Article reviews
Article reviews
5 Big Data Technology Predictions
Olavsrud, T. (2014). 5 Big Data technology predictions for 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2016 from http://www.cio.com/article/2862014/big-data/5-big-data-technology-predictions-for-2015.html
Article overview
The article by Olavsrud (2014) is dedicated to five major trends in the field of big data technologies. Before investigating the trends, Olavsrud (2014) claims that new big data initiatives continually move from test to production, especially in cases it can be used in the real time. The first development, mentioned in the article under study, is that the data agility becomes a key focus of big data technologies, because usual databases and data warehouses are too expensive, slow and inflexible to meet the needs of current businesses. The reason for such development is also that modern organizations do not just store data, but actively use them in their daily operations.
Secondly, as it is emphasized by Olavsrud (2014), organizations start to move from data lakes to data processing platforms. Data lakes store raw data in its initial format, while processing data platforms include infrastructure, necessary for bringing data into conformity with each other. However, it is pointed out that data lakes will not be totally abandoned, because they have single governance and single security points. At the same time, processing data platforms will still have an advantage over the data lakes due to the fact that they allow for real-time processing of data and the creation of large-scale integrated data systems.
Thirdly, it becomes important that the data is self-service. Modern IT solutions tend to be developed in a way that lets business users self-service data. Self-service platforms help users move away from centralized data structures and be quicker, when responding to threats and opportunities. Fourthly, hadoop vendors consolidate and, subsequently, new business models start evolving. Open source software brings significant value to the market. New well-designed models of open source software combine innovation and community development. Finally, the big hype starts to divide itself from big data, improving availability and business continuity of software-related processes.
In his article Olavsrud (2014) highlighted the major aspects of the big data tools development that exert significant impact on business, I agree with the fact that modern organizations tend not only to store data, but actively use it in multiple processes. In this light, self-service data and data-processing platforms become more topical. Furthermore, both technologies allow for moving away from the centralized data storing. Thus, different departments of an organization will be able to actively engage data into their daily processes without requiring external aid. Data processing platforms are also crucial tools, because they let organizations to convert the body of raw data to a structured data that uses the same formats of data. Consequently, organizations can apply these data on a daily basis without first getting the data out of the data lake and, secondly, converting them into the necessary format.
Area of disagreement
Hadoop vendors are becoming ever more popular, because they are not expensive and have scalable capabilities of processing data. While open source hadoops are still immature at the market of big analytics, they can soon become a leading big data technique. Nowadays most popular Hadoops include Amazon Web Services, Apache Bigtop, Cascading, Datasalt, Cloudera and Impetus. However, to my mind, a significant amount of time is still required to convert hadoops into an inevitable part of companies; big data policies (Collins, 2015).
Essay question: Describe the role of self-service big data in modern organizations
Mieloch, A. (2015). 4 of the hardest things to change in information technology (IT). Retrieved 25 March 2016 from http://www.cio.com/article/2875736/it-transformation/4-of-the-hardest-things-to-change-in-information-technology-it.html
Article overview
A. Mieloch (2015) writes his article about four major things that are to be changed in the information technology (IT) from the perspective of a practitioner, who deals with multiple complexities of the enterprise technologies every day. The first inevitable trend that can be hardly changed deals with the fact that companies tend to go global. In this view, practitioners continually face a challenge of converting local and regional structures into the global ones. According to A. Mieloch (2015), it is crucial for the modern specialist in the field of information technologies to be able to integrate the data, obtained from different regions as regards their business cultures, methodologies, goals and initiatives. Another important trend that already cannot be changed deals with the migrating legacy applications. Thirdly, changing domains becomes both an inevitable trend and a crucial challenge. In fact, the change of the domain deals with the significant migration of files, including the ranking perspective of a search engine, modification of marketing materials, voices and forms. Fourthly, it is already not appropriate to consider IT being distinct from other aspects of running the business. IT solutions are to be aligned with all other business functions to avoid overlaps and confusing situations. Most importantly, in any case IT specialists need to engage people, approaching them with the belief that their profound understanding of the context and the culture of an organization can help them contribute to generating new multidisciplinary solutions.
Areas of Agreement
The key message, addressed by Mieloch (2015), is engagement. I agree with the fact that IT solutions need to be engaged with various other aspects of the company’s activities. If a company is going regional or global, IT solutions need to be engaged with the new national and business culture. A common culture is to be created, so that users get a chance to move away from their regional views and can collaborate with employees from different cultures and business environments without facing considerable differences. Similar to the case of a migrating legacy application, the change of the domain includes changing the procedures of user authentication, login and the management of mailboxes, as well as the flows of files and work. When changing a domain, IT specialist shall also take into consideration the company’s marketing, sales and internal communications processes.
Apart from engaging with national/business culture of another region and the business processes inside an organization, it is crucial for IT specialists to be engaged with other people in an organization. That helps to develop quality integrated solutions.
Areas of disagreement
It is hard to disagree with anything in the article, written by a professional in enterprise-wide IT. An area of disagreement may deal with the fact that migrating legacies and changing domains are the phenomena that can still be avoided, if an organization does not engage into the respective merger and acquisitions policy. If an organization initially elaborates on high-quality viable legacies and domains policies, it becomes able to avoid frequent changes of the clouding systems and domains it uses.
However, the changes in legacies and domain names are still inevitable, if a company pursues active M&A policy, especially in light of new technologies. Each time the move to a different cloud is associated not only with the move itself and costs-related changes, but customization, integration with the previous applications and other tools, as well as security concerns and the ones, dealing with the protection of personal data. Migration to a different cloud may also mean that additional training for employees can be required, because new access procedures can be involved. The change of domain names can be most damaging from the perspective of sustaining search engine rankings.
Essay question:
How globalization influenced the data technologies, used in organizations?
Olavsrud, T. (2015). 5 information security trends that will dominate 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016 from http://www.cio.com/article/3016791/security/5-information-security-trends-that-will-dominate-2016.html
In his article Olavsrud (2015) singles out five major information security trends that will dominate 2016 in light of the growing threats of cybercrime. Actually, he names 2016 the year of cyber risk, where attacks become ever more considerable and sophisticated in nature. The first dangerous trend deals with conflicting officials’ involvement into the sphere of cybersecurity that may lead to unforeseen consequences for all the involved organizations. Secondly, it is claimed that the application of big data in the daily operations of companies may lead to difficulties, if human factor in data analytics will be ignored. Apart from stealing information, people can use it to manipulate organizations.
The third crucial trend is concerned with the growing application of mobile devices and the Internet of Things. As the demand for different mobile applications for work and home becomes ever higher, it is possible that developers will sometimes sacrifice security for the purposes of speedy introduction of a new product into the market and outplaying competitors. Fourthly, cybercrime is an important concern, because the Internet space is a perfect place for criminals, terrorists and other individuals to make money in a dishonest way. Finally, the skills gap is a trigger of many crucial problems in the field of information security. While cyberctiminals develop ever more sophisticated techniques to cope with organizations’ information security systems, security specialists may lack necessary skills to counter attacks.
Areas of Agreement
The article by Olavsrud (2015) determines major trends in the field of information security. I fully agree with the fact that the officials’ conflicting involvement into the area of cybersecurity may lead to absolutely different consequences for companies that use the above systems. To avoid this issue, it is necessary to employ strict recruiting policies, so that the governments’ involvement adheres to specified rules. Secondly, governmental agencies need to communicate one another as regards the actions, taking place in a cyberspace.
Secondly, I agree with the fact that an increased use of big data in the daily operations of companies increases the risk of data’s being manipulated by individuals. Stealing data and blackmailing organizational leaders can be viewed as a manifestation of this risk. Individual employees (especially, ex-employees) can sell data to an organization’s competitors. Thirdly, it is doubtless that cybercrime becomes ever more important threat. There are various types of external attacks and malicious programs that can significantly harm organizations. Multilayer security systems and educated workforce are required to counter such threats.
Areas of disagreement
First of all, I would like to disagree with the fact that a growing demand for mobile applications will lead to a decrease in their quality and security. Competing among themselves, web developers will try to promote both quality and security of their products to sustain competitive advantage. Moreover, the experience of ensuring web security can be also used for mobile application developers (Microsoft, 2015). Thus, an increase in the use of mobile applications can also bring enhanced security and fewer chances for criminals to exploit the system’s weaknesses.
Furthermore, an increase in cybercrime in cybercrime shall be viewed not only as a threat, but a challenge that can help companies develop more quality systems of data protection. The skills abyss may seem an issue, but the availability of multiple education tools and platforms can help individuals trace new developments in the field of information security.
Finally, the use of new big data technologies (which are not common for employees) can still prevent employees from stealing data and manipulating them due to the lack of necessary skills.
Essay Question:
Describe the challenges the big data specialist faces, when working in an organization.
References
Collins, M. (2015). Top six hadoop vendors providing big data solutions in open data platform. Retrieved 25 March 2016 from https://www.dezyre.com/article/-top-6-hadoop-vendors-providing-big-data-solutions-in-open-data-platform/93
Microsoft (2015). Improving web application security: threats and countermeasures. Retrieved 25 March 2016 from https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff649874.aspx
Mieloch, A. (2015). 4 of the hardest things to change in information technology (IT). Retrieved 25 March 2016 from http://www.cio.com/article/2875736/it-transformation/4-of-the-hardest-things-to-change-in-information-technology-it.html
Olavsrud, T. (2014). 5 Big Data technology predictions for 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2016 from http://www.cio.com/article/2862014/big-data/5-big-data-technology-predictions-for-2015.html
Olavsrud, T. (2015). 5 information security trends that will dominate 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016 from http://www.cio.com/article/3016791/security/5-information-security-trends-that-will-dominate-2016.html
