Data is considered a critical resource for businesses, but it's only valued if you can access it fast enough to address existing challenges. This is why data virtualisation is so important. Most companies today contain significant amounts of data, which can create new opportunities and pathways to stay ahead of the competition. The problem, however, is data isn’t necessarily easily accessible or capable of sorting, measuring and applying indecision-making processes.

Companies typically produce and manage lots of data in structured and unstructured form. Creating valuable insights from data often requires shifting information into a new system capable of interpreting the data. Through this process, however, there is the potential to expose data to various unintended, serious consequences.

Despite the challenges, the data companies hold can transform, containing insights that can influence revenue and enable a business to adapt to disruption and other possible changes in the market. As decision-makers explore methods to harness data and drive success, data virtualisation tools are critical within this process.

Strengthening access to data

For businesses dependent on mainframes, these systems store and generate critical volumes of data. When managing large volumes of data, gathering everything into a clear solution can create a real challenge. With companies continuing to strengthen their existing systems, the potential for some information siloed can mean acquiring an accurate interpretation of the data available is challenging. If business leaders want to harness their data, the first step should be using tools that capture information from every business section. With data virtualisation tools, companies can feel empowered to gather insights from all these sources, centralise data and generate an integrated perspective of everything on the mainframe.

Furthermore, IT leaders must consider the demand for data and the risks that come with using this information. Data professionals require stable and constant access to generate new business opportunities and support better decision-making.Shifting data from the mainframe can be detrimental, raising potential risks to a business. Data virtualisation enables individuals to access mainframe data without moving, duplicating or transforming it.

Creating real-time decisions

In any business, decisions need to happen fast and in real time. By gathering all data sources within an organisation and in the mainframe, data virtualisation allows access to vital information. By focusing on data access, data virtualisation emphasises the importance of analytics and real-time insights within the mainframe data of a business.

With seamless access, combining mainframe data with other sources makes it easier to provide real-time information on various elements, such as potential security risks and customer demands.

Data virtualisation has a paralleled impact within a business, making it easier for people across varied areas of an organisation to explore and acquire valuable, actionable insights from the data available. This technology enables users to integrate multiple data sources and generate virtual views of the information with a far higher value than interpreting data in its raw form. It means all individual scan take the data, combine it with others, and generate critical information that impacts business performance.

Information stored in a business will only have value if accessed quickly to tackle the challenges we face. With speed and agility and a dominant focus for most organisations, data virtualisation has become a priority technology to strengthen the value and impact of data.