Due to its advanced SQL functionality, extensibility, reliability and the support and innovation of its active open source community, PostgreSQL is being seen more and more as the default database platform for new applications.
Fujitsu is a committed member of this PostgreSQL community. We focus on delivering an enhanced enterprise-ready version of PostgreSQL for organisations requiring additional capabilities including those to support increased data workloads, high availability, commercial security and governance, as well support levels Fujitsu enterprise customers expect.
<< Click here to download a free trial version of Fujitsu Enterprise Postgres now >>
As part of this commitment, Fujitsu can now deliver Hybrid Transactional/Analytical Processing (HTAP) capabilities with PostgreSQL to extend and support enterprise applications that need enhanced performance and analytical capabilities.
HTAP removes the need to offload data to data marts or Business Intelligence (BI) environments when generating business reports or other analytics.
Rather, it does it in place, in real time, and in memory over the same data platform, all without the need to change your application.
This enables two distinct HTAP capabilities to your PostgreSQL application
Gartner has named two distinct approaches for using database analytics, as described in the following Gartner Publication “Hype Cycle for Data Management, 2017” by Analysts Donald Feinberg and Adam M. Ronthal, published 26th July 2017* (see below):
1. Point-of-Decision HTAP – Faster Business Reporting
When existing PostgreSQL users add HTAP capability to their database they're able to report on real-time data as it is being transacted in the application database. This can be performed either with an extension of an application report or analytics functionality, or enabled by an external BI or analytics tool.
The business benefits include:
- Key business information is available a lot faster with real-time visibility of critical KPIs such as credit exposures, inventory status, and customer churn
- Business efficiency and TCO are improved with fast data reporting delivering savings based on reduced server activity, less software requirements, minimised labour costs, and the removal of any need to offload data to a second environment for processing.
2. In-Process HTAP – Smarter Business Applications and Processes
In-Process HTAP enables both new and existing PostgreSQL applications to evolve to the next level of intelligence and sophistication. It does this by enabling analytical functions to be run as part of an automated business process, thus automating previously manual decisions using statistical propensity scoring or defined business rules as part of a business process step.
This capability enables application developers to make smarter apps that speed up business processing, improve the efficiency of their business users, and differentiate through automated intelligence inside their application.
In fact, you should be considering a database system with this kind of HTAP capability if you are aiming to apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) or analytics in your next business application.
It's important to note that HTAP capability can already be added to your PostgreSQL application with Fujitsu Enterprise Postgres
Using Fujitsu Enterprise Postgres, you simply add a Vertical Clustered Index (VCI), which is Fujitsu's implementation of In-Memory Column Store, to the operational database table that you wish to run analytics over. With a VCI on the relevant columns, analytical queries can be accelerated and offloaded to the index automatically, and existing indexes created for aggregate or analytical queries can be dropped.
As a result, what was once a primarily OLTP database will service both operational and analytical transactions. If required, processing and memory capacity can be added to the server to manage the increased workload, but far less than would be required if setting up a separate environment to service this reporting.
If you are not running Fujitsu Enterprise Postgres, you will have to upgrade your PostgreSQL to Fujitsu Enterprise Postgres (download the free trial version here now).
* Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
