Going real-time to beat the building slump
Connecting real-time information from its core systems of record into cloud-based systems of engagement has helped building materials distributor CH Briggs buck a construction downturn.
Phil Wainewright
Articles by Phil Wainewright
Enterprise apps reborn in the cloud
It's time to leave behind the old enterprise application categories of the client-server age and map a new landscape that reflects the enormous innovation and business creativity emerging in the cloud.
Email - the stepchild digital forgot
Even the Facebook generation reads email, yet you'll be hard-pressed to hear it discussed at marketing technology events. The industry seems almost embarrassed to mention email - perhaps it's because the technology to integrate email with mobile and social is lagging behind what enterprises need.
SaaS adoption locks onto hockey stick
Incumbent enterprise application vendors look out: research conversations with IT buyers suggests the pace of SaaS adoption is set to accelerate dramatically over the next few years, rising beyond 50 percent of total spending.
Serving up fresh analytics every day
Enterprise analytics is a fast-growing market, as users demand up-to-the-minute data presented visually in context. But in their rush to consume fresh daily data, they may overlook the need for proper preparation of the data before serving.
Cloud SIs do it differently
Global SIs have established relationships with enterprises that make them preferred partners for most projects. But cloud implementations may require a different approach that specialist cloud SIs are better equipped to deliver.
Qualcomm mulls shift to cloud ERP
At wireless technology giant Qualcomm, insiders are said to refer to NetSuite's cloud ERP system as 'the rapid platform', in contrast to the 'legacy platform' from Oracle that runs its core systems. Already deployed in peripheral business units, a larger role for NetSuite may now be on the cards.
Netflix, HANA and the meaning of cloud
Will the worlds of classic enterprise computing and truly cloud-native architectures ever converge? At one end of the spectrum, SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud jibes with the mainstream view of an enterprise cloud strategy. At the opposite extreme is the approach evangelized by cloud-native pioneer Netflix.
Enterprise mobile apps go hybrid
The first wave of enterprise mobile apps have been a disappointment. Either they don't exploit the mobile environment or they're not connected to enterprise data. To get the best of both worlds, a hybrid approach may be the best template.
Clicks and bricks: the future of retail
Instead of wiping out bricks-and-mortar retail, the internet is bringing a new type of shopping experience to town centers and malls. While retailers who don't adapt are failing, a new breed is finding success.
AppExchange matures as vendors grow up
Ten years old next year, Salesforce.com's AppExchange ecosystem is maturing, with a growing roster of partners having built substantial software businesses running native on the Salesforce platform, including one that's reported to be prepping an IPO later this year.
Infor parades its digital revival plan
Infor is an unexpected rider hitching a lift on the bandwagon of next-generation enterprise software. It aims to outsmart larger rivals Oracle and SAP in enabling its customers to take advantage of all today's buzzwords - mobile, social, big data analytics and cloud connectivity. But is its customer base ready to take advantage of all the goodies unveiled at its annual conference this week?
Skills gap saps SaaS success rate
Cloud application vendors argue that their apps are so easy-to-use and rapid to deploy that there's very little call on professional services to implement them. But that attitude may be leading enterprises to under-invest in the skills and effort needed to realize the business results they hope to achieve.
