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Big Data is everywhere. As technology advances and becomes more integrated with our lives, data is being generated at an incredible rate. At our March TXCHANGE event with Splunk, we found some interesting ways big data is monitored and how companies gain operational intelligence from an endless sea of data points. Below are a few takeaways from last week’s event.

Watch Full Video of the Splunk Demonstration Here

Denny Webb, Unidev's Splunk-certified developer, explains his social media Splunk app.

Big Data gives you the whole story

John Herzog and David Maislin, our presenters from Splunk, demonstrated the value of pulling data from information “silos” found in traditional IT architecture. Important interactions happen across many different servers, so it can be difficult to get a clear picture on a specific user session. Splunk takes a “slice” of data across all silos to create a complete time-ordered description of a session. This allows administrators to identify and address issues very quickly, increasing resolution speed by up to 90%.

Big Data is getting bigger

Many organizations are struggling to make use of the vast amounts of data being generated by web servers, databases, transaction terminals and mobile devices. However, as the devices in our lives become more integrated into other networks, there will be more and more data sources to mine from. To highlight the variety of data we’ll generate moving forward, John even mentioned a “smart refrigerator” that could push its data to a network. Splunk engineers realized this future is coming all too soon; the Splunk tool is compatible with any “machine data”, allowing data analysis across all types of devices.

Big Data isn’t just for the tech team

Decision makers need as much data as possible to take informed and timely action. However, data can be so complex and overwhelming that only experienced technical developers or engineers can read it. Thankfully, Splunk allows developers to customize high-level dashboards based on the ingested data. With Big Data only growing in importance in the coming years, its essential for organizations to make use of this “operational intelligence” from top to bottom.

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“Reimagined” is the buzzword surrounding Microsoft’s latest update to their operating system, Windows 8. With a brand new user interface and design, Microsoft is displaying Metro-style apps on the PC to create a seamless, integrated experience across tablets, laptops, and traditional desktop PCs.

Main Features

The most reimagined feature in this major update is the touch-based design. Gone is the familiar start menu and taskbar that has been part of the Windows OS since Windows 95. Large tiled app buttons linking to various applications like music, email, social network activity, Microsoft Word, and Internet Explorer replace the traditional Windows layout.

The design closely follows the Windows Phone app layout.

Microsoft has essentially developed two versions of Windows 8 to facilitate identical experiences on touch screen tablets and desktops. The new operating system will support traditional x86 CPUs found in most PCs in addition to the low-power ARM processors found in most tablets. This could have major implications for mobile application development.

The new “Windows to Go” feature augments even further consistency across multiple devices. Users can create a secure image of Windows 8 and place it on a typical USB flash drive. Users can then boot their own operating system from other Windows 7- and 8-enabled PC’s and laptops. This allows for an easy transfer of important applications and data to other machines. These updates, along with native 3G and 4G support will make mobile workforces more productive than ever.

Will it be worth the upgrade?

At this point, it is impossible to say whether most users will make the jump to the reimagined Windows 8 or not. While the new design is receiving high praise, there are some concerns Microsoft may alienate long-time Windows users by obscuring the traditional start menu interface they are used to (as seen below).

Additional concerns call to question the likelihood that businesses will adopt the new operating system. Though the secure Windows to Go and mobile productivity additions are appealing to business owners and IT managers looking to expand their mobile workforce, the expense of training employees on the new interface could create a high barrier to entry.

So will Windows 8 be a success for Microsoft? We’ll find out this Fall when it is released commercially. For now, you can try it yourself with the recently released Windows 8 consumer preview. Let us know what you think by sounding off in the comments!

Full disclosure: Unidev is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.

Here at Unidev we pride ourselves on the diverse skills and years of experience our development teams bring to their projects. Whether it’s custom software design or mobile application development, our developers have what it takes to provide innovative and elegant solutions to our clients.

But what exactly makes a great developer? Are there certain traits, skills or habits a successful developer needs? Well, we asked the talented members of the Java, .Net, and mobile development teams at Unidev to find out.

Testing

Of course, a great developer tests her code thoroughly to ensure it performs just as the client expects. Christine of the Unidev West development team in Las Vegas submitted the mantra, “testing, testing, testing” to highlight its importance. This element is essential in delivering high-quality code with confidence.

But testing isn’t simply a phase at the end of a project; it’s a mentality integral to the entire development process. We couldn’t say it any better than one of Unidev’s talented developers, Teresa:

“Besides having some test cases before he starts coding, [a great developer] is also thinking of test cases as he goes, so he can try to break his code in the testing phase. Oh yeah, and he tests his stuff- thoroughly.”

Communication

This development skill may not seem as obvious as technical skills or problem solving abilities, but it is extremely important nonetheless. Great code cannot simply exist in a vacuum, it needs to comply with client needs and function properly with code from other developers.

Strong communication skills reduce errors and can catch minor problems and miscommunications before they become major headaches. Kevin from our development team in St. Louis puts it best:

“A good developer must be a good communicator. He must be able to understand a client’s needs and then be able to respond with useful solutions. He must also be able to explain his development strategy to co-workers.”

Teamwork

Another intangible skill a great developer must possess is teamwork. Successful development may rely heavily on individual abilities, but without positive interactions between other team members, things can fall apart quickly. Brian, another member of our development team in St. Louis, shares his thoughts:

“Although development is largely an individual activity, ultimately the efforts of all the individuals on the team are combined to make the final program, product, or website. If a developer cannot handle the teamwork aspect, he/she will likely be limited to projects where his or her efforts will not adversely affect the larger team.”

These are just a few aspects that the Unidev team thought distinguished a “competent developer” from a “great developer”. Do you agree or disagree? Tell us what you think makes a great developer in the comments below!

The 2011 holidays are almost at an end, and here at Unidev we have celebrated them well! As you may recall, this year we held an office decorating competition. Web designers, software developers, web marketers, account managers, HR staff, and accounting all got involved in making the Unidev offices very festive. For a quick look at our holiday decorations, check out this video tour of our offices:

Clearly, the competition was stiff this year. From the inflatable figure and Bieber-adorned display of the web design team, to the wrapped paper shredder and toy train of the Auctori team, to the frosted glass and paper snow flakes of the HR and Accounting teams, the Unidev offices looked like a winter wonderland. But of course, there could only be one winner of the grand prize: The Best Office Decorations award for Holiday 2011. Who took home the blue ribbon? Watch our holiday party video below to find out:

So, as you can see in the above video, The Web Design and Development Team from our web marketing division The Net Impact are 2011′s winners for best office decorations! Congratulations to all the teams who participated. We look forward to next years competition!

Everyone have a happy, safe, and prosperous New Year. We’ll see you in 2012!

Unidev recently launched a channel on Livestream.com

Live online video offers an unprecedented level of connectedness between users, events, and the brands that host them. Modern processors, webcams, and bandwidth speeds now allow companies large and small to become their own Live TV studio. Businesses can now stream company announcements, educational seminars, and valuable Q&A sessions directly to users on their website in real time.

Want to broadcast live video around the world but don’t know where to start? Here’s a quick guide to getting started with live streaming video, following the process used to get The Unidev Live Channel up and running.

Hardware and Equipment

Though the equipment is fairly simple, the hardware involved in the live streaming process is very important. The major elements needed are a camera, a microphone, and a PC robust enough to process the video.

A high-definition webcam is a simple way to capture video that is easy to encode and broadcast. For Unidev live we used a Logitech 1080p Webcam Pro C910 that cost around $70. This was a fairly inexpensive way to capture high quality video, and its USB output made it simple for encoding and streaming.

Next an audio capturing device is needed. While most webcams have a microphone, higher quality and flexibility is achieved with a dedicated microphone. For Unidev Live we used a MXL AC404 USB Conference Microphone for about $75. This microphone captured the ambient noise in the room, which was ideal for our discussion based events. Again, the USB output on this microphone makes sound capture and encoding very simple on a PC.

A fairly powerful computer is needed to process and encode the video and audio on the fly.  The CPU is the most important component. To achieve a desirable frame rate (at least 30 frames per second), the computer should be equipped with a dual or quad core processor. The computer should also have a decent amount of RAM (4 GB) and a dedicated video card with at least 512MB VRAM.

Streaming video also requires a certain amount of bandwidth to broadcast a quality video. Upload speeds should be around 1.2 Mbps to 1.5 Mbps. As always you can test your bandwidth speeds at speedtest.net.

Software and Service

Once all the hardware is in place, it’s time to select a streaming service to host your live channel. Justin.tv, Ustream.tv, and Livestream.com are all popular services that allow for free live video broadcasting. We decided to host on Livestream.com for The Unidev Live channel due to the simplicity of the interface and software, but all three services are capable and free.

It is possible to broadcast live video from the webcam on the Livestream.com website right away. However, if you would like to incorporate a feed from the desktop to include videos, slides, and graphics you will need to download capturing software.

Livestream.com offers Procaster, a small program that connects directly with your Livestream.com channel. Procaster captures, encodes, and streams the webcam video feed, the audio from the mic, and a feed of the computer monitor. This allows for live editing between video of the presenter and presentation slides on the computer, including picture-in-picture.

The Procaster software allows on-the-fly mixing of video and desktop feeds.

Live streaming allows businesses to create content in real time with their fans in a high impact medium. Additionally, the live player is fully embeddable on your website and the broadcasts are recorded and archived to show other viewers later.

This technology offers a great opportunity for brand building and consumer engagement. Overall, live video broadcasting does have some technical demands, but the content produced is very valuable.

Questions regarding live video broadcasting or video optimization? Contact us today!