http://insights.iolap.com/author/scrofts/Over the last few years there has been a lot of industry buzz about the future of the enterprise data warehouse (EDW). Maybe we should change the classic EDW acronym for a new title: Extended Data Warehouse.
Business Intelligence guru, analyst and author, Wayne Eckerson, and I had great times when we worked together at The Data Warehousing Institute (TDWI). Although we have both moved on to other ventures, we remain in touch and I still like reading his books and articles.
I particularly enjoyed the first chapter of his most recent book, Secrets of Analytical Leaders: Insights from Information Insiders, where he talks about the concept of “purple people.” But before I explain that, read this concept from Wayne in his book.
Every once in a while I brush aside all the stacks of paper on my desk and tell myself to spend a couple hours deep diving into some topic to see where it takes me. If browsers could heat up from over-use, there would be smoke coming out of my office for those two hours.
This time I focused on an IDC report that came out towards the end of 2013. I had seen this phrase a few times before, but for some reason it really caught my eye this time:
The Third Platform.
Have you ever wondered how it would feel to stand on the top step of an Olympic podium, lean over and have a gold medal placed around your neck? You not only have family, friends and coaches cheering you on, you have a whole nation behind you. It must be an overwhelming moment. While few ever have that opportunity, you can be the go-to champion in your organization. How can that happen?
Click here to see the January 2014 iOLAP Insights newsletter.
Like most of you, I work in the corporate world. I’ve been around long enough to be part of good teams and bad teams. I have also had the opportunity to build teams. Building a team is challenging and a lot of hard work. Being on a bad team is a stressful nightmare. Building a bad team is, well, a long story. If you did it once, you’re probably no longer with that company. With most companies, you are either a player or you are a coach (boss). If you’re self-employed that can be the most challenging—because you’re both.
I am also a big football fan. High school, college, professional, fantasy—I like all of it. I never played on the field myself but I love watching a great game at any level. As the season winds down at this time of year, I always get a little sad that it will be eight months before I get to watch my favorite teams again.
Starting in the late 1970’s and continuing throughout the decade of the 1980’s, one of my favorite football coaches was Bill Walsh.
Click here to see the December 2013 Issue of iOLAP Insights.
Click here to view the November issue of iOLAP iNSIGHTS.
In the early 1990’s I was working for a small software company in Seattle that developed mainframe database performance monitors. One day it was announced that we were being acquired by a much larger company. It was the first time in my career I had faced an acquisition and the horror stories I heard from co-workers were unsettling to say the least.
To be honest, the entire experience turned out to be relatively uneventful and even positive. I was able to work with great people who taught me a lot. I clearly remember one afternoon when my new boss chatted with me informally at a corporate retreat and simply asked, “Do you consider yourself a manager or a leader?”
Think about that for just a minute and ask yourself how you would answer that question.
Developing ETL code and attempting to achieve the ultimate business solution can have its challenges. There is always “a need for speed” or real-time business analysis. Using database analytical functions offered by leading database providers (e.g. Oracle, DB2, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and Teradata) a developer can cut down on the amount of processing within the ETL tool and allow the database to assist with the processing.