Electronic Data Discovery and Archiving Alert: Microsoft/FAST gives leverage to Zantaz/EAS users upgrading to Autonomy
Recently I posted a brief regarding Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) buying Fast and its impact on Symantec and CommVault. Since then, I did some additional research on Autonomy/Zantaz's (LON:AU) use of a FAST (OSE:FAST) product, AltaVista Enterprise Search Toolkit. I had to do a little digging on the issues with respect to AltaVista/FAST being used by Zantaz/EAS.
NOTE: If you are using AltaVista or a product that uses AltaVista, then you are using intellectual property owned by Yahoo (NASDAQ:YHOO). The AltaVista technology toolkit and support are distributed by FAST (OSE:FAST).
If you are using Zantaz/EAS then you'll want to take a look at this Google group discussion related to the training costs and some issues with upgrading. Allan Stephens of Jump-in-it.com Consulting of Hong Kong and Singapore comments he got it working by using a combination of EAS Support / Autonomy Support. Allan likes the integration and finds that it is working better than AltaVista. Moreover in an email to us, he said the data size of the Autonomy IDOL index as it relates to data-set being indexed was comparable to AltaVista.
My experience shows the size of the index is a measure of the indexes strength on two fronts. Firstly, an index that is 30% or more the size of the original content is not storage efficient. Second, a large-single-consolidated index is a risk if it is corrupted, resulting in a lengthy rebuild. Further in the Google group discussion, a couple of users complained about the way upgrade training was handled, especially the costs and time related to doing it.
As a ZANTAZ user, you should ask your Autonomy representative for training and upgrading at no cost to you. The FAST acquisition poses a manageable threat to the data within Zantaz, thus Autonomy. The threat comes from Microsoft having the road map to all data via AltaVista search engine used by Zantaz. Since archiving took off in 2000, Microsoft has watched petabytes of knowledge worker data move from Microsoft Exchange, into archiving solutions.
Within those systems, the data has largely been unavailable to Microsoft and Microsoft's global array of development and services partners. Microsoft's acquisition of FAST creates a wonderful opportunity to get their arms around that archive data, by way of search integration and federation. Their operating system, business applications and desktop applications all benefit, as do employees, customers and partners of Microsoft.
Conversely, the threat is very manageable and presents an opportunity for end users of Zantaz to get on a FAST track to Autonomy. Autonomy has vested interests, greater than the cost of upgrade and training, to get Zantaz users off of FAST/AltaVista and into the IDOL platform.
For example, as an end user, you might want to see what incentives Microsoft/FAST can offer you with regard to solution accelerators in Microsoft SharePoint. Microsoft has thousands of developers partners working around the world. In the next 12-24 months Microsoft partners should start developing electronic data discovery tools on top of Microsoft/FAST search solutions.
The Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) will have access to the FAST APIs and deeper integration with Microsoft products. This larger partner community would certainly put niche products like Introspect, Aungate and the legal-hold solution (not product) that Autonomy announced on December 3rd, 2007, at risk for much needed competition. Moreover, considering how slow technology innovation has been in electronic data discovery, 12-24 months isn't a long time for Microsoft-FAST integration.
I always credit Microsoft with putting together a great developer network and supporting partners. MSDN is one of the many Microsoft successes that should concern Autonomy. Autonomy must evaluate Microsoft's developer network focus as they continue to charge their clients for upgrades, training, etc with respect to Zantaz/AltaVista and Autonomy IDOL. Microsoft's broader services and development focus is verified by Jeff Raikes in his teleconference "We feel one of our great strengths is that we will bring to customers the power of on premise software with software services." Mr. Raikes is correct. Microsoft has a long history of enabling a partner community through development services. We'll be watching how Microsoft can 'marry the strengths they have with their software-plus-services model with what FAST is doing', to paraphrase Mr. Raikes.
We asked FAST what impact the acquisition would have on the redistribution of the AltaVista toolkit and related intellectual property (IP), since AltaVista IP is owned by Yahoo. FAST's Josef Blumenfeld, Vice President, Corporate Communications said "Microsoft will be acquiring FAST stock and therefore the vast majority of agreements and contracts between FAST and third parties will remain in effect according to their terms."
Mr. Blumenfeld is basically saying he doesn't think there will be an issue. I'm inclined to think Microsoft would want access to as much AltaVista IP as possible, but Yahoo should work to protect AltaVista IP. However, if Microsoft were to acquire Yahoo in the coming months, it would not be an issue.
When we asked them how the acquisition would affect the use of AltaVista in Zantaz and what there future plans were, the response was a bit anemic. Winifred Shrum, Senior Manager, Public Relations at Autonomy, said "When Google entered the enterprise keyword search market a couple years ago, it created tremendous visibility for search and whet the appetite for Autonomy's advanced capabilities. Microsoft's announcement places them ahead of Google in terms of keyword search and is likely to create similar market buzz and up-sell opportunities for Autonomy."
I wasn't really sure how that addressed the issue of AltaVista within Zantaz, but I guess it means Autonomy's looking forward to selling users a search engine. Customers of Zantaz should consider AltaVista was included in the base price of Zantaz when users originally bought it. As a user of ZANTAZ/EAS you should ask your Autonomy sales representative how they intend to get you upgraded to IDOL, at no cost. In fact, Autonomy has a great marketing opportunity here by creating the "FAST track to IDOL."
NOTE: If you are using AltaVista or a product that uses AltaVista, then you are using intellectual property owned by Yahoo (NASDAQ:YHOO). The AltaVista technology toolkit and support are distributed by FAST (OSE:FAST).
If you are using Zantaz/EAS then you'll want to take a look at this Google group discussion related to the training costs and some issues with upgrading. Allan Stephens of Jump-in-it.com Consulting of Hong Kong and Singapore comments he got it working by using a combination of EAS Support / Autonomy Support. Allan likes the integration and finds that it is working better than AltaVista. Moreover in an email to us, he said the data size of the Autonomy IDOL index as it relates to data-set being indexed was comparable to AltaVista.
My experience shows the size of the index is a measure of the indexes strength on two fronts. Firstly, an index that is 30% or more the size of the original content is not storage efficient. Second, a large-single-consolidated index is a risk if it is corrupted, resulting in a lengthy rebuild. Further in the Google group discussion, a couple of users complained about the way upgrade training was handled, especially the costs and time related to doing it.
As a ZANTAZ user, you should ask your Autonomy representative for training and upgrading at no cost to you. The FAST acquisition poses a manageable threat to the data within Zantaz, thus Autonomy. The threat comes from Microsoft having the road map to all data via AltaVista search engine used by Zantaz. Since archiving took off in 2000, Microsoft has watched petabytes of knowledge worker data move from Microsoft Exchange, into archiving solutions.
Within those systems, the data has largely been unavailable to Microsoft and Microsoft's global array of development and services partners. Microsoft's acquisition of FAST creates a wonderful opportunity to get their arms around that archive data, by way of search integration and federation. Their operating system, business applications and desktop applications all benefit, as do employees, customers and partners of Microsoft.
Conversely, the threat is very manageable and presents an opportunity for end users of Zantaz to get on a FAST track to Autonomy. Autonomy has vested interests, greater than the cost of upgrade and training, to get Zantaz users off of FAST/AltaVista and into the IDOL platform.
For example, as an end user, you might want to see what incentives Microsoft/FAST can offer you with regard to solution accelerators in Microsoft SharePoint. Microsoft has thousands of developers partners working around the world. In the next 12-24 months Microsoft partners should start developing electronic data discovery tools on top of Microsoft/FAST search solutions.
The Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) will have access to the FAST APIs and deeper integration with Microsoft products. This larger partner community would certainly put niche products like Introspect, Aungate and the legal-hold solution (not product) that Autonomy announced on December 3rd, 2007, at risk for much needed competition. Moreover, considering how slow technology innovation has been in electronic data discovery, 12-24 months isn't a long time for Microsoft-FAST integration.
I always credit Microsoft with putting together a great developer network and supporting partners. MSDN is one of the many Microsoft successes that should concern Autonomy. Autonomy must evaluate Microsoft's developer network focus as they continue to charge their clients for upgrades, training, etc with respect to Zantaz/AltaVista and Autonomy IDOL. Microsoft's broader services and development focus is verified by Jeff Raikes in his teleconference "We feel one of our great strengths is that we will bring to customers the power of on premise software with software services." Mr. Raikes is correct. Microsoft has a long history of enabling a partner community through development services. We'll be watching how Microsoft can 'marry the strengths they have with their software-plus-services model with what FAST is doing', to paraphrase Mr. Raikes.
We asked FAST what impact the acquisition would have on the redistribution of the AltaVista toolkit and related intellectual property (IP), since AltaVista IP is owned by Yahoo. FAST's Josef Blumenfeld, Vice President, Corporate Communications said "Microsoft will be acquiring FAST stock and therefore the vast majority of agreements and contracts between FAST and third parties will remain in effect according to their terms."
Mr. Blumenfeld is basically saying he doesn't think there will be an issue. I'm inclined to think Microsoft would want access to as much AltaVista IP as possible, but Yahoo should work to protect AltaVista IP. However, if Microsoft were to acquire Yahoo in the coming months, it would not be an issue.
When we asked them how the acquisition would affect the use of AltaVista in Zantaz and what there future plans were, the response was a bit anemic. Winifred Shrum, Senior Manager, Public Relations at Autonomy, said "When Google entered the enterprise keyword search market a couple years ago, it created tremendous visibility for search and whet the appetite for Autonomy's advanced capabilities. Microsoft's announcement places them ahead of Google in terms of keyword search and is likely to create similar market buzz and up-sell opportunities for Autonomy."
I wasn't really sure how that addressed the issue of AltaVista within Zantaz, but I guess it means Autonomy's looking forward to selling users a search engine. Customers of Zantaz should consider AltaVista was included in the base price of Zantaz when users originally bought it. As a user of ZANTAZ/EAS you should ask your Autonomy sales representative how they intend to get you upgraded to IDOL, at no cost. In fact, Autonomy has a great marketing opportunity here by creating the "FAST track to IDOL."
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