Arcadia Data Inc. has overhauled the user interface in version 4.0 of its Arcadia Enterprise 4.0 big data platform, making it easier for users to perform visual analytics directly on Hadoop data stores.

The company also enhanced security for extranet deployments, making it easier to share models with internal and external constituents. Arcadia Data is one of a growing number of startups that come at the business intelligence market with a pitch based on native Hadoop support.

That means users don’t require data lakes, extract/transfer/load procedures or the requisite time involved. The platform runs directly on top of a Hadoop cluster and handles data preparation locally, reducing the time needed to generate reports and enabling users to work with a combination of real-time and historic data.

The new Enterprise 4.0 release incorporates Material Design, a set of visual principles first defined by Google Design that specify how objects, colors, placement and movement should work together to make visual interfaces more productive, pleasing and portable across platforms. “Material design makes it apparent and intuitive what the next actions are,” said Steve Wooledge, Arcadia Data’s vice president of marketing. Simple examples include a “next” button that doesn’t light up until all required forms on a page are filled in and desktop elements that cast shadows when layered upon each other.

Arcadia Data’s visualization engine includes a workflow manager that, when paired with the analytics platform, enables users to use system-driven hints and next steps without the need for extra tabs and pop-ups. They can share models with each other without the need for a dedicated desktop client. Proactive alerting and scheduling features include dashboard alerts and email notifications based upon conditional thresholds on real-time data. New visualization types include network graph and dendrogram tree diagrams for representing complex relationships.

The Arcadia Visual Designer now has a responsive mode for defining workflows and customizing applications to meet company brand standards. New deployment features enable analysts to move quickly from test to production with simplified application migration that converts data elements into menus and workflows, the company said.

“You can create folders, tag individual dashboards and they automatically convert them into menu-driven interfaces,” said Priyank Patel, co-founder and chief product officer. “You’re building individual visuals and combining them on the screen into a single page. Every visual can take you down to the lowest granular point” directly on the Hadoop data store.

Enhanced security enables organizations to publish data applications to partners, customers and other constituents while securely provisioning and controlling the exact sets of data that can be seen. The company said it integrates with most popular directory services, including Lightweight Directory Access Protocol and Microsoft Active Directory. “You can then deploy subsets of Arcadia onto a publicly accessible system to make the task of staying in synch with the master system easier,” Patel said.

The new release will ship early in the second quarter. The company offers a free, downloadable version and a paid enterprise option but doesn’t publish pricing. Arcadia Data has raised $11.5 million in funding, according to Crunchbase.

Image: Arcadia Data