Why Data Virtualization Is so Vital

In today’s day and age, it probably seems like every week you hear about a new form of software you absolutely have to have. However, as you’re about to find out, data virtualization is actually worth the hype. 

The Old Ways of Doing Things
Traditionally, data management has been a cumbersome process, to say the least. Usually, it means data replication, data management or using intermediary connectors and servers to pull off point-to-point integration. Of course, in some situations, it’s a combination of the three.

Like we just said, though, these methods were never really ideal. Instead, they were just the only options given the complete lack of alternatives available. That’s the main reason you’re seeing these methods less and less. The moment something better came along, companies jumped all over them.

However, their diminishing utility can also be traced to three main factors. These would be:

· High costs related to data movement
· The astronomical growth in data (also referred to as Big Data)
· Customers that expect real-time information

These three elements are probably fairly self-explanatory, but that last one is especially interesting to elaborate on. Customers these days really don’t understand why they can’t get all the information they want exactly when they want it. How could they possibly make sense of that when they can go online and get their hands on practically any data they could ever want thanks to the likes of Google? If you’re trying to explain to them that your company can’t do this, they’re most likely going to have a hard time believing you. Worse, they may believe you, but assume that this is a problem relative to your company and that some competitor won’t have this issue.


Introducing Data Virtualization
It was only a matter of time before this problem was eventually addressed. Obviously, when so many companies are struggling with this kind of challenge, there’s quite the incentive for another one to solve it.

That’s where data virtualization comes into play. Companies that are struggling with having critical information spread out across their entire enterprise in all kinds of formats and locations never have to worry about the hardships of having to get their hands on it. Instead, they can use virtualization platforms to search out what they need.


Flexible Searches for Better Results
It wouldn’t make much sense for this type of software to not have a certain amount of agility built in. After all, that’s sort of its main selling point. The whole reason companies invest in it is because it doesn’t get held back by issues with layout or formatting. Whatever you need, it can find.

Still, for best results, many now offer a single interface that can be used to separate and extract aggregates of data in all kinds of ways. The end result is a flexible search which can be leverage toward all kinds of ends. It’s no longer about being able to find any type of information you need, but finding it in the most efficient and productive way possible.


Keep Your Mainframe
One misconception that some companies have about data virtualization is that it will need certain adjustments to be made to your mainframe before it can truly be effective. This makes sense because, for many platforms, this is definitely the case. These are earlier versions, though, and some that just aren’t of the highest quality.

With really good versions, though, you can basically transform your company’s mainframe into a virtualization platform. Such an approach isn’t just cost-effective. It also makes sure you aren’t wasting resources, including time, addressing the shortcomings of your current mainframe, something no company wants to do.

Don’t get turned off from taking a virtualization approach to your cache of data because you’re imagining a long list of chores that will be necessary for transforming your mainframe. Instead, just be sure you invest in a high-end version that will actually transform your current version into something much better.


A Better Approach to Your Current Mainframe
Let’s look at some further benefits that come from taking this approach. First, if the program you choose comes with the use of a high-performance server, you’ll immediately eliminate the redundancy of integrating from point-to-point. This will definitely give you better performance in terms of manageability. Plus, if you ever want to scale up, this will make it much easier to do so.

Proper data migration is key to a good virtualization process. If it is done right the end user wont have to worry out corrupted data and communication between machines will be crystal clear.

If you divert the data mapping you need to do at processing-intensive level and transformation processes away from the General Purpose Processor of your mainframe to the zIIP specialty engine, you’ll get to dramatically reduce your MIPS capacity usage and, therefore, also reduce your company’s TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).

Lastly, maybe you’d like to exploit of every last piece of value you derive from your mainframe data. If so, good virtualization software will not only make this possible, but do so in a way that will let you dramatically turn all of your non-relational mainframe data virtualization into relational formats that any business analytics or intelligence application can use.


Key Features to Look for in Your Virtualization Platform
If you’re now sold on the idea of investing in a virtualization platform, the next step is getting smart about what to look for. As you can imagine, you won’t have trouble finding a program to buy, but you want to make sure it’s actually going to be worth every penny.

The first would be, simply, the amount of data providers available. You want to be able to address everything from big data to machine data to syslogs, distributed and mainframe. Obviously, this will depend a lot on your current needs, but think about the future too.

Then, there’s the same to think about in terms of data consumers. We’re talking about the cloud, analytics, business intelligence and, of course, the web. Making sure you will be able to stay current for some time is very important. Technology changes quickly and the better your virtualization process is the longer you’ll have before having to upgrade. Look closely at the migration process, and whether or not the provider can utilize your IT team to increase work flow. This will help you company get back on track more quickly and with better results.

Finally, don’t forget to look at costs, especially where scalability is concerned. If you have plans of getting bigger in the future, you don’t want it to take a burdensome investment to do so.

As you can see, virtualization platforms definitely live up to the hype.You just have to be sure you spend your money on the right kind.


Guest blogger post :

Mike Miranda writes about enterprise software and covers products offered by software companies like Rocket software about topics such as Terminal emulation, Enterprise Mobility and more.

How Terminal Emulation Assists Easy Data Management

Just about every company will need terminal emulation at some point. Yours may not need it now, but as time goes on, the day will come when you need information that can only be accessed with an emulator. This software allows a computer to basically take on the functionality of an older version. Doing so makes it possible for the user to access data that would otherwise be impossible to find. If you’re not sold on the benefits of using this type of software, consider the following ways that it assists with making data management easier.

Obtain Data from Outdated Systems
This is the most obvious way a terminal emulator helps with data management. Right now, you could have all kinds of data out of reach because it was created with software you no longer used or stored on a platform that differs from the current one on your system.

Without an emulator, you’re basically without options. You simply have to find a workaround. The best solution would involve using a machine with the old operating system installed. This isn’t just extremely inconvenient though; it also isn’t very cost-effective and is sure to become a bottleneck sooner or later.

With terminal emulation, no data ever has to be out of reach. Whether its information from 10 years ago or 20, you can quickly retrieve whatever it is you need.

Access Multiple Terminals at Once

There’s far more these applications can do to assist with data management though. Over time, your company has probably—or will, someday—go through multiple platforms. This means that going back and grabbing the data you need could involve more than one system. If you tried using the aforementioned workaround, you’d be in for a huge challenge. It would take multiple computers, each with a specific operating system and then going between them to get the information you need or cross reference it as necessary.

Modern emulators can access as many terminals as you need all on the same computer. Usually, it just involves putting each one on separate tabs. Not only can you get all the info you need, then, you can do it from the screen all at once. This makes it extremely easy to cross reference data from one system against others.

Customize Your Queries

Another great benefit that comes with terminal emulation is that you can actually customize your searches to various degrees. For many companies, accessing old data means looking at screens that represent the info in the most rudimentary of ways. There may only be a few colors used for fonts on a black screen. Obviously, this can make data management a bit of a challenge, to say the least.
With the right software, though, you can control the font color, the character size, background and more. This makes it much easier to see the information you want, highlight it and otherwise keep track of the data. Never again suffer through old screens from outdated platforms when you need something.

Mobile Functionality

Like just about everything these days, terminal emulators have now gone mobile. You can now pull off emulation from just about anywhere in the world on your mobile device. This is a great way to make emulation possible for any work at home employees who may be working for your company. If you hire on a consultant or freelance professional from somewhere outside the office, mobile functionality means they can now benefit from easy data management. Next time you’re on a business trip and need to access information from yesteryear, the ability to do so will be at your fingertips.

Mobile functionality may not seem like the most important aspect to have as far as emulation is concerned, but it’s better to have the option there than wish it was possible.

Save Money

Data management can be a costly endeavor. Unfortunately, it’s one of those costs your company really can’t hope to avoid. You need to manage your data, so you better find room in your budget. With terminal emulation, you can at least save money on this essential process.

Like we brought up earlier, without an emulator, you’re looking at a lot of hardware in order to make sure vital data is never out of reach, to say nothing of how inconvenient that option would be. You’re also looking at the potential costs of losing that data if anything happens to your dedicated machines. Furthermore, added hardware always comes with extra costs. There’s the space you need, electricity, IT support and more.

In light of those added expenses, simply using emulation software should be a no-brainer. You don’t need any extra hardware and these platforms are designed to stay out of the way until you need them, so they won’t hurt your staff’s ability to use their current machines.

Limitless Scalability

No matter what kind of software we’re talking about, scalability always needs to be a concern. Today, your company may only have so much data to manage. A year from now, though, there’s going to be a lot more. Five years from now, your company’s collection of data will be expansive.
Obviously, managing this data efficiently is going to take a resource that can scale without difficulty. Keep in mind that a lot of companies increase their amount of data exponentially. This means scalability is necessary, but so is being able to scale at a moment’s notice to whatever size is needed.
Terminal emulation and scalability are virtually inseparable when you have the right software. No alternative solution is going to be able to keep up. Again, if you tried using hardware to manage your data, you can forget about easy scalability and forget about doing so without spending a lot of money in the process.

Data management needs to be a priority for every organization, no matter what industry they’re in. However, simple data management isn’t enough anymore. Instead, you need emulation software that will make it easy, cost-effective and scalable. Otherwise, your business will always be greatly limited in what information it can access and the benefits that could be derived from it.

Guest post blogger:

Mike Miranda writes about enterprise software and covers products offered by software companies like Rocket software about topics such as Terminal emulation, Enterprise Mobility and more.