Real-time business intelligence has become one of the top priorities of big enterprises. SQL Server 2008 R2 includes several technologies such as PowerPivot and StreamInsight that facilitate the implementation of real-time BI solutions.
What is Real-Time Business Intelligence?
Real-Time BI systems use Event Stream Processing techniques to enable greater analysis without the need of the data to be loaded into a database like regular BI systems.
Real-Time Business Intelligence Capabilities are:
- Event Driven
- Handle Continuous Queries
- Low Latency
- Handle High Data Volumes
Where is Real-Time Business Intelligence Used?
Real-Time BI can be used within many different industries, these include:
- Manufacturing
- Web Analytics
- Financial Services
- Utility Companies (Electric, Gas, Water)
- Call Centres
- Retail
Introducing Microsoft StreamInsight!
Microsoft StreamInsight is a platform that allows you to develop and deploy complex event processing applications. StreamInsight uses the .Net platform, which enables you to create highly efficient event processing applications. When you have collected the data you can analyse the data by monitoring, data mining and managing it for different opportunities and relationships within a real time system. Once you have the CEP application you can use the .Net framework to create applications, such as a real time Silverlight application displaying the share prices of businesses.
StreamInsight Top Features
- Process large volumes of events across multiple data streams
- Better manage your business through continuous reporting and data mining
- Reduced development costs as you utilise the investment within SQL Server and the Microsoft development platform as well as existing skill set within the business
- Tailor solutions to the business needs with flexible deployment options
- Reduce cost and complexity of management with a platform that is easy to manage and support
- Extend the benefit of near real time event processing to the SQL Server data platform which will allow for further analysis
Summary
- Event processing is the foundation of real time business intelligence
- Microsoft StreamInsight enables complex event processing capabilities on the Microsoft platform
- Take into account real time business intelligence patterns such as time windows aggregations, replays, event subscriptions
- Technologies like Microsoft PowerPivot can complement the capabilities of StreamInsight with self-service BI mechanisms
Resources
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/ee476990.aspx
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/streaminsight/
http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2008/en/us/r2-complex-event.aspx