I’d like to take my Beyond PLM conversation away from social and collaboration trend. Let’s think about bits and bytes of data, delivery technology and cloud. Navigate your browser to the following link – Microsoft Coaches NoSQL Option for Azure Cloud. I found this writing interesting. Microsoft play around NoSQL indicates that SQL Server may have some visible alternatives even inside Microsoft Azure Cloud.
What does it mean in PLM? Today’s products are heavy users of SQL option. DS V6 made usage of SQL backend to drive CATIA. Few days ago, I posted about Windchill technological trajectories. CIMData is saying Windchil has 900 SQL Tables and evolving forward. Reading Deelip yesterday writing about PTC from Shanghai PTC event, I found the following statement important:
(Q) Does PTC have any plans regarding cloud computing? (A) We view cloud computing as a delivery mechanism and we will take advantage of it when it solves some real problems. An example is Windchill and it does make use of the cloud today.
Does it mean PLM SQL technologies is a step ahead of MS SQL server? I don’t think so. I can think about potential SQL problems of PLM backbones on the cloud. PLM mindshare leaders will have a good partnership agreement with Microsoft. Does it mean Microsoft Azure NoSQL stuff will be immediately available for PLM platforms? How much re-writing it will be requiring from developers of existing PLM products?
So, what is my conclusion? It seems to me PLM R&Ds are experimenting with a lot with cloud PLM these days. Next year can be a year of some big introduction in this space. The cloud infrastructure is one big question mark. Some of PLM vendors are developing new products. Some other vendors (i.e. PTC) are considering cloud as just yet another delivery option. Time will show…
Best, Oleg
