Tag Archives: HP

As a Data Deluge Grows, Companies Rethink Storage

At Pure Storage, a device introduced on Monday holds five times as much data as a conventional unit.

  • IBM estimates that by 2020 we will have 44 zettabytes — the thousandfold number next up from exabytes — generated by all those devices. It is so much information that Big Blue is staking its future on so-called machine learning and artificial intelligence, two kinds of pattern-finding software built to cope with all that information.
  • Pure Storage chief executive, Scott Dietzen, “No one can look at all their data anymore; they need algorithms just to decide what to look at,”

Source: As a Data Deluge Grows, Companies Rethink Storage – The New York Times

Additional Editorial:

Pure Storage is looking to “compress” the amount of data that can be stored in a Storage Array using Flash Memory, “Flashblade”.   They are also tuning the capabilities of the solution for higher I/O throughput, and optimized, addressable storage.

Several companies with large and growing storage footprints have already begin to customize their storage solutions to accommodate the void in this space.

Building more storage arrays is a temporary measure while the masses of people, or fleets of cars turn on their IoT enabled devices.

Data is flooding the Internet, and innumerable, duplicate ‘objects’  of information, requiring redundant storage, are prevalent conditions. A registry, or public ‘records’ may be maintained.   Based on security measures, and the public’s appetite determine what “information objects” may be centrally located.  As intermediaries, registrars may build open source repositories, as an example, using Google Drive, or Microsoft Azure based on the data types of ‘Information Objects”

  • Information object registrars may contain all different types of objects, which indicate where data resides on the Internet.
    • vaguely similar to Domain name registrar hierarchy
    • another example, Domain Name System (DNS) is the best example of the registration process I am suggesting to clone and leverage for all types of data ranging from entertainment to medical records.
  • Medical “Records”, or Medical “Information Objects”
    • X-ray images, everything from dental to medical, and correlating to other medical information object(s),
  • Official ‘Education’ records from K-12 and beyond, e.g. degrees and certifications achieved;
  • Secure, easy access to ‘public’ ‘information objects’ by the owner, and creator.  Central portal(s) driving user traffic.  Enables ‘owner’ of records to take ‘ownership’ of their health, for example

Note: there are already ‘open’ platforms being developed and used for several industries including medical; with limed access.  However, the changes I’m proposing imposes a ‘registrar’ process whereby portals of information are registered, and are interwoven, linking to one another.

It’s an issue of excess weight upon the “Internet”, and not just the ‘weight’ of unnecessary storage, the throughput within a weaved set of networks as well.

Think of it in terms of opportunity cost.  First quantify what an ‘information object’, or ‘block of data’ equates to in cost.  It seems there must already be a measurement in existence, a medium amount to charge / cost per “information object”.  Finally, for each information object type, e.g. song, movie, news story, technical specifications, etc. identify how many times this exact object is perpetuated in the Internet.

Steps on reducing  data waste:

  • Without exception, each ‘information object’ contains an (XML) meta data file.
  • Each of the attributes describing information objects are built out as these assets are being used; e.g. proactive autopopulate search, and using an AI Induction engine
  • X out of Y metadata type and values are equivalent
    • the more attributes correlate to one or more objects, the more likely these objects are
      • related on some level, e.g. sibling, cousin
      • or identical objects, and may need meta relationship update
    • the metadata encapsulates the ‘information object’

Another opportunity to organize “Information Asset Objects” would be to leverage the existing DNS platform for managing “Information Asset Repositories”.   This additional Internet DNS structure would enable queries across information asset repositories.   Please see “So Much Streaming Music, Just Not in One Place”  for more details.

How Microsoft Gets Back into Mainstream Popularity

The HoloLens may propel Microsoft back to the ‘Cool’ kid on the block.    The HoloLens has the potential to “fly off the shelves” in tandem to Windows 10.

Ever since I saw the movie Blue Thunder, I wanted my own Heads-up display (HUD).   Here are a few suggestions for implementation:

Must Have’s

  • ‘Priced to sell’:   Even if the cost of the hardware is reduced to a thin the margin, that may or may not be enough.   From day one, these “Windows into Windows” must be viewed as essential to the ‘enhanced’ OS package, like ‘Windows 10 Home Media’.
  • Microsoft, Enable Channel Sales (DELL, HP) to offer Microsoft Windows 10 and HoloLens ‘Media’ package deals, together both the OS and the HoloLens are offered at a reduced price.
  • The HoloLens and Windows 10 User Interface (UI) significantly enhances how the consumer interacts with Operating Systems.
  • [Channel] Sales may offer bundled HoloLens / Windows 10 applications, e.g. Minecraft;
  • Analyze / prioritize top 10 (N)  opportunities for application development, and produce internally, and/or with partners.
    • Partners may range from software vendors to accredited training programs, e.g. flight school XYZ
  • Intuitive  and feature rich developer APIs:
    • Provide the HoloLens developer a software ‘Simulator’
    • Products with source code examples
    • Quick path from development to market: Lean application vetting process; including the vetting of app developers.
  • Education levels 6 to 12 and beyond can benefit, segmented by: the sciences (e.g. Chemistry, Microbiology, Physics);  Trade Schools such as Automotive and HVAC;
    • Colleges and Universities may be early adopters, and expand their Massive open online courses to including remote participation, e.g. medicine
  • Applying for an ‘operator license’?  HoloLens, accompanied with a licensed operator,  allows users to wear the HoloLens, and follow a step by step, interactive tutorial within the vehicle, e.g. Car, Boat, Helicopter, Truck, Airplane, etc.

Click here:  comprehensive list of Augmented Reality (AR) apps.

Interesting articles on Microsoft’s Hololens:

Microsoft dives deeper into HoloLens details: ‘Holographic processor’ role revealed

Microsoft leaps into 3D computing with Windows Holographic and HoloLens

Hands-on with Microsoft’s HoloLens: The 3D augmented reality future is now

 

Microsoft HoloLens

 

Human Evolution: Technology Continues to Transform Socieities for Generations

In the last 20 years, I’ve observed technology trends, and Tech achievements have risen and fallen from the mainstream.  Tech has augmented our lives, and enhanced our human capabilities.  Our evolution will continue to be molded by technology and shape humanity for years to come.

Digital Asset Management (DAM)

Everything you might find on your computer from emails to video are digital assets.  Content from providers, team collaboration,  push and/or pull asset distribution, and archiving content are the workflows of DAM.

DAM solutions are rapidly going main stream as small to medium sized content providers look to take control of their content from ingestion to distribution.  Shared digital assets will continue to grow rapidly.  Pressure by stockholders to maximize use of digital assets to grow revenue will fuel initiatives to  globally share and maintain digital asset taxonomies.  For example, object recognition applied to image, sound and video assets will dynamically add tags to assets in an effort to index ever growing content.  If standard taxonomies are not globally adopted, and continually applied to assets, digital content stored will become, in essence, unusable.

The Internet of Things (IoT)

All devices across all business verticals will become ‘Smart’ devices with bidirectional data flow.  Outbound ‘Smart’ device data flow is funneled into repositories for analysis to produce dashboards, reporting, and rules suggestions.

Inbound ‘Smart’ device data can trigger actions on the device. Several devices may work in concert defined by ‘grouping’ e.g. Home: Environmental. Remote programming updates may be triggered by the analysis of data.

  • AI Rules Engine runs on ‘backend’.  Rules defined by Induction,  through data analysis, and human set parameters,  executed in sequence
  • Device optimization updates, presets on devices may be tuned based on ‘transaction’ history, feedback from user, and other ‘Smart’ devices.
  • Grouped ‘Smart’ devices, e.g. health monitors’ data uploaded, analyzed, and correlating across group.  Updated rules, and notifications triggered.
  • Manual user commands, ad hoc or scheduled

… as a Service

Cloud ‘Services’ enables scalability on demand, relatively lower cost [CapEx] overhead, offsite redundancy, etc.  Provides software solutions companies to rapidly deploy to Dev., Test, and Prod. environments.  Gaming, storage, and virtual machines are just a few of the ‘…as a service’ offerings.  IoT analysis may reveal a new need for another service.

Human Interface

  • Augmented Reality A.R.

Integrates user to surrounding environment with overlay images to your eyes to REpresent anything, e.g. Identifies surrounding people with Twitter handle/user name above their heads.  Interacts with smartphone for Inbound and outbound data flow.  May allow App and OS programmers to enable users to interact with their ‘traditional’ software in new ways, e,g. Microsoft Windows 8+, current interaction with ’tiles’, may shift from a two to three dimensional manipulation and view of the tiles.  Tiles (apps) pop up when, through object recognition, predefined characteristics match, e.g.  Looking at a bank check sent to you from the mail?  Your Bank of America tile / app may ask if you want to deposit the check right now?

  • Virtual Reality, V.R.

As more drones, for example, collect video footage, may be used for people to experience the landscapes, beaches, cities, mountains, and other features of a potential destination, which may lead to tourism.  In fact, travel agencies may purchase the V.R. Headsets, and subscribe to a library of V.R. content.  Repository platform would need to be created.  Specs for the ‘How To’ on collecting V.R. Video footage should be accessible.  Hathaway real estate offers a V.R. tour of the house, from their office.

Autonomous  Vehicles (Average Consumer or hobbyist)

  • Cars 
  • Drones
  • Satellites 

Social Media Evolution

Driving forces to integrate with society puts pressure on individuals to integrate with the collective social conscious.  As digital assets are published, people will lunge at the opportunity to self tag every digital asset both self and community shared assets.  Tagging on social media platforms is already going ahead.   Taxonomies are built, maintained and shared across social media platforms.  Systematically tagged [inanimate] objects occur using object recognition. Shared, and maintained global taxonomies not only store data on people and their associated meta data, (e,g,  shoe size, education level completed, HS photo,etc.) but also store meta data about groups of people, relationships and their tagged object data.

The taxonomies are analyzed and correlated, providing better, more concise demographic profiles.  These profiles can be used for 

  • Clinical trials data collection
  • Fast identification of potential outbreaks, used by the CDC
  • The creation and management of AI produced Hedge Funds
  • Solicitation of goods and services

Out of Compliance

These three dreaded words you are guaranteed to see more and more often.  As all aspects of our lives become meta data on a taxonomy tree, the analysis of information will make correlations which drive consumers and members of society ‘out of compliance’.  For example, pointers to your shared videos of you skydiving will get added to your personal taxonomy tree.  Your taxonomy tree will be available and mandatory to get life insurance from a tier 1 company.  Upon daily inspection of your tree by an insurance AI engine, a hazardous event was flagged. Notifications from your life insurance company reminding you ‘dangerous’ activities are not covered on your policy.  Two infractions may drive up your premiums.

Barter Functionality on Point of Sale Devices

Highly configurable Point of Sale (POS) device, when the words “Is it OK to charge you XXX.XX USD, Yes or No, you may select NO, and then a barter process may start. For example, if the total purchase price is above a certain threshold, e.g. 100 USD, their store loyalty card has N number of previous transactions from you, and the items in the cart are specified that there is additional margin to ‘remove’, the POS may display an alternate amount to charge the customer, a bartered price, cutting into the store margin for each item. However, based on the frequency of the shopper, the total price of the cart, and the amount of margin that is available to be removed, or shaved off, an alternate price may be displayed to the shopper.

 

Business Intelligence, Analogies, and Articulation of Data on Mediums

As I was reading the article from the New York Times, As Boom Lures App Creators, Tough Part Is Making a Living, the typical doom and gloom story about the get rich quick with creation of applications on Tablets is true of any start-up company, may it be a restaurant, clothing shop, or other.  You have idea, Sally has an idea, and so does Fred, and the likely hood everyone will be elated about every bar, restaurant, clothing store or application is ridiculous.   Simple economics, and opportunity cost, you cannot go to every restaurant in parallel every night.  One USD trades off an opportunity to spend it somewhere else.  One area I would suspect has massive opportunities in the coming weeks, months, and years is Business Intelligence, Analogies, and Articulation of Data on a Tablet medium.  Yes, it is true, there are established players in the marketplace, but being established also makes you less nimble for change.  Being able to look at a clients Data Warehouse, and create mediums for analogies expressing where there customers have been spending their money, why, and help predict trends in a KISS fashion to any level of a business organization is key.  That is why the innate talents of user interface, user interface engineering, or way back it was called industrial design.  In short, part of the appetite for corporate spending will always come from how do I make more money with the product I just bought, Return on Investment (ROI).  Business Intelligence is one area I have been studying for years, and as all people know, we all find it difficult to express, or analogize thoughts, and specifically, dive into ‘data’ and turn it into information a CEO, or business analyst can understand and turn that ‘information’ into a new marketing campaign, hence, business intelligence.  Until we can all read minds, and transfer like for like information, BI, and improving upon this space will be an area to derive income.

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Google to venture into Cloud, provide Open Source APIs, assist small businesses to be Cloud Solutions integrators

I am quite familiar with the Oracle and HP approaches of ‘owning the cloud stack’ and the Amazon Web Services approach which caters to all classes, cloud modules are interchangeable, and the arguments for both sides of the coin, one stop shop as a service, top tier clients verse the open APIs, partnering and interchangeability or plug in play cloud partner models.  I challenge you to look beyond that and see a vast network of fiber, high speed computing available across the globe, from small and large companies over cloud solutions from infrastructure to data warehousing.

The question we should all be asking of small to mid size companies, who will be the solutions provider who pulls this all together?  The solutions integrator, just like we saw in the 80s and early 90s when Banyan Vines, and Novell were sprouting, and we witnessed Microsoft out of the blue take hold of the Networking space.  Are the Amazon Web Services the beginnings of an Open Sourced API Model?  Will VMWare or Red Hat sprout up Cloud Farms?  Will whomever owns the fiber lines, as in the Google Experiments in Kansas, will venture into the Cloud Business Model, provide Open Sourced APIs to small to mid sized businesses to be the small to mid sized solutions integrator of tomorrow?

Dear Ms. Whitman, Incubate and Innovate @ HP

Respectively, I disagree with many of the articles being produced today.  I believe that HP is primed for an insertion into this arena of innovation and drive, and you are the person to drive it forward.  As a Republican, you can understand the value of private investment.  I saw an article yesterday of the twenty-five top influential people who drive technical innovation and influential people on Twitter. I realize you have your hands full at the moment, but only one woman from Cisco was a woman who made the list, that is shameful, speaking as a father of two strong and intelligent daughters, who I point to you, among other woman, leaders of industry as role models to strive for anything they want to accomplish.  A UBS analyst wrote yesterday to spin off the financing group and depending on how leveraged the money is already invested, it would be great to see HP drive in new innovation with financial investment.  DARPA and the NRL sponsored a contest & conference years back, Scientists Helping America, where they selected several subject areas and all types from entrepreneurs to engineers submitted abstracts on ideas, then they invited 200 of the 1000s submitted to go to Washington for essentially an adhoc think tank, a few days of moderation with a few dinners in between.  This was right after 9/11.  I was one of those participants, who networked, and some of us went on to receive funding thorough SBIR, it was about driving talented resources into the government who had not yet participated, new blood and new ideas, and collaboration.  I am sure you have a strategic and tactical direction for HP.  Right now analysts seem to speculate that it appears HP is sitting on the sidelines for now, or taking apart some bits of the organization is the right choice.  I am sure pressure may be applied to make tough choices, but many look at HP as the cornerstone of innovation.  Maybe its time to take a page from the above idea, the public sector.  I believe they said, only Nixon would have been able to go to China.  Incubate and Innovate at HP and please do not roll back 70 years of progress.

Best Regards,

Ian Roseman
Shareholder and owner of HP products

Battle for Developing Nations: Firefox v. WebOS

A Firefox smartphone for a developing world may be one small step to cost effective smartphones, however, the ultimate prize will be to get WebOS open source out of beta and in the hands of cost effective, even small country, government subsidized, hardware vendors to mass produce the devices.  The question remains, will Firefox be expandable enough, yet energy efficient, and will WebOS be energy efficient.  I hope HP designs a ‘lightweight/energy’ option into the phone. See article on “Firefox Targets Developing States with Open Source Affordable Smartphones”