New support for Apache Hadoop under Birst’s eponymous analytics database involves automation of some processes such as ETL, and then creates multidimensional models from Hadoop subsets for more enterprise data browsing, queries and visualizations, according to a briefing on the release. Data can be accessed in real time in Hadoop or through integration with data sources like SAP and Salesforce.com, and the Birst platform also allows these Hadoop data sets to be funneled into dashboards, reports, ad hoc queries and mobile devices.
Birst CEO Brad Peters says that big data and NoSQL platforms traditionally give up ease with business-oriented queries, and require manual formatting that can delay or dampen value from large data sets.
“The challenge with something like Hadoop and those NoSQL options is that they don’t generally interface well with traditional business intelligence and analytics solutions,” Peters says, adding, “What we’re offering today is support for a range of use cases around big data with Hadoop where people can harvest and mine and leverage data in those systems more easily than they’ve been able to do before.”
John L. Myers, senior analyst for BI at Enterprise Management Associates, says the Birst release continues the vendor’s recent tradition of speeding time to implementation with automated ETL, data modeling and visualization configurations. He says Birst is offering a “significant option” in the choice to process data sets on Hadoop and move the dimensional analysis to Birst, or move the data sets to Birst for all of the analysis.
“Also, with two-way connectivity via HIVE, BIRST can return analyzed results to the Hadoop ecosystem, should that be appropriate to the business case and associated analysis,” says Myers.
Hadoop support will be added to Birst’s business analytics platform at no additional charge by mid-March. For a Feb. 28 Web seminar on the release, register here.
Justin Kern is senior editor at Information Management and can be reached at justin.kern@sourcemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @IMJustinKern.
