Technology Magazine September 2018 | Page 46

DIGITAL DISRUPTION

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In such a disparate business and IT landscape , data virtualisation comes to the rescue . The need of the hour is to invest in existing technologies whilst retaining business engagement without having to start all over again . Rather than replace existing EDWs , which is time-consuming and can result in loss of data , enterprises should utilise the available knowledge and leverage it with other systems , to effectively address and resolve business issues in a matter of days , not weeks , months or years .

With 35 % of enterprises planning to implement data virtualisation in some form as a forward-thinking option for data integration by 2020 , it is increasingly gaining favour as a versatile tool in the enterprise data toolbox . Data virtualisation seamlessly bridges the gap between existing systems and processes without requiring a complex transformation to deliver quick results , unlocking value without increasing resources , processes or technology investments .

However , enterprises must be aware that data virtualisation is not a silver bullet . It should be deployed with the right capabilities and methodology to achieve the desired results with an integrated view of the business .

Transforming business dynamics requires that enterprises access information in a variety of formats across numerous business systems . As a result , enterprises are still getting to grips with the data that is supposed to empower them . Data virtualisation is an agile and effective way for organisations to stay on top of their ever-changing data needs and should be used to harmonise their existing enterprise data landscape .

As structured and unstructured information grows exponentially , organisations must capitalise on data to gain the competitive advantage . Their IT departments are surrounded by a plethora of reporting solutions including databases , data marts and data

SEPTEMBER 2018