35% of enterprise leaders will consider Postgres for their next project, based on this research conducted by EDB, which also revealed that out of this group, the great majority believe that AI is going mainstream in their organization. Add to this, for the first time ever, analytical workloads have begun to surpass transactional workloads.
Enterprises see the potential of Postgres to fundamentally transform the way they use and manage data, and they see AI as a huge opportunity and advantage. But the diverse data teams within these organizations face increasing fragmentation and complexity when it comes to their data. To operationalize data for AI apps, they demand better observability and control across the data estate, not to mention a solution that works seamlessly across clouds.
It’s clear that Postgres has the right to play and deliver for the AI generation of apps, and EDB has taken recent strides to do just this with the release of EDB Postgres AI, an intelligent platform for transactional, analytical, and AI workloads.
The new platform product offers a unified approach to data management and is designed to streamline operations across hybrid cloud and multi-cloud environments, meeting enterprises wherever they are in their digital transformation journey.
EDB Postgres AI helps elevate data infrastructure to a strategic technology asset, by bringing analytical and AI systems closer to customers’ core operational and transactional data—all managed through the popular open source database, Postgres.
Let’s take a look at the key features and advantages of EDB Postgres AI.
Rapid analytics for transactional data
Analysts and data scientists need to launch critical new projects, and they need access to up-to-the-second transactional and operational data within their core Postgres databases. Yet these teams are often forced to default to clunky ETL or ELT processes that result in latency, data inconsistency, and quality issues that hamper efficiency-extracting insights.
EDB Postgres AI introduces a simple platform for deploying new analytics and data science projects rapidly, without the need for operationally expensive data pipelines and multiple platforms. EDB Postgres AI’s Lakehouse capabilities allow for the rapid execution of analytical queries on transactional data without impacting performance, all using the same intuitive interface. By storing operational data in a columnar format, EDB Postgres AI boosts query speeds by up to 30x faster compared to standard Postgres and reduces storage costs, making real-time analytics more accessible.
Enterprise observability and data estate management
Even if data teams have made Postgres their primary database, chances are their data estate is still sprawled across a diverse mix of fully-managed and self-managed Postgres deployments. Managing these systems becomes increasingly difficult and costly, particularly when it comes to ensuring uptime, security and compliance.
The new capabilities of the recent EDB release will help customers create and deliver value greater than the sum of all the data parts, no matter where it is. EDB Postgres AI provides comprehensive observability tools that offer a unified view of Postgres deployments across different environments. This means that users can monitor and tune their databases, with automatic suggestions on improving query performance, AI-driven event detection and log analysis, and smart alerting when metrics exceed configurable thresholds.
EDB
Support for vector databases
With the surge in AI advancements, EDB sees a significant opportunity to enhance data management for our customers through AI integration. The strategy of the new platforms is twofold: integrate AI capabilities into Postgres, and simultaneously, optimize Postgres for AI workloads.
Firstly, this release includes an AI-driven migration copilot, which is trained on EDB documentation and knowledge bases and helps answer common questions about migration errors including command line and schema issues, with instant error resolution and guidance tailored to database needs.
In addition, EDB remains focused on optimizing Postgres for AI workloads through support for vector databases and AI workloads. With capabilities like the pgvector extension and EDB’s pgai extension, the platform enables the storage and querying of vector embeddings, crucial for AI applications. This support allows developers to build sophisticated AI models directly within the Postgres ecosystem.
In addition, EDB remains focused on optimizing Postgres for AI workloads through support for vector databases and AI workloads. The EDB Postgres AI platform streamlines capabilities by providing a single place for storing vector embeddings and doing similarity search with both pgai and pgvector, which simplifies the AI application pipeline for builders. This support allows developers to build sophisticated AI models directly within the Postgres ecosystem. The platform also enables users to leverage the mature data management features of PostgreSQL such as reliability with high availability, security with Transparent Data Encryption (TDE), and scalability with on-premises, hybrid, and cloud deployments.
EDB Postgres AI transforms unstructured data management with its new powerful “retriever” functionality that enables similarity search across vector data. The auto embedding feature automatically generates AI embeddings for data in Postgres tables, keeping them up-to-date via triggers. Coupled with the retriever’s ability to create embeddings for Amazon S3 data on demand, pgai provides a seamless solution to making unstructured sources searchable by similarity. Users can also leverage a broad list of state-of-the-art encoder models like Hugging Face and OpenAI. With just pgai.create_retriever() and pgai.retrieve(), developers gain vector similarity capabilities within their trusted Postgres database.
This dual approach ensures that Postgres becomes a comprehensive solution for both traditional and AI-driven data management needs.
Continuous high availability and legacy modernization
EDB Postgres AI maintains the critical, enterprise-grade capabilities that EDB is known for. This includes the comprehensive Oracle Compatibility Mode, which helps customers break free from legacy systems while lowering TCO by up to 80% compared to legacy commercial databases. The product also supports EDB’s geo-distributed high-availability solutions, meaning customers can deploy multi-region clusters with five-nines availability to guarantee that data is consistent, timely, and complete—even during disruptions.
The release of EDB Postgres AI marks EDB’s 20th year as a leader of enterprise-grade Postgres and introduces the next evolution of the company—one even more proudly associated with Postgres. Why? Because we know that the flexibility and extensibility make Postgres uniquely positioned to solve for the most complex and critical data challenges. Learn more about how EDB can help you use EDB Postgres AI for your most demanding applications.
New Tech Forum provides a venue for technology leaders—including vendors and other outside contributors—to explore and discuss emerging enterprise technology in unprecedented depth and breadth. The selection is subjective, based on our pick of the technologies we believe to be important and of greatest interest to InfoWorld readers. InfoWorld does not accept marketing collateral for publication and reserves the right to edit all contributed content. Send all inquiries to doug_dineley@foundryco.com.
Oracle is connecting its cloud to Google’s to offer Google customers high-speed access to database services. The move comes just nine months after it struck a similar deal with Microsoft to offer its database services on Azure. Separately, Microsoft is extending its Azure platform into Oracle’s cloud to give OpenAI access to more computing capacity on which to train its models.
“What started as a simple interconnect is becoming a more defined multicloud strategy for Oracle. The announcement is the beginning of a new trend—cloud providers are willing to work together to serve the needs of shared customers,” said Dave McCarthy, Research Vice President at IDC.
The Oracle-Google partnership will see the companies create a series of points of interconnect enabling customers of one to access services in the other’s cloud. Customers will be able to deploy general-purpose workloads with no cross-cloud data transfer charges, the companies said.
The two clouds will initially interconnect in 11 regions: Sydney, Melbourne, São Paulo, Montreal, Frankfurt, Mumbai, Tokyo, Singapore, Madrid, London, and Ashburn.
Oracle also plans to collocate its database hardware and software in Google’s datacenters, initially in North America and Europe, making it possible for joint customers to deploy, manage, and use Oracle database instances on Google Cloud without having to retool applications.
The two companies will market that service under the catchy name of Oracle Database@Google Cloud. Oracle Exadata Database Service, Oracle Autonomous Database Service, and Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) will all launch later this year across four regions: US East, US West, UK South, and Germany Central, with more planned later.
Oracle Database@Google Cloud customers will have access to a unified support service, and will be able to make purchases via the Google Cloud Marketplace using their existing Google Cloud commitments and Oracle license benefits.
Oracle’s continued multicloud strategy
The partnership with Google Cloud can be seen as a continuation of Oracle’s multicloud strategy that it started executing with the Microsoft partnership, analysts said, adding that Oracle expects that the new offerings will help many of its customers fully migrate from on-premises infrastructure to the cloud.
By adopting a multicloud approach, Oracle avoids going head-to-head “entrenched” cloud providers. Instead, McCarthy said, Oracle is leveraging its strengths in data management to solve problems that other cloud providers cannot.
Oracle may have been swayed by the experience of its partnership with Microsoft Azure, dbInsight’s chief analyst Tony Baer said. Although AWS may have been a more obvious target to partner with next due to its reach, Google Cloud was probably “more hungry” for a partnership, he said.
McCarthy expected AWS to soon start exploring a similar partnership with Oracle as the Azure and Google Cloud partnerships will put pressure on the hyperscaler.
“AWS faces the same challenges as the other clouds when it comes to Oracle workloads. I expect this increased competition from Azure and Google Cloud will force them to explore a similar route,” he said, adding that migrating Oracle workloads has always been tricky and cloud providers need to offer the combination of Oracle’s hardware and software to allow enterprises to unlock top notch performance across workloads.
Open AI starts using OCI for extra capacity
Separately, Oracle is partnering with Microsoft to provide additional capacity for OpenAl by extending Microsoft’s Azure Al platform to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).
“OCI will extend Azure’s platform and enable OpenAI to continue to scale,” said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in a statement.
This partnership, according to independent semiconductor technology analyst Mike Demler, is all about increasing compute capacity.
“OpenAI runs on Microsoft’s Azure AI platform, and the models they’re creating continue to grow in size exponentially from one generation to the next,” Demler said.
While GPT-3 uses 175 billion parameters, the latest GPT-MoE (Mixture of Experts) is 10 times that large, with 1.8 trillion parameters, the independent analyst said, adding that the latter needs a lot more GPUs than Microsoft alone can supply in its cloud platform.
Each day we all have an opportunity make a difference in the lives of other people. Each of us has unique ways we can make that happen. Whether donating through a charity, through a small kindness offered to a stranger, helping out special people in our own lives, and the list can go on and on.
If you take a moment to look at charities, there are a variety of ways in which you can help, as there are so many charities available. Whether your choice is donating money to a charity, donating food to a food pantry, or donating clothes to a shelter, each of us can make a difference. The key to this is finding a charity that means something to you and a charity where you can make a difference.
At Innovative Computer Products we are so pleased to have found a charity where we can make a difference, and that organization is CFY (www.cfy.org). Through CFY and our One for One Program we are able to reach out to the neediest students who have no means of obtaining home technology.
Donating refurbished computers is the key to our One for One Program. For every refurbished desktop computer we sell at Innovative Computer Products, we donate one refurbished desktop computer to CFY. CFY is such a worthy organization and through their own means along with our One for One Program, the technology is truly getting out there to the families that need it. Last year we were able to donate over two thousand refurbished computers to CFY through our One on One Program.
CFY has many different ways you can make a difference in their organization, and we urge you to do so. While our method is donating computers, maybe your method will be with your money, time or talent, or possibly computer donation as well. Your contribution will make a difference in the lives of children.
Please consider helping CFY – you can make a difference.
IT hardware procurement process can be a challenging one for any organization. If you are an IT professional or a business owner, there are various options available that must be sorted through to meet key priorities and requirements. When it comes to buying IT hardware, refurbished equipment is a viable option to consider seriously. It provides an array of undeniable benefits including performance, quality and flexibility at great price points. Following are seven notable benefits your organization can rely on when opting for refurbished IT equipment.
Cost
Companies can procure refurbished IT equipment at a mere fraction of OEMs’ pricing. Opting for refurbished IT hardware can help stretch budget, afford larger projects, and even have extra hardware on hand in case of disaster recovery or if any backup is necessary.
The latest and highest end technology is not always an affordable option for small businesses, schools, and nonprofits. However, by choosing refurbished IT hardware, one can gain access to the latest technology regardless of their budget.
Refurbished hardware is an excellent way for organizations to increase buying power while benefiting substantial cost savings.
Quality
IT refurbishers go above and beyond when it comes to quality control. Experienced, trained and certified technicians rigorously test, diagnose and refurbish all IT hardware to ensure that its performance – both functionally and cosmetically – rivals that of any brand-new computer.
Microsoft registered refurbishers (MRR) are an elite group of refurbishers who take quality to whole new level by following Microsoft’s certified refurbishing processes. The MRR certification enables refurbishers to load and authenticate Windows OS legally on any Windows-based machine.
Sustainability
Refurbished IT hardware is very eco-friendly. If “going green” is a priority in your technology choices, buying refurbished IT hardware is an ideal decision. Refurbishing and reusing not only prevents electronics from ending up in landfills, but also eliminates the need to manufacture new electronics.
Buying and using refurbished equipment is a form of electronic recycling that offers numerous benefits to both the organization using it and the environment.
Flexibility
IT hardware refurbishers will work within and according to a customer’s needs and requirements as well as their limitations. Typically, this much flexibility is not available when buying directly from traditional retailers.
Refurbishers can customize specs to meet exact technology hardware requirements and offer a variety of prices to meet virtually any budget. They also offer flexible warranty, extended coverage options, payment options and terms, such as PayPal, net terms and more.
Warranty
IT refurbishers can offer among the best warranties available today. In many cases, they provide hassle-free advance replacements, which mean replacement product will be shipped out before receiving the product being returned. This system offers a level of convenience and customer service that simply cannot be found when buying directly from OEMs. IT refurbishers offer flexible warranty options and extended warranty coverages as well.
Obtain Hard to Find or Obsolete Equipment
Sometimes, finding legacy equipment can be very challenging. Refurbishers are well-equipped sources of OEM discontinued hardware, which is helpful for companies running proprietary software and hardware that sometimes requires older hardware.
Selection
When compared to OEMs, you’ll find many IT hardware refurbishers offer a much larger inventory pool, including brands such as Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo and more.
Clearly, these advantages point to one undeniable conclusion: refurbished IT hardware can provide customers with substantial flexibility, service and savings. Whether you are a small business, educational institution, nonprofit or part of any organization that requires IT equipment to function, an IT refurbisher can provide one-stop-shopping for all of your IT needs.
EDB
