The world of information technology is  often described as an ecosystem. And just like an ecosystem that exists in nature, IT is affected by internal and external factors. In this issue of Database Trends and Applications magazine, we introduce the third annual list of companies that matter in data, a reflection of the IT ecosystem as it exists now.

In the last 2–3 years there have been dramatic changes in IT. Data is being created and amassed at higher rates than ever before, and is increasingly viewed as a valued asset, or even a product itself. Newer information management technologies, such as Hadoop and cloud, a variety of open source offerings, as well as NoSQL and NewSQL, are gaining traction and enabling insights from data generated inside and outside company walls. However, as has been the case for many years, relational database management systems continue to be powerful forces. In addition to relational systems, MultiValue database technology, another established approach, continues to evolve with new capabilities and integrations. Research reports produced over the past year by Unisphere Research, a division of Information Today, Inc., have provided insight into many of the pressing issues affecting data management. According to a recent Unisphere survey sponsored by Dell Software, two-thirds of the respondents indicated that structured data represents at least 75% of the data under management.

At the same time, Hadoop-based offerings as well as new database products offer organizations a way to leverage a wide array of unstructured data. Nearly 10% of respondents to the survey said their companies are already using a NoSQL database technology and 12% are currently deploying it. Slightly more than 15% are using Hadoop, with a little more than 5% in the deployment process. In terms of the volume of data that organizations are dealing with, the survey revealed that close to 30% are managing more than 500TB (“The Real World of the Database Administrator”).

Data is seen more than ever before as a valuable enterprise resource. But, with the intertwined issues of high data volume, more data sources, and emerging data management technologies, there are questions about who will take charge of data management in the enterprise. The findings of another Unisphere Research survey, sponsored by Ntirety, a division of HOSTING, were included in a report, “The Vanishing Database Administrator: A Survey of Data Professionals’ Career Aspirations.” The survey found that more than two-fifths of data professionals expect to leave the field within the next decade, either due to retirement or to move into business roles.

Organizations face a looming shortage in database expertise, while the need for data analytics is becoming more acute.Tools such as cloud can allow organizations to rely on qualified third parties, while database automation can take on the burden of mundane processes so that data professionals can devote more time to issues of greater importance. The survey also found that database virtualization is expanding within organizations. Close to half of the respondents indicated they are now charged with database virtualization responsibilities in their organizations and in conjunction with this emphasis, about one-third also said they are responsible for application or system virtualization as well. About one-fourth of respondents are leading big data analytics initiatives, as well.

The world of information technology is  often described as an ecosystem. And just like an ecosystem that exists in nature, IT is affected by internal and external factors. In this issue of Database Trends and Applications magazine, we introduce the third annual list of companies that matter in data, a reflection of the IT ecosystem as it exists now.

In the last 2–3 years there have been dramatic changes in IT. Data is being created and amassed at higher rates than ever before, and is increasingly viewed as a valued asset, or even a product itself. Newer information management technologies, such as Hadoop and cloud, a variety of open source offerings, as well as NoSQL and NewSQL, are gaining traction and enabling insights from data generated inside and outside company walls. However, as has been the case for many years, relational database management systems continue to be powerful forces. In addition to relational systems, MultiValue database technology, another established approach, continues to evolve with new capabilities and integrations. Research reports produced over the past year by Unisphere Research, a division of Information Today, Inc., have provided insight into many of the pressing issues affecting data management. According to a recent Unisphere survey sponsored by Dell Software, two-thirds of the respondents indicated that structured data represents at least 75% of the data under management.

At the same time, Hadoop-based offerings as well as new database products offer organizations a way to leverage a wide array of unstructured data. Nearly 10% of respondents to the survey said their companies are already using a NoSQL database technology and 12% are currently deploying it. Slightly more than 15% are using Hadoop, with a little more than 5% in the deployment process. In terms of the volume of data that organizations are dealing with, the survey revealed that close to 30% are managing more than 500TB (“The Real World of the Database Administrator”).

Data is seen more than ever before as a valuable enterprise resource. But, with the intertwined issues of high data volume, more data sources, and emerging data management technologies, there are questions about who will take charge of data management in the enterprise. The findings of another Unisphere Research survey, sponsored by Ntirety, a division of HOSTING, were included in a report, “The Vanishing Database Administrator: A Survey of Data Professionals’ Career Aspirations.” The survey found that more than two-fifths of data professionals expect to leave the field within the next decade, either due to retirement or to move into business roles.

Organizations face a looming shortage in database expertise, while the need for data analytics is becoming more acute.Tools such as cloud can allow organizations to rely on qualified third parties, while database automation can take on the burden of mundane processes so that data professionals can devote more time to issues of greater importance. The survey also found that database virtualization is expanding within organizations. Close to half of the respondents indicated they are now charged with database virtualization responsibilities in their organizations and in conjunction with this emphasis, about one-third also said they are responsible for application or system virtualization as well. About one-fourth of respondents are leading big data analytics initiatives, as well.

Adding to the pressure on data professionals is the brighter spotlight on data security. An Oracle-sponsored Unisphere study found that 70% of the respondents indicated that the database group is responsible for the data security in their organizations. New technologies are available to alleviate the manual burden associated with database monitoring. However, the survey found that only 30% of enterprises employ tools and processes to automate scanning for anomalies (“DBA—Security Superhero, 2014 IOUG Enterprise Data Security Survey”).

To provide information about forward-thinking providers of hardware, software, and services in the changing IT ecosystem, DBTA presents the “DBTA 100” list of companies that matter in data. Listed here and on the following pages, are companies ranging from established vendors to organizations that have arrived more recently on the data scene.

We encourage you to learn more about why these companies were chosen by visiting their websites. In addition, in the “View From the Top” articles, executives offer their perspectives on why their companies uniquely address today’s data-driven requirements. You can also dive more deeply into Unisphere Research reports at www.unisphereresearch.com.

For Mike Ruane's View from the Top click HERE.