2 Dec 2011: Data management solutions provider DataFlux has released the latest version of its data management platform, a single platform for data management, data quality and data integration.  Version 2.2 provides enhanced master data management (MDM) capabilities and adds features to allow business analysts and data stewards to initiate and manage enterprise data governance initiatives.

Major enhancements include an integrated approach to MDM and a set of web-based offerings that help business users, data stewards, project managers and IT teams collaborate more effectively to manage business and reference data. Web-based dashboards and monitoring tools allow data governance and data stewardship teams to create more refined controls on data – and provide a way to communicate the health of corporate data – by creating standards that help ensure that data is accurate, reliable and fit for purpose.

By providing a unified solution for business and IT users to plan, manage and analyze business-critical information, DataFlux says the Data Management Platform enables organisations to more effectively establish and enforce uniform standards for enterprise data – a critical component for data governance and MDM. The latest release of the Data Management Platform also features improved data matching and data discovery capabilities.

The latest version was tested in real-world environments over a six-month-long period as part of the company's early adopter program, generating feedback that helped shape the development cycle. 

New in v2.2:

• Master Data Management Foundations: This new feature extends the easy-to-use DataFlux Data Management Studio interface by providing an integrated, intuitive approach for building MDM hubs. Without acquiring and integrating additional technologies, users can begin a phased approach to MDM for entities such as household, organisation, person, policy, product and supplier.
• Business Data Network: This web-based product serves as a centralised repository to manage the critical terms used in an organisation to run the business. Business teams and data governance councils can define and manage terms once – and extend those throughout the company. Business Data Network includes role-based access, lineage, security and history to maintain control and visibility for the management of a business glossary.
• Reference Data Manager: In addition to the ability to define and orchestrate data management processes throughout the business, this web-based product allows business users to create and manage hierarchies, with definitions, entities and relationships clearly defined.
• Dashboard Viewer and Monitor Viewer: Access configurable at-a-glance summaries, trend views and KPIs on data quality and data management processes within the organisation with these web-based tools. This can expand the visibility of data management initiatives to more business users throughout a company.
• Unstructured data access: As organisations increasingly add forms, old business records or invoices to data management programs, the need to extract and rationalise data from these sources is increasingly important. The latest release of the Data Management Platform extends its unstructured data access and contextual extraction features to quickly capture this information and incorporate it into existing data management processes.

“For too long, data has been managed in separate silos – each with independent teams using a variety of tools and approaches for data quality,” said Tony Fisher, president and CEO of DataFlux. “Effective data management requires a cohesive framework with enterprisewide policies, robust technology that supports those policies and collaboration between business and IT to make the new processes effective. The Data Management Platform supports each of these needs to help companies rapidly achieve successful MDM and data governance programs.”