It may seem hard to believe, but, not so long ago, gathering enough data to provide useful insights was a difficult problem. Today, many businesses have more data than they can deal with. It arrives in enormous volume from customer interactions, social media, sensors, and numerous other sources.
Machine learning — the application of algorithms and systems that can spot patterns and insights in data — helps companies sift through their data for valuable insights. The major benefit of machine learning is that analysts don’t have to know which patterns in the data are useful; they don’t have to tell the machine exactly what to look for.
The modern server and infrastructure hosting space presents endless options for businesses to negotiate. From dedicated servers, to cloud servers, to platform-as-a-service, to on-premises solutions — and all their marketing-driven disguises. Each has advantages and disadvantages, and no single infrastructure hosting solution fits every need.
The worst thing that can happen to an online business is losing it ability to connect with its customers. There’s a calculable dollar cost for every second customers can’t load the business’ site, contact it by email or instant chat, or use a service they’ve paid for. Sales are lost and disgruntled users turn to competitors.
When surveyed on the biggest security challenge companies face when moving to the cloud, expert Adam Stern reported that risk mitigation in technology selection is the biggest barrier. Stern recommends that companies consider the following aspects when choosing between private or public hosting scenarios:
