Data Warehousing: Presemt and Future

     Not too long ago data was not all that easily accessible.  Paper copies of everything were available but not readily so.  Additionally, information could not be organized as readily to perform multiple uses.  With the simplicity of storing data through computer servers, this data can be easily managed and manipulated to be put to use.  With this new availability to companies to have a centralized area, such as a data warehouse, to upload and download files from to manipulate, the sky is the limit.  Anything can be shared with anyone at any time which is dire in this day.  This will also help to prevent digital Darwinism to occur to different companies.  Those who are on the cutting edge technologies today are the ones who make most advancements and grow quickest. 

     The name of the game is "staying ahead."  These data warehouses are a key instrument that almost all companies now have.  Without it, most companies would certainly perish.  This obviously depends on the type of business that the company is involved in; however, almost everyone is searching for ways to incorporate technology into their businesses for the sake that it will pan out for them in the grand scheme of things.  In the short run, this technology change may cause increased cost for the upgrade and money and time for training for this upgrade; however, these companies methods will become significantly more efficient.  This new found efficiency will intern help the company grow and blossom.   

Economy and Technology

The economy is obviously not doing well right now, but how is this affecting the IT part of the work place?  Many have adjusted work schedules to accommodate for the harsh times.  Some have move to working 4 days a week for 10 hours a day in order to save on gas.  Others have moved to working from home for this same reason as well.  Everyone needs to cut costs wherever they can find fit.  But does this mean more of a shift toward IT based solutions, or should it?  Virtual conferences already save millions of dollars that would be spent in travel and manages to accomplish pretty much the same thing. Could a virtual community be created for this same reason, to cut down on travel costs to and from work?  This may be where the future is looking; however, does this impose its own problems.  It seems that it may.  Much tends to be lost in translation whenever communication is not face to face.  It is tougher to explain ideas and ideas may be conveyed incorrectly.  Additionally, a part of the human aspect is removed from the process.  Long standing relationships will not be properly maintained or formed in the future. 


With the economy being as poor as it is, it may push us harder in this direction than we had previously thought.  This may be out of our hands.  Times are changing and we must adapt adequately or perish.  Of course, all aspects or the work environment affect the change toward a more IT based workplace, but is the economy driving us to this quicker or slowing us down?

Technology

     What will life be like 15 years from now?  Technology has already changed so much of the way in which society functions within the past 15 years; therefore, it is reasonable to say that it will change so much more over the next 15 years or so.  My family got our first computer approximately 15 years ago.  This gateway was incredibly slow, when compared to today's standards with minimal storage space.  The hard drive was merely a 6 Gb hard drive.  By today's standards that would be deemed as extremely poor.  Manufacturers now make flash drives that are capable of holding up to 32 Gb, ipods can be purchased with over 100 Gb of memory space.  Technology is changing, and it is doing so swiftly.  With these small changes comes alterations to life as we know it.  You can save mostly everything that is on your hard drive to a flash drive that can be carried with you on a key chain.  With this techno-revolution comes availability and ease around every corner.  This essentially allows for technology to grow at an exponential rate.  Who knows where technology will lead us next?  With the advances that are being made now it is merely a matter of coming up with the creative idea for a useful item.  The implementation for this item would most likely be fairly simple. 

     No one knows where technologies will eventually lead, but everyone has their theories.  The quicker society progresses in this trend, more and more out of science fiction movies become realities.  Whoever comes up with the next ipod or the next google will be set.  As I said, it is no longer a matter of having the capability to produce the next technology rather it is a matter of coming up with the idea for it.  And as always, the most useful, simple technologies fathomed are the ones that blossom the quickest and take the longest to become extinct.  Google is a simple idea with a simple means to use it, but is very helpful in many situations.  Thus, ideas like google will be around forever.  Seemingly, physical constraints of technology is no longer an issue today rather technology is limited by society's creativity...