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Business intelligence management

Digital transformation and technology disruptors

Digital transformation looks different for every entity, but it focuses on the use of new, ever-changing
digital technology to solve problems. Cloud computing is a common resource, as well as a form of
technology disruption. Other technology disruptors include the internet of things and artificial intelligence.

Cloud computing
Cloud computing solutions are designed and optimized to permit organizations to standardize, automate,
and simplify business processes. Cloud computing solutions tend to be user-friendly, so a new user can
easily navigate through it without much training. Typically, cloud solutions are up and running quickly, are
easy to integrate with other systems, and allow data to be easily imported and exported.

Cloud computing also allows organizations to offload information technology (IT) management and
focus on core business competencies. With cloud-based solutions, organizations no longer have to
install software and software updates, or worry about managing a server and backing up data.

Cloud computing data centers improve security and reliability; they are likely better than most
organizations at backing up data and recovering it in the event of a disaster.

The financial model for consuming cloud computing is a subscription. Software as a service (SaaS),
platform as a service (PaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS), and data as a service (DaaS) are all
examples of consumption-based services for a fee, typically accounted for as operating expenditures.

Internet of things
A simple way to begin to understand the internet of things (IoT) is to think of it as the internet for things,
namely everyday objects. We are now witnessing the ability to leverage the internet to digitize the
physical world, so we can unlock the value of a connected world and derive insights for decision-making.

The following technical building blocks enable the IoT to deliver data:

 A sensor or telematic gateway that is capable of bilaterally sending and receiving marginal amounts
of data via an IP address. These sensors can be capable of communicating bytes of data to
potentially allow them to be remotely monitored and controlled.
 High-speed messaging and telecommunication, which we have witnessed with the evolution of
generations of cellular network technologies (such as 5G).
 Secure cloud computing to collect, store, and process insights.

A discussion of IoT begins with telemetry. Telemetry is a form of automated communication whereby
measurements and other data are collected at remote points and transmitted to receiving equipment for
monitoring. One example of a business application that leverages early stage telematics is vending
machines in the retail industry. These machines are capable of communicating sales and inventory data

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