Monday, February 23, 2009

Beyond ETL and Datawarehousing

Data integration suffers from an image problem. It has become synonymous with extract, transform and load. Likewise, ETL has been regarded as a data warehousing technology. Both of these viewpoints fail to reflect current capabilities, and they greatly inhibit enterprises in their attempt to integrate data to provide the information their business needs. Because of this short-sightedness, companies have lost opportunities to harness information as a corporate asset. It increases the cost of integrating data, encourages the creation of data silos and forces businesspeople to spend an inordinate amount of time filling the information gaps themselves through data shadow systems or reconciling data.

More than Simply ETL Tasks

The basic tasks required in data integration are to gather data, transform it and put it into its target location. If that sounds like ETL, that’s because that’s exactly what it is . ETL tools have automated these tasks and empowered developers with a toolkit beyond what they could have easily hand coded themselves. ETL tools, for example, include prebuilt transformations from the elementary tasks of converting data and performing lookups to the more complex processes of change data capture and slowly changing dimensions. These prebuilt transformations greatly enhance developer productivity and improve the consistency of results. Data integration tools offer many significant processes and technologies that extend beyond the basic ETL tasks These extensions are necessary to turn data into comprehensive, consistent, clean and current information. The extended processes include data profiling, data quality and operational processing. This creates the ability to determine the state of the source systems, perform cleansing, ensure consistency and manage all the processing, including error handling and performance monitoring.

Data integration suites have expanded to incorporate enterprise application integration, enterprise information integration and service-oriented architecture coupled with ETL to offer data integration in batch, interoperating with applications, or in real time from business intelligence applications.

More than Batch Processes

There are many integration initiatives in an enterprise. With data integration being associated with batch-driven ETL processes that load a data warehouse (DW), integration initiatives that did not involve a DW sought out other technologies. These technologies included EAI, EII and SOA. Although each of these technologies has fundamental applications, the reality is that organizations had to reinvent the wheel for every data integration task. The results have been integration silos built with different technologies, producing inconsistent business information and generally with data integration built as an afterthought.

The good news is that data integration vendors that now combine all of the above technologies into data integration suites have emerged from the ETL ranks. These suites enable an enterprise to integrate data in one consistent manner, yet deploy using whatever transport technology (i.e., ETL, EAI, EII or SOA) is appropriate.

More than Data Warehousing

With the emergence of the more powerful suites, data integration has moved beyond data warehousing to include other integration initiatives in an enterprise, such as:
  • Data migration
  • Application consolidation
  • Operational and real-time BI andMaster data management
  • customer data integration and product information management.

Companies often undertake data migration or application consolidation projects because of mergers and acquisition or because they need to streamline applications. In the past, these projects were seen as one-offs and typically hand coded. As systems integrators became proficient in ETL tools from DW projects, they realized that they would be much more productive at data migrations and application consolidation projects if they used these same data integration tools. Even though they are one-offs, data integration tools enabled the SIs to reuse code, leverage prebuilt transformations, better manage processes and produce documentation without a laborious manual effort. In addition, they did not have to deploy a cadre of coding gurus but could leverage the data integration developers they already employed.


Several market forces have converged to produce the perfect storm, enabling operational or real-time BI with the same data integration and BI tools as used in DW projects. These forces include enterprise applications built on relational databases and data integration tools no longer bound to batch ETL constraints. In addition, with the major enterprise application vendors also offering data integration and BI tools, these vendors are bundling this convergence is more consistent, comprehensive and current information with the same data integration and BI infrastructure

MDM, CDI and PIM all deal with conforming and maintaining master data or reference data for data subjects, such as customers and products. The initial wave of technology solutions bundled a set of tools and applications that were business process or industry specific. What got lost in many of the initial implementations was that these applications relied heavily on data integration and that it made sense to leverage a company’s existing data integration platform to create MDM, CDI and PIM solutions.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

BFSI Services

Banking and Financial Services

MaxisIT observes that the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance industries have recorded drastic changes in terms of the service provided, and tight regulatory compliances and heavy competition. MaxisIT has greater domain expertise and have industries best experts available at hand and always you have industry best experienced experts at your hand. MaxisIT Services span over the following areas and the service offerings in common across the all the areas are listed in the Offerings section

Banking
For about few years now, MaxisIT has been a highly successful in providing information technology services to many banking domain customers in United States and also across the globe. In banking domain MaxisIT offers through suitable inputs into the challenges that banking institutions globally face

Financial Services
MaxisIT being an information technology company makes sure that the financial services industry can align their business and information technology strategies to help transform and stabilize market, credit, operations and domain security functions across their companies to reduce cost, maintain risk and improve transparency.

Insurance
MaxisIT believes that it has the core expertise needed to turn around your insurance business and help you realize latest opportunities. For the last few years, MaxisIT has been a successful player in providing information technology to the insurance industry. MaxisIT services allow you to boldly let your information technology requirements rest on our shoulders and enable you to focus on the core aspects on your business

Monday, February 16, 2009

What's in Store for IT industry in the first quarter of 2009.

What's in store for IT Industry in the first quarter of 2009

With the calendar showing the date 31st of March, 2009, many corporate professionals and top management of the companies across various industries globally would be interestingly watching for the financial results of various corporates in each sector with an interest and anxiety to know how the companies have faced the first quarter of the tough times.

This intensity would be a bit high in IT industry where the effects of recession are visible. Expert reports from the various firms say, worse is yet to come. This also adds to the curiosity levels on 31st March 2009. The IT Industry performance on average in the first quarter of 2009 means a lot to the professionals in the Industry.

It is also a hard belief that if the Industry survives the first quarter of 2009 with minimal issues or pains, it gives a boost for the rest of the year and also marks a countdown to the tough times. On the other hand if the results are bit off the flavour, many corporates would take effective steps to redefine the services.

www.maxisit.com

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Information Technology - Outsourcing

Information Technology - Outsourcing

Information Technology Outsourcing is a very old concept and the entire fun in outsourcing the process is to save on cost and time at the same time obtain superior quality product at the end. Outsourcing has revolutionized many business models in US markets and has gained maximum advantage at the same has also promised maximum advantage.

Outsourcing is more than a simple purchase decision based upon economic or financial criteria. It is a strategic decision that encompasses the transfer of service delivery of selected activities to a third party and the establishment of a long-term relationship that can create new sources of value for an organization. Key to the understanding of outsourcing is that while service delivery has been transferred, accountability has not. Additionally, outsourced service delivery is, or should be, transparent to the users of the service and the customers of the organization.
Many types of IT services can be outsourced, the most prevalent being data centre operation, desktop support, help desk services, network management, software development and support, disaster recovery and, more recently, web hosting and application management. An organization can choose to outsource only selected IT services or opt to outsource all of its IT services.

One challenge in outsourcing is bridging the gap between the standard of service the organization expects from its service provider and the services actually delivered. The following are common problems contributing to the gap. First, the organization may be accustomed to a certain standard and style of performance that was provided by its internal IT department prior to outsourcing. This same standard and style may not, however, be continued by the service provider. The degree of difference can be a point of contention, at least in the short term, until both parties grow accustomed to the new operating environment.

Sometimes, unexpected situations leave an organization no other choice than to terminate an outsourcing contract. Such a decision could be justified by the closing of a unit, a change in the organization’s business mission or strategy, poor service quality or insolvency of the service provider. Terminating a contract can involve high costs, particularly if the contract did not contain any opting-out provisions. Switching service providers or even going back to an in-house solution also involves high costs. Organizations may feel trapped in their outsourcing deals and perpetuate bad relationships to avoid switching or termination costs. These lock-in situations are
more likely when there are few providers competing to deliver these services.
Outsourcing in times of recession has shown a strong setback due to the non-availability of funds, non-liquidated assets and so on. Inspite of a bad period outsourcing has shown a strong performance is expected to improve in the near future.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Information Technology – Surviving Slowdown

Information Technology - Surviving Slowdown

Recession is the word gaining prominence across the globe slowly but steadily, there by passing an underlying message of the seriousness of the issue to be more severe as the days pass in the calendar year of 2009. Recession which has shown its signs in the mid 2008 has taken its toll particularly on the Information Technology sector and other sectors.

The signs of recession to the common man are non availability of liquidated funds, job threat and rise in prices of essential commodities. Hence amid such a commotion all over the world to meet the challenge of recession, the thought in the minds of an expert related to Information Technology is that did recession really impact on the Information Technology sector. If yes how much is it affected…and so on.

We need to face it, fight it and survive it smartly. That’s how companies globally are wielding action in the Recession war. Some ways out have been presented here to tackle the recession war as a lot has been discussed, speculated, dissected and wept upon when it comes to slowdown and its impact on the IT Service industry. But what's happening on the other side of the coin and how few companies are still very successful is the subject of discussion.

Yes. It is by and large easily agreed beyond any debate that Economic situation is tight and most of the customers globally are US-based. With the overall slowdown of market conditions, we have seen many complications like cost-reduction, job cuts and suspended decisions since mid-2008. Few Survival points are mentioned here in this article.

Meet the customer; assure them that you stand by them in times of crisis and at the need of the hour. The idea is not to burden existing customers as panicked vendors start chasing new customers to pile up revenues. This is the most appropriate time to show your loyalty towards your existing customers. This attitude drives home more benefits then expected.The entire concept behind this if you meet a friend in parties or happy times, be does not tend to remember long, if you make a visit in times of his sickness or help him in tough times he would reciprocate long.

The situation demands more of win-win situation. Though we often work for a win-win situation, this concept becomes more visible now. We need to reassure customers that we are together.

Secondly, Find out about their plans ahead. As a lot of opportunities become only visible in such times. Every CEO in this situation is looks for ways to improve their situation hence opportunities can be created. We need to contribute our best at a low cost as its relation which is more important then revenue given the situation. If our customers win, we win too.

It is exactly at this point of time instead of creating commotion all over about recession and searching for new clients, we can provide excellent support in the need of the hour without thinking much about the revenues for now and service the clients with much vigor, we shall be converting the short term customers into long lasting relation for the long term. In a way we need to sow our field now for the long term reaps.

Infact recession is an opportunity in disguise for the people who view it beyond a certain extent. One thing we know for sure is this shall end one day in the future. As you know you would be on a back foot inspite of your best efforts, hence its best to use this time as a platform to build up things on that day when recession ends in future. Also tough times force companies and customers realize who they are and what they are reflecting upon their abilities and capabilities.

We believe its time to act, rather than cursing the bad times, let’s build a platform for the beautiful days to come. Beautiful days are sure to come by when the recession ends, but how ready are you to meet the good times are is much defined in this hour of crisis.Please post more of your views in regards to surviving slowdown.

http://www.maxisit.com/

Information Technology – Impact of Recession

Information Technology – Impact of Recession

Information Technology has come into existence with a promise to the customers in terms of faster and easier automated processes and procedures which save a gain in terms of cost, time and resources. Information Technology has promised good returns on investment to every customer and has done absolutely well. Information Technology Industry is built on very strong basics and tends to stand tall for long.

Recession is the word gaining prominence across the globe slowly but steadily, there by passing an underlying message of the seriousness of the issue to be more severe as the days pass in the calendar year of 2009. Recession which has shown its signs in the mid 2008 has taken its toll particularly on the Information Technology sector and other sectors.

The signs of recession to the common man are non availability of liquidated funds, job threat and rise in prices of essential commodities. Hence amid such a commotion all over the world to meet the challenge of recession, the thought in the minds of an expert related to Information Technology is that did recession really impact on the Information Technology sector. If yes how much is it affected…and so on.

It is agreed beyond debate by many of the professionals that recession does have some impact on the Information Technology industry. With some huge corporate calling quits and many other companies across the globe in a cost cutting mode and with many others adopting the wait and watch approach, there is a slow down in the Information Technology Sector.

The Industry has shown few signs by few companies laying off their resources and so on, however there is an all round impression that such a situation is only for a while and IT companies need to be watchful during this time. IT Industry having promised so much to its clients will not be shaken off by few tough situations. It is bit alarming to learn that there is a reduction in growth rate of few IT giants, however it is highly encouraging to learn that the reduction is only in the growth rate, which means the companies as well as the industry is still growing by a fair margin if not by leaps and bounds.

At the same time we need to understand, Information Technology Market is not recession proof, Hence its time for all the experts to share a common platform in discussing and framing a strategy for all IT companies and professionals to successfully be prepared for any eventualities.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Information Technology - Maximize your returns

Information Technology - Maximize your returns

A general feel good among all the customers that rely on Information Technology for their day to day activities is that due to their investment on Information Technology, there certainly would be a return on Investment once they use the application. Unless a customer is convinced that the return on investment (ROI) is high, they shall not invest so much for the Information Technology Infrastructure.

Many Information Technology companies talk about ensuring a client's ROI, very few companies talk about maximizing the customers’ returns on Investment. For a company to speak this way, it should have a sound infrastructure backed up by able resources ready to ensure maximizing clients returns in a way maximizing your returns.

An organization which can talk about maximizing your returns is expected to be a leading global end-to- end information technology Services Company, with a track record of serving of fortune 500 companies globally. With its deep industry and functional expertise, leading technology practices and an advanced structured, global delivery model delivers the best quality on time to its global list of clients across all technologies across all the Industry verticals.

It is also expected to be an ISO 9001:2000 certified organization and is expected to be strictly committed with high priority to ensure the best Quality and Security through the procedures it deploys, in compliance with ISO 27001 and ISO 20000.

The company assuring maximizing your returns must be growing rapidly right since inception, very high above industry averages. This growth indicates two points; that customers cherish their extended team engagement model and that extended expert teams are inherently equipped with handling rapid growth. This growth keeps us on our knees, helps motivate, satisfy their and helps us focus on doing the right things at the right time.

The company must also be a pioneer in innovative solutions and technologies must be having vast experience in a broad spectrum of mission critical offerings. Its solutions and implementation methodology must enable its clients to deploy real-time event-driven applications that enable them to respond to rapidly changing markets and business events anywhere in the world. Our consulting & outsourcing services enjoy the challenge of building state-of-the-art systems and have proven, over-and-over, their ability to deliver.

One another quality is that the company is expected to go way beyond technical expertise when it comes to outsourced Information Technology services and offers clients rigorous risk mitigation processes, a singular focus on quality, expert project management and communication and global delivery capabilities.

The company talking of maximizing your returns must be employing the best state of art infrastructure and facilities for timely delivery of its deliverables, with the support of its experienced and committed teams of experts who possess strong functional and technical expertise in their respective field of expertise making timely delivery a trademark of that company.

Its team represents the strongest source of competitive advantage. All experts must have significant expertise in their arena and possess considerable domain experience. The person who is taken as an expert in their crew must have successfully proved their expertise in the past and also by undergoing a rigorous selection process before they are inducted into the team. An environment of trust and respect attracts and retains quality experts.

All these are expected to be the qualities of a Information Technology Organization that talks about maximizing customers returns on investment.