In-Depth

Briefs: DataFlux, Connotate

DataFlux enhances data management suite; Connotate revamps content management tool

• By Stephen Swoyer
• 06/18/2003

DataFlux Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of SAS Institute Inc., announced DataFlux Data Management Version 6, an integrated end-to-end data management suite that includes DataFlux’ dfPower Studio, Blue Fusion SDK, and dfIntelliServe products.

DataFlux Version 6 boasts several new features, including an integrated data management methodology and software solution for Profiling, Quality, Integration and Augmentation. Also new is dfPower Architect, workflow manager component that controls many aspects of data management.

Enhancements to DataFlux Version 6 include beefed-up data profiling capabilities; expanded customer data integration support that provides the ability to track customers over time; and additional support for non-name and address data. DataFlux has also added a workflow manager GUI—called dfPower Architect—that lets users design and customize the data management process. With dfPower Architect, the company says, users can drag and objects in the dfPower Architect workflow window to build workflows and help customize the data integration process.

DataFlux Version 6 also includes a new householding engine that can track the lifetime value of a household, and which can also detect when members move in and out. Finally, DataFlux 6's data-profiling component provides new functionality, including column, dependency, and redundancy profiling.

Robert Lerner, a data warehousing analyst with market research firm Current Analysis Inc. says that with Version 6, DataFlux has addressed a number of functional omissions—such as data profiling and householding capabilities—from its end-to-end data management suite.

DataFlux Version 6 is expected to become generally available in July. See http://www.dataflux.com for more information.

Connotate Revamps Content Management Tool

Connotate Technologies, Inc. announced version 4.0 of Web Mining Server, a content management tool that navigates through Web content, extracts important data—text, numbers and pictures—and converts it from HTML into various formats including XML, database records, and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.

The revamped release introduces several new features, including Database Mapping, which lets Web Mining Server 4.0 transform unstructured Web data into structured information that can written to a database. Connotate says the process is entirely GUI-based and requires no programming skills.

Other new features include support for a Web page “snapshot” capability that delivers MHTML pages to a specified user or database when specific information on that page changes.

Also new in Web Mining Server 4.0 is an enhanced Web services API that allows developers to invoke Information Agents—which in the Web Mining Server lexicon are used to monitor, harvest, mine, aggregate, and integrate Web information—programmatically through a standard Web Services API. Connotate says the calling program and specify the parameters, keywords, and agent logic.

Web Mining Server 4.0 boasts improved site navigation optimization, with new algorithms that provide more efficient navigation of, and interaction, with Web sites.

Finally, the revamped content management product includes PDF Document Pattern Recognition.

Web Mining Server 4.0 is available now. See http://www.connotate.com for further details.