Opinari

Subscribe

Introducing OData  
# Friday, May 27, 2011
 
Every organization seems to have more data every day. But just storing data isn't enough--there also needs to be some way for diverse software to access that data. The goal of the Open Data Protocol (OData) is to allow this, providing a consistent way for many kinds of software to access many kinds of data.

Originally part of a project code-named "Astoria", OData is now a useful protocol in its own right. And while it was originally created by Microsoft, OData is used today by others as well--it's not Microsoft-only. To help people understand this technology, I've written a Microsoft-sponsored introduction, available here, that describes what OData is and looks at some of the most important scenarios for using it.

OData borrows from several other technologies, including REST, Atom/AtomPub, and JSON, which makes it easier to understand and use. It also adds significant value, however--it's not just a pastiche of existing work. If you care at all about how data is accessed--and you should--understanding the basics of OData is probably worth your time.

0 comments :: Post a Comment

 

Introducing LINQ to HPC: Processing Big Data on Windows  
# Monday, May 23, 2011
 
Big data is a big deal. Effectively processing large amounts of unstructured information can have real value, but doing it requires a technology focused on this problem.

If you're interested in the business value of big data, take a look at this recent McKinsey report, which walks through possibilities in several different areas. If you're interested in the technology, you might read the Microsoft-sponsored white paper I've written on LINQ to HPC, a new option for working with big data on Windows.

Part of Windows HPC Server, LINQ to HPC targets problems similar to those addressed by the open source Hadoop. And although it's just been released as a commercial product, LINQ to HPC is in fact a commercialization of Dryad, a technology created by Microsoft Research that's been used within Microsoft for several years. In a world full of big data, it's good to have options for how we make sense out of this sea of bits.

3 comments :: Post a Comment

 

Keynoting Jazoon in Zurich  
# Saturday, May 14, 2011
 
On June 21, I'm giving a keynote on cloud platforms at the Jazoon conference in Zurich. Like its name, Jazoon is unique: It bills itself as "the international conference on the modern art of software", and it lives up to that description. There's a Java track, a Microsoft-oriented track, and a general track on software engineering today, along with perhaps the most diverse set of keynotes I've ever seen at a technical conference.

If spending the summer solstice in Zurich sounds appealing--and it should--you might find this conference worthwhile. I'm certainly looking forward to participating.

0 comments :: Post a Comment

 

Cloud Platforms Today: A Perspective in San Francisco  
# Sunday, May 01, 2011
 
The Bay Area Azure Developers Group has invited me to give a talk later this month comparing cloud platforms. It's on Monday, May 23 at the Microsoft office in San Francisco, and if you're interested, you can sign up here.

Even though it's sponsored by an Azure group, the presentation is about cloud platforms in general. This includes the Windows Azure platform, but I'll also talk about Amazon Web Services, Google AppEngine, VMware, and others.

I love speaking to user groups--I'm really looking forward to the evening.

2 comments :: Post a Comment