by Angela Guess
Julie Hunt of the Data Integration Blog recently argued that data in the cloud needs MDM first. She explains, “Companies are attracted to cloud services because they are frequently quick and easy to use, while keeping many costs down. Unfortunately the characteristics that draw many customers to the Cloud are the same ones that can ‘blind’ those users to the critical need for managing both the data and quality of the data that results from Cloud services. Since many Cloud services users choose the Cloud because it is less complicated, it’s likely that many may not even understand how the lack of data management will very quickly degrade the value and usability of their Cloud data. And of course, the Catch-22 is that data generated in the Cloud has a critical need for master data management (MDM), which can be one of those ‘complicated’ activities that Cloud users are trying to avoid.”
Hunt continues, “Services offered in the Cloud will find better success with a strong data integration component, which can be embedded in the offering to facilitate cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-on-premises data management. Or separate Cloud-based data integration services can be used. But an MDM initiative has to first be developed from the company perspective, as it must be architected based on company data strategies and on an understanding of how all data in the organization is used, whether in the Cloud or on-premises. Some have suggested that MDM should be developed first, before an organization takes on any Cloud services – but that’s not the most likely path that is being traveled.”
