Businesses that use data to their maximum potential will always have an edge over others. And to do that they need to embrace digitally transformative technologies such as data integration.
Data integration underpins digital transformation. It plays a vital role in helping companies create data connections across supply chains and integrate new customers – at the speed of business. In other words, this technology enables users to connect faster and streamline transactions with their customers, improving the ease of doing business and ultimately revenue. However, to reap maximum dividends, one must be aware of trends that promise to take the data integration to the next level.
Here are the top four data integration trends that CIOs and D&A leaders should focus on as they attempt to transform and deliver value faster. Let’s look at each of them in detail!
Trend 1: Smart Integration with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
By the end of 2024, 75% of enterprises will shift from piloting to operationalizing artificial intelligence (AI), driving a 5X increase in streaming data and analytics infrastructures.
Technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies are enabling business users to integrate and analyze large streams of data – securely and easily. They provide such accurate insights and predictions about customer data that it becomes easier for organizations to deliver on their expectations and needs. Users can leverage machine learning algorithms to quickly map data that streamlines integration and other processes. Meanwhile, IT users can focus on more important tasks and take up a governance role instead.
AI and ML enable transparency that is essential to protect against poor decisions. It drives better human-machine collaboration and increases trust for greater adoption and alignment of decisions throughout the organization.
Trend 2: Rise of Hybrid Integration
Since the evolution of information technology, data has always been a fundamental asset for startups and big-league organizations. However, the proliferation of big data has resulted in decentralized data management. Those who still rely on legacy solutions are not able to handle the impact – and they consequently fail to provide the required adaptiveness to connect multiple endpoints hosted in cloud solutions. Here, the true value of a hybrid integration platform (HIP) lies.
A hybrid integration platform enables business users to integrate data from on-premise systems with cloud-based ones. It can handle the level of complexity that resides in the current disruptive environment. Gartner predicts that by 2022, almost 65 percent of organizations will incorporate HIPs in their business infrastructures to drive digital transformation.
Here are some of its benefits:
- Supports various integration personas from integration specialists to citizen integrations, integration domains, endpoints, and deployment models.
- Provides businesses with the adaptability to cope with the change happening in any industry or marketplace.
- Reduces the usage of hardware and eliminates redundant and outdated systems, thus minimizing costs and risks.
Trend 3: Self-Service is the Key
Self-service-enabled integration technologies bring non-technical users to the forefront of business. Meaning, users with minimal technical knowledge can easily create data connections and thus streamline transactions across partner ecosystems. This frees IT teams from executing complex, resource-driven tasks such as data mapping and focusing on more high-value tasks instead.
Features such as pre-built application connectors, shared templates, monitoring dashboards, etc. enable non-technical users to integrate customer data without seeking IT support. Ergo, these technologies fuel business user and IT user productivity.
Trend 4: Blockchain in Data and Analytics
Blockchain technologies address two main challenges:
- It allows users to access the full lineage of assets and transactions.
- It fosters transparency across complex networks of participants.
Gartner estimates that most permissioned blockchain uses will be replaced by ledger DBMS products by 2021. In addition to the data management infrastructure, data analytics should position blockchain technologies by underscoring the capabilities mismatch between data management infrastructure and blockchain technologies.
Final Word
Data integration solutions deliver key insights and effective and actionable business intelligence that is fundamental to decision-making. Not only can that enable users to provide the promised value to their customers but also drive their digital transformation goals and initiatives.
We recommend incorporating the above-mentioned four data integration trends in your business ecosystem to easily embark on a digital transformation journey and drive outcomes.