Problem identification and description
The Hewlett Packard Company faces the problem of over expenditure and therefore it is trying to cut down on the yearly expenses especially in the information and Communication Technology department. The focus mainly is the experts IT expenditures, Information Systems Applications and the over exaggerated information computer hubs. The amount of server’s infrastructure also contributes hugely to the expenses and thus the need for reducing them. The issue of over expenditure focuses on the management of the databases.
Contributory factors to the problem
There are numerous predicaments regarding collecting, analyzing and presenting data or information across various parts of the business. The crisis mainly come about as a result of differences in processing of data for instance tracking and processing of sales and marketing data occurs on different servers totally independent of the server whose tasks involve tracking sales information across geographical boundaries.
For instance, the most essential process is that of analyzing and processing common monetary information such as gross margins to assess the company’s profit status, whose solution entails different business operational units.
The company also experienced dragged sales due to data inconsistency. It takes a lot of time to compile information from various business sites thus affecting decision making procedures or forcing managers to make judgments based on stale information. With such inconsistency, it is difficult to make predicaments regarding the size of sales and services teams and analyzing their spending.
Possible solutions and experiences implemented by HP
The companies’ turning point focuses upon the building of a mega data warehouse to server the whole enterprise. The aim is to get rid of unnecessary database technologies, which are in use and integrate some of the technologies to single units. Many companies have faced the complexity involved in the implementation of data warehouses and majority failed to achieve the goal. The mega warehouse ought to offer real time access to data or information regardless of geographical, structural or departmental boundaries.
With a data mart covering the entire enterprise, consistency of data would be achievable. Data is processed and monitored in real time meaning that it would never get stale or incomplete. Such a data warehouse enables access to financial records necessary for important economic decisions.
HP emphasizes on flexibility and time factors. The hardware implemented can server other correlated needs thus the ability to incorporate 100 percent analysis of the company’s data.
One of the HP’s strategies is to configure a system that cuts down on the implementation workload and reduce the complexity, which is achievable with the help of experts.
“Neoview” System
The success of the HP data warehouse catalyzes its need among other companies and as a result, it forced the HP Company to come up with “Neoview”, which is a product for enhancing multi-tasking procedures involved in processing of data. Ability to perform real time analysis and management of data concurrently is a big stepping-stone for most enterprises.
The versatility of the Intel processors used in the Neoview systems promises almost a hundred percent availability of time. According to the users of the “Neoview” System such as “Bon-Ton” and “Wal-Mart”, it provides a data warehouse that exceeds most expectations.
Steps to take in developing a wide data warehouse
An efficient warehouse ought to be different in cost, technology and integration. The focus should be amalgamating all data processing points to one area as opposed to integrating processing points.
A true warehouse includes all business entities such as employees’ details, marketing information, financial reports and customer’s data under one central system where analysis takes place. Integration of such a wide data warehouse ought to occur in phases as opposed to direct change over. Concurrent running of business systems enables the owners to note various weaknesses and improve the system accordingly. It must undergo intensive assessment and testing to ensure accuracy.
Technological challenges
The system requires numerous works to organize and integrate all subsystems into one single unit. There is need for database knowledge and technology among implementers, designers and users of the system as well. The current corporate mergers are also a hindrance to immediate implementation of such database management systems because a merger can outdate an implementation within a short lifespan. Not all application suits the centralization of data processing procedures.
The organization policies, rules and culture determine the kind of system to use. It is important to consider the industrially manufactured hardware to cut on the implementation costs. It is equally crucial to consider expertise in installation as well as running the system. Industries should understand that running multiple warehouses might be more expensive that a single mega centrally managed warehouse.