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Google Cloud Spanner is a distributed rel
ational database service that runs on Google Cloud. It is designed to support global online transaction processing deployments, SQL semantics, highly available horizontal scaling and transactional consistency.
Interest in Google Cloud Spanner centres on the cloud database’s ability to provide both availability and consistency. These traits are usually considered at odds with each other, with data designers typically making tradeoffs to emphasize either availability or consistency. The trade-off has been described most vividly in the CAP Theorem, which underpinned a general move to NoSQL databases for availability and scalability in web and cloud systems. In pursuing both system availability and data consistency, Google Cloud Spanner combines SQL and NoSQL traits. Continue reading
A database is a collection of data that is stored for a specific purpose and organized in a manner that allows its 
contents to be easily accessed, managed, and updated. Although this definition includes stored data collections such as libraries, file cabinets, and address books, when we talk about databases we almost invariably mean a collection of data that is stored on a computer. There are two basic categories of a database. The most commonly encountered category is the transactional database, used to store dynamic data, such as inventory contents, which is subject to change on an ongoing basis. The other category is the analytical database, used to store static data, such as geographical or chemical test results, which is rarely altered.
Strictly speaking, a database is just the stored data itself, although the term is often used, erroneously, to refer to a database and its management system (DBMS). Continue reading
A database management system (DBMS) is system software for creating and managing databases. The DBMS provides users and programmers with a systematic way to create, retrieve, update and manage data.
A DBMS makes it possible for end users to create, read, update and delete data in a database. The DBMS essentially serves as an interface between the database and end users or application programs, ensuring that data is consistently organized and remains easily accessible.
The DBMS manages three important things: the data, the database engine that allows data to be accessed, locked and modified — and the database schema, which defines the database’s logical structure. These three foundational elements help provide concurrency, security, data integrity and uniform administration procedures. Typical database administration tasks supported by the DBMS include change management, performance monitoring/tuning and backup and recovery. Many database management systems are also responsible for automated rollbacks, restarts, and recovery as well as the logging and auditing of activity. Continue reading
It is an oft-repeated mantra in the ERP world that companies should not modify ERP packages. Consultants experienced users and software vendors will tell you that modifications to ERP packages are difficult, expensive and
detrimental to the ongoing operation, maintenance and development of a system.
Yet, it is widely acknowledged that a packaged software product cannot fully meet the needs of anyone company. In response to this conundrum, software developers build a considerable amount of flexibility into their ERP packages to allow users to tailor the look, feel and functionality to better suit their needs and desires. Ideally, this built-in flexibility enables the user to adapt the package enough to eliminate the need for customization — and, in fact, that is the case for many companies.
The tailoring capability in ERP software packages can be as simple as the ability to move things around on screens and menus or as extensive as changes in calculations, database formats, and content. Generally speaking, such changes are stored in a control table that is not altered or replaced when the software is updated by the developer. This means the changes will survive an upgrade and do not have to be redone or revalidated when a new release is installed.
Here is an overview of the types of changes allowed by major ERP software packages. Understand that each developer has its own tools and approaches, so your package may include some of these or others not listed. Continue reading
From Android to iOS to Windows Phone, anyone can create an app—coding skills (not necessarily) required. Recommend for hobbyists. Creating App
Yes, it’s true. The Web is dead. It’s not that people aren’t using The Internet anymore—they certainly are—it’s just
that users are moving away from the browser-based “Web” environment and into the mobile app-centric world.
Two quick illustrations: 1) Instagram has long been a true force in the social sphere, but it was years before it had a Web-based interface. Its entire model was mobile-based—the website was secondary. 2) Over the past years, we here at PCMag have even found it increasingly difficult to bring together our annual Top 100 Websites feature. Back in the early ‘aughts, it was a cinch. Today, it’s a stretch. (Good thing we have so many other great app roundups).
The moral: the Web is indeed dead, long live mobile. That also means all those hours you spent honing your HTML and CSS skills were for naught. It’s all about being able to create a functional and engaging mobile app.
But that doesn’t (necessarily) mean you have to take an app-programming class. Like the early days of the Web, several tools have arisen that will allow anyone to create a product with a little-to-no programming language. (But if you have the coding skills, it will give you the ability to make a truly unique thing). Continue reading
DevOps can help develop software faster, but that’s not making it any safer. DevSecOps is an effort to bring security into the mix. Here are some ways to get started.
Call it DevSecOps or SecDevOps or security in DevOps, but no matter what you call it your development organization will be tackling it soon.
DevOps is hard to do and security is harder. But at a time when security breaches continue to dominate the headlines, there’s no question that security and DevOps need to come together. The only issues are when and how.
A recent survey by DevOps software supply chain provider Sonatype found that for every 100 developers there is only one security person, and that’s a huge part of the reason breaches continue, said Derek Weeks, vice president and DevOps evangelist at Sonatype. “Those numbers leave you completely outnumbered and that’s not going to change anytime soon,” he said. Continue reading
Today’s IT services companies are no longer just focused on computers, networks, and the technologies that drive them. The speeds and feeds that used to drive customer conversations have been replaced with discussions around 
topics such as long-term business objectives, compliance requirements, and the benefits of automating certain organizational procedures. Your clients value professionals who understand the complexities of running a business in today’s environment — especially those who can simplify the experience and make it much more enjoyable and profitable.- IT Services Business
That type of expertise requires a shift in strategy. A personality transplant, if you will. Today’s IT service provider must create a highly engaging atmosphere where interactions with management personnel are as common as those with their line workers. The more communication between the organizations, the better the design of their solutions and the greater the outcome of their collaborative efforts. Continue reading
On June 29th, 2007, the world changed with the introduction of the iPhone. What Apple managed to do a decade ago was change the perception and conversation around mobile computing. They created a massive following by 
focusing more heavily on the user experience than other manufacturers had to that point; making talk, music and the Web a more intuitive experience.
Of course, putting all those pieces in a single, secure device wasn’t the real differentiator. The trick for Apple (and all those who followed) was in taking the “geek” out of apps — turning a phone that only tech fanatics could love into a culture in of itself. They launched an all new user experience beyond the intuitive interface that literally anyone could figure out on their own without a 50-page manual or having a support of a team of technical experts on standby. Continue reading
Good website: Even if your business doesn’t sell anything online, a good website has become a must-have in today’s marketplace. Your site will often be… Continue reading