To watch a replay of this webinar, go here