9th August 2023
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OneLake: Microsoft Fabric’s Open Storage Architecture

OneLake: Microsoft Fabric’s Open Storage Architecture

Data practitioners encounter various challenges every day. Data is typically dispersed across several sources, in a variety of file types, and too often with questionable degrees of quality. It can take a lot of time to determine where data might be located and what the access rights are. Consequently, less time is spent on what really counts, namely using the data to make decisions.

To address the issues surrounding data fragmentation, Microsoft introduced a lake-centric and open architecture in their new Fabric offering. While each tool within Microsoft Fabric caters to specific requirements, they all share a common data foundation: OneLake, based on the increasingly popular “data lakehouse” paradigm.

The Data Lakehouse, A Pattern Aiming for the Best of Data Lakes and Warehouses

The lakehouse term and pattern were initially made popular by Databricks in the past few years as a way to bring governance and structure to the vast amounts of unstructured raw data typically loaded in data lakes. Lakehouses follow an Extract Load Transform (ELT) pattern also known as “schema on read”, as opposed to the ETL pattern associated with “schema on write” in traditional data warehouses.

This architectural shift has been driven by the explosion in the volume and variety of data and enabled by massive public cloud infrastructure investments. The lakehouse aims to combine cheap data lake storage with the sense of structure and the ability to run efficient aggregate queries associated with data warehouses.

Microsoft’s Take on the Lakehouse

“OneLake is the OneDrive for data and like OneDrive, OneLake is provisioned automatically with every Fabric tenant with no infrastructure to manage.”  -Microsoft

Microsoft already started supporting lakehouses years ago with Azure Synapse Analytics. OneLake now underpins Microsoft’s expanded vision of the lakehouse architecture. This unified, logical data lake supports lakehouses, warehouses and all other workloads.

comes automatically provisioned for each tenant and is the home for all your data, moving away from siloes and the need to copy data to multiple places where you need it. Under the hood, it is still Azure Data Lake Storage (ADLS) Gen2 where Parquet files are managed with Delta metadata.

This means that Fabric does not have vendor lock-in and that the data in your OneLake may be used with a wide range of tools and technologies. Fabric’s many compute engines rely on Delta/Parquet format, providing you with a stable basis and reducing the need for format changes.

You can also easily bring data from the outside without copying it. Shortcuts are embedded references within OneLake that point to other storage locations. The embedded reference makes it appear as though the files and folders are stored locally but in reality, they exist only in their original storage. Shortcuts can be updated or removed, but these changes don’t affect the original data and its source.

OneLake supports existing ADLS Gen2 APIs and SDKs giving you the ability to hook up existing applications and tools to a OneLake endpoint.

There are several ways to get your data into the OneLake:

  • Manually with the OneLake file explorer

  • Data Factory pipelines
  • Notebooks
  • Shortcuts are a way of creating a symbolic link to external storage locations and file paths (currently supporting ADLS Gen 2 and AWS S3 buckets)

The Delta metadata format offers optimized storage for data engineering workflows with versioning, schema enforcement, and   (see sidebar) to guarantee referential integrity. It also integrates well with Apache Spark, making it ideal for large-scale data processing application.

From Unmanaged to Managed Data Through the Medallion Architecture… And the Lasting Need for Data Modeling & Integration

Not all the data needs to be managed or is ready to be managed yet. In fact, there are many cases where data is ingested in raw form and should be preserved in that state, if only for auditing and traceability purposes. For these cases, OneLake provides the Files section where you can store and access any file format. Data stored in those files is called unmanaged data.

However, in the lakehouse architecture, tables play a vital role in managing and organizing data. Once you set up tables you have several new options for browsing, querying, and analyzing them. Data stored in those tables is called managed data.

OneLake architecture that supports multi-cloud data sources and multiple compute workloads.

OneLake architecture that supports multi-cloud data sources and multiple compute workloads.



Lakehouse menu within Fabric, showing the Tables and Files sections in Explorer.

Lakehouse menu within Fabric, showing the Tables and Files sections in Explorer. 

Both managed and unmanaged data can be stored and handled using a medallion architecture where data is corralled through three layers of progressive refinement, with the aim of turning low-grade raw ore into ready-for-analytics gold. That gold layer at the end of the medallion architecture should be ready for consumption in a semantic model – typically a Power BI dataset – without requiring further transformations.

This brings up a debate that somehow never seems to get resolved in the data industry. Every few years, someone will loudly proclaim the end of dimensional modeling in favor of wide tables that blend granular facts with their descriptive attributes. “Hey, it worked in our startup and established data patterns are now obsolete!”. Let’s be clear, this approach will just not perform well for large data models in Power BI, so it can be ruled out purely on technical grounds if Power BI is part of your data stack.

Perhaps more importantly, trying to dodge the analytical work required to reconcile various data sources will lead to analytical silos for lack of conformed dimensions. The integration mantra championed by Bill Inmon since the 1990s is more relevant than ever. And the dimensional modeling following long-established models promoted by Ralph Kimball continue to be relevant today.

The star schema still rules for Power BI performance, and making sense of your business entities across the enterprise is still needed sooner or later. The good news is (and we’ll get back to it in future entries) Fabric has all the tools to ingest raw data and turn it into a data model that’s optimally stored physically and structured logically for Power BI consumption and other workloads, based on the OneLake foundation. The core pattern remains ELT, not just EL!

Contact us for a free strategy briefing to discuss how Microsoft Fabric can be part of your data infrastructure roadmap.

Venkataramana

Principal Architect


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About Author

With over 20 years of experience, Venkat is an accomplished senior professional who excels in managing teams and driving success in Data, Analytics, Cloud Computing, and Digital Transformation. He plays a pivotal role in shaping strategy and architecture, transforming ad-hoc assessments into scalable software solutions. His expertise lies in enhancing the effectiveness and usability of analytics platforms by collaborating closely with stakeholders and strategic partners.

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Power BI
8th August 2023
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Data Cloud Migration: A Change-Management Challenge Beyond Technology 

Data Cloud Migration: A Change-Management Challenge Beyond Technology

Data Cloud Migration: A Change-Management Challenge Beyond Technology

In recent years, organizations are realizing the advantages of moving their operations to the cloud. This has led to a significant shift, not only in operations but also in data management. 

Organizations are experiencing a fundamental change in their storage and data access architectures, realizing that maintaining large on-premises data warehouses is no longer necessary. Today, the cost of keeping data in the cloud is much lower, with improved security and faster access for various purposes.   

Business Intelligence, Data Science, Machine Learning, Automation, and Data streaming, are just some of the applications fueling this cloud adoption trend, setting innovators apart from followers. The technical challenge is enormous, and there is abundant material discussing it, from Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) considerations to the best migration roadmap tailored to each company’s characteristics and needs.  

However, an aspect not discussed as much is the impact on the individuals who will ultimately use the data that IT teams have worked hard to make available in the cloud. These end-users, the everyday people who make the business function, are the ones who will determine whether the investment is worthwhile. They are the decision-makers when the moment of truth arrives.   

What does this process of moving data to the cloud mean for them? Why is it relevant, and what is expected of them in this new environment?  

The Human & Cultural Impact of Data Cloud Migration 

The change is immense. For someone who receives reports or dashboards updated possibly once a day and acts based on what they see in those reports, that environment is about to disappear. From now on, without even considering AI processes, this same person will be able to access their data in real-time, which implies a capacity for reasoning and action reduced to minutes instead of hours.  

Moreover, they will be expected not only to review data but also to use analytics platforms to gain much deeper and more relevant insights from that data. They will have platforms to which they can ask questions in natural language to obtain knowledge, but of course, first, they have to know what to ask and how – which is a challenge.   

While individuals know their businesses and functions, they often don’t know how to improve their performance based on data or how to fully utilize the new capabilities provided by the IT department for their benefit. There is a significant gap between their desires and what they can achieve, and this gap is often overlooked in cloud migration projects, even though it is the most challenging to close.  

Cultivating a Data-Driven Work Culture 

Bridging this gap does not depend on technology; it relies on the ability to adapt and change people’s behavior, which is generally a process that doesn’t happen overnight. Human adaptation takes time; learning new ways of operating and forming new habits cannot be achieved solely through a workshop. It requires an entire process of new thinking, a series of personal and collective experimentation that generates new paths in the way of being and experiencing everyday life.   

Today, I still need to get all the answers on how this should be done; it’s something we are continuously experiencing and learning together. Never before have we been able to access so much data so freely, closely, and with so many tools at our disposal.  

For executives, this process should be considered a cultural change, a change in behavior within their organizations, leading to the creation of a renovated data-driven work culture that delivers knowledge minute by minute in various formats. Rather than spoon-feeding information, individuals should be empowered to specialize, experiment, and learn. The faster the team adapts, the faster the organization can move.  

As a leader in a company dedicated to enabling organizations to utilize data, I aim to sow the seed in this blog that it’s not just about moving data to the cloud. It’s about moving people onto this new wave, accompanying them with supportive programs, embracing daily changes, and promoting the freedom to make mistakes to grow.   

The only way to achieve exceptional results is by doing things differently, which may involve an arduous journey.  

Successful Strategies for Data Cloud Migration 

At Derevo, powered by iLink Digital, we have had the opportunity to support various clients through similar transformations, assisting them at different stages of their processes and designing holistic and long-lasting analytics platform adoption schemes. We don’t claim to have a magic formula, but we have experience living the change with our clients, and I want to offer some ideas for reflection. These ideas are available for anyone who finds them relevant because we are all continuously learning and evolving in this age of unprecedented data accessibility.  

  1. Foster a Culture of Psychological Safety – Implement a culture of Psychological Safety applied to decision-making, allowing for failure while being cautious about failing small, failing fast, and learning from it.  
  2. Educate Through Internal Advisory Processes – Maintain an internal advisory process to educate employees about the capabilities offered by the platforms accessible to the organization.  
  3. Encourage Experimentation with Functionalities – Encourage using optional or additional functionality trials to conduct initial testing and evaluate possibilities. Motivate individuals to experiment beyond budget constraints as technology evolves rapidly.  
  4. Build Robust and Flexible Governance – Establish a robust yet flexible governance structure to facilitate agile integration of new data and technologies into the ecosystem, promoting expansion and adaptability.  
  5. Engage Business Stakeholders in IT Projects – Involve business stakeholders consistently in IT projects. A governed data lake in the cloud is pointless if business users don’t know how to use it or understand its potential.  
  6. Prioritize In-Depth Communication and Understanding – Prioritize communication and explanation. Surface-level understanding won’t lead to change; we must delve into the depths of problems, technologies, and new possibilities, extracting meaningful insights.  
  7. Stay Grounded and Focused on Value – Stay grounded. While we can implement groundbreaking projects that seemed impossible a few years ago, this isn’t magic. AI, data science, and machine learning won’t do the substantial work for us – we need to identify what genuinely adds value to the business, avoiding overly complex projects with limited benefits or feasibility in the short term.  
  8. Embrace a Methodical Approach to Continuous Experimentation – And finally, eight, because I prefer even numbers, embrace constant and consistent experimentation. Changing learned behavior requires learning something new. The scientific method should guide us – generating hypotheses, experimenting, learning from failures, and making successful strides down the right path. This approach will likely lead to the fastest progress if properly utilized with current technologies.  

Lead the Way in the Era of Data Cloud Migration  

As the era of unprecedented data accessibility continues to evolve, organizations must recognize that cloud migration is more than a technological upgrade. It involves not only moving data but moving minds. Those who recognize and embrace this challenge are likely to find themselves leading the way in an increasingly data-driven world. At Derevo, the experience of supporting clients through this transformation has illuminated the importance of these human factors, making it clear that the pathway to success is paved with continuous learning, adaptability, and the courage to do things differently. 

About Derevo:

Derevo is powered by iLink Digital, boasts over 11 years of expertise in Full-Cycle Analytics, assisting businesses globally, especially in México, the USA, and Latin America. Offering services from Data Creation to Data Culture, both on-premise and in the cloud, Derevo has successfully executed 500+ projects across 10+ industries, with partnerships including Bimbo, BMW, and HSBC, underscoring its industry prominence.

Gabriela Fonseca

Chief Operations Officer, Derevo


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About Author

Gabriela Fonseca currently serves as the Chief Operations Officer at Derevo, powered by iLink Digital, S.A. de C.V., overseeing all company operations in Mexico, the United States, and Latin America since 2009, with over 20 years of experience in designing IT implementation projects, particularly in Data Strategy, Data Analytics, and AI. She has been involved in different innovative initiatives with +80 companies, some of them Fortune 500, as an advisor and leader of design and implementation teams.   

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aws
26th July 2023
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A Fascinating Journey in Cheat Player Identification using Confluent and AWS

A Fascinating Journey in Cheat Player Identification using Confluent & AWS

A Fascinating Journey in Cheat Player Identification using Confluent and AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Unmasking Cheaters in the Virtual World

Welcome, gaming enthusiasts, to a gripping exploration of how innovative Confluent and AWS technologies and clever architecture are being deployed to unmask cheaters in the virtual world. In this blog, we will take you on an interactive journey through a sophisticated project that leverages cloud computing and real-time data processing to detect and prevent unfair gameplay.

Gaming has become more immersive than ever before, offering players thrilling experiences and breathtaking adventures. However, with the rise of online multiplayer games, cheating has also found its way into the gaming universe. Cheaters utilize various hacks and exploits to gain an unfair advantage over other players, disrupting the balance and integrity of the gameplay.

But fret not! Game developers and tech wizards have teamed up to devise a state-of-the-art system to catch these deceitful players and ensure a fair and enjoyable gaming environment for everyone.

High-Level Architecture: Unraveling the Mystery Behind Cheat Player Identification

Let us embark on our journey of exploring how we utilized the Confluent and AWS technologies to address the following real-time gaming cheat player identification use cases:

  • Use case 1: Detecting Unusual Fast Movement
  • Use case 2: Preventing Bug Exploits.

  • AWS Lambda and MySQL Instances as Producers

Our journey begins with the first building block of the cheat player identification system: AWS Lambda and MySQL instances. These intelligent producers generate data related to player stats and player account information, and real-time player data and store it in different topics for further analysis.

  • Topics: Organizing the Realm of Information

Think of topics as magical scrolls that contain information about players, their actions, and their performance. The “Player” topic houses real-time player data, including their position information, skillfully generated by AWS Lambda.

The “Player Stats” and “Account” topics hold historical performance data and player account information, respectively, enriching the analysis process.

  • KSQL Cluster: The Powerful of Real-Time Data Processing and Querying Engine

Enter the KSQL cluster – the heart of our cheat player detection system. This powerful engine aggregates and queries data from the four topics, bringing it all together for analysis. With real-time data processing, KSQL quickly identifies players exhibiting suspicious behavior.

  • Use Case 1 – Detecting Unusually Fast Movement

Prepare to be amazed as the KSQL cluster unleashes its magic on the data! For our first use case, we focus on detecting unusually fast movement. By retrieving player data and calculating rolling average speeds, the system swiftly identifies fast-moving players and stores the related data in a new topic called “Cheat Player-Travel Speed”.

  • Use Case 2 – Preventing Bug Exploits

Now, let us dive into the second exciting use case – preventing bug exploits. The KSQL cluster once again works its magic, this time tracking player positions and comparing them against known cheat positions in the lookup table. If players cross a cheat position, they are marked as cheaters. The data related to this use case is stored in a new topic called “Cheat Player-Bug Exploits”.

  • Player Stats: Embracing Fair Competition

Our quest does not end with catching cheaters! The KSQL cluster, ever diligent, gathers and processes player performance information from the “Player Stats” topic. These valuable insights, such as ranks and kill-to-death ratios, ensure fair competition among players, encouraging them to improve their skills and climb the ranks through hard work and dedication.

  • Amazon S3 and Quick Sight: Unveiling the Insights

Our journey reaches its thrilling climax with Amazon S3 and Quick Sight, the tools that bring the entire analysis to life. The enriched topics, “Cheat Player-Travel Speed,” “Cheat Player-Bug Exploits,” and “Player-Stats,” find their way to Amazon S3 Glacier via the “Amazon S3 sink connector.”

From the icy depths of the Glacier, the data emerges into the brilliant light of Quick Sight. With captivating visualizations and engaging insights, this dynamic duo presents a visual narrative of cheating players caught in the act and the triumph of fair gameplay.

Are You Ready to Identify the Cheat Players in Your Gaming Realm?

At iLink Digital, we are passionate about creating fair and enjoyable gaming experiences for players worldwide. Our cheat player identification system is just one example of how we leverage innovative technologies like Confluent and AWS to safeguard the integrity of virtual worlds.

Reach out to us! for a free consultation. Remember, when it comes to fair play, iLink Digital is your ally in the quest for gaming excellence. Let us level up together!

Amrutha Sista

Director – Data & AI practice


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About Author

Amrutha is a Director at the Data BU within iLink focusing on presales and enablement across the unit. In the past Amrutha has been responsible for data engineering and BI efforts on Databricks, Azure and Power BI for several industries like healthcare & retail. She is currently enabling the Confluent practice at iLink Digital and is responsible for Confluent workshop curation efforts alongside Confluent stakeholder. Amrutha is based out of Canada and is a Computer Science graduate. She is a GCP certified professional. She enjoys classical music and loves to go on hikes during her free time. 

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24th July 2023
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Comparing Microsoft Fabric SaaS to Azure Synapse Analytics PaaS 

Step into the future of data analytics with Microsoft Fabric, the game-changing SaaS analytics platform that is revolutionizing how businesses harness the power of their data. In this blog post, Let’s delve into the dynamic world of Microsoft Fabric, explore its advantages over Synapse Analytics, and highlight the key benefits of choosing a SaaS (Software as a Service) model. 

Microsoft Fabric: A SaaS Analytics Platform 

Microsoft Fabric stands out as a comprehensive SaaS analytics platform, delivering end-to-end business solutions. While built upon the robust foundation of the Power BI platform, Fabric also extends the capabilities of Azure Synapse Analytics, catering to diverse analytics workloads. 

Differentiating SaaS from PaaS 

To understand Microsoft Fabric’s significance as a SaaS product, it’s essential to distinguish it from Platform as a Service (PaaS).  PaaS allows users to create, operate, and maintain their applications in the cloud, while SaaS offers users access to software programs hosted on the internet without the need for infrastructure management. With SaaS, users benefit from hassle-free scalability, maintenance, and updates, paying only for the resources they consume. 

How do the above definitions apply to Microsoft Fabric? 

 

The table below further contrasts these two products and approaches: 

Area of Comparison  Synapse Analytics  Microsoft Fabric 
Target Users  Developers or users with technical knowledge.  Developers and end users can use it. Anyone without IT knowledge can start in minutes. UI looks like Power BI and Microsoft 365. 
Technical understanding  Some knowledge is required for the basic setup.  There is no requirement for technicalities Microsoft handles everything on setup. 
User controls  Data of the application can be managed by the customer.  Everything is managed by Microsoft. 
Access  Gets access to Synapse Studio for pipeline creation and runtime access for deployment.  All users get access including the end user.  
Scale  Admins must change the configuration to scale.  Scale up or down the processing power as we need. 
Security  Role-based access control (RBAC) to manage different aspects of Synapse Studio. Also, row/column/object level security is provided.  Hosted on Microsoft cloud infrastructure. OneSecurity layer manages access across all Fabric objects.  
Licensing  Serverless billing option. 1 to 3-year reserved instance licenses available for dedicated pools.  PAYGO option without long-term commitment, Reserved Instances can save money. On-demand scale-up and down feature saves money. 

The Advantages of Microsoft Fabric as an Integrated SaaS Product 

Microsoft Fabric’s SaaS approach offers numerous advantages: 

  • Simplicity: With Fabric, simplicity is key. From quick sign-up to rapid deployment, users can experience actual business benefits within minutes. There’s no need to worry about infrastructure procurement, setup, or maintenance. All the features and functions of Microsoft Fabric are conveniently accessible through a single web portal. 
  • Completeness: Microsoft Fabric fulfills all your analytics needs, providing end-to-end capabilities. From data integration to modeling, visualization, analysis, and AI/ML operations, Fabric empowers you to make data-driven decisions and scientific forecasts, giving your organization a competitive edge. 
  • Collaboration: Fabric facilitates seamless collaboration among teams involved in the analytics process. Data engineers, data warehousing experts, data scientists, analysts, and business users can easily work together on the same platform, sharing insights, data, and best practices. 
  • Governance:  With Microsoft Fabric, you can establish a single, reliable source of truth. Unified governance features enable you to control data quality, data security, privacy, compliance, and access, ensuring consistent and reliable data governance across your organization. 
  • Innovation: Microsoft Fabric keeps you at the forefront of innovation, leveraging the latest advancements from Microsoft and its partners. With built-in generative AI and language model services like Copilot, you can create groundbreaking AI experiences that you’d have to provision and set up separately in a PaaS environment. 
  • Openness: OneLake serves as the primary data lake based on open formats like Parquet and including interfaces with other cloud services like Amazon S3.

Ready to unlock the true potential of your data and accelerate your analytics strategy?  

Contact us now for a free data strategy briefing and discover how Microsoft Fabric can transform your business. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to revolutionize your data analytics and stay ahead of the competition. 

How Technology can help to Bolster Employee Engagement and Happiness
20th July 2023
by

How Technology can help to Bolster Employee Engagement and Happiness

In our contemporary world, the boundary between work and personal life has become increasingly blurred, impacting employee engagement and happiness. This is largely due to the fast-paced advancements in technology, which have encroached upon employees’ free time and created significant stress. According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, 64% of employees identified their jobs as a major source of personal stress, even before the Covid-19 pandemic!

Against this backdrop, the pressing question is: How can we use technology to relieve employees’ stress rather than exacerbate it? As a technology leader, iLink recognizes the crucial role that technology can play in fostering a work culture that prioritizes employee engagement & happiness. By judiciously using cutting-edge tools and solutions, we can promote productivity, enhance collaboration, and achieve a healthy work-life balance. 

In this blog post, we delve into how harnessing technology can significantly elevate employee happiness and engagement.

Understanding the Role of Technology in Employee Engagement & Happiness

Before we look into the various strategies, it’s crucial to understand why it’s important to use technology to boost employee happiness. Businesses have an ethical obligation to empower their employees to strike a balance between their professional and personal lives. Happier, healthier employees are also more productive, capable of more focused attention and problem-solving, which ultimately benefits the organization.

Flexible Work Arrangements

With the help of cloud-based technology and secure networks, organizations can offer flexible work arrangements to their employees. Tools like VPNs, cloud servers, and cybersecurity solutions support remote work, flexible hours, and telecommuting. This flexibility can dramatically decrease commute time and related stress, thus allowing employees to manage their work and personal lives more effectively. 

The Owl Labs survey indicates that employees with these flexible options reported a greater level of job satisfaction, with 71% saying they are content with their current position as opposed to 55% of on-site employees.  This highlights the power of technology in achieving a balance between professional obligations and personal life.

Communication and Collaboration Tools

Tools such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, or Trello facilitate real-time communication and collaboration. They break down geographical barriers and enable seamless team coordination, fostering a sense of camaraderie and connection. These platforms not only enhance workflow but also contribute to creating a positive work environment. According to a McKinsey poll, 77% of participants thought that team communication and decision-making were improved by the use of digital collaboration tools.  

Wellness and Fitness Apps

Wellness and fitness apps like Calm, Headspace, or MyFitnessPal promote both physical and mental well-being. They provide resources for guided meditation, personalized workout routines, stress management tools, and reminders for taking regular breaks. Alongside, IoT devices like wearables or smart task trackers can assist in workload management. These technologies empower employees to take control of their well-being, promoting a healthier work lifestyle that directly contributes to a happier workforce.

Learning and Development Opportunities with AR-VR

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies present a new horizon in corporate learning and development. AR provides real-time instructions for hands-on training, while VR simulates high-stakes situations for risk-free practice. Paired with online platforms, AR and VR foster self-paced, comprehensive learning, enhancing career growth and personal satisfaction, marking a transformative step in corporate learning strategies.

Automating Repetitive Tasks and Performance Management Systems

By harnessing the power of AI/ ML, businesses can automate mundane, repetitive tasks. This not only increases efficiency but also allows employees to concentrate on more creative, high-value tasks, enhancing their job satisfaction. Along with automation, technology-driven performance management systems offer regular, real-time feedback, align personal goals with organizational targets, and provide platforms for recognizing employees’ achievements, boosting employee morale and happiness.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

Digital EAP platforms provide a variety of support services such as confidential counseling, mental health resources, and wellness guidance. These resources, accessible from anywhere at any time, help employees to navigate personal challenges, improving their overall well-being. In an era where mental health is gaining increased recognition, these platforms play a pivotal role in promoting employee happiness.

By effectively harnessing these tech-driven solutions, organizations can create an environment that not only boosts productivity but also promotes employee happiness.

iLink Digital: Your Tech Partner for Employee Engagement & Happiness 

At iLink, we deeply value our employees’ well-being and the balance between their work and personal life. Our commitment extends beyond words; it is evident in our initiatives focused on mental wellness and regular engagement activities. With a wealth of resources and years of experience, iLink stands as a leading partner for businesses aiming for growth and innovation.

Choose iLink for a future of a balanced workplace.

17th July 2023
by

Why is Beak the Ultimate AI-Based Solution for Your IT Infrastructure Challenges

Over the past few years, the complexity of IT systems has grown rapidly. The main issues that businesses are currently facing are IT Security and Availability. BYOD regulations and the ability to work from anywhere create further challenges. More than 75% of businesses reportedly have high-risk vulnerabilities on their networks but are unaware of them.

To address these concerns, iLink developed Beak—an cloud-based platform that offers continuous identification, monitoring, and optimization of your entire IT infrastructure. By entrusting Beak with these crucial tasks, your company can focus on its core operations while benefiting from the agility to adapt to ever-changing security policies.

What is Beak?

Beak is an observability platform and AI-based management solution that can be integrated with your on-premises, cloud, or hybrid IT.  It enables businesses to find, keep an eye on, secure, and manage their own IT infrastructure. Organizations can successfully manage and monitor their IT infrastructure using Beak’s artificial intelligence capabilities.

The popularity of AI-based management solutions is increasing as businesses look to boost productivity, automate processes, and learn more about their IT infrastructure. By 2024, 50% of businesses will use an AIOps platform to support IT operations management according to Gartner analysis. 

Due to the complexity of contemporary IT infrastructures, observability platforms like Beak have experienced tremendous growth in popularity in recent years. MarketsandMarkets predicts that between 2021 and 2026, the observability market will expand at a compound yearly growth rate (CAGR) of over 20%. 

How does Beak work to enhance IT Environment Analysis and Optimization?

The platform offers tools for gathering and processing information from numerous sources, including servers, networks, storage devices, and software applications. The performance, availability, and security of the IT environment can then be studied using this data. With the aid of artificial intelligence (AI), Beak can automatically spot anomalies, anticipate prospective problems, and provide suggestions for proactive infrastructure optimization. IT departments may streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce downtime by utilizing machine learning and sophisticated analytics.

How does Beak work to enhance IT Environment Analysis and Optimization?

The beak also offers reporting capabilities, allowing IT professionals to make data-driven decisions that can help to optimize resource use and boost overall efficiency by assisting in the identification of bottlenecks, problem-solving, and problem-solving processes.

Features that make Beak an Exception!

Beak completely connects all your IT resources and offers pertinent contextual data throughout your troubleshooting process. It encompasses more than just DevOps teams, promotes resilience, and provides an improved customer experience. Beak uses all your data to prevent blind spots and gets to the answers faster with clearer visibility and access.

Features that make Beak an Exception!

AI-based BiObs

AI-based BiObs platforms gather data from diverse sources within the organization, such as applications, databases, logs, infrastructure, and external systems. They integrate and consolidate this data to provide a holistic view of the business. AI-based BiObs such as Beak platforms employ machine learning and statistical models to analyze data and extract meaningful insights. These analytics capabilities help organizations identify trends, correlations, and root causes, enabling data-driven decision-making and performance optimization.

Client Management (MSP) 

To proactively discover possible problems, performance snags, or security vulnerabilities inside a client’s IT infrastructure, Beak leverages MSPs to implement monitoring tools and methodologies. To keep the system healthy and reduce disruptions, they take preventive measures such as deploying patches, updates, and system optimizations.

Site/Group Management 

Beak holds that defining key performance indicators (KPIs) and creating a strategic plan are the first steps in effective site or group administration. This includes determining the site’s or group’s goals, objectives, and scope. It is essential to track and evaluate the site’s or group’s performance to gauge progress, pinpoint problem areas, and celebrate achievements. This calls for performing performance reviews, giving team members constructive criticism, and reviewing KPIs on a regular basis—all of which Beak assists you with.

Incident Management System Audit 

Beak supports you in clearly defining the audit’s goals, which may include evaluating the efficiency of incident response procedures, pinpointing areas for improvement, ensuring compliance with rules and regulations, or confirming that the incident management system is in line with organizational objectives.

Agentless and Agent-based Monitoring  

The organization’s unique needs, environment, and resources will determine whether to use agentless monitoring or agent-based monitoring. For its simplicity, scalability, and minimum influence on the monitored devices, agentless monitoring is frequently preferred. Agent-based monitoring is preferred because it can monitor a variety of systems and applications and offers real-time insights. Beak uses both methods to help you advance as much as possible.

AD Authentication & Authorization 

Beak ensures that only authorized users have access to the resources they require while upholding a safe and controlled environment by combining authentication and authorization in Active Directory. This makes access control throughout the network simpler and helps to enforce security regulations and protect sensitive data.

Third-party Connectors 

Beak employs Connectors from third parties to offer pre-built features or APIs that allow data interchange and communication across various software systems. They often provide a collection of connectors designed for particular platforms, applications, or services. Different integration methods, like point-to-point connections, event-driven communication, or data synchronization, are supported by these connectors.

Why choose Beak?

Because it’s time to bid adieu to confuse IT infrastructure. Beak provides a comprehensive platform that organizes your infrastructure, reduces complexity, and frees up your team to concentrate on what matters most.  

Beak Platform Highlights

Beak’s intelligent automation capabilities streamline operations and reduce manual labor, freeing up valuable time for more innovative and strategic projects. With its AI-based Observability, false alerts can be anticipated and suppressed, ensuring accurate and actionable insights. Leveraging a time-series database with extensive historical data, Beak utilizes automation to enhance its analysis, providing powerful and informed recommendations.

Unleash the Power of Seamless Infrastructure with Beak and iLink Digital!

As your business grows, so does the demand placed on your IT infrastructure. Beak provides scalable solutions that adapt to your changing needs, ensuring easy expansion and future-proofing your company. Utilise Beak with iLink to the fullest extent feasible to take advantage of iLink Digital’s twenty years of experience and knowledge in IT services and solutions.

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Thangaraj Petchiappan

Chief Technology & Innovation Officer at iLink Digital

Author

Thangaraj Petchiappan leads the company’s digital transformation initiatives for Fortune 500 clients. He focuses on enhancing infrastructure automation and integrating advanced bot solutions across various industries, including healthcare, oil & gas, manufacturing, telecom, retail, and NPO sectors. As the founder of the AI-Powered Cybersecurity iLab in Texas, he spearheads the development of innovative AI and ML solutions. Additionally, Thangaraj shares his expertise as a keynote speaker, cloud advocate, and coach, offering guidance on digital transformation and technology leadership.
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