By Chris Hagans
Dec. 1, 2011
The business intelligence (BI) industry is experiencing the next step in its evolution, and cloud computing is and will play a major role.
As more data and applications migrate to the cloud, numerous new data sources are being created. In addition, the explosion of mobile devices are creating new data sources, as well as expanding the overall need for cloud-based solutions.
Companies of all sizes have become increasingly aware that the data inherently found and created in their businesses has great value. And the need for those organizations to understand that data and turn it into actionable information will only continue to grow.
BI providers are adapting their tools to this new reality, and successful companies must now evaluate and act upon this opportunity. There are some companies that are quick to respond to this trend and are willing to take on any potential risks.
However, despite the fact that most businesses know about cloud-based tools and understand their benefits, few companies are currently using them in day-to-day operations.
In 2012, expect that trend to change as cloud-based business intelligence will gain additional traction and clout, especially among small and medium size businesses (SMBs).
To effectively compete against larger companies, SMBs have to provide a level of service that meets or exceeds its competition. These organizations often lack the employee bandwidth to quickly turn their data into actionable information.