IBM moves towards telco big data

IBM has just announced that it has completed the acquisition of “The Now Factory.”
 
This acquisition will enable IBM to delve deeper into the operators’ networks in order to deliver relevant real-time insights to its big-data platform.
 
The telecoms industry is a unique vertical for big data due to the amount of real-time data constantly being gathered by operators’ networks. Although operators are already collecting and storing network data, they still face significant challenges to treat, analyze and generate relevant insights from it.
 
The Now Factory specializes in analyzing network and usage data, providing tools to assess quality-of-service levels that allow operators to improve their overall quality of service and manage a better customer experience.
Some of the benefits generated from integrating The Now Factory into IBM’s platform are:
  • IBM’s platform InfoSphere Streams augments The Now Factory’s data mediation and analytics, and extends the range of use cases to include more real-time analytics on data in motion.
  • The Now Factory’s clients can also now access IBM’s PureData System for Analytics Hadoop-based InfoSphere BigInsights for exploration and deep analysis of subscriber and network data.
  • This acquisition also complements the IBM MobileFirst Analytics portfolio, which is designed to enhance the way organizations analyze mobile device usage to provide exceptional customer experiences.
Consequently, the acquisition will allow IBM to offer the relevant capabilities of its current big-data platform to customers demanding more sophisticated network analytics, while, at the same time, it will support the operators’ big data/analytical platforms being integrated with their networks.
 
 
The complexity to gather, treat and analyze network data shouldn’t be underestimated. By adding these capabilities to its Big Data platform, IBM will offer a more complete value proposition to telecoms operators without relying on integrating with other vendors that specialize in network analytics, DPI and PCRF.
 
Furthermore, in an era where network is becoming more virtual and software-driven, integration between the network and IT start becomes even more relevant. Although operators need to be able to analyze network information in isolation, they also need to be able to integrate this information with the data coming in from other sources in a way that enables actions on their networks based on policies and decisions generated by their analytical capabilities.