Unified data is the bringing together of a company’s disparate data sources into one truly centralised view.
It provides a single view of truth of an enterprise’s data. Most often referring to a combination of cloud-based and on-premise system data sources that can be virtualized via a unified data layer.
Prior to an enterprise making the decision to unify its data, simply by trading it creates and collects data. Data in this form is referred to as federated data. Federated data is the source data, generated by varying numbers of system processes and integrations within a business’s end to end operations. Often this data is siloed in data lakes or warehouses, accessible to some departments but not others. And requiring an investment of time and software to access or utilise.
Most businesses in 2022 know that their data holds value. The challenge is how to access the intrinsic worth of this potential business asset. To this end many organisations currently employ varying analytical processes to this siloed data, hoping to gain business intelligence. But without a single unified view of the entirety of a business’s operational data, access to actionable intelligence is severely restricted.
Amalgamating an unlimited number of federated data sources is done by employing an adaptive data layer or data fabric, such as the Enterprise Data Hub. This layer ties all available data sources together, encapsulating them as a unified entity.
This flexible data fabric or layer can be referred to as a Unified Data Platform. Also known as a Unified Data and Analytics Platform (UDAP).
Use of the term ‘platform’ does not truly demonstrate the flexibility offered within the realm of Unified Data in the same way ‘fabric’ or ‘layer’ does. However, it does demonstrate the solid foundation it provides. Allowing a business to evolve and scale with constant access to actionable insight, data intelligence and adaptable operational systems integration.
The amount of data a modern business deals with daily is ever increasing. New platforms added to legacy systems and pre-existing architecture result in companies trying to process and move data between systems not designed to communicate seamlessly with each other. This does not result in an efficient business model.
For any business to benefit from the vast amounts of data at their disposal, each operation, platform, and system needs to exist within one overarching entity, on solid foundations & prepared for future growth. Data unification provides these foundations.
Employing a data unification platform such as the Enterprise Data Hub, a business has flexibility to scale in any direction. Systems can be added or removed without affecting the stability of any other area of the business’s operational or analytical structure. The organisation can be perceived as one flexible entity with interchangeable elements, rather than a precariously balanced tower of changes and additions, assembled over time.
Our data unification platform is the Enterprise Data Hub. We work in partnership with our customers, as a team of passionate data people to facilitate their journey to a modern, flexible, and efficient data architecture.
With the Enterprise Data Hub in place actionable insight and flexibility of business processes are always on hand. Platforms and systems can be added, removed, and upgraded quickly and in a cost-effective manner. On-premise and cloud resources are combined into one view of the business in its entirety. Your organisation is ready for the future.
Would you like to chat to a member of our team for some guidance on how to start your journey to data unification? Or simply like the sound of a single view of truth across your company, from which to gain actionable insights and the ability to scale and pivot without fear of legacy systems holding you back? Please get in touch!
(Or unified data access layer – an interchangeable term) is the flexible integration fabric which encapsulates all systems and process within a business’s operation. Such as the Enterprise Data Hub.
It is ever changing and adaptable to the business’s needs and allows all departments to function as a complete entity, rather than fragmented factions in terms of data function and access.
UDM is an operational model consolidating disparate data sources, creating a single narrative. A single view of truth.
Is the framework of a company’s IT infrastructure. Guiding how data is acquired, transported, stored, queried, & secured.
It explains the ‘how’ of data strategy implementation.
Is the framework surrounding a company’s IT operation. Directing a unified approach to data sources and stores.
It explains the ‘how’ of a unified data strategy implementation. A clarification of the infrastructure, namely the unified data layer or platform (for example the Enterprise Data Hub) put in place to make unification possible.
