Coming together with MicroStrategy to solve Big Data problems

We announced today that more and more and more organizations worldwide are deploying Kognitio WX2 as the underlying analytical database to their MicroStrategy front-end BI platform in order to access and query “Big Data” data volumes. And we’re truly excited about it; not only is WX2 fully optimized to show off MicroStrategy’s applications, but our joint customers are seamlessly integrating both technologies to run analytical queries against massive amounts of data and make informed business decisions within seconds. And they are doing this fast. Usually, it is unheard of that users deploy large-scale data warehousing and BI projects within a few weeks, but not so with the MicroStrategy-Kognitio solution. In fact, one joint customer in the gambling and gaming sector deployed both WX2 and MicroStrategy’s application in just ten weeks. Compare and contrast this with the 12-18 months that large-scale data warehousing and BI projects usually take and you can see the huge difference that this makes.

Our partnership with MicroStrategy is successful because MicroStrategy’s flexible reporting capabilities work seamlessly with our WX2 analytic database to help business people create and refine their own web- or mobile-based reports on query results without IT involvement. Now in its 7th generation, WX2 uses in-memory processing and unprecedented query speeds to obtain results in a fraction of the time and cost of competing products. Together, the technologies enable businesses to conduct complex analysis on ever increasing data volumes to solve time-sensitive problems that were previously unachievable.

And that’s why we’re excited to be at the forthcoming MicroStrategy World event in Monte Carlo, Monaco from July 11-14, 2011. If you are at the show, stop by and see us. We’d be delighted to tell you more about how Kognitio and MicroStrategy is the perfect marriage between data analytcs and BI.

Meanwhile, if you want to read more on the partnership between Kognitio and MicroStrategy, click here.

In-memory analytics beat the odds

Today’s business landscape is both dynamic and data rich. Technology advances present new threats and opportunities almost simultaneously. World events – from wild weather to unexpected political developments and shifting consumer sentiment – can disrupt even the best laid plans. When it comes to understanding what it all means for the bottom line and re-calculating your odds of success, mastering Big Data analytics is key, a truth that online gambling and gaming businesses have been quick to acknowledge.

Online gambling and gaming sites are more popular than ever. More than 3.2 million people gambled online last year according to Nielson Media; a 40% jump from the previous year. Online gambling growth is even outpacing social network sites like Facebook. And big betting events like the Kentucky Derby, X Factor and the 2012 Olympics are sure to sustain that healthy growth rate.

This bettors’ tsunami is a big data challenge for gaming sites. Keeping track of who signs up, what they bet on and the slew of other factors that impact a game or event are critical to calculating the correct odds. The slightest miscalculation can result in lost revenue or angry customers.

That’s why gambling site businesses have become some of the most advanced power users of data analytics. The ability to crunch the data and calculate the odds quickly and accurately allows them to respond instantly to ever-changing information -- from an injured race horse to changing weather to the betting popularity of athlete. Accurate, competitive odds keep their customers happy and revenue streams flowing.

The biggest challenges gambling sites face with traditional approaches to analyzing big data are a) the analytics systems take too long and too much money to deploy and b) running queries could often take days, even weeks. In an industry that thrives on real-time and predictive information, speed means everything.

These real-time businesses need solutions that let them continuously query data effortlessly, quickly and accurately as soon as the questions arise. In-memory analytical platforms can be deployed within days, creating an environment where they can start analyzing data within seconds. In-memory analytics enable ‘train-of-thought’ analysis in which betting data can be updated and queried in real-time, keeping the odds continuously updated.

Knowledge truly is power in the gambling industry. Without recognizing this, online gaming sites risk alienating their customers and losing revenue – a gamble they’re not willing to take in today’s economy.