Microsoft delivers data platform for the era of ambient intelligence

• Big data survey by IDC and Microsoft shows that organizations have the potential to unlock US$278 billion worth of data dividend in Asia Pacific
• Businesses with a comprehensive approach to data stand to realize 60% increase in return on data assets; deliver mission-critical performance

KUALA LUMPUR — May 8, 2014 — In concurrence with the ongoing ‘Big Data Week 2014 @ Kuala Lumpur’ program happening this week, Microsoft Malaysia (“Microsoft”) held a customer event at the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel to announce the launch of new data platform solutions which includes SQL Server 2014, Microsoft Azure Intelligent Systems Service (ISS) which enables Internet of Things; and Analytics Platform System (APS), a low cost Big-Data-in-a-Box appliance. These new data platform solutions enable Microsoft to deliver the most comprehensive data platform to organizations looking to harness greater business value from their information today. Conjunction

Microsoft also shared the results of new IDC research that shows companies that take a comprehensive approach to data stand to realize an additional 60 percent return on their data assets — an Asia Pacific opportunity of US$278 billion.

Carlos Lacerda, Managing Director, Microsoft Malaysia.

Nations, businesses and communities are living in a mobile-first and cloud-first world surrounded by technology that are increasingly connected. In this new world of ubiquitous computing, data is the fuel for intelligent systems and services to improve how we work, live and play. Microsoft envisions a world where we are surrounded by intelligent computing, ushering in an era of ambient intelligence.

Carlos Lacerda, Managing Director of Microsoft Malaysia, stressed the importance of a data culture — one that encourages curiosity, action and experimentation — for everyone and every organization. “The era of ambient intelligence has begun, and we are delivering a platform that allows companies of any size to create a data culture and ensure insights reach every individual in every organization,” Lacerda said.

Built for the era of ambient intelligence, Microsoft’s comprehensive data platform includes new Internet of Things capabilities and provides customers with the building blocks they need to connect their data, refine and analyze it, and deliver insights to people who can take action.

(L-R): Isaac Jacob, Vice President, Enterprise Practice Group, Fusionex; Arun Ulagaratchagan, General Manager, Cloud & Enterprise, Microsoft Asia Pacific.

Most Comprehensive Data Platform for the Data Future

Today, Microsoft expanded its data platform with new products and services, including the following:

• Launch of SQL Server 2014. The latest version of the world’s most widely deployed database delivers real-time performance with built-in in-memory technology and public cloud scale and disaster recovery with Microsoft Azure.
• Limited public preview of the Microsoft Azure Intelligent Systems Service (ISS). This new Azure service helps customers embrace the Internet of Things and securely connect to, manage and capture machine-generated data from sensors and devices, regardless of operating system.
• General availability of the Analytics Platform System (APS). APS combines the best of Microsoft’s SQL Server database and Hadoop technology in one low-cost offering that delivers “big data in a box.”

These new solutions build on 12 months of innovation — including Power BI for Office 365, a cloud-based, self-service business intelligence solution with groundbreaking natural language capability; Azure HDInsight for elastic Hadoop in the cloud; PolyBase to bring structured and unstructured data together in a data warehouse appliance; and Power Query for Excel, which makes it easier for people to discover data — to deliver the most comprehensive data platform with real-time performance built into everything.

IDC and Microsoft Survey on Data Dividend in Asia Pacific
Data is currency for business today. A new research commissioned by Microsoft and conducted by IDC estimates that organizations could realize a “data dividend” of roughly US$1.6 trillion in additional revenue, lower costs and improved productivity over the next four years by putting in place a holistic approach to data that spans datasets, analytics and more. In Asia Pacific, the potential data dividend is US$278 billion over the next four years. The research was conducted among more than 2,000 mid-sized and large organizations in 20 countries worldwide. More information on the methodology can be found at the Microsoft Cloud & Enterprise News Bytes Blog.

According to the survey, the key opportunity areas for organizations in unlocking its data dividend are:

• US$29 billion in customer-facing data scenarios, such as using data to improve customer acquisition, retention, support and pricing optimization. 
• US$88 billion in operations data scenarios, such as using data in process or operations optimization; plant, facilities, equipment maintenance or utilization; demand or supply chain management, logistics and more. 
• US$42 billion in innovation data scenarios, such as leveraging data in product or service improvement or innovation; research and development innovation. 
• US$120 billion in productivity data scenarios, such as using data in human capital, IT optimization, regulatory compliance and more.

“Customers who take a comprehensive approach to their data projects realize a higher data dividend than customers who take a point-by-point approach,” said Dan Vesset, program vice president, Business Analytics and Big Data, at IDC. “This new research shows that by combining diverse data sets, new analytics and insights to more people — at the right time — businesses worldwide can tap into a more than trillion-dollar opportunity over the next four years.”

Malaysian Businesses Bet on Microsoft to Realize Their Data Dividend
Companies today – including in Malaysia – are facing an increasing diversity of data within their own businesses, driven by business applications; unstructured social data; the Internet of Things; and much more. However, many businesses are keeping their data in silos and often in the hands of a small number of people across organizations, who analyze these data sources using older, complex or limited analytics tools.

Speaking at a media briefing session at the event, Arun Ulagaratchagan, General Manager, Cloud and Enterprise Division, Microsoft Asia Pacific, said, “Microsoft’s goal is to help businesses to unlock insights on their data and make them ubiquitous and real-time, by putting big data to work. Our aim is to help customers increase the return on the data currency by connecting data across their company, connecting it to the world’s data, enriching it through analysis and delivering insights to as many people as possible – as quickly as possible.”

Also present at the media session was Microsoft’s partner and IT specialist in software products and solutions delivery – Fusionex – who concurred with Microsoft’s vision of world that is increasingly data-driven. “With the right data analytics tools, our customers across verticals in Malaysia have seen tremendous improvements in their business decision-making since migrating from competing products to Microsoft’s SQL Server; many have stayed on with the product through its many iterations,“ said Isaac Jacob, Vice President, Enterprise Practice Group, Fusionex. “Customers stay with Microsoft not only because it offers the best technology roadmap, but also because Microsoft is always listening to customer feedback and responds rapidly to improve the product and customer experience. Our customers are putting Microsoft’s platform to work, driving real business results and increasing their data dividend,” Jacob added.

“For over 20 years in Malaysia, Microsoft has been helping enterprises get the most out of their IT investments, contribute to business bottom lines, improve efficiencies and maximize resources. With the world’s most widely deployed database, connected to the cloud through Azure, delivering insights to billions through Office and understanding the world through a new ‘Internet of Things’ service, we have the most complete hybrid data platform that spans the cloud and on-premises, giving customers choice in how they deploy. When you put it all together, no other vendor is delivering all that value to customers,” Lacerda concluded.