Jun 01

Social Visualization Software Review: Tableau Public – information aesthetics

By jeromewagner design concepts, document-management, information aesthetics, infosthetics No Comments »

You have no doubt seen a Tableau chart before. They tend to be sleek, interactive, and intuitive. And they have already appeared in the Wall Street Journal, CNN Money, and CBS Sports among other places.

The software is loved by many and quickly becoming the industry standard for those who DON’T necessarily consider themselves to be analysts.And it just became much easier for the non-analyst set to create excellent interactive charts with the recent release of Tableau Public, a new tool that puts the power of Tableau into the hands of everyone. This free version of Tableau was released earlier this year to much fanfare. We have sliced and diced all its details below, so please have a read.As you might already know, this is our final review of the big three of free, online social visualization software approaches: Swivel, IBM Many Eyes, and now Tableau Public.

We will wrap up with final thoughts next week with a benchmark that would make Tufte proud. Be sure to check back for an interesting look at all three tools, pitted side by side, embedded in this blog, so you can interact with each and make your own judgments.

CRITERIA

Cost :Free

Free Version available:  Yes

Ease of Use: Easy

Embeddable into a web page: Yes

Shareable: Yes

Comments / Discussion: No

Private workgroup: No

Plugin Required: JavaScript/AJAX

Software Required: Tableau

Public Software: free or Tableau Desktop

Export Formats: CSV, PNG, PDF

Data Storage: 50 Mb

Maturity age of software: < 1 year although Tableau software is 5 years old

Customer Service: None provided, but Tableau employees are very active on Twitter, LinkedIn, FB, and their forums.

Data Import Formats: Oracle NoSQL Server NoSybase NoDB2 NoPostgreSQL NomySQL NoExcel YesText Yes

other If you purchase their Desktop or Desktop Pro software, you will be able to use many more data sources such as mySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, DB2, Teradata, Oracle, etc.

Reviewers Kim ReesDate reviewed 4/28/2010Other

Features: Ability to make rich dashboards for sharing. Interactive features are very robust. Community can filter the data you present, highlight it, and sort the data in various ways. Community can also download data and export any view they create.

Pros- Extremely robust software that is rock solid. It’s now on version 5.1.- Very easy to use. Simple drag and drop interface.- Ability to add subtotals, totals, and other calculations.-

Can have multiple worksheets in a file.- Dashboards with a flexible worksheet layout.- Easy to customize.

Cons- All data becomes public.- There is no option for private groups.- Can only save to the web cannot save a working copy locally.- Must use stand alone software that is only PC compatible for creation, not for viewing.- No text analysis.- Mapping is limited compared to other tools.

via Social Visualization Software Review: Tableau Public – information aesthetics.

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May 20

Google To Launch Amazon S3 Competitor ‘Google Storage’ At I/O

By jeromewagner SOA, cloud computing, disaster-recovery, document-management, green-it, insights, network-security, offsite-backup, operating systems & collaborative tools No Comments »

Amazon’s cloud storage services are going to be getting another major competitor this week: Google.

We hear that this week during its I/O conference, Google will be announcing a new service that is a direct competitor with Amazon’s S3 cloud storage. Google’s service will be called Google Storage for Developers, or ‘GS’. We believe it will be available in a private beta initially.

We also hear that the service will be positioned to make it very easy for existing S3 customers to make the switch to Google Storage.Features will include a REST API, the ability to use Google accounts to offer authenticated downloads, and data redundancy. Developers will be able to use a command line tool to manage their data, and there will be a web interface as well.We’d previously reported that Google was looking to expand its cloud service offerings, but that it would primarily be focused on ‘value-added’ services that took advantage of technology Google has been using internally, like its translation tools and video processing.

We’re hearing that such value-added services will not be part of this launch, but it is highly likely that they will be coming in the future. And that’s the key here — competitors will have a hard time matching the array of technologies and infrastructure Google has spent years developing.

via Google To Launch Amazon S3 Competitor ‘Google Storage’ At I/O.

Mar 11

The Beast File: Google (HUNGRY BEAST)

By admin 24x7 Management And Support, cloud computing, design concepts, disaster-recovery, document-management, uncategorized No Comments »

It seems the now classic infographic movie “Google Master Plan” from early 2007 is now finally outdated, as the main allegations have been recently updated by another infographically-style film, aptly titled The Beast File: Google [abc.net.au] (movie not viewable outside Australia, but watch a YouTube version below).

The new movie, which itself seems to be inspired by the visual zooming effects from the presentation software Prezi, defines Google as an advertising giant whose main goal is to track users and deliver targeted ads.

For the appropiate counter argumentation, you can read the following post at the official Google Operating System blog.

You can watch the movie below:

Feb 08

Olympics and Green tech: ‘No room to fail’ – Vancouver Winter Games

By admin 24x7 Management And Support, communication-standards, design concepts, disaster-recovery, document-management, green-it, industry best practise, insights, it-management, it-projects, media-tools, network-security, operating systems & collaborative tools, proffesional bodies, server architecture, training, uncategorized No Comments »

This is not your grandfather’s winter games. Every Olympic city makes major investments in technology, security and infrastructure in the 21st Century, and the Vancouver Winter Games are no exception.  The Olympic Cauldron will be lit on February 12, 2010. And yet, the hard work began immediately after Canada was selected to host the 2010 Winter Olympics back in 2004.

Want some examples?

1)      Technology companies are certainly talking about their unique role in these Games.  Green technology is a central element. Check out this Canadian website on technology related to the Olympics.

2)      Stopping terrorism is essential. One article back in 2005 estimated that the security budget would be about $177 million with a 50-50 split between the federal and provincial governments, but USA Today called actual security spending to be closer to $1 billion. More than 1000 security cameras are in place for the Winter Olympics.

3)      Infrastructure development has been important. There are plenty of stories online about the people behind the scenes who make the Olympic Games happen. There are also stories about the technology being used. If you look hard enough, you’ll find just about every big IT company is involved in some way. One example is Sun, but AT&T and others are right there as well.

4)      The economic development aspects and wider role of the Olympics can be seen in YouTube videos like this one.

5)      The role of the city mayors and Vancouver Government overall has been a huge part of this story.

Bottom line, this is big business. Just like the involvement of the South African Government in preparing for the 2010 World Cup in June, the Vancouver Olympic Games required an incredible investment in everything that we do in government technology every day. The difference is the scale, and the number of people watching.

So when you watch that beautiful opening or closing ceremony, when the US Hockey Team is skating to victory or those international downhill skiers fly past your TV screen, remember the technology and security infrastructure that made it all possible.

Let the games begin…

Jan 31

Press Release: Mobile Cloud Application Revenues To Hit $9.5 billion by 2014, Driven by Converged Mobile Services, according to Juniper Research

By jeromewagner 24x7 Management And Support, cloud computing, communication-standards, document-management, green-it, industry best practise, insights No Comments »

HAMPSHIRE, UK: 26th January 2010 — New research has found that annual revenues from cloud-based mobile applications will reach nearly $9.5 billion by 2014, fueled by the need for converged, collaborative services, the widespread adoption of mobile broadband services and the deployment of key technological enablers such as HTML5 and the Open Mobile Alliance’s Smart Card Web Server (SCWS).

The Juniper Research report found that enterprise applications will account for the majority of revenues over the next five years, with businesses increasingly seeking to capitalise on the ability of Platform as a Service (PaaS) providers to offer scalable, flexible data storage solutions allied to device agnostic, synchronised office services.

However, consumer-oriented apps will comprise an ever-larger proportion of total revenues, derived both from time-based subscriptions to services such as mobile online gaming and advertising from cloud-based social networks.

However, the mobile cloud applications & services report warned that many enterprise customers still remained wary of entrusting their personal data to remote third-parties, and that recent high-profile data losses amongst corporate mobile users in the USA would only exacerbate these concerns. According to report author Dr Windsor Holden, “Not only is it imperative for cloud providers to ensure that access to and storage of customer data is secure, but that the procedures that they put in place in this regard – including data backup strategies – are transparent to the customer.”

Other findings from the Juniper report include:

• While the onset of a cloud-based ecosystem may further erode the strength of the mobile operator/customer relationship, cloud offers operators the opportunity to develop new revenues streams as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and PaaS providers

• Lack of network capacity may continue to be a constraint on the growth of network-based services even after LTE and WiMAX networks are deployed

Juniper Research assesses the current and future status of mobile cloud based on interviews, case studies and analysis from representatives of some of the leading organisations in this bleeding edge industry.

via Press Release: Mobile Cloud Application Revenues To Hit $9.5 billion by 2014, Driven by Converged Mobile Services, according to Juniper Research.

Dec 15

Hosted Security for Email, Web and Instant Messaging

By jeromewagner 24x7 Management And Support, cloud computing, communication-standards, disaster-recovery, document-management, green-it, hardware, industry best practise, it-management, it-projects, media-tools, ngo, proffesional bodies, uncategorized No Comments »

Hosted Security Services for Small & Medium Businesses

MessageLabs Hosted Services provide an easy and affordable way to secure, control and manage email, web and instant messaging communications. Cheaper, quicker & easier to deploy than in-house solutions, MessageLabs Hosted Services deliver proven technology from a market leader, allowing IT Managers to free up resources & concentrate on running their business.

Benefits of MessageLabs Hosted Services

Strategic Benefits Operational Benefits

Predictable costs for budgeting Lower total cost of ownership compared to in-house solutions

Less on-site hardware/software to install & maintain

Scalable service grows with your business

Only pay for the users you have

Hosted services from a market leader Helps your business to operate without interruption

Service levels you can rely on

Happy, productive end users

Proven performance

Effective resource management Threats blocked at the internet level, freeing up bandwidth

One supplier for your email, web and IM security needs

Intuitive web based portal to administer the services

24/7/365 telephone and email support as standard

A full suite of Hosted Security Services

More than just email anti-spam & anti-virus, MessageLabs Hosted Services offer solutions for email security, email management and web & IM security. Our services are flexible and can be bundled to meet your specific requirements.

via Hosted Security for Email, Web and Instant Messaging.

Dec 15

Past Events | Service Management Specialist Group | Our Groups | Specialist Groups | Membership and Networking | BCS – The Chartered Institute for IT

By jeromewagner 24x7 Management And Support, cloud computing, disaster-recovery, document-management, email-branding-disclaimers-and-signature-management, employment, green-it, hardware, industry best practise, insights, it-management, it-projects, media-tools, network-security, offsite-backup, online tools, proffesional bodies, server architecture No Comments »


Nov 09

Google making Waves across all its Apps?

By jeromewagner cloud computing, disaster-recovery, document-management, industry best practise, insights No Comments »

Via Engadget…..

We just received a set of screengrabs from an anonymous source giving us a glimpse at what appears to be Google’s and thus, the world’s future interface to its web applications, Gmail in particular. While we were originally tempted to ignore them, communications with the tipster would indicate genuine insider knowledge. Regardless, we can not independently confirm the authenticity of these images. Having said that, the pics demonstrate a more unified apps interface based on Google’s Wave and accessible from any browser as they are now. Specifically, we’re told that “the goal is to provide a consistent experience throughout all Google Apps and blur the line between the browser and the website e.g. drag and drop, right-click, etc..” Something that certainly makes sense to us based on what we know about Google’s tender approach to its Chrome browser and its future “lightweight” Chrome OS. If true then this “work in progress” also hints at the importance of Wave to the future of Google. Then again, it could be just one of many possible interface concepts from Google’s burgeoning developer’s sandbox.

via Google making Waves across all its Apps?.

Oct 18

LaCie – LaCie 5big Network

By jeromewagner disaster-recovery, document-management, green-it, hardware, offsite-backup No Comments »

5-BAY RAID NAS | Ethernet 10/100/1000

2.5TB

* Add Terabytes to a Gigabit network * Complete solution for comprehensive

data backup * Extra data protection with RAID 5 or

RAID 6 modes

* Five hot-swappable disks for non-stop

data access * Designed to complement and enhance

working environments * Genie and Intego Backup Manager Pro incl.

* Time Machine® Compatible

via LaCie – LaCie 5big Network.

Oct 12

Business email, calendar, documents, and intranet sites for your company – Google Apps for Business

By jeromewagner 24x7 Management And Support, cloud computing, disaster-recovery, document-management, email-branding-disclaimers-and-signature-management, green-it, operating systems & collaborative tools No Comments »

Reliable, secure online applications wherever you work

Google Apps reduces IT costs and empowers today’s employees. Gmail, Google Docs, Google Sites, and more.

Gmail for business 25GB storage, less spam, and a 99.9% uptime SLA,and enhanced email security.

Google Calendar Agenda management, scheduling, shared online calendars and mobile calendar sync.

Google Docs Documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Work online without attachments.

Google Sites Secure, coding-free web pages for intranets and team managed sites.

Postini Hosted email security and archiving services for your business.

via Business email, calendar, documents, and intranet sites for your company – Google Apps for Business.

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