The Rise of Data Analytics
While the term ‘Data Analytics’ (DA) is nothing new, organisations from MNC’s to SME’s are beginning to explore the potential of incorporating data into their strategies.
Deep data can be used for a multitude of purposes. For many companies it assists in making more informed decisions on how to satisfy customer needs, in turn driving better revenue and bottom line. To quote Microsoft “The most digitally transformed enterprises generate on average $100 million in additional operating”. Analytical insights enable advanced forecasting and informed decision-making, backed by data driven ideas. This has led to digital transformation being added to all roadmaps, with analytics at the centre of these. Companies are hungry for more meaningful data.
Trends in Data Analytics
While there is no doubt that the need for data is rapidly growing, we must ask how is the ethos maturing and how can companies evolve their DA architecture to stay ahead of competitors? Some factors have been identified which are shaping the evolution of DA:
High speed
Speed is paramount to delivering real-time results for customers who have a growing expectation of instant gratification. The future of DA will see real-time analytic pipelines created so that insights can be cultivated and delivered quickly.
IoT
The Internet of Things (IoT) will continue to transform how organisations approach DA. With the plethora of IoT data currently available, organisations need to evolve their DA architectures to generate richer, more contextualised IoT data, accessing data that is relevant to them in real-time.
AI
With technological advancements progressing at a fast rate artificial intelligence is becoming a key tool in the facilitation of effective analytic reporting. The two capabilities work in conjunction to provide pervasive analysis which gives a practical and distinct advantage for companies.
Data Ethics
With the introduction of the GDPR gold standard in 2018, legislation will continue to evolve by putting customer privacy at the forefront.
How does Cubic Telecom use data analytics?
Intelligence-gathering at the data layer is important for advanced forecasting, but how does it benefit a company like Cubic?
Cubic has an in-house DA department which has built a state-of-the-art data analytics platform primarily to provide insights to the businesses we serve. In an age where data is king, Cubic’s analytics platform brings data from various sources together, allowing organizations extract value in the form of actionable insights, which can in turn be passed on to our partners.
The DA platform is built natively in the cloud, with data coming off the network in real-time from MNOs all over the world. What is unique about this platform is its ability to add new features quickly, and to scale at such a rapid pace. The number of cars connecting to the Cubic network has doubled in 12 months from 1M to 2M.
By passing on insights to partners, Cubic adds value for the device manufacturer (OEM) providing richer data through user-friendly real-time dashboards. With greater visibility of devices or fleets, timely information is available to support ongoing operations. OEMs can choose to change their strategic direction as a result of these insights or plough more resources into certain areas that are generating revenue.
The Cubic DA platform also acts as a tool for billing and reconciliation as a client can see clearly where its money is being spent. What is unique about Cubic’s data capabilities is that the platform is built natively in the cloud with information coming off the network in real-time from around the globe. All this combined means OEM’s have a distinct advantage by partnering with Cubic.
Cubic Telecom and Microsoft Azure
Cubic has teamed up with Microsoft Azure to ensure all Cubic DA platform functions run seamlessly and can scale as more devices connect to Cubic’s network.
Azure is a Microsoft built function that offers a fully-managed cloud solution. The platform is used by developers and professionals alike to manage their growing collection of integrated cloud services and to turn data into rich actionable insights.
Cubic chose the Azure cloud-based platform due to its easy transition and adoption for those with experience in Microsoft technologies. The platform is built to scale with cutting-edge cloud technology. In addition, there has grown a strong sense of collaboration between the Cubic and Azure teams. Cubic’s DA platform was the first to scale at such a fast pace on Azure (elastic scaling), putting Cubic at the fore front of the building experience for Azure developers with feedback regularly sought.
Through this collaboration, Cubic’s analytics platform has evolved by moving from traditional scale-up to true scale-out. Cubic’s platform is constantly evolving with regular upgrades to modular parts of the architecture. Now Cubic has visibility into what is working and what isn’t on an incremental basis.
The future of data analytics for device manufacturers?
There is no doubt that data analytics is at the epicentre of the majority of informed business decisions. OEMs want more timely and relevant data. Cubic enables them to keep their finger on the pulse of industry trends, thus increasing competitive advantage. As a result, Cubic helps clients spot emerging trends and be truly data-driven, going beyond what is expected of a connectivity partner.
