Modern businesses — of all kinds — rely upon data, which is why the idea of “data-driven processes” has become so ubiquitous in today’s landscape. One of the key tenets of digital transformation is unlocking this data and ensuring the integrity and reliability of these data-driven processes. Businesses cannot afford to merely pay lip service to data but instead need a fully integrated and unified fabric that brings different sources and storage structures together in a meaningful way.
There are, of course, other factors at play during digital transformation. As well as unlocking the capability of data, companies undergoing digital transformation need to identify their operational requirements and then implement automated and digital solutions that achieve increased efficiency and effectiveness across all of these operations.
Here is where a solution like RedHat’s OpenShift Container platform can make a significant difference for organizations during digital transformation and beyond into a new way of doing business. OpenShift provides the hybrid cloud foundation required for crafting business-critical applications for swift installation and scaling. The foundation enables the containerization of applications for streamlined, resource-lite deployment.
Following IBM’s $34 billion acquisition of Red Hat in 2019, businesses can now access the OpenShift Container Platform via IBM’s own Cloud Pak for Data. This means organizations have a wealth of advantages at their fingertips — advantages that will accelerate the process of digital transformation.
Build Applications with Speed and Accuracy
OpenShift is a tried and tested solution when it comes to developing industry-leading, innovative applications. More than 2,000 Red Hat customers have utilized OpenShift in their digital transformation endeavours. Now, many more will be able to connect with its capabilities as part of the broader Cloud Pak suite of software.
The platform provides a user-friendly entry point for businesses seeking to get the most of Kubernetes clusters. These clusters bring together disparate nodes, working from a shared operating system to enable the deployment of containerized applications. The cluster is governed by a manifest file that outlines the framework of the individual node network, providing a unified and harmonious operation for the application.
Via OpenShift, businesses draw upon a powerful set of capabilities designed to make application design and development easier without compromising on functionality. The platform also facilitates the use of virtual machines in the development process, operated in containerized workflows and managed via a single platform. This means developers benefit from the capabilities of virtual machines while retaining the swift deployment achieved with containerization.
Support AI-powered Decision Making at Scale
As data volumes grow exponentially, the real barrier to digital transformation is not a lack of data but rather an overabundance. Organizations can’t afford to let potentially critical data languish in silos, allowing their decision-making to suffer as a result. However, drawing upon the right datasets can be a difficult and resource-intensive process and may be beyond the capabilities of many organizations.
Using IBM Cloud Pak for Data, with OpenShift, eliminates this problem. The unified platform is built upon a comprehensive data fabric that enables connections between data silos, so organizations do not need to worry about data becoming inaccessible during transformation.
What’s more, the platform features powerful artificial intelligence that automatically scans large and distributed datasets. Data is then assessed and curated before the relevant data is delivered to the end user. This AI-driven data discovery approach is revolutionary for business owners, who may be suffering from the anxiety of having plenty of data but no way to effectively wield it.
Draw Upon On-Premises and In-Cloud Data
This swift and painless approach to data discovery is wholly integrated across all storage locations. This means data stored in on-premises servers are unified with data stored in cloud structures, achieving the kind of agility that would have seemed almost impossible at the beginning of this data-driven age.
Businesses operating hybrid cloud structures — bringing together physical and digital storage capabilities — can do so with the confidence that no critical pieces of data are being left behind. This lays the foundations for positive growth, as the solution scales to cover each additional data storage structure with ease.
Policy enforcement is also automated, ensuring security and responsible data usage as applications are developed and deployed. This, in turn, fosters positive relationships with customers — customers who can genuinely rely on the applications and software organizations provide to them.
Maintain Storage Structures without Corruption
Thanks to Cloud Pak for Data’s comprehensive nature, there is no need to move or re-organize complex data storage structures. We’ve already touched upon the AI-driven data discovery capability of the solution, and this is empowering businesses to do more with data.
If data needs to be juggled between different storage locations to permit discovery, this increases the risk of data corruption, loss or vulnerability. There is no need for businesses to juggle data in this way when they draw upon the functionality of Cloud Pak for Data. Instead, they can maintain a well-regimented and ordered collection of data storage structures, backing up this data where necessary to achieve robust security and reliable business continuity.
Reap the Benefits of Software as a Service
IBM provides the Cloud Pak for Data, including OpenShift, as a managed service. This SaaS model means that businesses can get the very best out of the solution, with a positive learning curve and high levels of support.
This is critical to the accessibility of the solution. Digital transformation should be about making life easier for business, streamlining operations and fostering a flexible approach to challenges in the market. With a Software as a Service model, this is achieved for all businesses without stretching their available resources too thinly.
Accelerate Digital Transformation, without Compromise, when you Use Cloud Pak for Data with OpenShift
Build applications that drive digital transformation through to completion and beyond. Achieve this with powerful AI-driven functions and a unified approach to data storage. Reach out to our team to discover more about this revolutionary platform and the SaaS model that supports it.
