Fear the Unexpected for Which One Has Refused to Prepare
December 15, 2022
Ellen Mary Challans, better known by her pen name Mary Renault, was attributed with saying, “There is only one kind of shock worse than the totally unexpected: the expected for which one has refused to prepare.” The early years of the second decade of the 21st millennium have been scarred by the consequences of willful negligence cascading throughout the world due to the inconvenience of nonchalantly ignoring unexpected inevitabilities.
The world governments responses to the SARS-COV-2 virus and its respective disease, COVID-19, for a brief time paused the world’s economies, and the world is still feeling that effect with little recovery on the horizon. Yet many of the problems of which the world’s large and small companies have struggled against are, as Mary Renault so aptly stated, the product of the expected for which they refused to prepare…..
IT Service Provider Regulation Is Coming
May 16, 2022
On March 25, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire ravaged a building in New York City’s Greenwich Village. The doors to the stairwells and exits were locked at the time. The single fire escape collapsed early in the fire, trapping workers, who were mainly women ranging in age from 14 to 23, and resulted in the death of 146 people. This stands as one of the deadliest fires in U.S. history, and, as a result, a series of regulations were introduced to improve factory conditions. This tragedy, in a circuitous manner over the decades, led to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
On November 28, 1942, another fire took place at Cocoanut Grove, a popular nightspot in Boston. At the time of the fire, the club was filled to twice its legal capacity, and some exit doors were locked to prevent unauthorized access, resulting in the loss of 492 lives. After this event, new fire-safety laws were enacted, including the banning of flammable decorations and the rule that emergency exits must be kept open.
The High-Tech Equivalent
On July 2, 2021, Kaseya announced it had become the victim of a cyberattack. Kaseya creates software for managing networks and systems used by managed service providers (MSPs) and private enterprises. Kaseya has publicly stated that more than 40,000 organizations worldwide use its software. From a single console, these organizations use the technology for remote control, patch management, ticketing, and endpoint security and backup. …..
https://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/IT-Service-Provider-Regulation-Is-Coming-152939.aspx
LicenseFortress Adds Microsoft to Expand SAM Managed Services
August 18, 2022
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–LicenseFortress today announced the expansion of its real-time monitoring of software license compliance to include Microsoft. An independent provider of SAM managed services for users of Oracle and VMware, LicenseFortress now meets consumer demand that is driven by the ubiquitous nature of Microsoft in today’s business world….
Getting Up to Speed on Software Licensing at Data Summit 2022
May 19, 2022
Software licensing has always been tricky but today there are many new risks to guard against.
At Data Summit 2022, Dr. Michael Corey, chief operating officer, LicenseFortress, and Don Sullivan, senior product line marketing manager & chief of staff for Business Critical Applications, Cloud Infrastructure Business Group (CIBG), VMware, presented a session on the rise of software license trolls and simple steps to take to ensure your organization is not their next victim.
Founded in 2014, LicenseFortress provides services to help companies and organizations take control of their software licensing.
According to Corey and Sullivan, the issue of patent trolls who employ litigation tactics as a business model was addressed by the Obama administration in 2013 when it said that in the last 2 years, the number of lawsuits brought by patent trolls had nearly tripled, and accounted for 62% of all patent lawsuits in America. They added that the victims of patent trolls paid $29 billion in 2011 a 400% increase from 2005, not to mention tens of billions of dollars more lost in shareholder value.
To Read Entire Article: https://www.dbta.com/Editorial/News-Flashes/Getting-Up-to-Speed-on-Software-Licensing-at-Data-Summit-2022-153028.aspx
April 1, 2022
Many organizations still remember the sting of being a victim of the dreaded patent trolls. Patents were granted to encourage, recognize, and reward innovation. Awarding the inventors with a well-defined degree of exclusivity for a period of time improves their chances of both financial reward and the recouping their initial investment. “Patent troll” is a derogatory term that describes a business or entity that uses patent infringement claims to win legal judgments or out-of-court settlements for profit using patent law outside its intended purpose. Speaking during an online Fireside Hangout talk on patent trolls, President Barack Obama stated these rogue figures and organizations fail to produce anything of value themselves. They’re just trying to essentially leverage and hijack somebody else’s idea and see if they can extort some money out of them. In 2013, it was reported that the number of lawsuits in just 2 years brought by this cottage industry had nearly tripled and accounted for 62% of all patent lawsuits in the U.S. All told, in 2019, the victims of patent trolls paid $29 billion, a 400% increase in less than 4 years, not to mention tens of billions of dollars lost in shareholder value.
Software License Audits
“Software license audits” have provided fertile ground for vendors to generate revenue for many years. Gartner reported, “Vendor-imposed and revenue-motivated audits are increasing for organizations of all sizes and industries.” Numerous industry publications fully support this fact in articles such as “Software Audits: How High Tech Plays Hardball” (InfoWorld) and “Software audits continue to rise” (CIO).
To read the entire article: https://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/The-Weaponization-of-Software-License-Audits-152208.aspx
January 18, 2022
The noted motivational speaker and author Zig Ziglar was quoted as saying, “When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal; you do not change your decision to get there.” This sentiment rings truer today than ever. In the past 21 months, companies across every industry have had to alter their “go-to-market” strategies to simply survive. For the local diner, this may have initially meant relying on take-out orders, then finding ways to create outdoor seating areas, and later dealing with the weather inconveniently imposing itself on outdoor patrons. For much of corporate America, changing their company’s direction to reach their goals has meant converting traditional workforces to remote employees.
Just as the generation that survived the Great Depression was changed forever, this generation has been altered by COVID-19. Many employees have experienced a taste of working from home and will not easily go back into the office 5 days a week. This is in direct conflict to the wishes of many organizations that will demand their workers come back to corporate offices. The metaphorical lines are already being drawn on Wall Street. In May 2021, Goldman Sachs’ CEO David Solomon was quoted in Forbes as referring to remote work as “an aberration that we are going to correct as quickly as possible.”
Competing Demands
It is possible that companies that are not willing to adapt may see a “brain drain” of highly skilled employees at a pace never before experienced. To a certain extent, this pending clash is generational. Sociologists have noted that the Millennial generation (born between 1981 and 1996) is much more insistent on quality-of-life benefits than their predecessors. More paid time off, parental leave, and sick days—as a matter of legal consequence as opposed to a work benefit—are all issues that were previously considered the province of the “high-maintenance,” overly self-indulgent individuals but have now become de facto human rights questions.
To read the entire article: https://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/Can-You-Say-%e2%80%98Adaptability-Matters-150958.aspx
September 27, 2021
The first pirates appeared in the 14th century when they attacked the ships of the Aegean and Mediterranean civilizations. Centuries later, history’s most renowned and romanticized pirate, Edward Teach—more commonly known as Blackbeard—sailed the Caribbean and became a legendary outlaw of the waves. Blackbeard was arguably the most terrifying pirate of all time. In the heat of battle, Blackbeard would tie lit fuses (slow matches) to his beard as he boarded an ill-fated vessel in blazing glory.
Seeking Cryptocurrency, Not Gold
However, as is often the case, the real history is even more interesting than the legends. Most pirates from time to time worked for European governments that could either not afford to build out capable navy fleets or simply wanted to maintain a farcical level of plausible deniability. Many of these pirates were more aptly described as “privateers,” and they were sponsored by countries through a “letter of marque.” Expressed more succinctly, these seaborn outlaws of lore who plundered the massive supply lines of commerce between the new and old worlds were in reality secret agents of national governments whose job it was to wreak havoc on opposing nations’ supply chains. For this, their payment was a percentage of the plunder that they could capture and unload in a safe location such as Nassau in The Bahamas.
To read the entire article: https://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/The-Age-of-Pirates-Is-Being-Revisited-in-Todays-Digital-World-149191.aspx
Big Data Quarterly
The Coming Tsunami of Automation
As many people in the world pass through the eye of the pandemic storm, aspiring to survive and experience the sun again, another catastrophe looms—albeit barely visible. This potentially devastating problem lurks around the corner from the big-box store that may have just provided their COVID-19 vaccinations, but it is of a very different nature. We are facing a pending tsunami of automation.
This pending tsunami is fueled by many converging factors, with technology at its center. As companies struggle to fill positions, they will look toward automation as a solution. And, as a rising minimum wage affects their bottom lines, they will seek ways to replace people with more cost-effective, profit-friendly tools. COVID-19 was a wake-up call for many companies to find alternative ways to do business.
To read the entire article https://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/The-Coming-Tsunami-of-Automation-147069.aspx
May 12, 2021
Michael Corey and Don Sullivan Give Best Practices for Database Licensing at Data Summit Connect 2021
As software infrastructure is stretched between on premise, public clouds, and hybrid clouds, keeping software in compliance is a significant challenge.
Sorting through all the FUD and getting straight answers from vendors on the proper way to license software in this complicated world is not easy.
Some vendors have turned to software license audits as an easy way to generate additional revenues. Michael Corey, co-founder, COO, LicenseFortress and Don Sullivan, product line manager, business critical applications, VMware discussed current software license trends, the difference between Oracle policy and your contractual obligations, licensing Oracle on a virtualized environment, and licensing best practices, during their Data Summit Connect 2021 presentation, “Database Licensing: Best Practices and Pitfalls.”
To read the entire article https://www.dbta.com/Editorial/News-Flashes/Michael-Corey-and-Don-Sullivan-Give-Best-Practices-for-Database-Licensing-at-Data-Summit-Connect-2021-146832.aspx
Big Data Quarterly
Next Stop, Silicon Valley EMEA
No matter where you live in the world, your life has been impacted by the technology and innovation conceived of in Silicon Valley. The wealth that has been created has been enormous. A popular British newspaper once published an article suggesting that if Silicon Valley were a country, it would be among the richest on Earth.
Generally, in the arithmetic absence of the various areas of the U.S. indelibly connected to Silicon Valley and the respective ideas that emanate from those places, the net gross domestic product growth of the U.S. over the last 40 years may have been nothing at all.
The success of Silicon Valley has created several sister cities across the U.S. that are attempting to replicate the magical formula that we wrote about in 2018 (www.dbta.com/Editorial/News-Flashes/The-Six-Sister-Cities-of-Silicon-Valley-125972.aspx). Now, let’s explore the sister cities of Silicon Valley across the small pond we call the Atlantic Ocean in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa—EMEA.
To Read the Full article https://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/Next-Stop-Silicon-Valley-EMEA-142798.aspx
Database Trends and Applications
LicenseFortress is honored to be recognized by DBTA as an industry leader on the 2020 DBTA 100 list.
The world of software licensing is growing increasingly complex, especially in today’s virtual and cloud-fueled environments. Market research firms are reporting that software compliance audits are continuing to intensify and are primarily revenue motivated. Oracle has made a name for itself in this space as one of the most aggressive auditors of any major software vendor. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies are facing severe reductions in revenue. We anticipate that, post-pandemic, software vendors will increase the volume of audits as a quick way to recoup lost revenue….
https://www.dbta.com/Editorial/Actions/2020-VIEW-FROM-THE-TOP-License-Fortress-141217.aspx
Database Trends and Applications
Pandemics Happen—AI and Machine Learning Can Provide the Cures
March 20, 2020
Since we are presently learning that 18 days is more than enough time to unravel a great percentage of the world’s economy, 18 months to develop an anti-viral drug or vaccine constitutes a true catastrophe, regardless of the actual real effects of the disease itself.
Near the end of the Middle Ages, at the beginning of the early Renaissance, an event occurred as significant as any geological boundary that signifies a great extinction event. The years between 1347 and 1353, a period known as the “Black Death” killed approximately half the population of Europe and could roughly be compared to the asteroid impact 66 million years ago known as the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary. While the rogue asteroid that impacted near the Yucatan Peninsula hurried the dominance of mammals while eliminating dinosaurs, the Black Death nearly wiped out human civilization…..
To read the entire article:
Big Data Quarterly
Are AI and Machine Learning The Key to understanding the U.S. Economy?
March 17, 2020
GPUs fuel AI and machine learning. Initially created for video games, they are used in sports and business analysis by fantasy baseball enthusiasts, oddsmakers, and front office executives who want to enhance their understanding of the hidden value of often obscure players. Other uses of this technology’s extreme processing power include the recognition of animals, such as dog breeds or endangered species, to allow biologists to gain a more accurate understanding of species populations in a geographical area.
To read the entire article:
Big Data Quarterly
Hybrid Clouds Myth or Reality
December 9, 2019
“I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now, from up and down and still somehow, it’s cloud’s illusions I recall, I really don’t know clouds at all.” These are lyrics from a song created in the late 1960s by Joni Mitchell. It’s doubtful that the songwriter envisioned computer systems in the clouds, yet the words somehow ring true today. Cloud computing has revealed countless new dimensions to IT. We have public clouds, private clouds, distributed clouds, but most importantly, we have hybrid, multi-cloud architectures. However, the idea of “the cloud” remains as elusive as the artist who wrote the song
To read the entire article:
To read the entire article:
http://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/Hybrid-Clouds-Myth-or-Reality-135498.aspx
Big Data Quarterly
AI—A Dangerous Tool or a Fool’s Errand?
September, 26, 2019
The concern has become fear and may soon develop into a panic. The worry that has permeated the annals of science fiction for 100 years and recently become a reality for some is due mostly to the alternative use of, amazingly, video game computer chips.
VMware CEO Patrick Gelsinger has called AI a “30-year overnight success” story. The concerns are wide-ranging as new applications for the technology emerge. What will people do for work? Does this mean that a “universal basic income” will become a necessity? How many occupations will be replaced by a ubiquitous and pervasive world dominated by AI?
THE FEAR THAT MACHINES WILL REPLACE US ALL
Throughout scientific history, a relatively constant theme has been that mathematicians deal in the abstract. In the 1600s, Sir Francis Bacon, the “father of empiricism,” helped transform pure philosophy into technology when he developed what became known as “the scientific method.”…
To read the entire article: http://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/AI-A-Dangerous-Tool-or-a-Fools-Errand-134311.aspx
Next Stop Silicon Valley
Big Data Quarterly
May 9, 2019
There is an old saying in real estate, “Location, location, location.” This applies geographically and metaphorically.
Between China and the U.S. sits the continent of Africa. The location of “the continent,” coupled with a few other attributes of Africa, creates a confluence of conditions under which that somewhat-forgotten land has incalculable value. Sometime in the near-future, one of the great African cities will become the next sister city of Silicon Valley (www.dbta.com/Editorial/News-Flashes/The-Six-Sister-Cities-of-Silicon-Valley-125972.aspx).
If you doubt the prediction, consider the Western perception of China just few decades ago. For the past decade, A.T. Kearney has issued the “Global Cities” report that tracks the performance and, to some extent, the relative importance, of the world’s most influential cities (www.atkearney.com/2018-global-cities-report).
To read the entire article: http://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/Next-Stop-Silicon-Valley-Africa-131637.aspx
Key Takeaways about Data and Analytics from Data Summit 2019
Data Summit 2019 in Boston drew industry experts with deep knowledge spanning all areas of enterprise IT, including AI and machine learning, analytics, cloud, data warehousing, and software licensing who presented 3 days of thought-provoking sessions, keynotes, panel discussions, and hands-on workshops.
Data Summit 2020, presented by DBTA and Big Data Quarterly, will be held May 19-20, 2020, with pre-conference workshops on Monday, May 18. The conference will return to the Hyatt Regency Boston.
Be sure to check at www.dbta.com/DataSummit for upcoming details on conference registration and program information.
… It was hard enough to manage IT infrastructures when everything was on-premise only. But today, with combined on-premise and cloud deployments, it can seem impossible. “Customer goals to keep costs down are in direct conflict with software vendors’ desire to protect their revenue stream.” There are many ways to get into licensing trouble, including users downloading software with the organization being unaware, upgrades turning on features that the organization does not want, and third party software also turning on features the organization does not know are being used.—Michael Corey, co-founder, LicenseFortress, and Don Sullivan, system engineer database specialist, VMWare
To read entire article: http://www.dbta.com/Editorial/Think-About-It/Key-Takeaways-about-Data-and-Analytics-from-Data-Summit-2019-132941.aspx
How to Avoid a Software Audit—And What to Do if it Happens – May 20, 2019
t was hard enough to manage IT infrastructures when everything was on-premise only. But today, with combined on-premise and multi-cloud deployments, say Michael Corey, co-founder, LicenseFortress, and Don Sullivan, system engineer database specialist, VMWare.
In their Data Summit 2019 presentation, “Straight Talk on the Cloud License Landscape,” Corey and Sullivan walked attendees through the steps to take to help stay compliance with software licensing rules, how to avoid and audit, and what to do if it happens.
“Customer goals to keep costs down are in direct conflict with software vendors’ desire to protect their revenue stream,” said Corey, noting that there are many ways to get into licensing trouble, including users downloading software with the organization being unaware, upgrades turning on features that the organization does not want, and third party software also turning on features the organization does not know are being used.
To read the entire article: http://www.dbta.com/Editorial/Think-About-It/How-to-Avoid-a-Software-Audit-And-What-to-Do-if-it-Happens-131894.aspx
Data Security and the Real Dragon in the Room
Big Data Quarterly
April 2, 2019
By now it is old news. Everyone has heard about the Marriott data breach. The headlines told the story: “GDPR May Add Up to $915M Marriott’s Data Breach Expenses,” proclaimed Forbes in a headline; “New Year, new tactics to keep your personal info safe after Marriott,” said the Los Angeles Times; “Marriott: Hackers accessed more than 5 million passport numbers,” stated The Washington Post.
And, it wasn’t really even Marriott—at least, not when it started. However, even suggesting that we can identify when the breach was initiated is a tenuous supposition. Perhaps the most frightening aspect of the entire debauched state of affairs is that no one truly knows who has the data and what they intend to do with it.
To read the entire Article http://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/Data-Security-And-the-Real-Dragon-in-the-Room-130900.aspx
IT Channel M&A: First Steps for Selling a Company
By Ester Shein
January 2019
Selling a company can be fraught with complexities, and it is no different for channel firms. When an owner has decided to sell his or her company, there are several considerations they should make to ensure the best possible deal.
In part one of this two-part feature,?Arlin Sorensen,?vice president of peer groups at professional services automation vendor ConnectWise, and?Michael Corey, co-founder of license management provider LicenseFortress, discuss business valuations, protecting your interests and where to invest energy once the business is on the market.
To read the entire article:
The Past Controls the Future
Volume 4 Number 4 Winter 2018
Here is a portion of our latest article on Page 6 of the?Big Data Sourcebook Data Lakes, Analytics and the Cloud
IN GEORGE ORWELL?s Book 1984, the party slogan was, ?Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present con- trols the past.? And today, it is clear that the environment we now live in is a culmina- tion of the many decisions that were made in the past. Many innovations we now take for granted?or expect to become broadly accepted?would never have been possible if past investments and research had not laid the foundation for them. Cloud technology is playing a critical role in many of these….
to obtain a copy of the??Big Data Sourcebook Data Lakes, Analytics and the Cloud
Oracle DBAs versus SQL Server DBA’s
Big Data Quarterly
September 25, 2018
Both Oracle and SQL Server have very well-established communities. While they are different, they are also similar in many ways. All DBAs worry about the performance and security of the data and the database. Out of necessity, Oracle DBAs have become more specialized. Will this happen to SQL Server DBAs now that the database is offered on Linux?
http://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/Oracle-DBAs-Versus-SQL-Server-DBAs-127415.aspx
Marketing for MSP businesses: How to target SMB customers
TechTarget SearchITChannel?
September 2018
Not long ago, Stanley Louissaint, president of IT consulting and services firm Fluid Designs, was driving on a major roadway and passed six billboards with a friend’s face on them. That made an impression. “He is a real-estate agent and understands that he needs to work very hard to penetrate the market consistently,” he said. “Marketing cannot be a one-trick pony.”
Yet, sales and marketing for MSP businesses and other channel firms can be an area that company executives neglect, Louissaint observed. “In fact, many of us are not sales people by default” but rather are technicians or practitioners who have morphed into the role.
Click link?below to continue reading
Liability insurance policies: Tips for covering MSP businesses
TechTarget SearchITChannel?
August 14, 2018
Michael Corey still remembers when his former managed services firm was trying to do business with a large oil company, which wanted his team to manage its computers remotely.
Best Data Governance Solution
August 8, 2018
The data governance market is expected to grow from $1.31 billion in 2018 to $3.53 billion by 2023, increasing by a CAGR of 22%, according to a recent ResearchandMarkets.com report.
What is driving that growth? It is a combination of factors, the research shows, including rapidly increasing data volumes, new regulatory and compliance mandates, and the need to enhance strategic risk management and decision making as well as greater business collaboration.
In particular, the E.U.’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which went into effect in May 2018, is driving greater data governance awareness. According to the guide, GDPR provides the following rights to individuals regarding their PII: the right to be informed; the right of access; the right to rectification; the right to erasure; the right to restrict processing; the right to data portability; and other rights. Non-compliant organizations risk triggering fines up to 20 million euros or 4% of global revenue, whichever is higher.
According to Big Data Quarterly columnists Michael Corey and Don Sullivan, the regulation language is clear ?that within 72 hours of the legally responsible party initially becoming aware of a personal data breach, all affected customers must be notified without delay. Companies choosing to delay notification until they determine how to position the incident or ?spin? the message about the breach publicly will be violating the intent and possibly the letter of the regulation.?
To read the entire article.
http://www.dbta.com/Editorial/Trends-and-Applications/Best-Data-Governance-Solution-126449.aspx
Best Hadoop Solution
August 8, 2018
After more than 10 years, there is no technology more aligned with advent of big data than Hadoop. The Apache Hadoop framework allows for the distributed processing of large datasets across compute clusters, enabling scale up from single commodity servers to thousands of machines for local computing and storage. Designed to detect and handle failures at the application layer, the framework supports high availability.
Hadoop has forever changed the economics and dynamics of large-scale computing, and its use among enterprises looking to augment their traditional data warehouses continues to grow.
To read entire article:
http://www.dbta.com/Editorial/Trends-and-Applications/Best-Hadoop-Solution-126481.aspx
The Six Cities of Silicon Valley
Big Data Quarterly Summer 2018
May 11, 2018
Silicon Valley has achieved an almost mythical status in both modern American popular culture as well as the annals of world economic history. Located south of San Francisco, the name ?Silicon Valley? was coined in the early 1970s due to the volume of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers in the area. Today, the valley is synonymous with technology innovation and venture capital: two mighty forces of change.
The great majority of American economic growth over the past 5 decades has been as a direct or indirect result of an omnipresent technology explosion. However, the over-simplification of Silicon Valley as a physical location belies a misunderstanding of the depth and breadth of contributions to this magnificent and ubiquitous technology upheaval. When using the moniker ?Silicon Valley,? we should recognize that, as the number of technology centers across the U.S. increases in numbers, we are actually referring to a mindset as much as a place and to an entrepreneurial approach to life as much as a set of adjacent zip codes. To read entire article click link
http://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/The-Six-Cities-of-Silicon-Valley-125014.aspx
LicenseFortress has announced the availability of LicenseFortress Legal Edition on Oracle
Originally part of VLSS, a consultancy founded in 2005 with a focus on Oracle and VMware technologies,?LicenseFortress?was spun out as a standalone company in October 2017 with a focus on real-time software license compliance and customer alerting.
In addition to the new product, the company now offers LicenseFortress Discovery on Oracle, LicenseFortress Standard on Oracle, and LicenseFortress Premium on Oracle.
According to the company, LicenseFortress Legal Edition on Oracle provides….
Facebook, Cambridge Analytica, and Data Privacy at a Turning Point
With news unfolding about an app was able to gather 50 million Facebook users’ data that was later resold to a political data firm in order to try to influence American voter sentiment,?industry leaders are weighing in on what this may mean for the future data governance and regulatory compliance.
According to the New York Times, Cambridge Analytica?s ?psychographic modeling? was used in its work for the Trump campaign in 2016. ?But Facebook did not inform users whose data had been harvested,? the Times article noted.
As the article explained, the Facebook data was gathered in 2014, when Cambridge Analytica, through an outside researcher, sought Facebook users ?to take a personality quiz and download an app, which would scrape some private information from their profiles and from those of their friends?activity that Facebook permitted at the time.?
To read the entire article
LicenseFortress Launches as Standalone Company to Ensure Enterprise Software License Compliance
LicenseFortress has launched as a standalone entity to focus on?database software license management and audit protection service with a financial guarantee.
Originally part of VLSS, a consultancy founded in 2005 with a focus on Oracle and VMware technologies, LicenseFortress was spun out as a standalone company in October 2017.
?About three years ago we realized that customers were coming to us over and over again about licensing questions and as a result we rolled out the LicenseFortress product in February 2016. We have been releasing iterations of it since that time, and then in October 2017, we formally separated out the company,? said LicenseFortress co-founder and CEO Dean Bolton.
To read the entire article
A New Age: AI and Machine Learning Meet the Cloud
Volume 3 Number 4 Winter 2017
Here is a portion of our latest article on Page 38 of the Big Data Sourcebook 2018?
The author Elbert Hubbard once said, ?One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.? These are words to take to heart as we think about the future of technology. Napoleon Bonaparte took the point a few steps further, expressing the view that 10,000 men are replaceable, but a single man is not. However, his story culminated in both generational disaster and a societal redefinition that lasted for centuries. We are precipitously close to entering an age of total automation which will include robotics in every phase of life, but hopefully, we will avoid a new age of Bonaparte.
As children, our notion of robotics was that of ?Rosie the Robot,? the benign robot maid on the cartoon series The Jetsons. Yet, today many of us use the Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner in our homes. The Roomba cannot rearrange living room furniture to our liking, something not recognized by the science fiction writers of previous generations, but Roomba-like machines can perform an amazing array of arithmetically programmed tasks.
Click Here to Download Latest Copy of Big Data Sourcebook 2018
With GDPR, the Privacy Pendulum Is Swinging
September 20th, 2017
Tic toc, tic toc?back and forth swings the privacy pendulum. While we in the U.S. continue to regress on issues of data privacy, the European Union (EU) is proceeding with bold steps to protect the privacy of its citizens. On May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) becomes the law of the land in the EU. It applies to any company that processes or holds data on EU residents, regardless of where it is located in the world. Popular applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and Airbnb are among the companies that will be directly impacted by this law. If you do business with EU residents, regardless of geographic locality, this law directly applies to you
To continue reading the entire story?http://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/With-GDPR-the-Privacy-Pendulum-Is-Swinging-120609.aspxhttp://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/With-GDPR-the-Privacy-Pendulum-Is-Swinging-120609.aspx
Today?s Cloud: What We Know, What It Means, the New Role of ?Cloud Keeper?
June 29th, 2017
Cloud technology has been around in some shape or form for more than 50 years. How can we make such a claim? Let?s compare today?s cloud computing to computer timesharing from the 1960s. Timesharing was a computing environment that supported multiple users simultaneously. This sounds suspiciously similar to the modern idea of ?the cloud.?
What we did not have 50 years ago was the internet. We did not have super-fast, ubiquitous connectivity. Can you imagine going into a Starbucks and not having free Wi-Fi available?
To continue reading?http://www.dbta.com/Editorial/News-Flashes/Todays-Cloud-What-We-Know-What-It-Means–the-New-Role-of-Cloud-Keeper-119202.aspx
Data Governance and Security Tips from Data Summit 2017
May 24th, 2017
With the recently unleashed WannaCry ransomware attacks targeting computer systems globally, a number of Data Summit 2017 sessions looked at the need for smarter approaches to data governance, security, and changing regulatory requirements.
Here are four key takeaways:
1-Embrace automation: Anybody who is still doing their updates manually is living in the dark ages. It is time to have your systems update automatically. ? Michael Corey, director, cloud computing evangelist, Spectrum Enterprise Navisite
2-The new EU GDPR data security mandate: The GDPR is a?regulation?by which the?European Parliament, the?Council of the European Union?and the?European Commission?intend to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals within the?European Union. If you have a company in the U.S. and have one client that is located in the EU, you will be bound by the EU GDPR and must report a hack within 3 days to your users, once you become aware of it, a stark contrast to how some data breaches in the U.S. are handled.?? Don Sullivan, product line marketing manager for Business Critical Applications, VMware
To Continue reading…
The Cloud Provider Check List – What You Need to Ask
May 18, 2017
Database Trends and Applications
This year at?Data Summit 2017, Michael Corey, director, cloud computing evangelist, Spectrum Enterprise Navisite, and Don Sullivan, product line marketing manager for Business Critical Applications, VMware, discussed cloud myths and realities in a session titled, ?The Cloud Landscape Today.?
In the Wild west of public cloud services, companies need a trusted advisor, said Sullivan and Corey, who noted that fork lifting applications to the cloud is not the same as architecting for the cloud, one size does not fit all, and the cloud is not always cheaper. To read the entire article click the link….
The Great Cloud Security Debate at Data Summit 2017
May 18, 2017
Database Trends and Applications
As many organizations begin to look to the cloud to increase the efficiency and availability of their databases and applications, while reducing costs and complexity, one of the reasons for pause for many companies is security. This year at?Data Summit 2017, Michael Corey, director, cloud computing evangelist, Spectrum Enterprise Navisite, and Don Sullivan, product line marketing manager for Business Critical Applications, VMware, engaged in an entertaining conversation on the topic of cloud security.
To Read the entire article?http://www.dbta.com/Editorial/News-Flashes/The-Great-Cloud-Security-Debate-118321.aspx
Are the Public Clouds Too Big to Fail?
May 15th, 2017
Big Data Quarterly
In October of 2008, Congress enacted the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, more commonly known as the bailout of the financial system. It was deemed that certain U.S. financial companies and institutions were too important to the systemic stability of the system to be allowed to become insolvent. The understanding was that catastrophic financial consequences would be the result of the failure of these entities and that those aggregate failures could devastate the U.S. As a result, they have been heavily regulated and controlled with the intention of protecting against that type of exposure again.
The recent major outages in the public clouds services inevitably lead to the same question being asked of this new industry. That is, whether or not certain public cloud services have become so critical to the functioning of the U.S. economy that those systems should be subject to the same strict scrutiny and control as the financial systems. Are they so intertwined with U.S. commerce that a ?Cloud Dodd-Frank? should be considered by the 115th session of Congress? Although hard to precisely verify, it has been reported that a recent public cloud outage affected service to more than 50% of the top 100 online retailers. What happens when a major public cloud problem brings down half of the 911 systems across the U.S., or even one-third of certain critical state and local government systems? Everyone, from the federal, state, and local governments to public and private industry, is using public cloud services, and the trend is continuing to accelerate.
To read the entire story?http://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/Are-the-Public-Clouds-Too-Big-to-Fail-118231.aspx
Today’s Cloud: What We Know, What it Means, The New Role of “Cloud Keeper”
?April ?7, 2017
Big Data Quarterly – Volume 3 Number 1 Spring 20017
Cloud technology has been around in some shape or form for more than 50 years. How can we make such a claim? Let?s compare today?s cloud computing to computer timesharing from the 1960s. Timesharing was a computing environment that supported multiple users simultaneously. This sounds suspiciously similar to the modern idea of ?the cloud.?
What we did not have 50 years ago was the internet. We did not have super-fast, ubiquitous connectivity. Can you imagine going into a Starbucks and not having free Wi-Fi available? Also, 50 years ago, we did not have cheap, fast storage nor did we have lightning-fast processors. We did not have true abstraction of the physical resources into virtual resources as we have today. The programing language ?C? was just emerging as a portable programing language across all computer operating systems and the relational database was yet to be conceived. In the last 50 years, the computer industry has evolved tremendously. Yet, in so many ways, we still have a long way to go.
Top 100 Influencers and Brands for 2017
March, 20,2017
Cloud: Top 100 Influencers and Brands for 2017
6 Key Cloud Takeaways from Amazon?s S3 Outage
?March 1, 2017
Database Trends and Applications
Amazon’s Simple Storage Service (S3) outage?prompted observations and reflections from industry experts about the need for proactive cloud services monitoring, the requirement to diversify with multi-cloud strategies, and even the possibility of “too-big-to-fail” safeguards for large cloud services providers. The disruption, which took place on Feb. 28, affected many AWS customers for more than 4 hours, impacting websites and other services. As?Amazon explained later, the cause of the service disruption in the Northern Virginia (US-EAST-1) Region?was found to be simple human error.
Here, a roundup of some of the dominant themes expressed in executives’ comments:
Contingency Planning – The cloud infrastructures are so stable that we are forgetting about what we do if there is a problem. It?s like your home internet which works pretty well 99% of the time, and then once in a while you have a disaster.? For this reason, Apple and Starbucks no longer rely on one public cloud provider. The other thought that jumps out at me is the memory of the financial institutions that almost took down the U.S. economy during the financial crisis of 2007-2008. I wonder, moving forward, whether this similarly opens the door, as more people go to the cloud, for cloud services to be regulated?although I hate the thought of regulation….
To read the entire article http://www.dbta.com/Editorial/Trends-and-Applications/6-Key-Cloud-Takeaways-from-Amazons-S3-Outage-116693.aspx
Thanks to the Cloud, the Future Is Now
Winter 2016
?Big Data Source Book Fourth Edition
?Despite his youth, The Sage?Mattie Stepanek spoke these prescient words: ?Even though the future seems far away, it is actually beginning right now.? There is much wisdom in those 13 simple words. Careful observation of our surroundings enables us to divine, with some level of predictability, the future. We all can view the crystal ball in front of us if we are willing to open our eyes. We simply need to dedicate the time to observe and learn. Let?s see what the future holds for us today.
When I Want, the Way I Want, and How Much I Want
As a society, we have high expectations from our vendors. We expect their services to be available 24/7. We also expect those services to meet our needs and to respond to our demands, no matter how difficult it may be. Regardless if it?s the busiest trading day…
To read the entire article?http://www.dbta.com/DBTA-Downloads/SourceBook/Big-Data-Sourcebook-Fourth-Edition-6699.aspx
Lessons Learned From the Cloud
November 15, 2016
BDQ Big Data Quarterly
If one considers the inception of the system known as ?Amazon Web Services? (AWS) to be the onset of what has become known as the public cloud, then today the cloud is more than 10 years old. After 10 years, the cloud industry would have you believe it is mature and stable, safe and secure and that it is, most importantly, fit to use as an essential infrastructure component of a modern 21st-century business. Yet, insiders remember the clich? of caveat emptor, or buyer beware.
Many providers of cloud services market the idea that all critical computing functions should be run using their public cloud services because this paradigm is the future and the future is now. While we do share that long-term vision, the reality is less impressive, and the solution is not yet complete. Amazon itself does not run 100% of its critical business systems in the AWS Public Cloud, a fact that was revealed in The Wall Street Journal article, ?Cloud-Computing Kingpins Slow to Adapt to Own Movement.? This is also true for Google, Microsoft, and other top cloud providers….
To read the entire article?http://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/Lessons-Learned-From-the-Cloud-114798.aspx
What Does the Yahoo Breach Mean for Data Security?
September 26, 2016
Database Trends & Applications
As the details of the Yahoo data breach have come to light, the news seems eerily similar to other such cyber-attacks. Data management and security professionals reflected on what the breach means for companies and their customers in terms of current security best practices.
While the shock of this large-scale data breach feels familiar as it is by now widely accepted that no company is immune, the precise details of the Yahoo case stand out as being notable. ?According to news reports, what is known is that the account information for a minimum of 500 million Yahoo users was stolen, possibly by state-sponsored hackers,…….
21 Questions To Ask Your Cloud Computing Provider, Before You Sign
May 14, 2016
FORBES
Let?s face it ? technology-centric issues such as uptime, scalability and security are complicated to deal with, and many non-tech business leaders don?t want to hear about them. Many non-tech leaders ? and tech executives for that matter ? consider one of the attractions of the cloud is its promise to relieve them of having to think too hard about these burdens. However, if you are thinking of handing over responsibility for these crucial elements to a cloud provider, think twice, think three times.
That?s the advice of ?Ntirety?s?Michael Corey and VMware?s?Don Sullivan, who cast skepticism on public cloud providers? promises to take care of their customers?…….
10 Lessons Learned from 10 Years of Cloud Services
May 11, 2016
Database Trends and Applications
Public cloud services vendors have had a number of notable outages that have taken down well-respected web-based companies, temporarily putting them out of business. In a session, presented at Data Summit 2016 by Michael J Corey,?president,?Ntirety ? A HOSTING Company, and Don Sullivan,?system engineer database specialist,?VMware, posited that, despite the fact that cloud is no longer a cutting-edge, disruptive technology, 10 years after it first came to the fore, in many ways, the public cloud environment is still the Wild West.
Corey and Sullivan discussed recent cloud trends, the lessons learned, and what it means to companies moving forward as they migrate to the cloud………
6 Tips for Making Your Transition to the Cloud Successful
March 2016
Big Data Quarterly
Are You Ready for the Cloud?
The cloud services industry has become big business. In 2015, Amazon Web Services was estimated to have generated nearly $7 billion in revenue, making AWS the undisputed leader in the public cloud space. Microsoft Azure trails AWS with an estimated $2 billion in revenue. The proverbial ?cloud? is huge business, but the industry trend is even more ominous.
The pervasive corporate mindset to transition all levels of infrastructure to some cloud, somewhere, is accelerating the growth of the cloud industry with a rapidity so far unseen in the history of computing. This phenomenon has resulted in weighty pressure on CIOs to develop and deploy an effective and comprehensive cloud strategy or risk their organization falling behind this undeniable trend. The internet changed the information technology game, but now the cloud constitutes an entirely different league……..
Tips for Making Your Transition to the Cloud Successful
Cloud Technologies Advance Fueled by Openness and Machine Learning
Big Data Sourcebook: Third Edition (winter 2015)
The Big Data Source Book is always one of my favorites. We are asked by the publisher Database Trends and Applications to use our many years of experience to determine where we think technology is headed.? I wont give it away, you will have to read Cloud Technologies Advance Fueled by Openness and Machine Learning to see where Don Sullivan and I think we are headed in the near future.
Cloud Technologies Advance Fueled by Openness and Machine Learning
Buyer Beware?Which Rules Still Apply in the Cloud?
(Nov 13, 2015)
Big Data Quarterly
?Caveat emptor? is Latin for ?Let the buyer beware.? In the realm of the modern information technology cloud, this sage advice rings especially true.
As organizations migrate increasingly higher percentages of their critical infrastructure into the cloud, it is essential that IT professionals understand the convoluted labyrinth of software licensing. They must understand what they are getting, what they are not getting, what they are responsible for, what the cloud provider is responsible for, and who is paying for the many licenses they will inevitably need……
MSPs Need a Cloud Services Strategy. What’s Yours? (August 17th, 2015)
Some MSPs view the cloud as children regard a dark place ? it?s scary. But scary as it may seem, every MSP needs some kind of cloud strategy.
To be fair, plenty of MSPs have successfully added cloud services and, in the process, reinvented themselves as well-rounded managed IT service providers. They realized that adding cloud solutions is a logical and necessary step…..
http://mspmentor.net/cloud-computing/081715/msps-need-cloud-services-strategy-whats-yours
Is Your Database The Next Ticking Time Bomb?
Aug 10, 2015
Database Trends and Applications
Let’s rephrase the question above: The next ticking time bomb is your database. Regardless of whether you run Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, or MySQL, the odds lean toward your organization having a ticking time bomb.? The only question to be posed is whether you are going to become collateral damage or diffuse the bomb before the damage happens.
When we look at the past few weeks of headline news, we see a lot of companies that have chosen to become collateral damage. A short list of recent headlines should suffice:
CNN: United flights resume after computer problem
USA TODAY:? NYSE blames software upgrade for outage…….
What Windows 10 Means for Enterprise Users (July 29, 2015)
First announced in?September, Windows 10 has become available as a free upgrade in 190 countries. According to a blog posted by?Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the Windows and Devices Group (WDG) at Microsoft, the release which represents a ?new era of Windows? is the beginning of the company?s plan to deliver on a vision of ?one platform, one store, and one experience that extends across the broadest range of devices from the smallest screens to the largest screens to no screens at all.? …..
http://www.dbta.com/Editorial/News-Flashes/What-Windows-10-Means-for-Enterprise-Users-105462.aspx
MSPs, Don’t Ignore Cloud Opportunities
July 15th
MSPmentor
Just as the IT channel was getting comfortable a half-dozen years ago with managed services, another new service model was vying for recognition ? the cloud. Many MSPs have since added cloud-based services, but some still struggle with how to go about it.
If you ask Michael Corey why, the founder and president of Dedham, Massachusetts-based MSP Ntirety will tell you…
http://mspmentor.net/cloud-computing/071515/msps-dont-ignore-cloud-opportunities
Database Industry Experts Reflect on a Very Bad Week for Data Security and Availability
July 10, 2015
Database Trends and Applications
The Virtual Infrastructure War: Who Is Goliath and Who Are the Many Davids?
(May 19, 2015)
Big Data Quarterly
There are a number of factors driving organizations toward the adoption of virtualized infrastructure, which corresponds with leveraging the proverbial cloud. Business pressures, including cost reduction, scalability, and ?just-in-time? application software implementation, are just some of the requirements prompting businesses to ?cloudify? at least some aspect of their IT infrastructure.
Today, you have three options to consider when adopting a cloud-based infrastructure:
1. Build it yourself.
2. Utilize a public cloud provider.
3. Utilize a private cloud provider.
Most organizations will choose between private and public cloud services providers (CSPs). The question is quite simple:…..
Classic DBAs Evolve to Cloud DBAs
April 8, 2015
Big Data Quartlerly
Today we live in the age of the ?cloudification of information.? This massive cloudification of data is straining the already-stretched-thin in-house database administrator (DBA), who historically has been the custodian of a company?s data stored within its traditional databases. Now the data stored within those databases is being comingled with data from outside data sources, much of it from the cloud. Every company?s goal is to gain better insight into its customers? tendencies, prospects? interests, and competitors? vulnerabilities.
DBAs are expected to find ways to overcome obstacles as their organizations try to ingest and comingle all this data from the cloud. As a result, many companies are transforming themselves from companies that ingest data from the cloud to companies that live and breathe in the cloud, further helping to fuel the cloudification of data…..
Classic DBAs Evolve to Cloud DBAs
IT Employers Must Adapt to the Looming DBA Shortage
(March 12, 2015)
Database Trends and Applications
As Clouds Roll In, Expectations for Performance and Availability Billow
Winter 2014
Big Data Sourcebook: Second Edition
Introducing Database Trends and Applications magazine?s second edition of the Big Data Sourcebook! This is your guide to the enterprise and technology issues IT professionals are being asked to cope with as business or organizational leadership increasingly defines strategies that leverage the ?big data? phenomenon. Make sure you read As Clouds Roll In, Expectations for Performance and Availability Billow.
http://www.dbta.com/DBTA-Downloads/SourceBook/Big-Data-Sourcebook-Second-Edition-4968.aspx
Ranks of Seasoned DBAs Expected to Thin Dramatically Within Next 10 Years (Sept 25, 2014)
As Larry Ellison Steps Down as CEO, Industry Insiders Ponder the End of an Era (September 25, 2014)
20 Key Takeaways from Data Summit 2014 (May 13, 2014)
HOSTING Acquires DBA On-Demand Services Provider Ntirety (April 4, 2014)
A Call to Action and the American Pastime: Data (August 7, 2013)
Data Persona Analytics: The Data-Application Matchmaker (July 25, 2013)
21st Century Data Organization – Business Function Comes First (July 9, 2013)
Spanning the Dataverse with a Unified Data Strategy and Data Persona Analytics Jun 27, 2013
The amount of data being generated, captured and analyzed?worldwide is increasing at a rate that was inconceivable a few years ago. Exciting new technologies and methodologies are?evolving to address this phenomenon of science and culture creating huge new opportunities. These new technologies are also fundamentally?changing?the way we look at and use data.
The rush to monetize ?big data? makes the appeal of various “solutions” undeniable. ?But companies?must perform proper due diligence to fully understand the current state of their data management?systems….
Spanning the Dataverse with a Unified Data Strategy and Data Persona Analytics
Ntirety CEO Mike Corey Earns Dual Honors as Expert in Virtualized Databases (June 19, 2012)
Last New Horizon of Computing – the Dataverse (May 9, 2012)
In the Beginning – Information was Unknown
In the beginning, information was unknown.? Eventually, the growing populace absorbed information as it was passed on by each generation person to person, but only the elite had access to that knowledge base.? King James and Guttenberg made that information more accessible to the general public but still, access to information was very limited.? Galileo, the famous Italian physicist, mathematician and astronomer, originally published his finding in Latin that proved the world was in reality round not flat. Even though this science contradicted church doctrine, the population remained apathetic. When Galileo then published those same findings in Italian, he was excommunicated. By sharing this knowledge outside the “inner circle” he became an outcast. The world was not quite ready to share the “knowledge base” with the common man. As time passed, the ability of the privileged to keep the knowledge base contained to a privileged few waned.
Last New Horizon of Computing – the Dataverse
Managed Services and Oracle: Underserved Niche? (January 26, 2011)
I’m en route from New York to? Silicon Valley. My destination: Oracle’s headquarters, where I’ll be sitting down with Oracle Channel Chief Judson Althoff and Kevin O?Brien, senior director of Oracle?s ISV and SaaS strategy. While prepping for the meeting, I recalled an Oracle-centric discussion I had during the N-able Partner Summit in October 2010. At that gathering, Ntirety CEO Michael Corey — a long-time N-able partner — told me his business was built around managed database services. Is that a hot new niche?…
When Atlas Stumbles: Lessons for Preventing DBA Burn Out (October 15, 2008)
You’re a database administrator, working hard, never catching up. You keep the databases humming morning, noon and night, weekdays, weekends and holidays.
Or at least you try to. But things happen. And it’s not always your fault. Databases crash. You try your best. But sometimes that’s not good enough.
Your company grinds to a halt. Sales are lost. It’s all on you, and you?re alone.
This type of stress is causing a serious problem in today’s business world as the rapid expansion of databases crashes head-long into the 20-year shortage of DBAs we rely on to keep these complicated systems functioning. Today’s global businesses need to find the solution to burnout among DBAs who suffer Atlas Syndrome, a feeling the weight of the entire business is on their shoulders.
