As organisations face growing demand for real-time reporting and visibility, the cost of ‘hidden’ data increases. The volume of company data continues to grow, the variety of data sources increases, the speed of data accumulation accelerates and the quality of the data is highly variable.
As a result, the broader user-base struggles to access the right data. This creates strategic performance problems – people are making decisions without the ability to access and analyse the right data at the right time.
For SAP-centric organisations in particular, the shift to HANA and its in-memory, advanced analytical capabilities represents the opportunity to access data and insights locked within systems. It enables a shift from retrospective analysis to competitive advantage linked to growth and digital transformation objectives.
It's challenging to know where to start when developing a Big Data and Analytics capability. Watch this short video to see how.
The Big Data & Analytics Pathway
Developing this advanced analytics capability is no longer an option, it has become an absolute necessity for business today. However, the sheer scale of available data is far beyond the volumes and variability most organisations have had to previously manage.
Consider things like POS data, real-time GPS, sensors, customer browsing/buying behaviour and social media data – all significant data sets that can deliver value back to your business if they can be properly harnessed.
For SAP-Centric Organisations
For SAP-centric organisations, SAP S/4HANA presents a major change in the configuration and operation of your existing SAP platform and is not something to undertake lightly.
For those that have already started down this analytics pathway though, it becomes quickly apparent that there is more complexity and cost in harnessing large data sets with HANA than first expected. As a real-time analytics engine, its capabilities are outstanding, but as a big data repository, the answer isn’t so clear.
While it may be tempting to just continue down the SAP path that has been laid out for you in an attempt to get the results you need, a pause right now may be more valuable than you realise.
For all organisations
Regardless of whether you are SAP-centric or not, it’s critical to think differently about how you architect and leverage existing technology investments for Big Data and Advanced Analytics such as predictive modelling, machine learning and IoT. We can show you how with The Analytics Pathway.
Steps in the Pathway
There are 6 stages in our defined Big Data & Analytics Pathway, each offering increasing levels of business value. The Analytics Pathway allows your organisation to embark on the Big Data and Advanced Analytics journey in consumable, logical steps whilst still having a clear end state in mind.
The first two stages are about data control. They are critical for business looking to get “Big Data ready”, and provide the foundation to build upon.
STAGE 1: INFORMATION FLOOD CONTROL
Establishing a Data Lake to manage the 'flood' of data.
STAGE 2: DATA WAREHOUSE OFFLOAD
Releasing the pressure on your BW/HANA environment by making use of this data lake.
The next stages are about leveraging the big data platform to deliver more business value.
STAGE 3: DEMOCRATISATION OF BIG DATA
Democratise Big Data by establishing a Virtual Big Data Warehouse (VBDW) using both the Data Lake and SAP HANA to make these datasets more pervasively available in a cost-effective way.
STAGE 4: IoT AND STREAMING
Deliver additional value by integrating IoT and streaming use cases into this new VBDW platform. E.g. Live Dashboards, Systems Uptime, Network Security etc.
The final two stages are where we see very high-value analytics breakthrough – the real cutting edge of what’s capable in business today and a real competitive advantage.
STAGE 5: DATA MINING
Data Mining to deliver new insights with prescriptive and predictive models.
STAGE 6: COGNITIVE
Leveraging AI and machine learning to allow natural language processing and opening the analytics platform to more than just data scientists.
So where are you at, and where do you need to get to? Our team is here to understand your objectives and support you wherever you are along this pathway.
Why NTT DATA Business Solutions?
Making this kind of transformation can be difficult – especially when it comes to developing the business case.
We are unique. We have the local Australian team expertise, teamed with global size and IP to help with this transformation in a way that meets your needs through either:
- A bespoke, on-premises or cloud based solution that builds on your existing environment, or
- A complete packaged solution using our own resources and delivered to you in a cost-effective and flexible “As-a-Service” format. This solution can still be fully integrated with your existing infrastructure, but with a much lower risk, allowing you to test your business case assumptions before making major capital investments.
The ultimate value is that we act as your advocate to ensure you get what’s best for your business and not just what the vendors are promoting.
Challenge us to find the right solution for you. Speak to us today.
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