Everything evolves in data, and BI isn’t an exception.
Data analysis for decision-making evolves with the technologies and practices of its field, so it isn’t surprising to see it merge with one of the most popular innovations of the last few years : the cloud. The latter offers better possibilities regarding collaboration and cost management, and Cloud BI, the alliance between the two, is a great opportunity in an environment where organizations have to handle both a data surge and budget tightness.
What is Cloud BI?
Cloud BI is simply defined as the use of tools, for analysis and visualization, in the cloud.
Cloud BI moves the ETL and analysis processes in the cloud via applications accessible from a browser at any time and from any device. Just like the cloud in general, Cloud BI apps are priced on a pay-as-you-go basis.
What are the benefits of Cloud BI?
Cloud BI keeps the main features of regular BI software, but are more flexible and accessible.
Firstly, Cloud BI is quick and easy to install, thus alleviating the dependance on IT experts and reducing the needed budget. Cloud BI software is more flexible and easier to set up and update, thus allowing the teams to quickly put new features to the test. They are also easier to adapt in case of an increase in data or users.
Like their configuration, their use is easy because of their often intuitive design and their accessibility from any device. Furthermore, by nature, they make controlling data exchange easier by limiting data imports on devices and interpersonal dataset exchange. This allows for a better visibility on data exploitation, and thus makes governance simpler.
On the other hand, like any SaaS software, Cloud BI solutions give the possibility of monitoring expenses without difficulty, thanks to their pay-as-you-go business model.
The only cloud on the horizon could maybe be the security regarding these solutions, which is sensitive because of their presence in the cloud, especially if the cloud is public. However, security solutions exist, and they are getting more and more effective and adaptable to company needs.
To conclude, Cloud BI solutions offer true freedom to companies and allow them to stay ahead in a constantly evolving data landscape. Available SaaS solutions are more and more numerous and diverse. Moreover, they are getting better regarding third-party data integrations, accessibility and governance settings, making them increasingly more popular. We could even say that Cloud BI solutions have become mainstream.
