Today, organizations are increasingly faced with managing complex server systems, networks and applications. Combined with the proliferation of cloud computing and mobile environments, these systems generate more than 1.3 terabytes of data per day, including log files, software failure alerts, IT service tickets and network configuration updates. This can result in more than a million ‘events’ or system alerts per day, some of which are critical to performance and others that are irrelevant, which can clog the system administrators.

To manage such large amount of structured and unstructured data, it takes a mix of IT, corporate strategy, skills and a data driven culture and IBM sees an opportunity here seeking to address all of these points.

Since 2005, IBM has spent about $16 billion for the purchase and development of analytical techniques. Other companies are also involved in the use of analytical methods in the management of IT. For example, HP is preparing for an early release of the platform Operations Analytics.

Predictive analytics rise to the cloud

IBM’s new product, called Predictive Insights, is designed to predict and detect anomalies in the IT environment. With this package, you can analyze a variety of data–logs, modifying configuration files, network traffic, application performance, recoverable through their APIs, messages from applications and so on. Predictive Insights works with data from different monitoring systems including application performance management (APM) and event management software.

The package is based on the IBM InfoSphere Streams platform and algorithms for predictive analytics and machine-learning packages are from Cognos and SPSS. Analysis of data from many sources can reveal the typical parameters of the system, and subsequently identify them repetitive patterns that can help identify where problems arise. The package also has a searchable data from various sources and documentation.

Organizations often discard or archive data from IT operations, leaving them unable to take advantage of a valuable resource for the company. Now with IBM SmartCloud Analytics, IT administrators can sift through terabytes of IT operations data in real time, see only the trends that are critical to the performance of the IT network. The computer software capabilities cognitive learning, reason and feel the IT systems of an organization. This new technology will run on SoftLayer infrastructure, which will be the basis of the portfolio of the IBM Cloud.

SmartCloud Virtual Storage Center was another novelty presented by IBM. The company says it is designed to analyze and store data types, eliminating the need for a more manual processing. The key is learning software patterns to understand how the company is using the data, and thus more storage in the correct location. IBM claims to have made use of the software, after which companies can reduced storage costs by 50%.

To help users distinguish different forms of data through the exploration and discovery of data, IBM introduces Big Data InfoSphere Data Explorer, a big data based scan and search tool to visualize the structured and unstructured data from multiple different sources. In addition, the software giant simplifies Hadoop management with PureData System enhancements. The portfolio streamlines built archiving tools, simplified management and higher levels of security in open source systems.

IBM also is helping customers leverage the massive amounts of data with the new high-speed software analysis by expanding the portfolio of BLU Acceleration. The new software will allow customers to apply the basics of cognitive intelligence through its infrastructure of information technology. This will allow employees to obtain intelligence of Big Data instead of focusing on how to deal with its huge volume. This intelligence knowledge can help predict and prevent downtime, increase productivity and generate cost savings.

Big data with ease and simplicity

The Big Blue head straight for the new frontiers of Big Data, which require more and more the use of analytics with ease and simplicity. This is the message of the Information On Demand 2013 event that IBM wants to give. Merv Adrian, VP with Gartner and reputed analyst, said IBM’s Discover is one such tool that gives you a way to go play with it, and find something useful to experiment.

Executives from IBM suggested that the lessons learned from analytics projects are proving their value, and that there is an ongoing transition and challenges that every executive faces is not the Big Data technology but articulating what’s possible to a client. Fred Balboni, Global Lead for Business Analytics and Optimization with IBM said big data is all about what business can relate to and use them as a vehicle to have the process conversation and talk business outcomes and benefits.