Do you feel like you’re drowning in data? You’re not alone. Recent surveys reveal that the average company deals with data from 400 different sources. And over 20 percent of companies tap into 1,000 or more sources to feed their analytics systems (Harvard Business Review). Accessing, combining, and efficiently storing this data is a major challenge. But there’s good news: meet the Virtual Database (VDB), a true revolution in data management.
Just like Spotify revolutionized music industry by aggregating songs from various sources into a single streaming platform, VDBs provide a unified, flexible and efficient interface to query and manage data from disparate systems without physical data movement.
OK, but what is a Virtual Database?
As explained by Gartner, VDB acts as a unified access layer, allowing businesses to query data across multiple systems as if it were in a single database. VDB accesses needed data from these systems, shown below as data sources.
How does a VDB work?
- Data Virtualization: At its core, a VDB employs data virtualization technology. This means data remains in its original location while the VDB creates a virtual layer to access and integrate data from different sources seamlessly.
- Unified Query Interface: VDBs provide a singular query interface, allowing users to retrieve data without needing to understand the underlying complexities of each data source.
- Real-Time Data Access: By querying data in real-time, VDBs eliminate the need for extensive and expensive data migrations, ensuring that businesses always work with the most current data available.
Source: The University of Edinburgh, https://www.ed.ac.uk/usher/ihdp/our-work/modernising-the-scottish-cancer-registry/data-virtualisation
What is there for my business?
- Unified Data Access: Just like on streaming platforms users can smoothly access millions of songs, businesses using VDBs can immediately access and analyze data from various sources without worrying about the underlying complexities.
- Cost Efficiency: By providing virtual access to data, VDBs reduce the need for redundant data storage and complex ETL processes. It significantly cuts down storage and operational costs.
- Enhanced Data Governance: VDBs ensure data consistency and compliance by centralizing access controls and auditing. Overall, making it easier to maintain data integrity and comply with regulatory requirements.
Let’s see some real-world business examples
American Airlines
American Airlines faced a huge challenge: improving customer experience and operational efficiency for over 5.800 flights a day in 60 countries. Their data was scattered across various systems, making timely and accurate insights nearly impossible. By implementing a Virtual Database, they seamlessly integrated flight data, customer preferences, and operational metrics. This integration reduced time for app deployments from 6 months to 6 minutes (!) and significantly enhanced the overall customer experience. The airline could now access and analyze data in real-time, leading to smoother operations and better decision-making. For more details, check out the full case study here.
Now Optics
Now Optics, a leading eyeglass retailer, accumulated vast amounts of customer data from various channels. They needed a way to use this data to optimize business operations and enhance customer satisfaction. By using a Virtual Database that integrated feedback from all channels, Now Optics automated the feedback process, improving business efficiency by 25% and significantly reducing costs. With streamlined data access, they could quickly identify and address customer concerns, boosting overall satisfaction and performance.
Constance Hotels, Resorts & Golf
Constance Hotels, Resorts & Golf needed to unify data from multiple properties to improve guest experiences and operational efficiency. They deployed a cloud data warehouse and analytics architecture, creating a virtual database layer for unified data access. This allowed real-time insights into guest preferences and operational metrics across all properties. The result was a 20% improvement in guest services and streamlined operations, positioning Constance Hotels as a leader in luxury hospitality.
Conclusion
The Virtual Database is a game-changer in data management. It unifies data access, significantly reduces costs and ensures data consistency. Despite heavy investments, many companies still struggle to extract further value from their data. Above case studies are just a few examples on how VDB can boost your business.
Imagine transforming your scattered data into a cohesive, actionable resource to streamline your operations and make better decisions. Are you ready to revolutionize your data strategy?
