Another strong year from IBM demonstrates that its relentless software portfolio build-out has succeeded in its goal of grabbing ever more customer logos, share of wallet, and partners. Growth is a complex challenge at this scale – every acquisition brings revenue, but also staff and technology integration challenges, more complexity for Marketing and Sales to dealContinue reading “IBM Software Results Continue To Validate Strategy”
Category Archives: On Business Intelligence
Programmers: Pervasive’s Parallelization Provides Punch, Profit
After 27 years of steady growth, Austin, Texas-based Pervasive (PVSW) has become a $47M annual run rate software provider. Its portfolio includes a “zero admin, light footprint database” (the former BTrieve, now PervasiveSQL), data integration software (for SaaS and on premises applications), and data synchronization products for such apps as salesforce.com, Quickbooks and Microsoft Dynamics CRM. In 2009, it began leveragingContinue reading “Programmers: Pervasive’s Parallelization Provides Punch, Profit”
SAND Technology Starts 2010 Well After Flat 2009
ADBMS vendor SAND Technology’s report on its 2009 fiscal year seemed to offer little reason to change my earlier skeptical position on the firm. Its 2009 revenue was essentially flat at $7 million (Canadian dollars throughout). Cost of sales, R&D, and SG&A – and the firm’s net loss – were also nearly unchanged. And yet, there are changes goingContinue reading “SAND Technology Starts 2010 Well After Flat 2009”
IBM’s “Smarter Planet” Will Capitalize on HW, Analytics
Rod Adkins, the SVP and Group Executive of IBM’s Systems and Technology Group (STG) took the time to engage the influencer community quite early in his tenure for a well-run event at the Watson Research Lab in Yorktown Heights. “I’ve been in this position for 38 days,” he reminded us, as STG’s AR team widenedContinue reading “IBM’s “Smarter Planet” Will Capitalize on HW, Analytics”
SAP Promises Acceleration on a “Clear Path” – Will it Be Enough?
The economic slowdown was not kind to SAP in 2009, and as it launched the annual Influencer Summit on December 8th, change was in the air. Messages were shifting. “Sustainability” got a big push, and there was a ringing commitment to substantial, dramatic product change to be delivered in 2010. Different faces were on display: there was no Leo Apotheker or BillContinue reading “SAP Promises Acceleration on a “Clear Path” – Will it Be Enough?”
Xkoto’s Database Virtualization Expands Cloud Opportunities
Xkoto, the database virtualization pioneer, has generated substantial interest since its first deployments in 2006. Still privately held and in investment mode, Xkoto sees profitability on the horizon, but offers no target date, and appears in no hurry. Its progress has been steady: in early 2008, a B round of financing led by GrandBanks Capital allowed a step up toContinue reading “Xkoto’s Database Virtualization Expands Cloud Opportunities”
IBM Showcases Software Vision and Hadoop Research
At IBM’s 8th annual Connect meeting with analysts, Steve Mills, Senior VP and Group Executive, had much to crow about. Software is the engine driving IBM’s profitability, anchoring its customer relationships, and enabling the vaulting ambition to drive the company’s Smarter Planet theme into the boardroom. Mills’ assets are formidable: 36 labs worldwide have more than 100Continue reading “IBM Showcases Software Vision and Hadoop Research”
Teradata Transition On Course in Steady Quarter, With Exciting New Offerings Ahead
How good was Teradata’s Q3? Not bad, but no improvement over a so far lackluster year, which nonetheless has seen the stock price rise steadily. In 2008, the striking rise in Teradata’s Linux revenue growth was matched only by the corresponding drop in its Unix revenue, and that “steady as she goes” performance continues through its stillContinue reading “Teradata Transition On Course in Steady Quarter, With Exciting New Offerings Ahead”
Will AEP Replace RDBMS? A Dialogue With Charles Brett
Analytic Event Processing (AEP) is hot. But does it mean RDBMS begins to decline in importance? Charles Brett of C3B Consulting and I recently had a quick dialogue about it and came up with different conclusions. That conversation is reproduced here. It’s only the beginning – l hope you will weigh in with your thoughts.
More From The Low End: DynamoDB is the New Lucid
LucidDB (aka “the best database for BI you don’t know about”) has a commercial version on the way at last. Nick Goodman, a longtime user active in the Eigenbase and other related open source communities, has stepped in. Nick has a consulting practice that builds BI implementations (many using Lucid and Pentaho), and he’s nowContinue reading “More From The Low End: DynamoDB is the New Lucid”