Data Backup Digest

The retail sector has a whole new face when compared to 10 or 20 years ago. It was heavily impacted by the Internet boom and the widespread adoption of eCommerce – and many brick-and-mortar retailers are struggling to compete.

While they face a bevy of challenges, some of the biggest issues revolve around inventory management and logistics. A new product, pioneered by the data scientists at Iguazio Systems and backed by Google, represents a recent attempt to streamline and modernize retail inventory control – and it just might work.

Their platform, which also features input from Trax Technology Solutions, is a server-less platform-as-a-service platform that's meant for real-time data intelligence and analytics. In simpler terms, their product consolidates data from multiple sources and makes it available – through a centralized database – for easy access. The platform supports files, messages, live data streams and other forms of media for maximum compatibility.

It also helps to streamline the implementation of Trax's proprietary systems. With significant experience in the brick-and-mortar retail sector already, Trax is a powerful ally – even if their software solutions are a little bit clunky to use.

Yaron Haviv, CTO and founder of Iguazio, explained how drastically things have changed – both in the usability of Trax software and in the retail market in general – when compared to a few short years ago. He was recently quoted as saying: "Stores used to send people to stores once a day to take photos of shelves using a cell phone. Now it can be reported automatically on an hourly basis."

Although the primary functionality of Iguazio's solution comes via their integrated, software-based platform, it does include a small, physical appliance. Although the device must remain on-premises, it has a minimal footprint and low power consumption. The device is necessary both for real-time, immediate processing needs and to maintain connectivity to Google's Cloud IoT Core platform.

To keep their data processing algorithms as simple as possible, Iguazio taps into the likes of TenserFlow, Apache Spark, and Kubernetes for container management. This ensures maximum compatibility with various server environments in the business and enterprise settings.

Asaf Somekh, chief executive with Iguazio, spoke about the need for next-gen technologies in the future of retail. He was recently quoted as saying: "Iguazio extends the cloud experience to the edge. The intelligent edge is trending across a variety of industries, as the market begins to use the power of the cloud for training and data science, while prioritizing real-time decisions at the edge."

It's a trend that can't be ignored. The global big data market exceeded $40 billion USD in 2018 – and all signs point to even more growth in the coming years.

According to some estimates, business transactions will account for more than 450 billion online transactions every single day – far more than what we experienced in the earliest years of the eCommerce boom.

For more information on Iguazio, including details on any of their services, please visit their official website at {{https://www.iguazio.com/|www.iguazio.com}}. Interested parties can also schedule a demonstration or try Iguazio's solution before committing to a purchase.