Graph databases show us how to drive business forward

I was reminded of something funny during my chat with Barry Briggs about machine learning (check out the full interview). Call it computer culture: like car enthusiasts of previous generations who would boast about their souped-up muscle cars, my colleagues and I were so proud of our new machines we bought or built every year.

These days, I couldn’t even tell you the type of CPU running on my company workstations. What’s in an individual machine doesn’t matter anymore -- so long as the data it delivers is useful for me or my customers in figuring out what’s working. 
 

Speaking of data -- it feels that we are not suffering from a lack of data. The captured volume is growing and growing. We are trying to make sense of it and find the hidden treasures  among millions of data points stored in columns, rows and tables. 

What about if we add another dimension and try to understand how data is connected? Adding and describing the connections between data points will give us new insights into how to solve complex problems.  

Enter the world of graph databases. This is where you can connect data from various sources and discover the hidden connections. Start solving problems faster. Problems like:

• Operational or supply chain optimization

• Risk analysis

• Organizational change management

• Digital commerce analysis. 

• Security, and sales optimization

• Technology infrastructure security and planning

There’s just so much you can do with it. Here, you can check out a quick demo of how graph databases work.

Sounds too boring to bother? Let me give you an example that probably affected you greatly during the recent period when we all turned into TV-watching couch potatoes. Netflix solved the problem of Searching Decentralized Data. To quote Netflix: 

‘Our goal is to promote Netflix’s content across the globe. Netflix has thousands of shows on the service, operates in over 190 countries, and supports around 30 languages. For each of these shows, countries, and languages we need to find the right creative that resonates with each potential viewer. Our team builds the tools to produce and distribute these marketing creatives at a global scale, powering 10s of billions of impressions every month!’

Being able to make decisions faster, discover new relationships and patterns before anyone else, will help your company to stay competitive. 

The thing you have to ask yourself: if I’m not already looking into this, are my competitors? You can probably connect the dots.